(This is the same post I put on Facebook, so if you read it there, there is nothing new here!)
#nanowrimo2023 is almost upon us! If you are a writer, and you are doing it, are you prepared?
Admittedly, I have a vested interest in this bundle, but, I have been taking advantage of it, too! (And, full disclosure, I am friends with and love some of these people dearly.)
Here are what I’ve read so far!
Drawing Out the Dragons by James A. Owen: this one is inspirational! If you are feeling unmotivated or maybe a bit downtrodden, James has some thoughts for you to mull over. The really good news here is, if you like what he’s saying here, he has a couple more in this series you can go find as well!
52 Ways to Get Unstuck by Chris Mandeville: Writer’s block got you down? Chris has 52 ways to get you out of the rut! And even if you are not stuck, she, too, has some thoughts for you to mull over that will likely motivate you!
Beyond Prince Charming by M. L. Buchman: Some seriously good insights here. I mean, some of this is the kind of thing you know, but you don’t know you know until someone says it out loud, you know? Reading this one may just change your approach to writing characters and dialog.
Making Story Models by Martin L. Shoemaker: This book was like a whole new way to look at plotting for me. As a “pantster,” meaning I usually make the story up as I go, I was floored by the way Martin laid this out and actually made me feel like maybe I wanted to plot books. There are some cool, logical, easy to follow perspectives in here. Almost like a connect the dots for plotting. Really.
How to Write Faster With Your Word Processor by Geoff Hart: I’m still working on this one. But so far, I’m down with it! People don’t often beleive me that I forgo Adobe InDesign (which I used in the past) and make my print book files with Word. I’ve been told it can’t be done, after I said I did it. Anyway, it’s nice to see someone else flexing the power of the word processor and I’ve learned some, and expect to learn more.
Blood From Your Own Pen 2nd Edition by Sam Knight: Okay. I have read this one. Like 50 times. Because I wrote it. But here’s the thing: I put in a ton of things that took me years to learn that I wish someone would have just, right off the bat, said, “That’s not important,” or “Why are (or aren’t) you doing this?” I was once asked what reference book I keep on my desk and refer to the most. Well…it’s this one. The one I wrote. Because I put the things in it that I couldn’t ever remember and had to keep looking up. If you are starting out as a writer, this has the stuff in it I wish someone had told me.
Personally, I feel I got my money’s worth already, and I still have 8 more books to read!
Nano, here I come!
(No, just kidding. If you know me, you know I don’t do Nano anymore. But I still think it’s a good thing. If you are a writer, and you don’t know what #NaNoWriMo is, you should look into it: https://nanowrimo.org/ It is motivational and a great way to meet other authors and make lifelong friends.)
