Tag: NaNoWriMo

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Thinking Out Loud

November 14, 2013 jcladyluv

I know that it is National Novel Writing Month and I am supposed to be participating. I had a plan, I signed up, and even tried to motivate myself to focus on doing it. Nevertheless, I have not written anything on the novel that I was supposed to be finishing (that truthfully should have been finished by now) and to add to the lack of production, I have not done a very good job lately of keeping up with this blog which I love.

I tried to pinpoint the reasons behind my recent lack of motivation towards writing in general, thinking that for some time it has been my focus and determination to finish up my degree that was enabling my laziness when it came to my writing. But now that I am finished with my Master’s degree (and have time to contemplate whether or not I want to enter the doctorate program) I thought for sure this would be the perfect time to get back into high gear with all of my writing efforts.

Sadly, that has not been how it was been working out. I have felt so un-motivated to write anything, and feeling a lot like what I say doesn’t matter. I’ve been mostly feeling a little depressed that my writing career hasn’t evolved into what I thought it would have already been by now. I even mentally entertained the idea that there could be a possibility, that somehow I was not cut out to be a writer like I had dreamed about since the age of 6 and that maybe all this time I thought that God was instructing me that this was my calling and maybe I was wrong, maybe I assumed what I wanted to assume and that wasn’t what my calling was at all. I even entertained the reasoning that my heart just wasn’t in it anymore, that maybe the amount of rejection for my (what I always thought was talented) writing had somehow hardened me and that I just couldn’t muster up the energy to try it anymore.

All of those thoughts have been running through my mind and life throwing other monumental curveballs at me in the interim has added its share of unproductiveness. But then I think of the fact that if that were truly the case, if it truly was not in me to do anymore, if this truly was not the calling that I had always perceived it to be, that I wouldn’t still have so many (good) ideas that flow through my mind and so many ways that I feel I can use my writing, my words to implement things that will not only change my life but the lives of the other people around me.

My whole message for Write 2 Be is to instill empowerment to people, in particular to children who are constantly told that they can never be what it is that they want to be, that there is nothing that they can’t do with the willpower and determination to make it happen. Sometimes I have to remind myself that even when it seems like what I am trying to do doesn’t matter, that it does, and not just to me, not just for my daughter, but for anyone who has ever felt discouraged and who has ever been overrun by their fears of never being able to be what it is they feel that they were truly meant to be. I can’t say why my motivation has dwindled these past several months, but I know that I am definitely not throwing in the towel on my dreams and on my purpose.

I feel like I needed to write this because I get the feeling that I am not the only one of you out there who has had these feelings and these doubts. I suppose the hardest part of feeling the fear and doubt in yourself is thinking that you are all alone in thinking what others are too afraid to say out loud. So this is me thinking out loud and hoping that it helps the rest of you who might be thinking the same thoughts and feeling the same way know that someone else gets it too.

Jimmetta Carpenter

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Don’t Think I Forgot that It’s NaNo Time!

November 2, 2013 jcladyluv

I know I have been unusually absent from my blog recently and I am trying to get back into the swing of things. I haven’t forgotten what time of year this is (aside from the dreaded beginning of the holiday season). It is National Novel Writing Month and while I do not have a new novel outlined and ready to go, my plan (which is my failed plan from last year’s NaNo) is to finish a novel that I started during NaNo about two years ago (wow, didn’t realize it has been that long). My first attempt at a mystery which I had such excitement about, and still do, is begging to be finished and I am going to put forth my very best effort to do it. I have to admit that I am off to a bad start considering the fact that NaNo started yesterday and today, the second day of NaNo, is almost over and I still haven’t opened my novel file to work on it yet. However, today isn’t over yet and I haven’t thrown in the towel at all. NaNo is also usually a really good time to work on maintaining my blogging so look for November to be a very productive month from me. I hope that all of you who are doing NaNo this year have a very productive month and that if nothing else you put forth your best effort. Good Luck fellow NaNo Writers and hopefully you’ll clue me in on what you are working on this month!

Jimmetta Carpenter

My Write 2 Be is…

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Camp Season Has Officially Begun

April 1, 2013 jcladyluv

Okay so today is April 1^st which means that (in addition to it being April Fool’s day) it is the first day of CampNaNoWriMo. I have decided that I am going to finish this novel so that I can get it into the editing phase. Now of course I should’ve started back up today but I opted to, instead, get reacquainted with the novel because honestly I stepped away from it for quite a while and I need to not only remember where I left off but get excited about it again. So here’s to all of you campers out there who have decided to also take the plunge into novel land for the month of April. Wish me luck in actually finishing it this time around!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

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Is It Camp Season Already?

March 6, 2013 jcladyluv

So I got an email in my inbox today about CampNaNoWriMo and the date is approaching in April. I hadn’t actually planned on doing CampNaNoWriMo this year because I didn’t do so well in actually producing anything last year when they did the mid year program. This year they have one in April and in July and at first glance I want to just say no and wait until the normal time in November.

Throughout the course of the day I have thought about the fact that I never use not doing something well the first time as an excuse to not try again and I don’t want to start now. Perhaps the CampNaNoWriMo is just what I need to finish up the other novel and get working on outlining the ideas for the other one.

It will not only allow me to finish up a project but also to prepare for the NaNoWriMo in November and if I should choose to do the one in July as well (which knowing me I probably will), it will be a good warm-up for that one as well. So since April is approaching (quicker than I would like it to) I suppose I had better get my time management skills in check.

Hopefully some of you will join me in the month of April and participate in the CampNaNoWriMo and get warmed up for the November round. If you do decide to participate please let me know and maybe we can help hold each other accountable. Let’s go camping!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

NaNoWriMo Day # 30: We’re Finally Here!

November 30, 2012 jcladyluv

The day has come. This is the last and final day for National Novel Writing Month. For the most part it is over but for the few stragglers out there that are hovering just at that 50,000 word benchmark, this is your last opportunity to get there. These are the last few hours that you will have so if you are really aiming for that goal of completion then you might want to sit down now and finish it up.

Congratulations to everyone, not only those who finished but also to those of you who simply signed up and got into the ring for the fight. Reward yourself for your efforts and for your tenacity and, for the vast majority of you, for completing the task. Go out and do something for yourself and give your fingers and your story a break for a little while or a couple of days.

Celebrate, You Just Finished A Novel… Yay!!!!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

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NaNoWriMo Day # 29: The Final Push

November 29, 2012 jcladyluv

So by now if you are not already finished your 50,000 word goal then you are very close. So why not take a few minutes to start imagining what the cover of your book is going to look like. Even those of you who are not as close as you thought you would be to the end goal. Think about your story and what the best way to depict that story within a picture would be. How do you want your readers to view your story for the very first time?

Visualizing the end product sometimes helps give us that final push that we need to make it across the finish line and accomplish our goals. So if it takes seeing your book cover and visualizing your book in the hands of your readers to get you through to tomorrow night and get you over that goal line, then daydream just a little while (really only a small amount of daydreaming—don’t get carried away here) about that vision.

You’re really almost there, just one more day. You can do this. And for those of you who are already there, you’re all finished up and ready to jump straight into the editing phase, just shut that inner editor living in your head off for just a few more days. You want to take a few days away from your novel before getting into editing it. Going into the editing phase with fresh eyes and a fresher perspective is not only better for you and your inner editor, but in the end better for your overall story.

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

NaNoWriMo Day # 28: “Winning” the NaNoWriMo Challenge

November 28, 2012 jcladyluv

The end is approaching along with the winner’s circle that everyone speaks of in reference to the NaNoWriMo challenge. Of course that entails completing the 50,000 words that you signed up to finish in 30 days. But is that really the only thing that winning the NaNoWriMo challenge means?

Isn’t it winning to just sign up and participate in the NaNoWriMo challenge? Isn’t it winning to plan out a routine and follow through with carrying out that plan? Even if you don’t reach 50,000 words, or you get blocked just as you are nearing the finish line, you are still winning the challenge just by trying in the first place.

So many people just think about doing NaNoWriMo and wonder what it would be like to achieve those 50,000 words but they never actually follow through and just do it. You took that step. You signed up, you participated, you steadily logged your words in the word count updater, and you hung in there even when your story felt stalled and you probably wanted to give up. For that, you are every bit the winner regardless of whether you actually made it to 50,000 words.

Of course, if you made it to that ultimate word count goal (or are really close and will make it by the 30^th) then congratulations. But don’t, for one second, think that you not getting there makes you any less of a winner. You are a winner just for trying in the first place!

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jimmetta-Carpenter/1069480310

http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

NaNoWriMo Day # 27: When It’s All Said and Done, Don’t Forget the Reward

November 27, 2012 jcladyluv

Three more days. It will all be over in three more days, or will it? Truthfully, NaNoWriMo is an event that only gets you started and steered in the right direction.

In case you haven’t realized it just yet, writing is a lot of work, and it’s work that extends far beyond the actual writing of the novel (or book if it’s non-fiction). Writing, and being successful with your writing, involves not only a good quality of writing, but marketing and promotion (and I’ve learned you have to start this one early), the actual publishing of the book itself, and in today’s society social media networking.

These are the things that you now have to begin to think about as you are wrapping up your novel. But there are a few things that I think you should do for yourself after finishing up National Novel Writing Month before having to jump into all of the heavy and very serious thoughts of the business side of being a writer.

1) Celebrate your accomplishment. Tell your friends and family that you have finally finished and perhaps even do a happy dance if you can. You’ve accomplished something big and it is something to really shout for joy about.

2) Treat yourself. You’ve probably been depriving yourself of certain treats that you’ve wanted this month. You may have been depriving yourself of going out to your favorite restaurant or just going out with your friends. You’ve done what you set out to do and you should reward yourself accordingly. You deserve it!

3) Take a step back from your novel for a couple of days (or at least one if you really can’t stay away from your story any longer). Notice I did not say take a step back from writing altogether, just your novel that you have had etched in your brain every day for the past 30 days. Your mind needs a break and so do you. Maybe you could even catch up on some reading that you haven’t had a chance to do in the last 30 days. Just do something that doesn’t involve your novel for a couple of days. You’ll be better for having done it.

4) Take a day or two and just chill out and watch some T.V. (maybe those T.V. shows you DVR’d during your 30 day novel writing adventure) or watch some movies you have been dying to get to. Contrary to popular belief it is okay to take a small break (and by small I only mean a few days) from writing as long as you don’t plan on making the break more permanent.

No matter what your form of reward is, please don’t forget that you do deserve to reward yourself after accomplishing something so big.

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”

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http://www.passionatewriterpublishing.com/thediary.htm

NaNoWriMo Day # 26: When the Idea Fairy Strikes!

November 26, 2012 jcladyluv

If any of you out there are anything like me, you get a heavy stream of new ideas just as you are entering the home stretch of a current project and need to stay focused solely on that project alone. If that is the case then just as you are finishing up your 50,000 words for your NaNoWriMo Novel in these last four days you will all of a sudden start to be hit with new wonderful ideas for the next novel.

Soon those ideas will invade your head space and you may find yourself unable to maintain your focus on the NaNoWriMo novel that you are currently finishing. This is going to be hard to do but you have to ignore those ideas for these next four (well probably three by the time most of you read this) days just until you have finished what you set out to do in the beginning of November.

Now of course I’m not saying to ignore 100% and not at least jot something about those ideas down quickly (operative word being quickly) but you can’t afford to go into long drawn out plans and outlines here. Not when you have another novel that you’ve already started to finish up.

I know how hard that is for us writers to do, just scribble some notes with no full detail about an idea without elaborating on it as badly as you want to (this would be why I have so many started and not finished novels) but your job for these last few days of NaNoWriMo is to stay focused on the task at hand. So remember that you are almost there, only three more days to go after this one, and you will have completed this goal.

Jimmetta Carpenter

Writer/Editor

The Diary: Succession of Lies (Now Available)

Writing as “Jaycee Durant”