Tomorrow is November 1 which means it is the first day of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). My second book The Second Life of Magnolia Mae was a NaNo project and my third book Jade: Out of the Ashes was a camp NaNo project. I haven’t finished a NaNo since then but this one is going to be different.
I finally have a working computer again and the internet is up and running in my home. I no longer have to worry about my hand cramping up from holding then pen too long or rewriting an entire page because I messed up and can’t stand my page to look like a mess and I never write with a pencil.
With the decision to participate this year also comes the decision of what to write. I have several projects in the works Man in the Mist, The Toymaker’s Curse, Summer Blackout which I was writing in notebooks and they all need typed up and then finished. I know some authors who will use NaNo to complete a work but that’s not for me. I want to start with a fresh page on November 1 and be able to type The End on November 30. So that leaves me to trying to decide what exactly I should write.
I would love to write a Christmas story. I have an idea for one and a tentative title of Winter Whiteout. The problem is I can’t decide what pov to write from. Do I write from the single mo’s POV or from the teenage daughter? Both? There are so many choices to be made! The pressure is on.
I always do my best writing when I don’t plan so I suppose I will just sit down and type. Allow the story and characters to lead e where they need to go. At the end of the month if I have a finished first draft I will celebrate. Even if I don’t I will probably still celebrate because I refuse to give up during this NaNo.
Are you participating this year? If not are you currently working on a project writing or otherwise that you want to get done before the Holidays?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
I have never participated in NaNoWriMo, but I probably should.
As for the POV, how about both? Have you ever written by switching, POVs, possibly leapfrogging chapters? I think a single mom and a teenage daughter as characters would be perfect for this, since they are facing the same situations, but they are bound to either miss elements that the other sees or simply that their perspective and experience, (or lack thereof), makes things appear very different from the ‘other side’. The mother is bound to have ‘baggage’, which she may be projecting into her daughter’s life; the daughter may not be able to see red-flags or realize possible bad outcomes. Plus, they are both bound to misinterpret the other one’s attitudes or comments.
I’d like very much to see this.
I wish you great luck.
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I have written from two POVs before but usually with the love interests. I think switching between the mother and daughter is a good idea. Thanks.
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glad you got your equipment working and your ‘net back.
I can’t do much of anything long-hand anymore, except journal.
I’ve never tried NaNoWriMo — partly because it seems November (every year) has so much going on. In the past it’s been edits and releases. This year… who knows?
But I’ve proven (to myself) that I can write 50k words in a month, so I’m not driven to force that to occur during a particular month.
Taking nothing away from people who participate faithfully — it’s been a wonderful prompt for several people I know, including some (like you) who have written stories later published… and at least one author whose NaNo story later won a big award.
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Your enthusiasm for NaNo this year is a joy to read. I think you are entering this challenge with the right attitude. And you’re ready with the equipment too. I’ve done Nano, but decided there’s so much junk writing to go through after Nov, I haven’t done it again. The project I wrote (and cleaned up) earned me a publishing contract for my first novella. Have a wonderful, productive month of NaNo.
JQ Rose
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Thank you.
Glad to hear you received a contract on your completed NaNo project.
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Good luck with NaNoWriMo. I’ve never tried it because November is way too busy. I’ve got a new release to promote, plus concerts to practice for, and papers to grade – plus I need to get ready for Christmas. I like Tonette’s suggestion of doing the mom’s and the daughter’s POV – although I tend to want to know what the hero’s thinking, too.
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My daughter told me to write two books. One from the mom’s pov, maybe the love interests. And the other from the daughter’s.
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Good luck with Nano! I haven’t tried it in November. It’s always been too busy. Right now I’m thinking that if I want to get my distopian novel done, I need to do a big push so that might be my goal for November.
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Good luck finishing your dystopian novel.
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