NaNoWriMo - Day 14

Yes, I have fallen behind on my crazy schedule, but I am still writing and still having fun. My story has taken a few unexpected twists, but that is not really a bad thing. The end goal is still the same, my plot is only taking a more interesting route to get there.

Thinking back, and knowing where I stand now in terms of writing it, I didn't plot as well as I should have. Lesson learned. With the editing still to be done, whenever that is going to happen, I can always fix the little glitches that have cropped up along the way.

My favourite line so far:  "I wanted you to myself for a few minutes without them hovering over you like bees on a flower."

NaNoWriMo - Day 9

I think I should call it Linzé's Insanity day 9 instead! This target is bigger than I thought, and I am still behind. We do  have a write-in tomorrow, so I hope to make some serious headway into getting the deficit smaller. Problem is also getting the 4k for everyday also done on top of the number of words that I am behind at this stage!

To get back on target I need to double my word count (as it stands now @ 28885) in four days. So here I go, and I am not giving up, yet!

NaNoWriMo - Day 7

I called it motivation at the beginning of the month, now I am calling it insanity! 

My 120k target is looking more and more like a light fading away on the horizon. The weekend is coming, and I really need to put some effort in.

NaNoWriMo - and its Day 4!

I have jumped in guns blazing. After falling behind my target on Friday, I have now caught up and I am actually about two thousand words ahead at 17483 words.

It remains a tough target that I set for myself, and I need to be spending more hours each day writing that what I have available.

We had our first write-in yesterday and that helped a lot for me to get caught up, so that I could spend today to get ahead.

So its a short post today - like many more to come this month - but the words are flowing, and that is exactly what I need in November.

My Alternate Life: November = NaNoWriMo

According to my time zone, my challenge kicks off in little under three hours. I won't be awake until then, since I have to work tomorrow. But I can hardly contain my excitement, and not only for the reason that you might think. I decided not to aim for the 50k words - instead I set my own challenge target of writing a complete novel.
And in case you didn't know, in the fantasy genre that equates to 120k words. Yip, your eyes are not deceiving you. One hundred and twenty thousand words in thirty days. That comes to 4000 each day. It is a real challenge, given work and all the other things that add up to requiring time each day. But I am going to give it my best shot.
According to the word counter you will see here on my blog, I have to reach the 50k target for NaNoWriMo on 13 November.
So why did I post that target here? Foolish? Perhaps, but then it will be more of a motivator I guess as it is now visible to anyone who reads this blog.
Will I make it? I don't know. Last year I easily managed more than 60k, so I know I can do 50k. Yes, 120k is a long way to go, and I have every intention of getting there. One word at a time!

NaNoWriMo - and so the fun begins!

The Pretoria Region had its launch party this afternoon, and as usual we had lots to eat (thanks everyone), lots to laugh about (we have a funny ML) and loads to look forward to. 

The Speech (with such a scary shirt, we had to listen to our ML!)

The group has grown and it was exciting to meet new people who are taking up the challenge for the first time, as well as seeing the more experienced Wrimos too. Here are some of the evidence :D

The Thinkers aka the Pretoria Wrimos

The Plot Bunnies (Warning - they can be dangerous!)

Our colourful goodie bags

 

Today's Lesson: There is nothing new, only new tools

Dear Reader,

Since you have followed my journey through the history of the Kamasutra, you have no doubt reached similar conclusions: that history keep on repeating itself, we only use different tools to do it with.

People often think that authors that publish their own books is something new - as you have seen with the Kamasutra and many other books during the course of my journey - this is not the case. In those days, submissions and query letters were not the way to get published. You approached a publisher, paid your dues, and there you go.

Marketing was especially difficult for the Kamasutra and other books of disreputable standing (:o) with the legislation of the time. So social media marketing was born - yes, back then! They used snail mail (or should I rather call it horse mail) to market their books. Today we have email and Facebook and Twitter and blogs, and ... you got the message. The point - marketing took place via a social network, and that is exactly what we indie authors are doing today. We are linked in social networks across the globe to spread the word - by e-mouth?

Word of mouth is an exceptionally powerful tool. Readers like a book, they say so! With reviews and star ratings, thus telling others in the network what they thought. You know what they say, good news travel fast, but bad news travel at the speed of light! So write good, and many will know about it. Write bad, and the whole world will never buy your books.

The next lesson? Sex sells. And boy, did it sell! The Kamasutra sold hundreds of thousands of copies in its first two printings, and who knows how many are being sold today - in whatever format the book is available. You only have to look at advertising, in any media, and you know what I mean. 'nough said.

The last lesson? And perhaps not the least. The history of the Kamasutra brought social awareness of sex education and the use of contraceptives, that to this day remain an ongoing battle in many parts of the world.

And with that my friend, I wish you a good weekend.

Happy reading,