Art by Graham Dobson
As folks start gearing up for NaNoWriMo, I just wanted to let you guys know you aren’t alone! Last year, I believe, I was the only Fandomania writer participating, but this year we have quite a few more lovely writers who will be participating as well! If you are participating, please leave us a comment with the same info each of our participating writers have shared. I know that I am always looking for writing buddies. The more writing buddies I have the more people can yell at me when my word count isn’t enough. Happy writing!
Kelly Melcher
Screen Name: Kellykinns
Past Participation: 2008 – 32,000ish words
Plot Summary: During the American Revolution, the first werewolf enters the Colonies and is hell-bent on winning the war, for the British. Losing control during a battle, he doesn’t kill all he bites and creates the first American werewolf. Things ensue.
Advice: I gave out some words of wisdom last year (and will continue with the pep talks this year, never you worry), but the thing I felt helped me the most was telling my friends and family what I was doing and why it was important to me. My best friend McKayla also participated and we talked about our ideas together and pushed each other to meet our daily word count goals. Even if you don’t have someone who is participating, telling others what you are doing holds you accountable. Would you want to say you gave up on week two after making them sit through the whole spiel on why you wanted to do it in the first place?
Summer Suzuki
Screen Name: izebhel
Past Participation: Two, not including this one, and I’ve never “won”
Plot Summary: It’s about a god killer… and that’s about all I have right now. I’m poorly prepared thus far.
Advice: Whether it’s setting a specific amount of time aside to write, making an outline of your story ahead of time, or finding people who will help you stick to the goal, having some kind of structure is a good thing. I totally need to take my own advice some day. ;)
Photo by mpclemens
Dax Collins:
Screen Name: daxcollins
Past Participation: This is my first go.
Plot Summary: A world-class assassin retires and lets his skills go to hell following the death of his son. A strange woman convinces him to revive his skills to track down the man behind his son’s death.
Advice: I’ve never done this. I’m looking for any advice I can get. If I were to offer advice to others, it would be to divide the words up into bite-sized chunks. If you try to kill yourself in the first week, you’ll have nothing left come Thanksgiving. That’s going to be a tough week to write. Oh yeah. Do your research first. That’s a note for me…
Lauren Kalal:
Screen Name: Lalalalauren
Past Participation: This is my first year doing NaNo, and I’m pretty sure that I am totally unprepared. I signed up on a whim, and I’m looking at this an exercise in self-discipline and creative exercise. I’ll be ecstatic if I can get 5,000 words.
Plot Summary: I have a couple of ideas kicking around, but I keep thinking of a city records clerk/archivist who stumbles upon a document that reveals the secret conspiracy that leads to all hell breaking loose (literally). There will probably be vampires.
Advice: Sometimes, caffeine after 10pm just isn’t worth it.
