NaNoWriSe (A New Adventure in Writing)

Hello everyone,
It has been quite awhile since I've posted and you can chalk all that up to life. However, with the Summer finally here I find myself reinvigorated and ready to embark on a rather lengthy and difficult writing quest that may or may not rid me of my remaining sanity.
I experienced an untold of amount of productivity during National Novel Writing Month and instead of 1,667 words a day I wrote 5,000 words a day and had hit my deadline 10 days into the month. I wondered how this could have happened, especially since I was very busy at the time with other pursuits, including tech week for a musical. Anyone who has ever experienced tech week, knows how difficult and long rehearsals can be. I decided that this is because I work well under pressure. Specifically, I work well under deadlines.
So since I'm not doing much this summer outside of a lot of reading and anime watching, I decided to invent my own, "National Novel Writing" event which I am probably the only one insane enough to participate in. I call it "National Novel Writing Season" or "NaNoWriSe". The perimeters are as follows:
- I will write two novel rough drafts each month in the months of June, July and August
- I will edit one previously completed rough draft each month
- I will not completely lose my mind.
Best case scenario, I leave the summer armed with six new rough drafts and three polished novels so that I can pick and choose based on the market which I should try to query. Worst case I will only have three new rough drafts and one polished novel. I will not allow myself to leave the summer with less than that.
Am I crazy? Absolutely. But, I am determined to be held accountable so I turn to you, my loyal readers (If I have any that is) for help. I shall be reporting on my progress throughout the summer and I will blog every day, if possible.
Wish me luck... and let NaNoWriSe begin!

Your First Reader (And the Feedback you Need)

Ah, yes: Feed back. That dreaded monster that lurks at the end of every draft completion. I find a lot of writers are afraid of feedback, and its not surprising. After all, you've spent months carefully selecting each and every word in your manuscript. You've poured your heart and soul into it. The last thing you want to hear is criticism no matter how constructive it is.

I'm not afraid of feed back per say but I am very reluctant to hand over my manuscript to other viewers. Particularly in the first few drafts. It's not that I'm afraid that someone will criticize my work. It's that I'm afraid I'm handing over something that isn't the best it could be. Surely I could make it better in some way before I send it into the open jaws of my friends and family.

But there will always be more that you can do and sometimes your inner circle can really help you see those things. That's why I am talking about the all important "first reader".

The first reader should be someone you are closest to. Someone who will be encouraging and help you through the process but isn't afraid to say, "This sucks. Change it."

For me, that reader is my older brother. It's not surprising since he is responsible for fostering many of my interests (Fantasy, anime, sci fi, reading, villains, jazz... the list could go on.) Just about anything he likes, I like. We have similar tastes and I respect his opinions. If he thinks a scene in my manuscript needs work, I know he's probably right and I can bounce ideas off of him to make it better.

But feedback can also help you gain confidence. If my brother (Or anyone) gives a stamp of approval to a chapter, scene or character, that makes me feel better about what I'm putting forward. And since writers are often hard on themselves, the encouragement is welcome.

Of course my brother only just finished reading the manuscript and critiquing it today and by now he practically has an entirely different book (I edit a lot, what can I say?) but I feel much better going on the publishing journey with his feedback behind me.

Don't be afraid of critique, especially from those closest to you. They are your biggest fans in the end, but they are honest. And if they think something is wrong, the agent might think the same thing :)

-Authoress Anonymous

PS: Woo hoo! I have one follower! Auspicious day!