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Are You Joining NaNoWriMo This Year?

NaNaWriMoo Starts in November!

It’s almost time to his the go button. I’d like to share why NaNoWriMo worked for me.

A participant needs to write 1667 words every day to get to 50,000 in November.
At the beginning of the month, I tried to write 2000 words a day (but you can see below I didn’t always make it). My theory was I would have less to write each day when the end of the month drew close and I was getting tired.
Some of you may plot your story ahead of time.
In this case, I hope you’re doing that now, so you’re ready to go on November 1st.For the pantsters (that’s me), wake up early on November 1st and start writing. The excitement of starting a new story drives me through the words.
My goal for NaNoWriMo was to complete 50,000 words but not perfect them. That could be done after the draft was written.
My advice: Write each day, but worry about scene order, structure, and flow later.At the end of each day, I updated my word count on the NaNoWriMo web page because I loved to watch the graph change.

Somehow it motivated me to stay above the line.Here’s what my word looked like on a daily basis. There were two more days to go (after I took this screenshot), and I made it!

You can see I fell behind on days 8, 9, and 10. Those days were on a weekend, and life took priority. At that moment, I knew I had to get serious and bump up writing on the priority list.

Participating in the NaNoWriMo forums helped me stay motivated. Chatting with other writers going through the same process is not only fun, but you can egg each other on.

The other thing I found is my friends and family gave me time to write, knowing I was under a deadline. The closer I got to 50,000 words, the more they cheered me on. The excitement around here grew each day. That motivated me to keep going, too.

I’m to doing NaNoWriMo this year because I’ve just finished a first draft and am about to start my story edit. But next year, I hope to. Maybe I’ll fit in a Camp NaNoWriMo once I’ve got my current novel finished.

Then the big question. What happens after NaNoWriMo?

Whether you’re a plotter or a panster, once you’ve completed a first draft, you may wonder what to do next.

If you’re anything like me, you’re asking yourself:

  • Where do I start my manuscript rewrite?
  • How do I keep track of all the writing tips I’ve read and apply them to my story?
  • What should I change to make my story better?
  • Am I ready to share my manuscript?

and on and on my questions go.

I have a solution for story editing. It’s called Fictionary StoryTeller.

Fictionary StoryTeller helps writers tell better stories with online software that simplifies and automates story editing. Story editing is your opportunity to improve the structure, characters, plot, and settings of your NaNoWriMo novel.

Story Editing Simplified

However many words you complete in November, StoryTeller helps you finish your novel and turn it into a powerful story.

How StoryTeller Works

StoryTeller analyzes your entire manuscript and creates powerful visuals such as the Story Arc and your Cast of Characters. 11 additional reports help you visualize your story like never before.

StoryTeller then guides you through a scene-by-scene evaluation of your manuscript against 38 story elements and provides insightful rewrite tips for improving your story exactly when you need it.

StoryTeller is online software you access via Chrome or Safari on a Mac or PC. You import your manuscript, work your editing magic, and export back to an MS Word .docx file.

Fictionary is a proud sponsor of NaNoWriMo in 2018 year.