R.O.A.D.M.A.P. to NaNo Success!

Writing Song of the Day: "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

It's that time of the year, peeps. No, we're not talking about Halloween. Or the rush of holiday commercials that will soon clog our TVs. We're talking about NaNoWriMo!

Can I get a woo hoo?!

*crickets*

Yes, Quita and I are cray cray enough to give it another go--if only for our beloved reward at the end (more on that later). Earlier this week, we tweeted some tips to be successful for all of you daring NaNo-ers out there--so of course a blog had to follow.

And now we give you our...

Picture Taken From: Hattan Enterprises

ROADMAP to NaNo Success

R = Read. Read everything. Read within your genre. Read outside your genre. Heck, read the back of a cereal box. Ideas can come from ANYWHERE.

O = Outline. After you get your idea, give it some bones. Plot--even if it's just the first few scenes. You have to start somewhere.

A = Add buddies. Hey, you're going to need friends to push you along and keep you on track. Quita and I are great dictators, er, I mean, MOTIVATORS. Our NaNo usernames are pharris81 and mhockaday.

D = Details. Add some meat to your outline. Think more about your characters, and make sure you know your ENDING (believe me, this is key).

M = Make time. Not gonna lie, I pretty much have something to do every minute of the day. But try twenty minutes before work, twenty more at lunch, ten before dinner. Before you know it, those words will pile up.

A = Abstract. Ever had to write a research paper? Well, an abstract is the summary paragraph listed before an article. If you're able to summarize your story, you'll have a better idea of where you're headed.

P = Prize. Just when you feel like giving up, think about that reward you have waiting for you when you reach the finish line. Sure, you'll have the first draft of a novel--but give yourself a little something, something extra. Our yearly tradition is THIS:

Picture Taken From: The News Chronicle

Yum. So what are you waiting for? Get started and good luck!