NaNoWriMo Tag!

It’s that time of the year again, National Novel Writing Month! And guess who has two thumbs and a series problem with not cutting back on her stress?

This girl!

The NaNoWriMo Tag, as far as I can see, was created by KristinaHorner on Booktube (at least the version I’m doing) since she’s pretty awesome that way. I thought I’d do this tag to get in the NaNo spirit, since lets be real, I again not prepared for this year. Flying by the seat of my pants!

1.) How many times have you done NaNoWriMo?
    I have done this crazy thing for three years, this will be my fourth, and have won the past two. I have also participated in three Camps and won two of those, but I don’t think they necessarily count in this question.

2.) How did you first find out about NaNoWriMo?
     I don’t know for sure that I remember but I think it was Twitter. I’m not a super active Twitter user, more of a lurker, and I believe I spotted someone talking about it. I follow a lot of authors so this is highly likely.

3.) What was the name of the first novel you attempted with NaNo?
It was an early baby version of my fantasy novel Migrea. I’m actually still working on it! It’s an epic fantasy that starts off with a big batch of murders, some intrigue, hasty and badly planned politics and the fallout there of. It is meant to progress more outside of the politics later but that first story in the arc is all about the politics. It follows a woman trapped in the palace working for the king and another woman traveling the countryside with her attacker/rescuer seeing what happens as the politics change. Fun, and so freaking complicated to write.

4.) Give us a 1 sentence summary of what you’re writing this year?
“Two things are guaranteed: Death and Taxes, then more Taxes.”
Definitely not epic fantasy this time guys, HA.

5.) What’s the best writing advice you’ve ever been given?
This is a two part answer since I’m about to hit you with the same writing advice everyone always gives – but write every day. No matter what it is. Blog post, poetry, random scene from story you have nothing else for, or part of a big story that you’ve poured your heart’s blood into. I still struggle with this but do make a concentrated effort.
The second part which maybe isn’t so common is take your inner editor, drag them out back far away from your creative writer self and tie and gag them. There is a time for editing and first drafts, are not that time. ESPECIALLY in NaNoWriMo. It can look like word vomit, as long as you can vaguely make out what you were going for next month or whenever you decide to untie that editor, then you’re good. That particular piece of advice was the most freeing and exciting ever for me. I love going over things for a good edit but it can kill my groove.

6.) Did you ever take a year off from NaNo? Why?
I haven’t so far. I have decided however to skip at least one Camp next year. I’m trying to really put my nose to the grindstone for this writing stuff and I want to have something cleaned up and presentable to agents for when I start sending those query letters. Camps tend to burn me out, and I’m hoping to get more steady and consistent rather than big bursts and then droughts.

7.) What’s your biggest inspiration when figuring out what to write?
Ahhh… that question. I hate this question because depending on when you ask me it will be different. I’ve stood in front of an interesting building before and seen a cool fencing and envisioned superheroes fighting upon it and BOOM there was 2014’s April Camp Novel. It is however usually art of some sort. Music, architecture, artwork… a lot of it is music and architecture. I can see scenes unfolding during or around something and from there I build. If I like what I build I write it down and it grows.

8.) Read us the first sentence from one of your novel?
“Making friends is like getting a Dragon in bed.”
… Don’t judge me. She’s a monk of a religion that reveals sex.

9.) Why do you love writing?
I’ve always written and never really questioned it till recently. I believe it was Chuck Wendig who posed the question on one of his blog posts ‘Why do you want to write?’. I’ve thought about it a lot. For me stories are a coping mechanism, I’ve always devoured them. I started reading in Kindergarten, by the time I hit first grade I’d finished the Nancy Drew novels and was on to Hardy Boys and R.L. Stine. When I first started writing, a few years later in late elementary school, it was again to escape. I wasn’t a popular kid, I was picked on just enough to leave me unhappy so I wrote to make myself feel better and because I had all these pent up stories inside me.
I’m far more happy now but the pent up stories just keep coming. It’s like a hydra, i write one down and two days later I’m like ‘BUT WHAT IF I CHOPPED OFF HER ARM?!’ (Nano 2012/2014) and I run around laughing manically as my husband shakes his head (God bless his patient heart). I love it because I can do crazy ass shit like that. I can take whatever I want and do whatever I want with. I may not be good at it but I enjoy it. And hell, maybe one day I can make a tiny bit of money off my mad woman ravings.

So there you have the NaNoWriMo Tag! If you’re doing it this year, check me out on the NaNo site and add me as a buddy!
Onward to November and the best of luck to you crazy bastards.