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But, imagine how much you can write in two whole days.

To kick off this last weekend of frantic November writing, I wanted to share one of the tips I’ve found for myself earlier this month. This one made a big difference for me when I did my 10k Tuesday and constantly wanted to just quit and take a nap. Focus on the smaller word count goals, even the completely random ones. Yes, my big goal for that day was to write 10k within twenty-four hours (which I did, yay!) but breaking it down into smaller steps was a huge help. Sure, at first I started big by writing a full chapter, but by the end of the night even writing 200 words in one sitting seemed impossible. So let yourself find whatever the next milestone is in your writing, even if it’s something completely random. This can be anything…

– round out your daily word count. 354 words written today? What’s 46 more?
– round out your total word count. You’re at 41284. Stretch to 42k, or even until 41.5k. You can do it!
– a little harder, but try writing enough to get your average words per day to a round number

To be fair, sometimes there won’t be an obvious goal to work toward. But it’s times like these when you can create the smaller goals for yourself. Write for 15 minutes. Write 250 words (you’ll be surprised at how quickly you can do this). Write until the end of the scene. Take part in a Twitter word sprint. Then, once you complete that, find your next milestone and keep going.

Through all of this, another big help is frequently updating your total on the NaNoWriMo website. Don’t overdo it, as it does cut into your writing time, but let yourself enjoy the feeling of seeing that bar go up, and up, and up. And if you’re on Twitter, feel free to toot your own horn with the #NaNoWriMo hashtag. There are so many people there to cheer you on, and knowing that someone (even internet strangers) has seen your word count update can be the motivation you need to get back in and write  a little more.

That’s it from me today as it’s time to go write ALL THE WORDS! I hope you’ve all enjoyed this year’s NaNoWriMo as much as I have, but I also hope that not a single one of you stops writing just because November is over. There are still more stories to be told, and there will always be an amazing writing community on the internet to cheer you on.

Today has been, without a doubt, my best writing day (in terms of word count) of the entire year. I’m at around 9300 words written for the day so far, and still have more than two hours to cross that finish line to having a 10k day. I’ve written that many words in less than 15 minutes before. But right now, my brain is pretty fried, so I thought this would be a good chance to come down from the word count high and commemorate this really awesome day. It’s days like today that I really remember that I actually like doing this. I like writing. It’s exhausting and I’m pretty sure my brain is going to fall out, but I genuinely enjoy the process.

The thing that pushed me over the edge from a lot of writing to AN INSANE AMOUNT OF WRITING was easily the #WNSprint hashtag that I and the other WordNerds were using today. It was just a really fun way to cheer each other on and be accountable for how much we got done. I know I’m not the only one who had her best word count day in a while. So we’ll be doing this again next week, and I’m pretty excited. And that’s exactly what is so great about NaNo. The community is there cheering you on at all hours of the day (assuming you’re on Twitter or the forums) and you know there are always other people there in the trenches with you. It’s pretty cool.

So now, I’m going to go push to 9500, because I don’t think my poor, exhausted mind can handle 700 words in one sitting right now. But I’m going to keep going, one little milestone at a time… which is probably what I’ll be talking about next time

Happy writing!

So, what specifically are these mythic numbers that I’m talking about? Well at last count my NaNoWriMo project is at 20,330 words which is a nice chunk ahead of schedule. I’ve also been keeping track of my non-NaNo word counts, though this week wasn’t super productive on that front. But adding that in, my total for this first week of crazy writing is 23,492. Not bad, right?

Most of my week was spent writing a new project, even though I really should have been finishing up edits for Four of a Kind. But I’m really enjoying this new project so far. Shannon, Somewhere is my first solo book in what will be a co-written series between Erica and I. I can’t tell anyone that much yet (since I’m only 1/3 of the way into my first draft and I already know there are going to be massive edits required) but I’ll say it’s funnier than I thought it was going to be, and it’s making me wish I could afford to jump on a plane and go back to Europe for a little while.

For most of last week I was happily writing away in order, but I eventually started feeling a little confused about where everything was going, so I ended up skipping forward to near the end of the book which helped me have a pretty great word count day yesterday and gave me more of a direction for the rest of the story, which I’m going to jump back in to today.

I’ve been doing NaNoWriMo for a good long while now—I think this is year nine since I know I started in 2006 and have never missed a year, which is insane—and I can say with some confidence that has been my most productive week one ever. It doesn’t hurt that this is the year that I’ve had the most dedicated writing buddies on my NaNo feed. Knowing there are friends of mine out there who are just as dedicated to this does a lot to spur me on. And some of them (Erica, Madeline and Mickey come to mind) are kicking some serious butt this month! What could be more inspiring than that?

I hope your week one has been everything you were hoping for, but if not, this is not the time to quit or slow down. It’s Saturday which means you should be able to find a bit of time to get in today’s word count, and then a little more time to either get caught up or to pad your word count for going in to next week. So happy writing, and if you haven’t already, add me to your buddies list so I can stalk your word count too!

We’re going to write a book this month. We’re going to write a book this month because that’s what you do in November. November is for books. Maybe it’s a little a little crazy, but if you’re anything like me, this won’t even come as a surprise to your friends and family anymore. NaNoWriMo is as much a part of the regular calendar year as St. Patrick’s Day or Halloween.

But today, because this is a pep talk, I want to compare it to my actual favorite day on the calendar. New Years. New Year’s Day has always been about reflection on the last year and striving for something better for the year to come. And yes, this might only be the first day of the second last month of the year, but it’s still a fresh start and you should take full advantage. Not only is this the most writing fueled day of the entire year because no one has given up yet, but it’s also your best chance to come out swinging. To set a good example for yourself. To start building momentum. You’re going to need that momentum a little later on, when the novelty of all this insanity starts to wear off.

When it comes to writing (hell, when it comes to anything worth doing), we’ve all slacked off before. I know I’ve picked reading or Netflix or napping over writing more times than I can count. But this is our chance to start fresh. NaNoWriMo is all about upping your word count and bettering your whole writerly self. So it’s time for a fresh start. Every new year’s we give ourselves permission to reimagine parts of ourselves (even of that new idea only lasts until the first time you see cookie dough ice cream on sale at the grocery store). Why can’t today be about giving your writer self a fresh start? There will never be a better time.

So use the fact that today is the first day of NaNoWriMo and the first day of a new month to reimagine what you’re capable of in your writing. Give yourself permission to get lost in it for just one day and write as much as you possibly can, because then for every other day this month, you’re going to know what you’re capable of. Not only will you have a little wiggle room on your word count moving forward, but you’ll also know that you can write more than the bare minimum today (and in days to come) and still have time to function like a semi-productive member of society. You can do it! Prove it to yourself today so that you’ll always have that knowledge to fall back on in the days where you really, really don’t want to write. You can do it, so you will do it. Because this is just one month, and you have a massive community to lean on for support and to cheer you on.

You don’t need this pep talk. You are awesome and there are words to be written. So go now, open up your favorite word processer and write ALL the words. This is NaNoWriMo, and you can do it!

The odds of giving birth to identical quadruplets: 1 in 13 million.

The population of Fairview, a town so small that all anyone talks about is the Fairview Four returning after fourteen years: 7208.

The chance of Reagan blending in with the crowd after a boy in her new town starts to see her for who she really is: zero.

Following in the footsteps—and all too often, the shadows—of her sisters was nothing new to Reagan. But after fifteen years of fading in to the background, she’s finally finding her own way. Amidst all the gossip and assumptions, one person sees Reagan for what she’s always wanted to be. One of a kind.

Finally feeling like she belongs, Reagan wants to enjoy every possibility her new life has to offer, but things aren’t going as smoothly for her sisters. How can Reagan possibly let herself be happy—or maybe even fall in love—when her family is finally turning to her for support?

Add Four of a Kind to Goodreads

About the book: In a dusty, dilapidated stall tucked away in an alcove of a bustling Bazaar in India, a man with a rickety spine and a spindly beard bends over his work bench, forging a locket with accidental magic. There’s power in a wish, and there’s nothing he wants more than for his children to return home. The locket was intricately crafted, adorned with one dragonfly for each of his children—and the power to find them.

With the guidance of fate, the locket skips through time and journeys across oceans, traveling from person to person in a constant search for the souls whispered into its vessel. Centuries after the magical old man in the Bazaar became near-forgotten myth and whispered legend, the locket has fallen into the hands of those with echoes of the six dragonflies: the seeker, the empath, the dreamer, the confidant, the adventurer, and the dancer.

In the hands of its new owners, the power of the locket adapts, bending and remaking itself to answer need. While the locket never found the children of Lahari, it found the next best thing… Their spirits.

The six novellas of the Lost Locket of Lahari anthology pause a moment in time when the locket finds the ripples of its ancestry. From the Victorian-era to the Roaring Twenties, the 1940s, the modern day and beyond, this anthology is a collection of stories as dynamic as the authors themselves.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iBooks

Add The Lost Locket of Lahari on Goodreads

Now that we’ve talked a little bit about what the book is, it’s time to get down to business. If you pop around to all of the other posts from the hunt, you’ll see so much fantastic content, Playlists, storyboards, recipes… you name it! I knew I’d never be able to come up with anything half that amazing, so instead I wanted my stop to take a slightly more serious note. I want to say thank you!

First off, of course, is a big thank you to all of the authors who participated. This anthology is a first for Patchwork Press and Erica and I asked Ruth, Terra and Janna to take a leap of faith with us. They stepped up brilliantly. Because of the wonderful authors at Patchwork Press, we have a wonderful collection of stories to share with our readers.

But I want to say an even bigger thank you to the behind the scenes team. Our super amazing interns–Madeline, Dana, Hannah and Aly. They really went above and beyond to help make this launch special, even taking their own time to brainstorm ideas and come up with this incredible scavenger hunt. All four of them are absolutely wonderful, and I have no doubt that any one of them could have a fantastic (I feel like I’m using a lot of synonyms for awesome in this paragraph, but you get the idea) career in publishing, which I hope we will continue to be a part of.

You guys are the best and I can’t tell you how excited I am to see what else you come up with as we move on to other projects. We couldn’t have done it without you!

And finally, the readers. To everyone who has loved a Patchwork Press book in the past, or who goes out of their way to support indie publishing… this one’s for you.

<3

And don’t forget to stop by the Patchwork Press site to see all the other wonderful stops! We’ll also be wrapping everything up over there tomorrow!

Oh! And you may have been looking for something special when you popped over here today? A clue perhaps?

If you want to check it out for yourself and save a little inspiration when you need it, head over to http://getpocket.com/ and for now, watch the video!

The 5 Most Common Writing Mistakes That Break Reader Immersion

http://creativityhacker.ca/2014/08/26/the-5-most-common-writing-mistakes-that-break-reader-immersion/

Writing Tips From George R.R. Martin and Robin Hobb

http://www.buzzfeed.com/danieldalton/purple-socks#cbn644

Elle Casey – How I Write So Many Books

http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,150274.0.html

The 5 Most Exciting Ways Tech has Revolutionized Reading

http://inktank.fi/tech-press-5-exciting-ways-tech-revolutionized-book-industry/

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Legacy of the Teen Heroine

http://inktank.fi/tech-press-5-exciting-ways-tech-revolutionized-book-industry/

The Secret to Awkward

https://medium.com/@halekathleen/the-secret-to-awkward-2ccf391cc842

Writing in the Age of Distraction

http://www.locusmag.com/Features/2009/01/cory-doctorow-writing-in-age-of.html

The 8 Habits of Highly Successful YA Authors

http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2013/10/the-8-habits-of-highly-successful-young-adult-fiction-authors/280722/

The other day on Facebook, a self-published author I admire, Susan Kaye Quinn posted this, “Only in the Age of the Internet could one of your best buddies be someone you’ve never met…. Who is your internet-bestie-you’ve-never-met-IRL?” Well of course, that made me smile. I know exactly how she feels. Six of my absolute favorite people are my bookish besties who I’ve never met. Erica, Mickey, Calyn, Meghan, Erin and Emma have all played a huge role in making this whole self-publishing business seem way less solitary, and a lot more fun!

This evening I did a couple of word sprints with my Camp NaNo cabin, and while I wasn’t as productive as I’d hoped, it really helped to know there were other people out there in the same boat as I was, just trying to get the words out. Our cabin is made up of 11 other writers, some I know well and some who I’m just getting to know. But all of us love YA books, love writing, and just want to see each other succeed. There’s a whole lot of value in that.

Whether your writing friendships are temporary like your Nano cabin mates, or long term besties, they’re awesome! How many people in real life do you know that love the same books you do, watch the same shows you do, have the same dream job as you do? I know in my case it’s none. But online, the possibilities are endless. If you haven’t yet, take the time to reach out to the online writing community. You’ll find an endless supply of information, encouragement and friendship.

I really don’t know where I’d be without my circle of writing buddies. So if you guys are reading this… love ya!

Total word count… 7312. I need to get my act together if I’m ever going to reach my goal of 60k by the end of the month. Eep!

P.S. – Have you visited the WordNerds Youtube Channel lately?

Last night, I watched a mediocre movie about writers. Let’s talk about it! It wasn’t awful (although it got 7% on Rotten Tomatos from critics. Ouch!) but it was a pretty disappointing portrayal of aspiring authors that certainly doesn’t represent the wonderful community that I’m a part of.

The characters were portrayed as mostly jealous and/or slackers, and the one character who was actually dedicated to her writing, Hannah (Kaley Cuoco), it seems, has never actually read a novel. The running joke of the movie was that she couldn’t even name any authors, so I’m not sure what it says about the industry that she was the only one to get published. It was definitely suggested that it had more to do with what she looked like than actual talent, but I’m choosing to believe she was just weirdly gifted and got where she was because she actually put in the time to write. A “novel” concept, I’m sure.

There was also a sub-plot about another writer group member pining after Hannah. It was cute at times, but I was never really sure how it fit into the overall story, or the message that this movie seemed to be trying to get across. But hey, three cheers for adorable book nerds?

Overall, I’d say skip this one. But this has at least inspired me to eventually write a review (although you can hardly call what I just wrote about this movie a review) on a writerly movie I did actually enjoy, Stuck in Love.

Okay, this was a bit of a slacker post, I know. But it was a bit of a slacker day (not actually, I did get some long overdue edits back to Erica). Current word count, 6164.