This is a generalization, I know, but the volume and sources of stimuli - from the internet to mega-channel cable packages to video gaming - is, I'm afraid, overwhelming the lure of simply sitting down with a book, whether printed or digital. With attention spans shortening along with that of "gratification delay" more and more young people are unwilling to engage in a pass time that doesn't provide immediate payoff. Printed books will never go away, I suspect, but with the rise of ebooks/ereaders the ease and cost-effectiveness of such digital content will naturally create different distribution models.Īudience/attention fragmentation is a big concern. If the above comes to pass distribution channels and methods would naturally change, though it's hard to predict how exactly. I suspect e-reading formats and devices will continue to grow, which, if the DRM issues are handled properly, could be a great thing for both authors, who would be able to reach a broader audience more easily, and for society as a whole as the new format might (cross fingers) see a resurgence of reading for pleasure. This morning, I noticed a tweet from that said, "As a NaNoWriMo veteran, do you have any tips for this NaNoWriMo newbie, maybe an article you wrote about it?" Most of the posts that I've done about National Novel Writing Month for TUAW have focused on the tools, not on the technique.Compared to the folks behind the scenes in publishing, I can speak to this is a limited fashion. Ommwriter file backup how to#īased on the tweet, I thought I'd give you some hints from a three-time NaNoWriMo winner (that means you wrote a 50,000-word novel in the month of November) about how to prepare for the writing marathon. Helpful Hints For Writing Your NaNoWriMo Novelġ) Make sure you have a broad outline of your plot and characters in your mind or on paper. This was the hardest part for me the first two years I did NaNoWriMo, as I had a story in my head but didn't spend the time to think of characters or how the story was going to evolve. As a result, those first two novels were only about halfway through the total plot line when I got to 50,000 words. What I suggest is sitting down with your favorite writing tool - whether that's TextEdit, Word, Storyist, Story Mill, Scrivener, or another other writing tool, and just write a quick outline of how the story is going to unfold. Come up with character names and a rough description, locations, etc., and write them down as well.Ģ) At some point on November 1st, sit down for an uninterrupted spell of writing. In order to write 50,000 words in a month, you'll need to average 1,667 words a day. I find that setting aside time to write in a place where I'm not going to be interrupted by talk, TV, or tweets is essential. If you're enthusiastic about your story, that 1,667 words is going to flow out of you, and you'll find that some days you're writing 2,500 words. Go for it on those days, because you'll have other days when you need to take a break. My favorite place to write NaNoWriMo novels? The kitchen table. The chair is uncomfortable, so I need to write quickly so I can get out of it ASAP.ģ) It's all about words, not about tools. I've noticed over the last few days that I see more and more tweets about "which tool should I use?" There are debates going on about the merits of Storyist versus Scrivener, or using one of the many minimalist writing tools. Here's my take on the writing tools: don't go out of your way to buy a new app that has lots of bells and whistles, because they'll get in the way of writing your novel. Many of the novel-writing apps have ways to write outlines, build character cards, etc. I found these tools to be so incredibly distracting that I finally just started using minimalist tools. You can easily write a NaNoWriMo novel in Pages or Word - you don't need an "author's tool" unless you really think it will help you. My second NaNoWriMo novel was actually written in TextEdit.Ĥ) Have fun writing. If NaNoWriMo turns into a chore, you're not going to make it. For me, writing fiction ends up being so much different from blogging and writing tech books that it's an absolute joy. I love thinking up characters, putting them in odd situations, and then trying to get them out of those situations while moving the plot forward. Are they well-written novels? Probably not. To make writing fun, think about something that either excites you or makes you laugh, and then use that as a key launching point for your novel. This year, I'm resurrecting a character from last year.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |