NANOWRIMO - Week 1 Wrap -Up

Good morning, friends.

Thought I'd pop in and give you a Week 1 progress. 

Last year, I couldn't have done this. I just couldn't get into Nano or into the story I needed to be writing.

This year is different. I finally have the desire to actually write this story.

NOTE: As I type this, it's Day 6 and I've not written yet today or on Day 7 But I wanted to get this up.

I talked about Double Down Day and the amazing word count I had for that day. 3445. Seriously?!

The important thing is that I've written EVERY SINGLE DAY. Word count has been better some days better than others. I'm going to show you what I've done and I'll try my best to come in to update the daily word counts here.

DAY 1 - 1842

DAY 2- 915

DAY 3- 150

DAY 4- 3448

DAY 5- 322

DAY 6-

DAY 7 -

Week 1 Total: 

Aside from setting up the Preptober Planner, I also got another tip from Sarra. Like her, I like to get out of the house one day a week for a ME day. I go to my favorite coffee shop and work on my planners... or in the case of NANOWRIMO, I work on my story.

She uses one of those 4x6 pocket brag books to tuck her index cards in to... making her story board more portable than on the key ring she also uses. 

So I pulled out my story board and slid my index Chapter/ Scene cards into a brag book I had here at home. Keep in mind, you can pick them up for $1.25 at $Tree or sometimes $.99 at WM. 

 I can use the story board here at home or if I'm going on a retreat weekend and want the larger showcase of the chapters but for short trips, this brag book style is a game changer for keeping my index cards/ chapter prompts at my finger tips. 

Are you participating in Nano? How are you doing?  Need some encouragement? Just buddy up with me - RainLyte on the Nano forum. 

All my best!

~Angela

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH - Week 1

National Novel Writing Month is here again! I almost look as forward to Nano as I do any holiday of the year - except for maybe Halloween. 

I really put my best foot forward this year. As crazy as September and October was for me, I was determined that November would be about writing. 

I started by taking days in October to really go through the Preptober Planner by Sarra Cannon. I printed out all 95 pages, made notes on the book, decorated the tracking pages and got in the mind set that I would be writing in November.

While the planner is primarily for NanoWriMo, there is a lot of 'plan of attack' tips in the booklet as well. You can get your free download by subscribing to her mailing list. With that you have access to all of her other great writing tools. She will update the Camp Nano Planner in March of 2024.

Here is the video for her Preptober Planner 2023. Links to her website so you can get yours is in her description box.

Book 2 of the Planned to Perfection series is coming along, finally. I figured out my problem.

I was putting all of my attention into the crafting for the etsy shop and not immersing myself in things writing. 

So, while I'm still crafting, I'm also back to watching the writing videos and sprinting with folks on YouTube again.... every day! Even if I only get 200-300 words, it's more than I've written in a long time.  I took part in Double Down Day on Saturday and wrote over 3400 words!!! My goal was 3400.

If you aren't familiar, Double Down Day is the first Saturday of each month where you try to double your best word count for the week in a single day. I was tired by 8 p.m. but proud for having done what I sat out to do. I didn't give up. That's why I thought yesterday's Thoughtful Monday was so appropriate.

Are you doing, Nano? If so, share your goal/ progress below. And if you'd like to buddy up - you'll find me as Rainlyte on the nano boards.

All my best!

~ Angela

 

WRITER'S TIP THURSDAY

 Good morning, friends!

We are three days away from NanoWrimo2021.  Where has this year gone?!

Today, I want to share a very special lady with you. Sarra Cannon has been my mentor for several years. I aspire to have her dedication. I keep saying if Sarra can do it, so can I! 

Sarra and her family are living a vagabond life at the moment. Through circumstances with their previous lease, then builders canceling contracts left and right - including on what she thought was her dream home - Sarra has stayed up beat, positive, and encouraging to herself and others. Their family are testing various areas of the US to see if there's someplace they are supposed to be.  I have four words...

SARRA CANNON IS AMAZING!

Today's video talks about her Preptober workbook. I encourage you to watch the video as well as subscribe to her channel and click to get notifications. We're all hoping, in her vagabond status, she'll have time to update our Nano tracker for 2021. But we'll make it work if she can't. We get it!

This is just the tip of the writer's ice block Sarra offers for FREE on her website.

All my best

~Angela

WRITER'S TIP THURSDAY

 Good morning, friends!

I'm sharing one of the best motivational Preptober videos I've found so far. Yoanna is fun to listen to and she brings up a couple of things I've not heard any of the others mention. Watch her short video and see if you can spot her very practical tip on 'conditioning yourself to write'.

All my best

~Angela

MONDAY MOTIVATION

 

Good morning, friends.

I have a light week this time. Bob leaves out on the 26th so I try to spend as much of his last week home with him. That doesn't mean I'm not working on something.

# Plan November Videos

# Final Preptober Activities

# Sprints

I've been trying to write every day. It's not always happening but I'm getting better.

Do you struggle for time to write?

All my best

~Angela

WRITER'S TIP THURSDAY

 Good morning, friends.

As we approach the half-way point of Preptober, there are still tips to learn from those who've been there.

Today, we have Anna Sacket. She is a courrent youtuber... meaning she's still out there learning and sharing. 

All my best

~Angela

WEDNESDAY REVIEW & CONFERENCE UPDATE

 

Good morning, everyone!

I've been super busy over here trying to finalize my presentation for the Ozark Creative Writers conference. I've also had to deal with truck repairs. I will resuem the Author Spotlight & Review next Tuesday.

There's still time to join me at this amazing multi-genre conference. We have an Early Bird presentation on Thursday afternoon followed by a meet n greet Welcome Back party. Masks and Social Distancing are required but we will still be having tons of fun and would love for you to join us!

The Conference kicks off with our keynote on Friday morning with Bill Bernhardt. He will be talking about what Best Selling Books have in in common. 

I have two sessions (back to back) on Friday afternoon on the importance of blogging as well as a 'how to' for authors. 

Click this LINK to be taken to the main page. You'll find everything else by following any of the tabs.

In the meantime, I've kicked off my AuthorTube channel. We're talking about PREPTOBER. Don't know what that is? Check out my first video.  Future videos will run on Fridays.

I'll see you back here on Monday for more Motivation to KEEP GOING!

All my best

~Angela

TOP 3 - November 2

 Good morning, everyone!

Wow, what a difference between yesterday and today. Woke up to twenty degrees cooler than yesterday morning. I guess it's November, after all, but geez! Good thing I'll have the oven on this morning so I can dry can grains and pasta for the pantry.

Is it just me or does everything start moving faster once November hits?

Since I have been busy trying to get stuff caught up around here before Bob comes home on Wednesday, I've not taken the time to sit down and fill in the Preptober Workbook - a freebie from author Sarra Cannon. I'm posting her video walk -through below.

There is a relatively new bakery about an hour from me. She opened last fall or early spring. Small but beautiful shop. I hope to talk to her about what she went through in opening her bakery so I know my heroine's journey as getting her bakery open is her make or break in the story.

Lastly, 2,000 words per day. That may adjust once I fill in the Preptober book, which I hope to work on today.  One other thing to add to the list is to add a word count bar to the blog side-bar. 

Speaking of being busy, there will be blank spots as we go through the next two months. I want to enjoy the holidays. There won't be a Writer's Nest post again this month or possibly next. I do have someone scheduled for December but she's in the middle of a major move and not sure she'll be settled in by December. 

I do have a new series coming in December, though so stay tuned!

With that, I wish you Happy Reading!

~Angela