Updates:

The ongoing editing of the Extoria Rewrite has been going on a little smoother since I passed the 25% mark. I’m looking forward to when I can share the new story with everyone as it’s grown by leaps and bounds since the last draft. For those of you who stayed current with my posts, you’ll see that all entries for The Exhibit are online for your enjoyment. As we enter this season of thanks, I want to share my appreciation for all the readers of The Exhibit. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading The Exhibit as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you haven’t enjoyed it yet, please click here to read now. 

What’s in store for November?

You will see the start of a new storyline Frozen in Line. In Frozen in Line, you’ll meet Anthony, a college blogger of all things incomplete, who one day receives an anonymous message for an incomplete list of deaths on Mt. Everest. Join Anthony on a chilling journey as he researches what happened to the young man missing from this ever-growing list. 

November is National Novel Writing Month

For those unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo, it’s a challenge for writers to take the time out of November and write a 50,000-word novel. It takes 1,667 words a day. Not too hard, right? Well, if you’re one of those writers joining in on the challenge, I’d love to hear from you. NaNoWriMo is a month to push yourself as a writer, but also to learn how to set healthy goals. While the NaNoWriMo website sets the default goal of 50,000 words, you can adjust it to what works for you. I’ve seen authors go below, 30,000 words, and above, 90,000 words. But no one cares how much you write. Just get out there and build some daily writing habits. 

For readers, find your favorite writers and see if they’re taking part in NaNoWriMo, or find some new authors and follow their progress. The books that these writers work on during NaNoWriMo could be first or second drafts of a novel you will buy in the future. Watch the growth from the seed to full-blown tree. 

Either way, I wish everyone good luck on NaNoWriMo and hope to hear about your progress throughout the challenge. I will take part in this year. 

November Writing Tip: Writing your novel

There are many ways to write your novel. You could Write Your Novel from the Middle as James Scott Bell recommends. Or, you can take an outlining approach as in Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland. You can sit down with an idea and write. Everyone will write their own way, and it may work for them, but it doesn’t mean that you need to copy them. Try out different methods and most of all, remember to have fun writing. It’s hard, especially if you’re joining into writing challenges like NaNoWriMo. But even if you want to get one page, one paragraph, or one sentence written, enjoy the process. 

Here are a few tips to get you started on writing your novel this November:

1. Sit down, open your computer, select your word processor, and write your goal. You can also write your goal on a sticky note, notepad, engrave it into your computer (not recommended), but whatever you do, write it down. 
2. Talk about your story. You don’t need to go into any details, but you’ll find amazing support in the #writingcommunity across all social media platforms. All of us authors just want to watch others succeed. Share a selfie as a check in for the day’s word count. Get creative and make some artistic representation of your word count. Or do a simple check in and state that you wrote today. You don’t have to quantify anything, just write. 
3. Write. While this may be implied, don’t forget to write. One sentence, paragraph, or page a day. You can start with small goals and work your way up.
4. Don’t judge yourself compared to others. Writing is a solitary journey. Everyone else is at different levels, with different lives, and dealing with unique challenges. This journey is yours, so don’t let people say you’re doing it wrong. Find your groove and always work towards growth as a writer and a human being.

Good luck my nugs. Stay fresh. Write, because before you know it, you’ll be an Author of Tomorrow.