My NaNoWriMo Journey 2023

That's right...I'm at it again! I'm going to try really hard to post my progress regularly here. I'm trying to establish a presence as a writer. I think it will help me with accountability and may even help my confidence. We shall see.

My goal for NaNo is 50,000 words, of course. I'm placing a Pacemaker Planner progress widget in the sidebar. I will continue writing in December because my plan is 90,000 words for my novel. So, 40,000 words in December. 

I'm a huge fan of Sarra Cannon (author). Her planning system and writing tips (and everything else) have been such a big help to me. She's doing NaNo too and she does daily vlogs called The NaNoWriMo Diaries. You can check her out on her Heart Breathings YouTube Channel here. She really is so much fun.

So, here I go. I have not started writing yet so I'm a bit behind, but hoping to start tonight or Friday at the latest. I have extra time on the weekends so I can catch up. I know I can do it! 

Are you doing NaNoWriMo this month? Let me know. You can also send me a buddy request on the NaNo site @MSMwriter.

Sit Down and Write 10, #NaNoWriMo, and writing during the holidays #sitdownwrite

After much contemplation, I decided to dive into the fray that is NaNoWriMo once again. I made Sit Down and Write two months this time so...

1. In the event I fail NaNoWriMo (which I usually do), I'll still have another month to work on my WIP.
2. If I finish even part of my novel during NaNoWriMo, I will have a good start to continue working in December and beyond.
3. Two months is a necessity during the holidays. They should really change it to two months and call it National Novel Writing "Months"... lol

So, why bother with Sit Down and Write? Well, I thought this would be a good place for those who are participating to interact and get support when they need it. I'm going to create a master post and pin it to the top of the blog. I will post updates there and I'll leave comments open so we can interact.

Remember, this isn't just a writing challenge for those writing a novel. If you're wanting to get some blogging done, or work on articles, or poetry...whatever you're working on in the writing department is fair game. 

Let me know if you're doing NaNoWriMo, and/or if you want to participate in Sit Down and Write, by leaving a comment below.

I hope you will join me!

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To #NaNoWriMo or not to NaNoWriMo

I've been weighing this back and forth for over a month...should I or shouldn't I? To be perfectly honest, I'm still not sure. I have never successfully "won" NaNoWriMo.

You know what? To hell with it. I'm in!

Hit me up on the NaNo site if you want to buddy up @ thetruebookaddict
I may update on Twitter (@truebookaddict), Facebook (Michelle Stockard Miller) and/or Instagram (@truebookaddict)...and here on this blog. If you don't hear from me, it's not going well. lol

Here I go, into The Further (I'm watching "Insidious.") 😵



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Sit Down and Write 7: #NaNoWriMo Edition - Update #sitdownwrite

Do I have what it takes to be a writer? That's the question I've been asking myself all weekend. Or...do I put too much pressure on myself with events like NaNoWriMo and the like? Is it that November is not a good month for writing, or is it something else? I don't know, but I'm in a semi-dire situation at the moment in my mind. I can't get past the fear, doubt, worry (that it won't be good enough). I know I'm not the only one that goes through this kind of agonizing self doubt and stalling. Anyone else want to weigh in on this?

So, all this being said, I've decided to "lose" NaNoWriMo again. I am feeling very discouraged and regretful about it, but it's a decision I had to make. I know that next time I attempt to participate in a "writing month", I need to be prepared. That being said, I'm still moving forward with my dreams of being a writer and so will continue with Sit Down and Write this month. I intend to use the rest of this month to fully flesh out my idea. I'm beginning to think that I'm not a pantser. I really shouldn't be surprised that I'm a plotter. Planning is in my genes, whether I follow through or not. lol

Let me know how you're doing. I'll check the linky for any updates. I hope you're not going through what I've been. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.



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Sit Down and Write 7: #NaNoWriMo Edition - Today We Start! #sitdownwrite

Today's the day! Have you started. I'm having a bit of a late start, but I'm accounting for this during the month. I'm determined!

Here's a motivational quote for our first week...

This post will serve as this week's update and discussion post so feel free to share your progress and/or struggles in the comments below. 

Whatever you're working on, you got this. We can do it!

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Sit Down and Write 7 - #NaNoWriMo Edition #sitdownwrite

Yes, I've decided to attempt NaNoWriMo again. So, in conjunction with that next month, I'm going to host a month long Sit Down and Write! That's right. It's Sit Down and Write 7: NaNoWriMo Edition!

Whether you are indeed jumping into the fray with me, or you just want to catch up on some blogging or book review writing, declare your intention in the comments section below and add your link to the linky. I'm going to have also have the Mister Linky in the sidebar so you can easily access and post links to any updates. I will also be posting updates here and I encourage you to stop by and chat in the comments, especially those of you doing NaNo. I'm going to need the moral support.

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NaNoWriMo - Day 3

I think in my case it should be called NaNoWriNO. Seriously, why do I think I can do this, only to fail year after year. Now this doesn't mean I'm giving up...but I am getting discouraged, which doesn't bode well considering tomorrow is only the fourth day. I'm just wondering why...just when we have something big planned like this...our bodies decide to be extra tired, our minds more clouded, more demands surround us from work and family? Is it the universe trying to tell us something?

Okay, I'm finished waxing thoughtful. I will try to soldier on.

How about you? How is your journey going so far?




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NaNoWriMo - Day 2

Well...no comment on my progress because...well, no progress yet. I had no time to prep in October so that is what I'm trying to do now. I know, I know. That's not the way it's done. But when have I ever followed the rules? Probably why I don't have my novel written yet. Ack!

How about you? How are you struggling...or succeeding? Did you prep in October or are you still in the same boat as I am?




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NaNoWriMo 2014 and a Support Group

Am I ready? No. Am I ever ready? That would also be a no. But I never give up and so I'm jumping on the NaNoWriMo bandwagon once again.

To hold myself accountable and to offer support to my friends who are also braving the NaNo waters this month, I will be posting here daily, whether I've written or not. These posts will be for daily accountability and the comments each day will be a forum for my friends (and other NaNo participants) to stop by and share their struggles, successes, pretty much anything. It's a NaNo support group OR The--rant, share, vent, brainstorm, shoot the breeze--Support Group!

I hope you will join me so we can support each other in this daunting endeavor. Yes, I said daunting. Anyone would be a fool not to call it so.

Happy writing!!!



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National Novel Writing Month 2013 #NaNoWriMo

For what it's worth, I'm in again. I honestly feel like I have a different mindset this year...and yet I'm behind on my preparations. Go figure! Anyway, I'm staying positive. I'm working with a new idea. One I had kicked around previously and then tabled and now I'm back to it. I feel like if it keeps popping up, it must mean something. I just wasn't feeling the other WIP I was working on so I put it aside for the time being. We shall see where this journey takes me.

Now, if I can just avoid my new addiction on Facebook (curse you, Bitstrips)...

Are you doing NaNoWriMo? Look me up under thetruebookaddict and be my buddy!

Happy writing!



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Once more into the fray....

....and I'm not ready.  But it is what it is.  I figure if I keep signing up, eventually I'll hold myself accountable enough to actually finish or, at least, come close.  I'm also late to the party on this round of ROW80.  So, I guess we know what my goal is for the ROW.  I'm aiming for a 60 - 80 thousand word novel.  Not sure what that works out to daily word count wise, but I'll calculate that later.

I'm also hosting Sit Down and Write 2 this month so maybe that will give me extra incentive.  It runs from November 12 - 25.  If you'd like to sign-up, you can find out the details and do just that HERE.

Are you doing NaNoWriMo?  You can find me over there HERE.

Sit Down and Write 2--Details and Sign-Up

This write-a-thon is for any writing you need to get done.  If you're working on a novel and, perhaps, participating in NaNoWriMo next month (like me--buddy up with me--thetruebookaddict), it's for you.  If you have a ton of reviews to write coming off of (or during) the many read-a-thons that are always going on, this is perfect for you.  Any writing you need to get done...this is the thon to really buckle down.  I'm not going to be hosting any mini-challenges, but I will have check-in linkies posted every few days, if you are so inclined to share your progress.  You can link to your reviews or your progress posts.  Our Twitter hashtag is #sitdownwrite  If you're game for a couple Twitter chats, let me know in the comments.

Due to input from participants last time, the write-a-thon will now run for two weeks!  Starting and end times are the usual:  Monday (11/12) 12:01am CST until Sunday (11/25) 11:59pm CST.

Note:  You may have noticed that I changed the blog name from The Story Inside Me to Stories Inside.  The blog link and feed is still the same.  Just the name is changed.

Be sure to grab the button (top of post) and spread the word! I hope you will join me!

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ROW80--finally joining the fray...and my "am I crazy?" moment

Yes, I have been grossly neglectful of my writing since Round 2 of ROW80 started.  I kept missing check in after check in.  Heck, I don't think I even did a goal post for this round.  Meanwhile, my novel languishes away waiting for my attention.  Well, here is my official goal post/check-in, even if it's the last month of this round.  So, what is my "am I crazy?" moment?  Yes, I went and did it.  Signed up for JuNoWriMo.  I know that the folks at NaNoWriMo are doing Camp NaNoWriMo in June and August this year, but I stumbled across JuNoWriMo which was created by authors Becca J. Campbell and A.E. (Anna) Howard.  Becca felt that November wasn't enough and decided that June was the month.  Now this may not be a great idea for me because I actually was just hired as an independent contractor Virtual Assistant (working from home, baby!) so I'm now a working girl again, but I have been feeling so guilty about my novel which I started during NaNoWriMo in November that I just feel like I need to do this.  Yeah, I'm crazy.

The beauty of JuNoWriMo is that you can have already started your novel.  Don't worry, I'm not cheating.  I'm only about a thousand words in anyway.  Now I only found out about this a few days ago so I don't know if I'm going to be ready by Friday.  The end of the month is always a heavy time for me on my blog what with trying to get book reviews written on the last day of the month (yeah, that's how I roll) and all.  But I'm doing this...that's it! I'm thinking that I may actually start the word count accumulation a few days in so I'm going to have to adjust my daily word count from 1667 to about 2000 daily.  This is my jumping off point, but may have to adjust accordingly.  I have to remember to go into this with an open mind and to remember that no one is going to kill me if I don't finish.  They say we are our own harshest critics and nothing could be more true about me.

Okay, so wish me luck on this endeavor.  Hopefully, I'll have something to report on Sunday (or maybe Wednesday).  If you're interested in checking out JuNoWriMo, go HERE and read more about it.

Image/poem from A Writer in Wonderland

ROW80 (late) Check-In 11/27/11--It is what it is....

I am not going to finish NaNoWriMo. There, I said it! And I am quite at peace with the realization. I thought that I just might try to bust my ass and finish, but I am just so ridiculously behind. On a positive note, I do have a great start to what I think might be a pretty good novel. So, I will continue to plug away during ROW80 (thank you, ROW80, for being here) and just finish at a slower pace. I think that will work better for me anyway. I tend to balk at strict deadlines and then kill myself trying to finish at the last minute. I just don't think it's possible at this point, but no regrets! Am I saying that I will never again jump into the madness that is NaNoWriMo? No. But I may just have to remember next time that I'm just not disciplined enough (at this point) to write almost 2000 words a day, every day. But I'm okay with that...and realizing that the holidays are a very busy time of year for me, my ROW80 goals are as follows:

• write 500-1000 words per week on WIP
• I'm doing a Christmas journaling project this month with some fellow bloggers/Christmas fanatics--daily Christmas journaling starting December 1st.

How are you doing on your journey?  What's your NaNoWriMo story?

ROW80 Check-In 11/16/11...Diminished self-doubt

So, last week I was in a bad place due to being so behind on my NaNoWriMo WIP.  Well, I'm still behind (extremely), but thanks to some very awesome people who stopped by with such encouraging words (thank you again), I'm not beating myself up about it.  I do have words down on the page and I have what I think is a great start to my novel so I'm happy about that! Even if I don't end up "winning" this month, I will have a great start to a WIP that I can continue to work on during the ROW80 challenge.

On another note, I submitted two of my stories to the Writers' Digest Short, Short Story competition.  The deadline was Tuesday and I got them in just in time.  Wish me luck!

Goals:
--try to get caught up on NaNo WIP
--get back to daily journaling

ROW80 Check-In 11/9/11...Anguish

Yes, that's right...anguish.  Why?  Because I am about 14,000 words behind on NaNoWriMo.  I am so upset, I just want to sit and cry.  I had planned on getting partially caught up today, but my sons were sick on Monday and Tuesday and my older son came home with a boat load of homework today.  Plus, he's having a lot of trouble in school and I'm having to deal constantly with those issues.  What I want to know?  Is there any hope of ever getting caught up?  I have my doubts, but then I think, "there's always hope, isn't there?"



Has anyone else ever been this behind during NaNoWriMo?

Goal....get caught up...that's about 18,000 words by the end of Friday...

ROW80...Late Check-In for 10/30/11

The realization has hit me.  I know I've been talking about this for weeks, but on the eve (of destruction?) of the day, it has reached out and grabbed me by the throat.  What am I talking about?  Why, NaNoWriMo, of course! Am I ready, I don't know...my preparations last week didn't go quite as planned.  I'm trying to work it through today, but it's looking like I will be prepping and writing for the first few days, at least.  But, I am absolutely determined to see this through.  I am not going to let fear get in my way this time.  I'm counting on my NaNo buddies for support.  On that note, if you are doing NaNo and would like to buddy with me, my NaNo name is thetruebookaddict.

So, what are my goals?  Well, we know what the expectation is...50,000 words (or +) in 30 days so approximately 1,667 words per day.  Let's just see where this road takes me!

Are you doing NaNoWriMo?  Share your fears or anticipations with me. =O)