Getting NaNoWriMo Done: How to Write a Novel in 30 Days With November 1st almost upon us, NaNoWriMo is set to begin. There are plenty of tools to help budding novelists achieve the goal of 50,000 words in 30 days, but what about the reasons behind committing to such a daunting task in the first place? Surely, many of those taking on the challenge have other priorities that they have to deal with – myself included – so adding on the pressure of pushing through those commitments and the occasional bout of writer’s block is going to take herculean effort, right? Well, yes…and no. Just as there are many people who have yet to give NaNoWriMo a try, there are many who have – and have met the challenge while maintaining a modicum of their regular lives (and sanity) in the process. Set Up Rituals While Writing As a daily writer already, I’ve put in place rituals that draw me to the keyboard in a way that breeds productivity. Wash my face. Take Breaks Even though you’ve got a lot of writing to do, be sure to take plenty of breaks. Check In Frequently
The Mysterious Plain of Jars Often referred to as “an Asian version of Stonehengeâ€, the Plain of Jars is one of the most enigmatic sights on Earth. Shrouded in mystery and myth, this ancient place has fascinated archeologists and scientists ever since its discovery. [Photo Credits] Thousands of giant stone jars scattered around the Xieng Khouang plain, in Laos form one of the most bizarre archeological collections in history. [Photo Credits] More than 400 sites have been discovered around the Plain of Jars, but only three of them have been opened to the public. [Photo Credits] But if you ask the locals, they’ll tell you of an old race of giants who once lived in these lands. [Photo Credits] Though there aren’t many roads leading to the Plain of Jars, and tourist numbers are still at a minimum, man still managed to exert his destructive influence over this place. [Photo Credits] Perhaps one day, people will be able to access this mystic place more easily, and discover the legacy of an ancient civilization.
Procrastination The Misconception: You procrastinate because you are lazy and can’t manage your time well. The Truth: Procrastination is fueled by weakness in the face of impulse and a failure to think about thinking. Netflix reveals something about your own behavior you should have noticed by now, something which keeps getting between you and the things you want to accomplish. If you have Netflix, especially if you stream it to your TV, you tend to gradually accumulate a cache of hundreds of films you think you’ll watch one day. This is a bigger deal than you think. Take a look at your queue. Psychologists actually know the answer to this question, to why you keep adding movies you will never watch to your growing collection of future rentals, and it is the same reason you believe you will eventually do what’s best for yourself in all the other parts of your life, but rarely do. A study conducted in 1999 by Read, Loewenstein and Kalyanaraman had people pick three movies out of a selection of 24. Sources:
Timothy Hallinan - Writer's Resources Finishing Your Novel “A writer is someone who finishes.” -- Thomas Farber This section is for you if: You’ve started a novel but are having trouble finishing it, or You want to start a novel but aren’t sure you’ll be able to finish it. I’ve been writing novels (and teaching about writing novels) for twenty years, and one thing I’ve learned is how to finish. This section is about how to handle those things. Finishing a novel (or any kind of writing project) is a transformational experience. A long time ago, something funny happened to me. I thought I was a writer. And then my house burned down. So I made some notes on the book I remembered best, flew to Thailand, and wrote the whole thing in seven weeks. This area of the site is based on what I've learned since then.
English 50 Exercises for Story Writers English 50 – Intro to Creative Writing: Exercises for Story Writers Basic Theory: What is a short story? Short stories have a narrator; that is, someone tells the story; have at least one character in them; have some action occur (or perhaps fails to occur); take place somewhere; that is, there is a setting for the action; and someone either learns something or fails to learn something (theme).With these five characteristics in mind, we can create an almost endless supply of exercises to help sharpen our techniques of story telling. Narrative Voice Twenty or so years ago, voice was the "rite of passage" into a successful writing career. Nevertheless, a narrative voice that sounds like it could be anyone's voice or is bland and boring, or riddled with pointless clichés will fail to capture and hold the reader's attention. NOTE: It is quite common for writers in the early stages of their careers to imitate the writers they are reading or admire most. The T.S. Go back to the previous page?
Point of View in Creative Nonfiction | AndiLit.com I read a lot of novels, and poetry, and even the occasional screenplay/drama. I enjoy them; I learn from them; I find them delicate, and robust, and powerful, and skillful and all the things that make good writing. BUT when I want to really understand something, when I want to feel it in the center of my chest, when I want my cheeks to be rasped with the reality of life, I turn to creative nonfiction. There’s just something about the authenticity of the writer’s perspective there that makes me connect more fully. I’ve been trying to articulate the difference in connection I feel between fiction and nonfiction ever since my friend @karriehiggins were talking about it on Twitter the other night. For me, creative nonfiction makes me more readily willing to identify with the narrator. Perhaps that’s why when people like James Frey misrepresent their work as nonfiction when really much of it is fiction, I feel offended and disappointed and a little angry – because they have betrayed me.
Positive Psychology Resources, Happiness, Tips and Techniques Active and Constructive Responding Shelly Gable, assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of California, has examined the different types of responses we give to other people's good news. How do you respond when people share good news with you? The manner in which you respond when others share triumph with you directly builds or undermines your relationships. Research into couples and intimate relationships suggests that supporting partners when good things happen is as important in building a relationship as supporting when bad things happen. You can learn how to build relationships by focusing on good news through a technique called ? The quadrants above utilise four possible ways to respond to someone? Important Note:When giving an active and constructive response you do not need to overdo the praise and positive feedback.
How To Buy New Must-Have Products For Next To Nothing Last Updated: 4/01/2014 15:47 PST Have you ever heard of "Penny Auctions?" They’re a new online auction model that is becoming hugely popular. Penny auctions allow individuals to do just what the name implies--buy new, popular products for just pennies on the dollar. One of the most interesting and successful companies offering penny auctions is called QuiBids. This Oklahoma based company auctions off brand new products such as iPads, Macbooks, HDTVs, Digital Cameras, Gaming Consoles, and more for steep discounts, often as much as 85 percent off their retail price. So, how do they do it? Savvy bidders have recently been able to buy a brand new Apple Macbook Pro for $23.90, a Nikon D90 Camera for $45.84, and Sony Playstation 3 for $12.32. The auctions are also insanely fun. But, the best part of QuiBids may be the “Buy-It-Now” feature. Some customers have really made out like bandits on the site. Click here to check out the great merchandise on the site and see how low it’s being sold for.
Daily Zen List — 12 Useful Websites to Improve Your Writing by Johnny Webber 1. Words-to-Use.com – A different kind of thesaurus. 2. 3. 4. 5. 750words.com – Write three new pages every day. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.