Lessons Learned from NaNo

Since last year I've thought of myself as a veteran NaNoer. I've been doing it since freshman year of highschool and this is the middle of my senior year. That's four NaNoWriMo's and seven or eight Camp NaNo's, most of which I've won. 

However, with each new year NaNo never fails to teach me something new about my writing, my stories, and most importantly myself. I think this is the reason I love it so much. Win or lose there is so much to be gained from the experience. With that, I give you four lessons I learned this year during NaNo. 

Lessons Learned from NaNoWriMo 

No amount of plotting will prepare you for the story within the story. 

          This was my first year plotting and planning my NaNo novel. I had the works: outlines for the story, chapters,  and scenes. I had plot models, character sketches, and backgrounds. I'd even spent two weeks creating a detailed 20 year timeline for my futuristic global government. There were pages upon pages of government proceedings, military branches, everything you could think of. I even mapped out the voting process of how government officials came into power. 

I bought into the lie that plotting make things "easy" because about two weeks into NaNo I hit a brick wall that lasted until the end of NaNo. All the character interviews and chats in the world couldn't prepare me for the twists they constantly threw at me every single day. 

The truth is writing- good writing- is never easy. All the plotting in the world can't prepare you for the unexpected and wonderful surprises that crop up when you're pouring your heart into your plot and characters. As every story develops on the page there is a story within the story, and that is something you can never put in a chart or outline. It is the thrill of writing; it is what makes your story special. 

You can't compare your first draft to someone's second draft.

This year I had the opportunity to write with many wonderfully accomplished writers that I greatly admire and respect. Still, I couldn't help but compare my horribly tangled story to their stunningly woven tales. About halfway through NaNo I was editing a chapter of my story (a big no-no for NaNo) and all I could think was "this looks like baby babble compared to what they write." It wasn't just discouraging, but it also made me wonder if I was really cut out to be a writer. My story didn't feel 'together' or 'magnificent'. 

Then I realized that they had been working on their stories for months, if not years. The stories I had been reading were second drafts, third drafts, sometimes even the finished product. I was comparing something that had been in the works for two weeks to something that had been picked over, re-worked, and polished. 

The think is, every first draft needs work. Sure, for some senior writers the first draft might not be as cringe worthy as mine, but there will always be flaws and mistakes. The good thing is that those can be re-worked. You can pick and choose your favorite bits, strengthen the plot, and dig deeper inside the character's head. 

The first draft is about getting those ideas and thoughts on paper. Everything else can come later; and one day after lots of hard work you will be able to look at your finished piece and see how far it has come. 

Everyone has a voice, don't be afraid of yours. 

One of my biggest struggles is accepting that I have my own special voice. Every writer does. Sure, some might be similar, but everyone has something that sets them apart in the world of words. That's one of the special things about being a writer. 

Only I find myself looking at these successful writers and I start thinking, "I wish I sounded like them. They're so talented, their stories are so good, why can't I write like them?" 

Toward the end of NaNo a friend commented on my voice, telling me she hadn't heard anything like it before. My first reaction was "this is horrible, I don't sound like them." I was of course referring to the popular story tellers of my favorite genres. But a moment later it was added that my voice was special; that I had a way of brining across simple scenes that dealt with complex issues. 

I had been so focused on other author's voices that I hadn't stopped to consider the merits of my own voice. Think about it, wouldn't the world of books be boring if everyone wrote the same? What if the writers world was full of only Charles Dickens write-alikes? There would be a lot of people not reading. (Actually I really love Dickens...but that's beside the point.) 

The point is that everyone was gifted with their own special voice. Don't be afraid to embrace it because that voice is what makes you unique. It is what makes you stand out in a sea of other authors. It is what defines your ideas and your stories. It deserves to be loved.  

Sharing your work won't kill you.

Eyes? Human eyes reading over my work? Excuse me while I cower in the corner with my manuscript. Really though, to some this might seem like a silly fear, but it is perfectly logical. You've poured your heart and soul into that story. You've lost sleep, rode the emotional roller-coaster, labored over the perfect sentence, and cried with the effort of finding that one elusive word that will (hopefully) complete the chapter. 

It's hard work, but most of all it's your work. Why on earth would you hand it over to the critical eye of others? Even worse, why would you allow another writer to even take a quick peak at the front cover? Just thinking about it makes me want to grab my binders and run. 

This NaNo that is exactly what I did, but as I ran I also tossed out sentences, scenes, and even complete chapters to be picked up by those chasing me from behind. Funny thing is, once I stopped running and let my racing heart slow nothing came to kill me. I shared some of my work and I didn't die. Best of all those who had read my words weren't trying to gouge out their eyes or erase their memories. Alright, that might be a bit over dramatic, but still completely reasonable. 

Actually, it turns out that my critics wanted more. I went from barely being able to let go of mere sentences to passing around series of chapters. I still cringe inwardly as I hit 'send', but the end results are worth it. Critiques aren't always the horrid monsters your mind makes them out to be. On the other hand they're typically very encouraging and constructive. And trust me there's no better feeling than having someone beg to read more. 

Well there you have it: the top four lessons learned from NaNoWriMo 2013. I learned other things too. For instance my writing makes NO sense when I'm going off of two hours of sleep. You can also drink more than eight cups of tea in one day...although that does become an expensive habit. Also parents typically aren't amused when they find you've been up till four in the morning working on a scene. They're also not amused after sitting outside the library for several hours waiting for you to finish your write-in...apparently writers cannot tell time. They still love me anyways. 

What are some special lessons you learned this year from NaNo?  

The Victory Lap

Ah, it's December 1st. Usually this is the day when everyone informs me that it's twenty-five days till Christmas. However, this year has broken that habit. I officially dub this the 'Ask Sierra about NaNo Day'. Even people who I hadn't even talked to this month took it upon themselves to ask me about the month of literary abandonment. I figured I would go ahead and answer those questions on my blog as well.

Yes, NaNoWriMo ended yesterday. Excuse me while I cry. Now I'll have to wait a whole entire year until I get to see all my wrimo friends, attend unproductive write-ins, and spend hours wasting time on the NaNo forums. Then again I get to look forward to Camp NaNoWriMo and all the fun I can have with my cabin buddies.

Yes, I did reach 50,000 words. I even finished a day ahead, which really wasn't my best, but about half-way through NaNo I hit a brick wall and for a little while though I wouldn't even finish.

No, "Defenders of the Word" isn't finished. It isn't even close. My guess it that the first draft will probably break 80,000 words, which will also make it my longest book yet. The goal is to finish the manuscript by Christmas, so you'll probably see quite a bit about the book in December. After that I'll take six-eight weeks to write the first draft of  "Defenders of the Cross and then another six-ten weeks to write "Defenders of the Weak". *cringes* then come the long months of going back to edit and re-write each book who knows how many times. Which brings us to the last answer: I have no idea when the "Rebelution Trilogy" will be finished.

And now it's time to thank everyone for their wonderful support this month. I often think people don't realize that writing a book isn't a one person job. Yes, there's the person who puts the words to paper, but there are also the people who help collaborate, critique, offer advice and encouragement, and even step up to tell you when enough is enough. It might be a simple "hey, how's the novel going?" or a fangirly message about  your favorite characters, but trust me they help. Even the simplest gesture of bringing in a hot cup of tea can be just the thing to get the writer in your life over a hard spot. Thank you.

Halfway There

Tonight I hit 25,000 words in 'Defenders of the Word' meaning that really I'm about a day ahead of schedule for NaNoWriMo, which is always a good thing. Considering the fact that I've been battling a cold, working to get school finished, and struggling with a slow part in my book this is a huge milestone. I felt like 25k was forever going to be out of reach. So in order to celebrate I'm going to share character quotes and snippets from the books. Clearly I procrastinated quite a bit today by making these. I do believe writers are professional procrastinators.


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Okie-Dokie, now I'm off again to write some more words and maybe even get some sleep. Sleep would be very nice indeed. How is everyone else coming along on their NaNo adventure?

Defenders of the Word {NaNo Novel 2013}

Day five of NaNoWriMo has come to an end and its time to celebrate because I just reached 10,000 words! Now there's only 40,000 words left. Eh, its really not THAT bad. Clearly I'm going to celebrate like any good writer by writing more words, although sadly these words don't count for NaNo.

Anyhow, to celebrate writing those first 10,000 words I'm going to ramble some about my story. Usually I jump into NaNo blind. I work on planned stories all year long, so NaNo's my time to just write whatever comes to me and let the story run wild. Obviously that's produced some less than wonderful novels *cringes* most of which are tucked away in a drawer somewhere until I work up the courage to edit them. But this summer I was struck with an idea for a trilogy. I planned and plotted the three books and then decided to write book one for NaNoWriMo. Its been so weird actually going into NaNo knowing what I wanted to write. But I'm also really in love with Defenders of the Word.

First I LOVE the characters. A few of them still need work. Okay well most of them need a lot of work, but its still early in the story and they're growing with it. But the cast is amazing and the main characters have already struck up some very interesting relationships.



For instance, Julia was supposed to be a quiet supporting character. Well, she's not. In truth she's quite the opposite. She's actually started to become a rival to John-Luke as to who's leading the rebellion.  And she's so verbal. Not to mention the fact that's she's managed to wrestle her way into being made a main character in book two. I guess this is what happens when I give characters in depth back-stories that turn into subplots.  

Then there are the twins, Stephen and James. They're both  quite a comedy act. I was planning on some serious sixteen-year-old's who had been forced to grow up too fast. That's still the case, but it affected them in a way I hadn't planned on. Oh, and the sibling rivalry...they're hilarious.

But my favorite surprise so far has been William. Let me tell you, the guy completely changed the first three chapters of the book. I was shocked and at first I didn't like it, but his personality and the way he handles situations added so much dept to the plot later on. I can't wait to get started on books two and three.

Then of course there's the amazing writing music. I'm pretty sure the playlist for Defenders of the Word has reached over 100 songs, but I've narrowed it down to just a few personal favorites and ones that really speak for the novel.



Revolution Cry is the song that pushed me to turn the Rebelution Trilogy into an actual project. It is 100% the theme song of the entire trilogy. A few weeks ago I came across When the Children Cry sang by Seventh Day Slumber and it was as if the song had been written for the characters of my novel. It's so perfect.

And since it is NaNo there has been some writing. Honestly at first I wasn't very happy with what I was putting down on paper. I've been torn between writing in first person verses third. I've chosen third since the story is told with multiple points of views, but I was finishing up RUN before NaNo and its in first. My brain was having a hard time switching over. But now I'm nearing the middle of chapter eight and things have gotten better. Here's a few snippets, all unedited of course, because my inner editor has been locked away since November first. Actually she broke out of jail for a little while today during a word war. I ended up spending ten minuets reconstructing a sentence went I should have been pounding out more words.

~~~

Freedom was the only thing she still had, but even that had never fully been hers in the first place. Alexa had been born in a time when freedoms were being restricted and revoked. She’d never really tasted true freedom, and yet that was exactly what she craved at this very moment. It was the very thing United NOW denied. 
~~~ 

"It’s alright to cry.” A girl stood across from him now, fidgeting with the collar on her dress. Her long dark hair had been twisted into perfect ringlets and pinned back to keep them from escaping. “Mommy cries every night. I hear her after she’s tucked me in bed. I don’t think she knows I listen to her, but she sounds so sad. It makes me so sad that sometimes I cry too.” Her large green eyes filled with silent curiosity, “Did your mommy ever cry?”
John-Luke nodded looked down at the ground and tried to hold back a sob, but it slipped out anyways. “She used to cry over my big brother.”
“Did he go to heaven too?”
His dark curls bounced as he nodded his head.
“I would cry too if my sister was taken away from me.”
~~~

John-Luke grinned, “Alexa, meet the twins.” He nodded to the first, “James.” Then turned and motioned to the second, “and the better half, Stephen.”
“I protest! We all know I’m the better half of this deal.”
Stephen coughed and shook his head, “You’re delusional.”
John-Luke ruffled Stephen’s hair before pushing Alexa further into the room, “Welcome to the family, Alexa. Fair warning, we’re all delusional here.”
~~~

“John-Luke, how many times do I have to tell you that revolution of any kind isn’t a good idea. We can’t give the Council any reason to persecute us.”
“I’m pretty sure the Council considers our breathing a good enough excuse to persecute us. If I’m going to die I want to die doing something for Christ, not just sitting back enjoying a comfortable life.”   
~~~

“I wanted to tell you. I wanted to more than you know, but if I had told you would it really have made a difference? William, you’re one of them! You. Your beloved government kills my people. You rip families apart and murder innocent people who have only ever wanted to help others. Over what? A disagreement about what we can and cannot believe? Would you really have accepted the truth if I had told you?” 
~~~

They say that truth will set you free, but what they fail to mention is that the truth will also bind you.  

~~~

And I think that's enough rambling for tonight. Now I'm off to join some new word wars. The goal is to reach 11,000 before midnight...though at the moment I'm not quiet sure if it will happen or not. Until next time, happy NaNoing.

A Return and A Trilogy

Well my last post was a welcome to October and now this could very well be a goodbye. I really don't know where time went this month. There were so many things I wanted to write about and share with ya'll, but obviously that didn't happen. However, it hasn't been a huge waste of the past few weeks.

I was interviewed over at Noveltea by another Go Teen Writer, which you can read here:
http://aidylewoh.blogspot.com/2013/09/interview-sierra-bailey.html

I've also had a lot of fun writing a "Praying for your Future Husband" series:
{Part One}
and
{Part Two}

Yesterday I also got my scores back from my second round of SAT's. The Lord blessed all those hours I spent studying with a score high enough to get me a 1/3 tuition scholarship to the university I plan to attend next fall. The Lord definitely provides.

But mostly my time has been spent working on my NaNoWriMo project, which has turned into much more than just another one of my NaNo projects. The idea for this story has been floating around in my mind for years now. Actually, I think it was a combination of reading the Hunger Games and the Left Behind Series that triggered the idea. See, I love the dystopian genre, but I also love christian fiction. Sadly, you don't often see the two combined. Anyhow, there's always been this idea of a christian dystopian novel driving me crazy, but for the longest time I wasn't ready to write it. That was until a few months ago. First I felt God leading me to voice my beliefs instead of trying to tone them down. Then I got a chance to attend some eye opening Christian events. But it wasn't until a friend showed me a revolutionary song that everything came into play. That's all it took- me stepping out in faith, a few hours spent around others on fire for the Lord, and a song- for a trilogy to form. Let me introduce you to that trilogy.

~ ~ ~

The Rebelution Trilogy 

Twenty years ago, due to the threat of nuclear war, the world entered into a governmental and military union called 'United Nations of the World'. A Council of Seven was formed -one man for each continent- to lead the wold. Instantly Christianity was restricted, then deemed as a threat to world 'peace', and made an illegal act punishable by death. Many groups of Christians protested, rioted, and created secret ministries to fight against the government. Their rebellion was strong until the persecution overpowered them, leaving thousands of Christians imprisoned, starving in 'traitors camps' on the freezing Arctic terrain, or dead. Those that escape the 'attempts to eradicate radicals' consist of orphaned children, grieving parents, and lonely friends. But one day their wounds will heal, and with healing comes strength.
The Council has considered the battle won, but behind closed doors underground churches begin to thrive, silently biding their time, rescuing 'discovered' Christian's from the government, and raising a new generation of believers. Little does the Council know these children born in a time of change are taking up where their parents left off, calling for a Rebelution: A rebellion against society, A revolution that will change the world.    

  Book One: Defenders of the Word 

In the wake of her parents recent execution for Christian activity, twenty-year-old Alexa Bryant finds herself questioning the God she has placed so much trust in. Her fiance, a rich politician has just saved her life despite knowing that she herself is a traitor to the very system he supports. Allie, her little sister is being held in a 'Children's Ward', where orphans of Christian families are taken to be 'reformed'. And without knowing it Alexa has walked into a group of revolutionaries intent on gaining back the rights of Christians. Before her are two roads: life on the run or life in defiance. Rebellion looks to be her best bet, but why should she pledge her life to a cause that killed her parents, and why should she serve a god that has turned a blind eye to their suffering?  

Ten years ago John-Luke DelMonico swore he would carry out his parents plan to make a public stand for the Truth. Now at twenty-one he struggles with the scriptures, his calling, and his motive. He has found himself becoming a leader of other orphaned Christians, ones who's parents died standing for the Truth. Each of them would follow him in a campaign against United NOW.  A fight against the government means an inevitable death, but death isn't what he fears, at least not as a believer. No, there are far worse things than death. Fear of failure hold John-Luke back from the path he knows they must all take. But can he place his full trust in the Lord and allow Him to guide their steps?

Neither Alexa nor John-Luke can escape the plans the Lord has set before them. Live or die, they must make a choice. Conform with the rest of the world, or let the call to a Rebelution change their lives and their hearts.

~ ~ ~

Alrighty, well clearly its still needs a lot of work, but that's the general idea of the trilogy and book one. For me the theme is very hard to sum up, because a lot of symbolism makes its way into the book. The tag line 'Rebelution: a rebellion against society, a revolution that will change the world.' Is the simplest way to describe it. Not only is it a story about people standing up for their beliefs, but also a call for Christians to stop conforming to things of this world and radically embrace the message of Jesus Christ, as well as a  warning to those who have conformed. This isn't 'high fantasy' or 'futuristic'. This book is set in 2028, which is a year that most people of my generation will live to see unless the Lord returns. If we keep standing down and keeping the gospel to ourselves then this is what our future could look like. Yes, its exaggerated in many cases, but look at current events and the world around you. We're not too far from it.

Another October

 Autumn- a time full of warm sweaters, mugs of hot chocolate, and colorful leaves. The cool weather makes it the perfect time for long walks in the woods. Not to mention the rainy days that leave you with endless hours for reading. Something in the crisp air brings life back from the dull lazy summer days. Its a time to laugh with friends and gather round the table with family.  

Like Anne (with an 'e' of course!) said...

Although all the wonderful reasons above are well...wonderful, I'm glad this world has Octobers for a very different reason. At this point in the year most of my friends are saying, "not again!" While I simply grin, pull out my pens and papers, and say, "oh, yes."

Yes, here we are again, a month away from the start of NaNoWriMo. Each time the clock ticks we get a little closer. We wait with tense excitement as the weather changes, knowing that with the change comes another battle with 50,000 words. With each new layer- a sweater, a scarf, a jacket- another character sketch, scene timeline, and story outline follows, ready to keep that novel warm. This is why I love October.

So, while the rest of the world is soaking up the autumn scene, I'm submerging myself into an equally colorful world. How are you going to enjoy your October?  

Pre-NaNo Prep

            

          We have around 360 hours until the start of NaNoWriMo...that is if I did my math right.  Chances are that I didn't.  With all those hours between now and our month of insanity how should you be getting prepared?  Even if you are a panster (or is it pantser? Hum...) getting ready for NaNo will payoff in the long run.  Its like training for a cross-country race, you might not exactly know what the terrain will be like, but you can at least be physically fit.  So I've complied a list of my top five ways of 'training' for NaNoWriMo. 

              But first let me give a brief run-through of what NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is for those who don't yet know and for those getting ready for their very first intense literary journey.  Every night (or would that be morning?) at 12:01 AM November 1st a countdown clock strikes 00:00:00:00 

            For the extremely enthusiastic writers (including myself) this is the signal to start frantically typing out those first precious words of a new novel.  A novel that will have hopefully reached 50,000 words in 30 days.  During the rest of the next month we enter what I like to refer to as coffee induced a coma.  Sugar rushes, emotionally charged heart-wrentching scenes, pots of strong coffee (not decaf), and an overall zombie like state of mind are commonly seen sights.   

              Beware this quest isn't for the faint of heart. You will often face fire-breathing dragons and charming princes to distract you.  These are also known as the allurements of procrastination. 

Rules to Live By

 1.  Eat.  Eat real food.  Protein is essential to not passing-out.  Keep a jar of peanuts close to your writing space, they're a great source of protein. Vitamins and all that other good stuff will keep you healthy.  Carrots are also known to boost creativity.  Even if you have to type with one hand consume at least two good meals a day.

2.  Water.  Water is the most important source of life...unless you live in a fantasy world where water hasn't existed for hundreds of years.  Cokes don't count and they actually swell the brain and greatly reduce your ability to function.  Eight glasses a day (of water not coke) is the recommended amount. If you don't like water then flavor it. 

3.  Sleep.  Even if you become nocturnal taking a 10 minuet cat nap (maybe even with a cat?) can help hold you over at least three hours.  At least get four hours of uninterrupted sleep.  That is the bare minimum.

4.  Human interaction.  Our eyes might be bloodshot, but we are NOT zombies despite the possible resemblance.  Besides we need people to inspire us, right? 

5.  Don't skip school.  If you don't have an education you will never grow as a writer.  If your writing time at home doesn't allow homework then try to finish it all at school.  

Disclaimer: failure to follow these rules my cause serious injury or even death. 

Okay, now that I've got my dramatic introduction for the newbies out of the way lets get down to business.  Here are my top five recommendations for NaNoWriMo prepping. 

Write 

      If you don't already write everyday then you need to start.  Start now.  Actually stop reading this, breakout a notebook and pen, and write something.  The key to NaNoWriMo isn't 20k weekends (even if they are helpful!).  If you're going to win you will need to write at least 1667 words every. single. day.  To someone who doesn't write much that seems like s lot to ask.  I'm going to change that.  From now on until October write 1,000 words a day.  From October until November write 2,000 words every day.  After these two months of consistent writing NaNoing won't seem like such a struggle.  If you do write everyday then bravo.  Just make sure you're writing 2,000 words or more a day.  To be a writer one must write. 

 Brainstorm

          At least get an idea of your novels plot a theme.  Yes, pansters this goes for you too!  Even if you don't have an elaborate spreadsheet and detailed timeline you should at least have a sequence of main events.  Get a notebook and sketch them out.  Use whatever system works best for you.  An outline, a web chart, a picture diagram, sticky-notes.  Be creative.  Everyone should be able to sum up the theme in one-two sentences.  It could be 'Civil war hero turns forty-niner, but soon realizes true love is more valuable than gold.'  or 'A boy sets out to sail around the world, facing pirates, tropic storms, and mysterious stranded princesses on his epic journey.' 

Character sketch

       I don't care if you just write 'tall, brown hair, brown eyes, moody, soldier'.  You're still getting a feel for your characters.  Even if you only have a vague sense of your characters physical appearance, personality, and background it will jumpstart your story.  You won't be in chapter six asking yourself 'now who is this character?'.  

Read 

       Devour other novels in the genre you plan to write.  Introduce yourself to new authors and take note of how the action develops and the plot unfolds.  Inspiration comes from seeing new things.   If something on the page jumps out at you or makes you ask questions write it down.  How did the author reveal the lie?  Has the main character grown or changed any from the start of the story?  Was it good or bad?  Asking these questions and in turn answering them will help make you more aware of the same questions in your own work. 

 Keep a Record

         Create a way to track your pre-NaNo, NaNo, and post-NaNo experiences.  This can be done through social media or a personal journal.  If you don't care for the media route start with a journal.  Splurge and go find yourself one with a cover that inspires you and pick up your pens of choice.  Map out your NaNo game plan (gel pens make this really fun), paste pictures of your characters, and fill those pages with tales of your NaNo adventures.  Make that journal special. 

      If you want a visible outlet start/use your blog, tumblr, pinterest board, or twitter account.  Keep others up-to-date on your NaNo accomplishments and spread the excitement.  Maybe you could instal a word-count badge for your blog, or start tweeting #NaNoProblems.  Vent your anger about a characters stupid mistake on Facebook, mourn the death of your beloved character with a blog post, pin character quotes and inspiration on pinterest.  If people become interested in your month of literary abandonment then you will have the support you need when the going gets tough.  After NaNo host a celebration of sorts.  Win or loose you've still dared to do something most people would never consider.  

How will you prepare for NaNo?