NaNoWriMo 2015!

November is almost upon us (yes, I'm sorry, I said it), and with November not only comes AMAZING weather, Christmas music, sweaters, heaters, and Thanksgiving, but also a month-long "task" for writers: NaNoWriMo. (Dare I use the gif I did last year when writing my NaNoWriMo post? ... Yes, I dare.)




For those of you doing the painful challenge of NaNoWriMo this year, I applaud and bow down to your dedication.  Some of you may be scratching your head and going... "NaNoWhatO?"  If that's you, let me explain.

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.  It's always in November of each year, and, as it implies, your goal is to complete a full novel in a month.  It's not a competition, but if it helps you to think that, it's a competition against yourself.  For youths (those of us who are 18 and under), it's easier because we get to set our word goal count manually.  It can be as low as 100 words to as high 100,000 words!  Not so easy for those of us who are "adults" (yeah, being an adult doesn't have as many benefits when it comes to that area).

For some (maybe most, maybe even all), NaNoWriMo can be quite... overwhelming, daunting, even scary.  But if you're equipped with the right knowledge and preparation, I promise that it will be less stressful and maybe even really fun. :)  Here are some things that I do before NaNoWriMo and during to prepare and meet my word goal.  Hopefully, it will be helpful to some of you.


#1.  Actually have an idea.  Yeah, it's hard, I know, even if you're planning to start NaNoWriMo the day before, it's a really good idea (obviously... duh.) to have an idea of what you're going to write.  Even if you don't have an idea at all, you can start by asking yourself some questions.  What genre am I writing about (or want to write about)?  The protagonist's personality vs. antagonist's?  Those kind of questions.  What I might do sometimes (ssshhhhh) is look at a few of my favorite movies or tv shows and take my favorite aspects from each and try to come up with an idea from that.  But that's only if I'm desperate and on the brink of brain deadness.  Pinterest always helps, too.  Looking at story inspiration boards really helps... more than I could ever fathom, really.

#2.  When you have an idea, outline it, plot it.  Yes, yes, I know, I know, you've heard this a million and a half times, and it can get... redundant.  I hate plotting.  I absolutely HATE it!  It makes me feel like I have to stick to this one thing, I have to get organized, and I have to stay in a box.  But it's really not like that.  I have found (for the unorganized and list haters out there like me *cough*) that if you plot the beginning, middle, end - along with critical turning points in the storyline (which I usually write in different sentences at the end of the document) - then it's not so bad and lets you be more flexible with your storyline.  But for those of us who are strict plotters, I applaud you and encourage you to do just that.

#3.  Character personalities.  This is an area that I feel I'm stronger in (unlike plotting *hides face in shame because I'm not one of those people who can plot extremely well*), and is actually one of my favorite aspects of "planning".  In order to have a good novel, you MUST have characters with strong personalities.  Not strong as in overbearing, but strong as in sound and dissectable (yes, I made that word up), not shallow and boring.  The key to this is really getting to know your character, feeling your character, putting yourself in their shoes.  I know with some characters it's a bit hard to "be" them, but that's where imagination comes in handy.  Character questionnaires are also a great way to better know and develop your characters.  You may have an awesome storyline, but if your characters are shallow and stink, then it's not worth the read.  The other way around, however, might be forgivable.  Stinky plotline maybe possibly be saved by amazing characters.  Trust me, it's worked for me in the past.

#4.  Set a schedule.  On the NaNoWriMo website, once you type in your set goal wordcount (for YWP, where you can set your word goal), it automatically tells you how many words you must write a day for you to finish on time with your set word goal.


#5.  (Optional, depending on what kind of a writer you are, if you can stand this sort of thing) Have inspirational music going on in the background as you write.  I know - for me, at least - that when there is righteous music going while I'm writing, it inspires me, makes me feel the emotions of what I'm writing, and also makes me feel that I can do (write) anything!  Also gets your brain juices flowing.  ;)  If you don't already do this, then I encourage you to at least try it.  If you're looking for good writing music, I have a list made out especially for writers, some of my music. :)

#6.  Write.  "Well, duh, Angie."  Yes, this one is a bit obvious (a bit?), but it can also be the most challenging.  Actually find time to write in the day.  If you're super busy, find time at night, or early in the mornings.  This is critical to meeting that word count goal.  (Well duh again)

#7.  Push through.  Sometimes when writing, we can get bored with out plot or characters or whatever aspect on the book (as a huge procrastinator, I find this very true for me).  We can even get discouraged at our daunting word count goal, or even the way the story is turning out.  But no matter what, PUSH THROUGH!  It will be totally worth it in the long run, trust me.  Here's a little tip I have for this "sickness": write another scene, switch POV, change your text color to something bright and different every time a new speaker or paragraph or scene comes on.  Believe me, these little things can actually help.  What I DON'T suggest doing: going on pinterest for inspiration.  If you do that, then you'll be stuck there for eternity.  Take it from the Queen of Procrastination, you don't want to do that.


As I said in the beginning of this post, NaNoWriMo can be really scary, but if you just tackle it head on with a clobbering stick, then you'll be just fine this November.  I applaud you, writers for NaNoWriMo 2015.  You are brave souls.


~Angie

Character Personalities

Starting school two weeks ago Monday, I found that it's actually not as long and tedious and boring as I thought 12th grade would be.  It's actually been quite enjoyable.  British Literature is my FAVORITE subject as of right now, and I'm sure that won't change.  :)  As a part of my literature, I'm doing a vocabulary study and I'm enjoying it immensely!  While reading it last week, I stumbled upon ten different personality traits and their meanings.  Naturally, being a writer, as I came across the personality types and read through them, I compared them to my characters and placed my characters in the personality types.  It helped  me, in a way, see the actual MIND SET of my characters, but not necessarily their individual PERSONALITY.  Note the difference, my dear readers.  So.  Away we go.

Egoist

(Me first attitude)

This type of personality is basically, what it says in parentheses, me first.  Not necessarily conceited and stuck up, just me centered.  Not over the top selfish, but just thinking about "their" needs first, not others' need.  Self-seeking, but not over the top.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Abigail Blackburn, Nikki Taylor, Colton Flynn, Soleil Corsetti.

Egotist

(Height of conceit)

Don't get EGOTIST confused with EGOIST.  Egotists are more intense than egoists, more self seeking, definitely stuck up, over the top selfish, and - in a way - rude.  This type is all about them, with no room for other people in their thoughts.  This can sometimes even lead to more advanced and a more intense levels of egotistic behaviors, such as egomaniacs who are basically mad.  Literally... mad.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Owen Tracy, Alex Wayne, Alister Reynolds. 

Altruist

(Let me help you)

Altruists are the some of the kindest people, putting other's needs before their own.  They are the type of people who are always there helping, doing whatever they can to make others comfortable.  But sometimes this can lead to self negligence, not on purpose, of course.  They are so concerned with needs of others that they can forget about themselves.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Allison Beauregard, Gareth Corsetti, June Forwen, Theodore Yeshevsky. 

Introvert 

(Leave me alone)

Think of a turtle who hides in its shell and doesn't want to see people.  That's the introvert.  The introverted personality likes to be alone, or with a small selection of close people (and when I say small collection, I mean small collection).  They're timid, shy, and quiet people, and personally one of my favorite personality types.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Jemma Corday, Jagger Bachar, Elsa Altobelli. 

Extrovert

(Let's do it together)

Now think of the opposite of introvert - the exact opposite - and then you have the extrovert.  Extroverts are loud (and when I say loud, I only mean it in the best way - being an extrovert myself :P), exuberant, excitable, and big people lovers.  They like being with others and can't be alone for too long or else they'll go through withdrawals.  Very people oriented, extroverts are need socialization, it being crucial to their survival,

Characters of mine that I would place in this category: Mallory Steele, Riley Blackburn, Aggie Lennox. 

Ambivert

(Neither extreme) 

Neither and introvert or an extrovert, Ambiverts are a happy medium.  They're not extremely outgoing, and they're not extremely closed off people either.  They're a good balance to anyone.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: David Cruse, Edwin Anniger, Jadon Ross Ives, Samantha Reynolds. 

Misanthrope

(People are no darn good)

Misanthropes believe that people are stupid and "no darn good!"  Everything people do is not good enough, complain worthy, and far less better than anything they could do.  Whatever someone else can do, they can do better.

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alister Reynolds (again)

Misogynist 

(Women are no darn good)

Women haters, women dislikers, women scorners, annoyed by women... Shall I go on?

Characters of mine I would place in this group: Alex Wayne (if I had to place a character here, it would be him.  He doesn't hate women, he just thinks they're quite annoying.  Pft... Shows what he knows.)

Misogamist

("Marriage is an institution--and who wants to live in an institution?)

Free spirit is the word for this personality type.  They don't want to be tied down by obligations or priorities.  They prefer short term things, such as in the the case of relationships.

Characters of mine I would place in this category: Alva Callen 

Ascetic

(Self-denial, lonely contemplation) 

I see this type as either "woe-is-me", or the deep thinker and philosopher who contemplates life very deeply.  Self denial and living alone is the story of their life.  I wouldn't call them hermits... Well, yes I would.  They're a bit like introverts, except lonelier.

Characters of mine I would place in the category: Elsa Altobelli, Kaliana




So that's my list.  What do you think?  Where do your characters fall in these categories?

Thanks for reading!


~Angie <3

The Many Quirks of Writers That We Just Can't Help

As you have probably guessed from reading the title of this post, I'll be listing a bunch of quirks that us writers have... and do a lot.  So without further ado...



1.  Staring at a random person for the longest moment with a glazed-over look in our eyes.  


(Who is that weirdo, and why does he/she have the look of a zombie in their eyes?)

I'm sorry, but as writers, we usually have a million things going on in our head, a million plots, and a million character's lives we are thinking about, and you just happen to be in the path of our uncomprehensive eyes.



2.  (Also relates to #1)  Staring at a random person and giggling while averting eyes because that random person looks scarily like a character from your book.  


(Why is that person staring at me?)



This is the reaction of the "victim". ^


(IT'S MY CHARACTER!)

This is our reaction at seeing our book characters in real life. ^  Hey, it could be worse.  It takes all we have inside us not to tackle the look alike.


(HELLO, CHARACTER OF MINE!)

As hard as we try, we cannot possibly contain our excitement.  So don't freak out if book writer comes up to you with this creepy smile on their faces and asks to take your picture.  Yeah, I've done that before... *ahem*  Moving on!



3.  During a conversation and out of the blue we mutter something totally random that does not relate at all to the topic and smile stupidly. 


(Wh-what are you talking about?  This is not irrelevant to the subject!)

You might not know it, but you have just given a writer just the idea they have been searching for for their book.  A wondrous idea that could CHANGE THE WHOLE FATE OF THE WORLD!  In the book, I mean.  Forgive us, if you are reading this and are not a writer...  It is not intentional to interrupt you.


(That face we get when we finally find out what's going to happen in our book.)



4.  When someone tries to have a conversation with you while you are trying to write, your words come out in broken syllables.


Look, people, when we're writing, we're in a whole different world and can't comprehend or grasp what you're saying.  It might sound like we're being antisocial or selfish, but it's something we can't help.  All we want to do at that time is write.  Our mind isn't in the real world.  It's in a world we have created.


(Just... leave us in peace while we write!)

To put it politely:  PLEASE LEAVE US BE!



5.  We ramble on and on about our stories and bore you to death about our meaningless characters.

We don't mean to, but when we have a story in our heads we just need to spout it out to someone, even if that someone is half listening and doesn't care.  We need someone to talk to!  We need someone to tell our secrets to!


(Can I talk to you... about my books?)



6.  (Depends on the type of writer for this to be true)  When we get inspiration... no, I don't need to put anymore words.  Just this.
  





And I leave you on that note!


~Angelina Zoe