What I’ve learned this Nanowrimo

This is the fourth time I've tried to write a rough draft of Continuo, my cellist/music producer contemporary M/M romance, for Nanowrimo. I wrote a 30-scene outline, one 1666-word scene per day; I did research, I made playlists, I pondered over characters' names, I thought about themes and hero's journeys and character arcs. I love… Continue reading What I’ve learned this Nanowrimo

Preptober #1: Sixteen days to go

Just like there's no one right way to do Nanowrimo, there's no one right way to prepare for it. There are checklists, prompts, and worksheets available, but I've worked out a method of my own to get ready this year. This year's Nanowrimo project is my third attempt to write a music-based romance: Continuo, the… Continue reading Preptober #1: Sixteen days to go

Nanowrimo: now for the actual writing part…

"Jenna," you might say, "you've been a published author for seven years, surely you have some insight and wisdom to share!" ...ah. Not really. The only thing I know for sure is how little I know. I'm constantly looking for new plotting methods and new ways to make my characters interesting, and I still feel… Continue reading Nanowrimo: now for the actual writing part…

Nanowrimo prep: writing tools

When I first decided To Be A Writer (at the ripe old age of nine), my parents gave me an old IBM Selectic Typewriter. When I went to college I took both a luggable PC and the same Underwood typewriter my mom had used during her college career. I probably started the carpal tunnel that… Continue reading Nanowrimo prep: writing tools

Nanowrimo prep: choosing a plot

I have a dilemma. I am torn between two plots. Both are within my genre, the m/m romance. Story A, I think will be more of the New Adult variety--I may even try first person POV!--Story B is about concerns of an older generation, like failed marriages and starting over. Both started out as anthology… Continue reading Nanowrimo prep: choosing a plot

NaNoWrimoPrep: Plotting tools

I got an iPad about a year and a half ago, and it's slowly become my primary writing tool instead of my trusty laptop, mainly due to its portability and the many programs available for writing and plotting. (App, program, same thing. I'm old school.) I've tried a lot of different programs to find the… Continue reading NaNoWrimoPrep: Plotting tools