NaNoWriMo - Churn it and Burn it
In case you just crawled out of a cave, after spending a reasonable amount of time writing your novel, here’s a news update:
It’s National Novel Writing Month. Okay, not really. Only on the Internet. And only if you are a writer. Oh, and only if you buy into the whole “Thirty Days and Nights of Literary Abandon” concept. Me? Not so sure. Oh, it’s a great way to jump start the old muse.
Wake up, you fool. Get to work.
The problem is, shaking our muse awake and barking commands only serves to startle him or her into leaping from slumber and running headlong into that pesky, graffiti-scarred wall the East Germans used to call “Writer’s Bloc”. In fact, it’s been my experience that putting a collar on the muse and leading her to water gets you two things:
1) A pissed off muse.
and
2) A snoutful of fear when she throws you on your back and waterboards you.
Stress has never been, in my experience, a prime ingredient for creativity. And forcing words—if that’s what the writer ends up having to do—is a pretty poor way to create lasting, quality prose.
Just sayin’.
Jackie Evancho Sings National Anthem
I get the whole “motivation” idea. Like I said, though, I think the NaNoWriMo concept makes for a better wake up call than an actual event. However, each year I am wont to wonder about this whole National Novel Writing Month phenom. Were this to literally become a national “month”, would we bookend it with National Sing The Star-Spangled Banner In Front Of A Sports Audience Month and, perhaps, National Drive A Stock Car In An Actual Race Month?
Seriously. Why is it that everyone believes they have the next great novel in them? I mean, sure, we all probably have a story or two to tell, at least in our own minds—but what gives with a quarter of a million people bellying up to the old writers’ bar and ordering themselves “whatever Hemingway was having”?
I’ve asked the question before. I’ll undoubtedly ask it again.
Warren Beatty as Clyde in the famous death scene
I’ve also mentioned before, I think, that I used to sing in a small town tour group. Even “soloed”. Mostly because I could carry a tune with a bucket—a BIG one. Thing is, I always realized the hard truth of the matter. I never—not once—signed up to try out for American Idol. (Sheesh. It would have been a slaughter. What minuscule talent I perhaps once had, riddled with bullets of criticism, reeling, dying, falling in the dust like Clyde lying in that fateful Texas road.)
My talent, if that’s what you’d call it, wouldn’t have stood a fighting chance.
A page from "Captain Watermelon"
When I was a pup, I also drew comic books. Again, I could draw better than, say, the most rudimentary creator of stick figure diagrams (and I don’t mean artists who make even stick figures look good). Again, I knew my limitations. (Well, perhaps at eleven or twelve years old I didn’t, but I think even then my blinders were fading appropriately.)
We should each have several (if not dozens) of these kinds of examples. When we’re young we want to be professional athletes, rock stars, Oscar-winning actors, and, yes, some of us want to be writers. NOTE: I didn’t want to be a writer. In fact, even when I started reading a lot, and would have loved nothing more than to be a writer, I still didn’t yet dream it. That took actually discovering a bit of talent.
And may I please define “talent” here? The talent of the author is not simply grammatical excellence (i.e. “A’s” on term papers), which is where I happen to believe a lot of people become confused with their own propensity to create the next lauded work of fiction. You know of whom I speak. You read their blog posts, their newspaper articles, and their technical papers and think, “wow, these folks can really put the pen to paper.” Unfortunately, that is also what they’ve been told all their life. Because in a way it’s entirely true. Grammatically speaking. Fiction, however, is not about grammar only—any more than singing is solely about sheet music.
Just because you can compose a great song does not mean you can sing it. And because one can master the technicalities of the language, keeping prepositions from dangling off the ends of one’s sentences, does not mean one can sing.
And make no mistake. Authors are supposed to sing. Beautifully.
Yes, even writers in the Horror, Fantasy, Thrillers, and Graphic Novel genres. You can sing a wickedly authentic, haunting, and even terrifying ballad. You can sign about death, mayhem, carnage, horror, and loss.
But you are supposed to sing.
Not talk. Not drone. Not present.
Author Dean Mayes
Too much of the writing I sample these days has no lyrical quality. There is no song. I read a guest blog post today by talented author Dean Mayes that really got me to thinking about this reality. What is missing from so many of the books out there today (particularly those uploaded to Amazon free of charge) is the song. And by that I mean the voice of the singer who can deliver the story. The new digital literary market (and I use the term “literary” loosely) seems to be in the midst of defining an authorship guild that requires nothing but a correctly-formatted file and a semi-reliable network connection for membership (many times not even those).
And, somewhat accordingly, since 1999 we have NaNoWriMo. Last year over 200,000 people participated in the challenge, writing over 2.8 billion words. That’s like a 9-word tweet to every United States citizen. The real question that comes to mind is: would any of them be worth reading?
Sure. Some. A smattering would likely be downright excellent. And therein lies the rub:
Finding the good ones. They’re out there. Indeed, many of them will come from factions of the 200,000.
A good number will be written by indies like Dean Mayes. I’m currently reading his debut novel, The Hambledown Dream. I don’t want to give anything away, but I can tell you Dean gets it. He writes from his soul. Using both the music of his heart and the soothing, lyrical music of the real world in which he lives. He hears the words, not as staccato speech, but as music. And he writes them that way.
Don’t take my word for it. His writing is proof enough, and we are all better for his having written.
In whatever month he chose to do so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The blank page is dead…long live the blank page.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dean Mayes Masterpiece
As I mentioned, Dean Mayes has written an extraordinary story in The Hambledown Dream. The writing is both gritty and lyrical; poetic and raw. This is the first book I have recommended in one of my blogs. It dovetailed so wonderfully with the core idea of this particular post: writers with chops, delivering prose that truly takes us away from our own present and transports us into a dream world. Dean Mayes accomplishes this with his writing, and I wanted to share with my readers this Indie author, of whom I am now a huge fan.
Synopsis:
Australian Denny Banister had it all; a successful career, a passion for the guitar, and Sonya – the love of his life. Tragically, Denny is struck down with inoperable cancer.
Andy DeVries has almost nothing; alienated from his family, moving through a dangerous Chicago underworld dealing in drugs, battling addiction; all while keeping a wavering hold on the only thing that matters to him: a place at a prestigious conservatory for classical guitar in Chicago.
As Andy recovers from a near fatal overdose, he is plagued by dreams – memories of a love he has never felt, and a life he’s never lived. Driven by the need for redemption and by the love for a woman he’s never met, he begins a quest to find her, knowing her only by the memories of a stranger and the dreams of a place called Hambledown…
I agree that pumping out 50k words in one month is not necessarily the best way to start a writing career, or a halfway decent novel, but I think the spirit of NaNoWriMo goes beyond those goals.
I think NaNo is perfect for people who WANT to write, LOVE to write, regardless of how talented they may be. NaNo participants are not necessarily claiming their work to be genius. Just as harmless as the somewhat in-tune singer who likes to go to karaoke bars, no?
It can also be a kick in the pants for someone trying to get into the daily habit of writing. I still remember the exact moment I turned down my first job offer for a local newspaper, fresh out of school, because IT was a much more lucrative career path. Despite my success going down that road, I have regretted it ever since, and exercises like NaNoWriMo are perfect in my eyes for someone who may have talent, but have been out of the game.
And hey, maybe after adding another 50k words, 17 rounds of revisions, and working with a solid editor, that NaNo project may turn out to sing.
I’ve heard people say that before–that people join NaNoWriMo for fun, not expecting anything from it other than a great excursion into writing. I’ve not personally met them. I know several dozen writers who jump into NaNoWriMo with both feet each year, presumably because they plan to finally churn out that novel that eludes them the other 335 days a year. My question is not what worth NaNoWriMo might offer to people—that’s personal. What this annual sprint to write a novel reminds me to ponder are the wildf increasing numbers of people that believe they can (and should) write a novel. It occurs to me that few rational person suddenly decide they can play golf professionally, start appearing in stand-up comedy clubs, or even become a firefighter overnight. But from the sheer numbers of increasing submission of ebooks from every nook and cranny of the Internet, it certainly seems a disproportionate number of people believe they can/should publish a book. NaNoWriMo just accentuates that phenomenon for me–it does not necessarily represent the sole source of this reality (although I suggest if you polled the 200,000+ people that enter, a large proportion of them are in some way serious about creating a novel-length work, not just tapping away at a keyboard for the pure enjoyment of it). People deciding the act of cramming 50,000 words into 30 days, amidst lives that already keep them from writing regularly, is at least worth wondering about, but it is clearly a personal decision. 😉 Thanks much for reading and commenting, Kevin!
I agree with you, to some extent. I’m beginning to wonder, however, how many people claim to finish, but don’t and how many continue writing to really finish (50k words doesn’t a novel make and I know I’ll cut mine in half before I get down to really revising).
This year I decided to participate for two reasons. First, I had a story in mind, maps, sketches of characters etc.. and had been working on details over the summer. Second, I typically revise as I go so much that my muse gets bored and flees out of frustration. I lose the story and just don’t care anymore. This year I’ve forced myself not to revise and so far it’s going great (three days in and just finished 7k words woo-hoo).
My grammar is going to be crap. I know that. My husband says I write like English was my second language (guess I got lucky? and married someone who’d be honest with me). But my story, he loves. I can work on the details later, revise until other people can understand what goes on in my head, but for now I’m going to use Nanowrimo as a learning exercise in my writing journey.
Thanks for the book review!
Hi, Jen…thanks for the comment! Yes, the exercise itself can be great for some folks. I think of it like the sculptor…until one has something that at least resembles the final product, there isn’t much sculpting to take place. My favorite part of the process is the latter part—the editing–so I definitely see value in using the motivation to produce 50K (or whatever number). Let’s face it, we all need a goal or something to help us jump into the pool from time to time. I just see the numbers and am, again, amazed at how many people have decided they are writers. The numbers aren’t going down any time soon, NaNoWriMo or no. 😉
I’ve only been on Twitter since July and I’ve been shocked at the number of ‘writers’. And you’re right, with epublishing so easy there is bound to be more and more ‘authors’ out there. And when do you ever see quality in quantity?
I’m going to try the agent/editor route first. I’ve been shot down (nicely) so many times on my short stories I’ve grown thick skin. And I’m not so arrogant as to think I know more than they, when a suggestion comes my way.
Editing my work is the worst part for me. I don’t mind cutting. I’ll kill off all my babies, and sometimes too many, without second thought. But ‘fixing’ the rest of it gives me a headache. I’m getting better at it, but mostly only better when I’m beta reading someone else’s stuff. I think my stuff’s perfect so I can go on to the next story!
I just wanted you to know I do read your blog. You described the reason I don’t write. I love to, but I feel forced when I try, or feel I have to try. Deadlines would never work for me.
Write another book bro, it’s been to long.
Goose.
Thanks, Goose. 🙂
Looks like another book is getting downloaded into my Kindle App this weekend. Thanks for the recommendation. High praise coming from you.
You won’t regret it…Dean is truly gifted. Tells a great story and tells it well! 😀
I think you’re missing the point of NaNoWriMo. Muses? Writers block? A working writer does not know these things. NaNoWriMo teaches discipline. It teaches you to sit down and treat the blank page like work, because that’s what it is. You have a deadline, so you punch in and punch out. You have better days than others, but in the end you got something done. Learning the work ethic is instrumental in being successful. You can’t wait for inspiration to strike, or the muse to show up or whatever whimsical BS that people wait for before putting their fingers to the keyboard. You have to sit down and do it everyday because that’s the only way you’re going to get better.
Honestly though, if anyone was dissuaded by your rant, then they were never a writer to begin with, but to shit on people for even trying to put pen to paper? That’s just poor sportsmanship.
Let me ask you, sir, why do you write?
Thanks for reading and commenting, Dan.
Uh, a working writer knows not of the muse or writer’s block? Punch in and punch out? Hmm. Where exactly do you write and what? This is fiction we’re talking about here. Novels. If you write with a “punch in, punch out, grind the product” mentality, you’re just putting cement blocks on the paper, and the prose will show it.
And on your “learning the trade” remark: NaNoWriMo is about as useful teaching “work ethic” to a writer as a “Learn Spanish Overnight” tape is to teaching good study habits. Write 365 days a year. Even when the muse is quiet, or absent. Don’t wait eleven months to cram it all into 30 days (and yes, there are a great many NaNo participants who operate exactly that way).
No one “shit on” anyone in my post. That’s one difference between you and I, apparently: I have no problem with someone whose opinion differs from mine; I don’t believe they are shitting on me to express it.
Why do I write? Same as most people, I suppose. For the chicks.
Thanks for your response.
A. “Shitting” may have been a harsh word, but “Seriously. Why is it that everyone believes they have the next great novel in them?” wreaks of elitism and sounds like an attack on everyone attempting NaNoWriMo or people who are just attempting to do something outside of their usual scope. You should never deter people from attempting to do something creative for themselves. But that just might be my school of thought.
B. I don’t see the difference between ” If you write with a “punch in, punch out, grind the product” mentality, you’re just putting cement blocks on the paper, and the prose will show it.” and “Write 365 days a year. Even when the muse is quiet, or absent.” I won’t give you a long list of best selling authors or literary trail blazers (I can if you want), but I’ve heard nothing but touting of this sort of rigorous work ethic from the professional writing community.
C. “Don’t wait eleven months to cram it all into 30 days.” Maybe I hadn’t made myself clear, but I think NaNo is trying to teach you, if you can sit down and do it for 30 days straight, you can do it all year long. The finished novel is just a byproduct, proof if you will, that you can do it. I have wanted to be a writer since I was very young, 10 or so, and I kept my writing a secret for a long time because of people with your attitude. “Writing a book, eh? Wink. Wink. Nudge. Nudge.” I’ve written on and off for most of my life and when I participated in NaNoWriMo last year, it taught me to ignore the myths about inspiration and that I can do this day-in and day-out. Since November 1st, 2010, I’ve written more days than not.
D. I never felt like you were shitting on me, per say, but I felt like I should speak up so you don’t aid anymore of these poor souls, “You described the reason I don’t write. I love to, but I feel forced when I try, or feel I have to try.” That’s a mighty depressing comment and you only fortified this broken man’s sad mentality towards life. Dan O, WRITE! If it makes you feel good, then do it! Nothing’s easy. That’s like a novice rock climber saying, “This makes me feel great! But I can’t get passed the first hold, so fuck it.”
E. I was journalist for several years, writing for local and national mags, so I have a small amount of cred, but I’ve only started revisiting my fiction whims recently. You can check out my prose here: http://danbrian.blogspot.com/2011/02/id-buy-that-for-dollar-excerpt-from-wip.html Seriously, if you think it sounds like concrete blocks being laid, please let me know. I’m very open to criticism.
Lastly, for yourself, you should consider picking up or re-reading Strunk and White’s “Elements of Style.” I read a few of your articles and the first pages of your book, you’re no natural talent yourself. We all need to work on it because that’s the only way we get better.
The sad fact is, not everyone can be what they wish to be. I have mentored several beginning writers, and unlike you, I have an open mind and relish learning from others. Even from you I have learned, though I would not expect you to understand, appreciate, or believe it. Not one who, in the end, resorts to an obvious tip of his hand. Really? “Read” a few of my articles (blog posts) and some of my first chapters and determined–against the raw percentage of reviewers–that I have no natural talent? Please. Not only dost thou protest too much, thou has so little self confidence that the only attack left, in the end, is one of unwarranted criticism of another.
This only serves to prove the obvious: that I am eminently sorry I lowered myself to the gutter with your spit-fighting.
I’ve spent enough years in writing workshops—indeed running them—and enough time accepting the criticism (and, conversely, praise) of professors, editors, and authors without personal bias running down their sleeves, to be content in the reality of my own natural talent (or lack thereof). In other words, I feel no need to peruse your attempts to write fiction, nor (any longer, at least) to engage your attempts at debate. I wish you all the luck someone with chips atop shoulders and axes to grind deserves. Our successes and failures will define who each of us is, not our tirades. I’m perfectly comfortable with that.
Cheers to you, Dan. You are obviously in control of your fate.
I’d like to throw in a reply to all the nonsense that you’re throwing out here Dan. Frankly, I found your comments to be nothing else but rude, misleading and uninformed in the art of writing. If you had read, Really Read, the blog, Rob is not downplaying the underlying purpose behind NanoWriMo but trying to further you, the reader’s, education of what it takes to be a writer.
Muses? I don’t know a writer who does not use some sort of Muse, whether it is a person, a visual display of art or nature. To write without a Muse is to write nothing more than a textbook – uninspired and unimaginative. If you don’t believe me, you should look up the definition of muse as defined by Merriam-Webster.com: Muse: A source of inspiration. Therefore sir, if you are inspired to write Anything then you have been “Mused.”
Punching In and Punching Out? Looking at a Blank Page as Work? That is the most horrid description of a writer’s task I have ever heard. My gosh, you make writing sound so dull and lifeless. A writer breathes it, dreams it, every waking moment, lives it. A blank page is not just work but a canvas waiting to be filled with prose leading the reader into a world you have created. Perhaps you should read the book Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. In it she describes writing “brings with it so much joy, so much challenge. It is work and play TOGETHER.”
You say you’re open to criticism? Where did you make that point? I must have missed it.
Lastly, to call out Mr. Guthrie as having no natural talent is absurd and shows your total lack of professionalism and ethics. I am the head of a rather large writer’s group. We gather to support and encourage, share ideas and information, all of which you have denied to establish in your comments to this blog. I certainly hope you can someday learn those traits.
Why are you even reading blogs in the first place? Shouldn’t you be punched in, looking at a blank page? Oh, and by the way, “per say” is spelled “per se.” Just saying.
There is no need to respond to my comment for I will not read it so don’t bother. It would only be self-serving.
Dear Trish,
Thanks for throwing your hat in the ring.
You’re right! Indulging in petty internet battles is poor form. It is wildly unprofessional, but my heart gets the better of me at times. Admittedly, the last paragraph questioning Rob’s talent was an unmitigated jape. This is no venue for such criticisms.
To answer your question about where I made the point that I was open to criticism, I made it when I gave you a link to my work to freely critique, coupled with my invitation for criticism. I’m serious, PLEASE, tell me if I’m worth my salt. Also, thank you for correcting me on “per se.” These are the criticisms I want. I also used the wrong spelling the word “wreak”.
As for my “horrid” blue-collar approach to writing, who says that I don’t have fun at my job? I love writing. But on the days when I have a fat stack of bills sitting on my kitchen table or a friend in the hospital that I’m powerless to heal, my strong work ethic pushes me through those days when I would rather be thinking about a million other things than the blank page in front of me.
To make a long story short, writing is a craft as much as it is an art. That’s the point I was trying to make and NaNo really helps with that crafting part.
As for muses and inspiration, perhaps that’s where we part ways, or maybe we are arguing for the same thing! I don’t know. Perhaps my muse is the time I set aside every day of my life to write. It shows up like a scowling quatermaster kicking me out of bed in the morning and saying, “Get up and get down stairs! Because this is the thing that you love. Don’t forsake it!” I know Joe Hill, Kate Wilhelm, J.G Ballard, Elmore Leonard, William Gibson and Stephen King are all strong believers in this philosophy and I happen to strongly agree with them.
Rob, I have a hard time believing you mentor writers with the mentality of “not everyone can be what they wish to be.” To me that says you feel a born sense of entitlement to your talent and that everyone shouldn’t try their hand at writing, even if they feel the urge. I’m sorry you felt like this was a personal attack (I understand the indiscretion in my last paragraph) but I am rallying for the person who sits on the cusp of whether or not to put their ideas down on paper. Follies like not putting pen to paper and getting out that story, are things people regret on their death beds. I have no axes to grind, just endless encouragement for the little guy. I’m not exactly sure how you saw it any other way (again, except the last paragraph of my previous comment). NaNoWriMo is the perfect way for a dabbling writer to cut their teeth or realize they aren’t cut out for the gig.
Good luck to you both.
Dan while you did insult his talent that goes both ways, in this article he blatantly knocks any aspiring writers saying that since most people cant write a best seller they shouldn’t write at all. So my question is which is worse, insulting the talent of someone who’s ego is bigger than the whole United States, or telling future writers to stop while they’re ahead.
Interesting theory and nice article. I also like the review for Mayes new book, an I’ll be checking it out.
I’ve actually participated in six NaNoWriMo; finished none. The good part for me is just getting me to write. I have a tendency to edit as I go, but I’m trying to go with James Thurman’s suggestion “Don’t try to get it right just get it written.” The editing will come later. I’ve been a writer since grade school and it’s the only thing I’ve ever enjoyed. Whether or not I’m ever a published author remains to be seen, but even if not a single soul ever reads my work, I still will be a writer and enjoy every minute of it.
I’ve read published books I hated or felt were not well written, but I am sure not everyone likes my stuff either. I joke about my 9 faithful blog readers all the time.
The point of NaNoWriMo is simply to give people who love to write a fun, approachable and reachable goal. Some make it, some don’t. I don’t feel it causes any real problems in the world of publishing. My opinion, of course.
Thanks for your thoughts. Enjoyed reading them.
Thanks, Angie…for reading and for commenting.
Yes, I totally get the “jump start” theory of NaNoWriMo. And every person/writer is different. I also understand the love of writing for writing’s sake. For me, it is about pursuing a career. I know a lot of writers who wait until November as their moment to crank out the words. I suppose if it gets them from a blank page to a 50,000 word lump of clay that has been transformed into something they recognize and with which they can now work…it probably works for them. For me, I write as many days of the year as I am able…that’s my way.
I enjoyed reading your comment. I think you are right: the point of NaNoWriMo is a positive one. Cheers!
I wrote my first book in 34 days. Not because of NaNo, but because that’s how long it took. It was 60k and is now closer to 90k (YA). I’ve been revising it for a full year.
My second book WAS a NaNo book, but I didn’t finish it in November ’cause I kept getting sick. It took about a month and a half. It ended up being 39k (plot problems) in the first draft. The second draft took close to three months because I rewrote almost every word and it was 55k. I haven’t started the 3rd draft because…
My third book took from April to July to write the first draft. (It’s been a busy couple years.) The second draft took less than a month (I did a lot of rewriting.)
I fully plan to query all these books. I’m still revising the first one after a YEAR and plan to revise it more. I know people who have published books that were written in less than a month – one, in fact, that was written in I believe a week. And I don’t quite understand how you can criticize how someone else works. Are they forcing you to work that way?
No.
Are they harming you by working that way?
No.
So WHAT if NaNoWriMo produces some junk? I’ll even tell you a secret. Most first drafts are junk anyways. Writing is rewriting, as they say.
Hi, Laina. Thanks for reading and posting.
I am not criticizing I am making a point. For most people, hammering out 50,000 words in 30 days is probably not going to produce their best work. That’s my opinion. I didn’t call for anyone to throw in the towel. Did you read my comment that indeed some great work would likely come out of NaNo? I believe that is exactly what you said above (that some people do work that way).
I do appreciate you letting me in on the “first draft” secret. But why do you see the need to criticize other writer’s first drafts? I know writers whose first drafts won literary prizes. Are you being harmed by someone publishing their first drafts? : )
BTW, what are your novels…I’d like to check them out!
Cheers.
If you aren’t criticizing, perhaps you should rethink sentences like, “In case you just crawled out of a cave, after spending a *reasonable* amount of time writing your novel,” as they come off rather rude and arrogant, I’m afraid, especially towards fast drafters and newbie writers. That may not be your intention, but that’s how it reads.
I said what I said about MOST first drafts because MOST first drafts are not good. Ask around. It’s not really a secret. I’d be very interested in these first drafts that won prizes unedited — and more interested in if they were published unedited.
Last, I’m not published yet. I wrote my first WIP in July ’10, my second in November ’10, and my third in April-July ’11. I plan to query the first one by January of the new year. Watch my Twitter; it’ll keep you updated. 😉
Oh, also.
You can’t edit a blank page.
Very true. Another secret?
I’ve read a number of articles on the whole NaNoWriMo phenomenon and I have to admit, I just don’t get it. Stories, good stories, aren’t simply manufactured…produced. Like the oil paintings my mother used to paint when I was a kid, you start with a blank canvas and build your art slowly and steadily, stepping back occasionally to appraise the developing piece.
NaNoWriMo trashes that notion by creating a sense of urgency and panic to spew out something…anything…in order to satisfy a set of pre-conditions. It damages the notion of writing as an artform.
It’s kinda like a Ke$ha song…
(btw – you made a slightly chubby Australian very happy today mate – thank you.)
Thanks, Dean. Sorry to lump you in with my timely attack on the sacred cow. The well-meant plug was obviously overshadowed by the monolithic NaNo. Michelangelo took over four years to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. I try to imagine him painting it with a spray gun in 30 days.
Anyway, looking forward to your next book, my friend.
This is my first time in the NaNoWriMo, and I’m enjoying seeing the fun everyone is having. As for pumping out a great piece of work in 30 days, well…. I’m getting the meat of the book down. I’m going to put it aside the entire month of December, and then really start the writing process in January. I’m not about making it great NOW, it’s all about the drive of watching the outline I’ve been working on for six months take shape. The daily fun of facebook groups and real friends attempting are just a plus. The greatest thing for me…. my 13 year old is doing the young writer’s program and she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her. If nothing else I’m sharing 30 days of fun with her. 🙂 Oh, and hello friend.
Hi, Vanessa! Thanks for the read and the comment.
You know, an opinion blog is no fun if you just admit everything is pretty cool when you take a close look! 😉 Seriously, though, I do get that about NaNo. Sometimes we all need a kick in the seat of the pants. And I totally agree that getting the meat of a book (i.e. it’s CORE) is very crucial. If NaNo helps with that, I think it’s great.
Oh, and combining it with your 13 year old? You’ve added priceless value there! I do see the point of the fun of the event. I do think I missed that before.
Thanks for sharing your experience. We can all learn, eh? 😀
“Too much of the writing I sample these days has no lyrical quality. There is no song.”
This is one of the most unintentionally hilarious passages I’ve read in a while. And then it gets even better!
“I read a guest blog post today by talented author Dean Mayes that really got me to thinking about this reality.”
I’m afraid I have to disagree with you. I’m an 18-year-old amateur and not even sure my writing is any good yet, and I’m trying NaNo for the first time. I’m loving it. Four days in, due to being in an earlier time zone, and I’ve written 25,000 words. Sure, they might not all be perfect, but I’m a fan of the quick and dirty first draft. I edit extensively once I have the draft finished. Obviously this technique doesn’t work for everyone. My favourite author writes slower and considers every sentence before writing it down.
NaNoWriMo is a tool for writers who thrive on the pressure (believe me, some do) and for those who write those quick and dirty first drafts. It is also for other people who don’t normally write but feel they have a book in them. They may not choose to share the book with anyone else and that’s fine. I’m writing with publication in mind down the track when I’ve edited the book.
One thing I did this year to make sure I went into November with the best mindset was to plan meticulously during October. I’ve never outlined before, but decided I needed to in order to write faster than I usually do. NaNoWriMo only appeals to a certain percentage of writers, but as you said, there are some excellent works which have come out of it.
Hi, Ann. Thanks for reading and for the astute comment. You are right, some writers do thrive on deadlines and pressure. I can tell you, however, that most of the NaNo entrants I know end up beating themselves up because they don’t magically have time to crank out 2,000 words a day in November any more than they do the other eleven months of the year (less, in fact, because of Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner).
I salute you preparing and taking the challenge seriously and I hope your book ultimately turns out tremendously!
Again, I appreciate you sharing your side! Cheers.
I just wanted to chime in that my husband and I wondered what the OLL were thinking when they decided November was Nano month. Holidays, dreary weather – craziness!
That said, I do Nano, though I also write all year. Nano is just a fun kick in the pants, as you mentioned. I try for 1500 to 2000 words a day all year, so Nano just gives me a forum in which to play.
I’m unpubbed and probably a newb, though no one has ever told me just when a writer quits being a newb and enters the fabled land of experienced. Is it when you write that one millionth word? When you publish? And who decided?
Anyway, I know I don’t have what it takes to write a decent novel in a month, I just enjoy the camaraderie that goes along with an event like Nano. Like you, I think there are far more people who believe they can write good books than those who actually can. That said, I also used Nano as a jump start into writing a novel. I’d been writing a good while anyway, already had an idea or three, and challenged my husband to try it with me.
We’ve found we share a great love of writing, bolster each other and have met some good people through critique. I have some small talent and can’t say for sure I’ll ever make the bestseller list, but then, who can? I expect Nano churns out a slot of schlock, but when has schlock ever lacked a forum?
Cheers, and thanks for making me stare the flip side full in the face.
Hey, Sabrina…thanks much for reading and for the great comment! Yep, I certainly get NaNo as a fun excursion. And I know a lot of other writers who do, too. I honestly didn’t think my post used the event as anything more than a segue or a springboard, but I underestimated the sacred cowishness of the whole ordeal. 😉 I never had more than a passing “what the?” about NaNo anyway. I actually started it out last year, for fun, and then got busy with other things. No harm, no foul. I’ve mentioned before, my biggest sour feeling about it is that many writers seem to get down on themselves and say they “quit” or “failed” because they couldn’t cram 2000 words a day into their already busy lives. If it’s done as fun, I totally get it. In the end, doesn’t matter if I get it or not, though. I also LOVE that you and your husband do it together and have discovered that comment writer ground! Thanks again for the thought-provoking comment. ツ
As a third year participant in NaNoWriMo, I can tell you that I do it for that gratifying feeling of knowing I started something and followed through with it. Since the age of seven, I can remember starting a story and never giving it an ending. I always got bored or gave up on it.
But it’s different with NaNoWriMo. The first time I made it to my final sentence, I cannot tell you the happiness I felt. I was so proud of myself.
I am not saying I’m the best writer out there. I know I’m not. But I still enjoy it and I’m always looking forward to November.
Yes, Tonya. I suppose anything that helps a person accomplish a goal is a good thing. As with most challenges, finishing is indeed a success all its own. As I mentioned above, one of the things that has always detracted from the event for me is seeing friends become frustrated with themselves when they don’t make their goals. There is logic in the advice not to set too lofty a goal because for some people failure (the other side of the coin) can cause them to give up the dream.
Thanks much for reading and commenting! 🙂
I think you’re kind of missing the point of NaNoWriMo.
Certainly there is a “cult of the amateur” element to it, but after having read “No Plot, No Problem,” I don’t believe the organization is encouraging people to think that what they end up with at the end of 30 days is a publishable novel.
You use a couple metaphors that refer to athletes and musicians. A musician who practices fundamentals for 2-3 hours a day for a month won’t become a brilliant musician – but they will understand what’s involved in becoming one, and whether that’s a path they want to follow.
Hi, Colin. Thanks for the comment. In all fairness, this wasn’t a post about all the pluses and minuses of NaNo. Of course it has its positives, and for each person those (and the negatives, by the way) are different. I would add this: for the person who wants to know if they have musical talent, potential, or if they love it enough to continue? I’d suggest lessons. Not a “Write A Concerto in a Month” challenge. 😉
As many others have said already, NaNo is about the journey, the experience of creating something. No one wants to look at a blank page, and you know, I’ve heard/read countless “writers” talk about how first drafts are crap – it’s all a part of the process. Quite frankly, it’s a wonderful thing to see one’s story transform from a rough, unwieldy monster to a creature of beauty.
I’m not saying that everyone can be a “great writer,” (and that term is subjective), but sheesh. You gotta start somewhere.
Don’t disparage NaNo, hon. Just embrace it.
Okay, Lauren. You win. As the eleventh person who wants me to embrace NaNo, I do. 😀
Seriously, I meant to segue from the incredible participant numbers of NaNo into the idea that (as I mentioned above) a better way for a writer to seriously pursue writing is to join a workshop or enroll in a class. To use my musical example above: if you want to learn music, and find out if you have the love and/or talent, take lessons…don’t join a “Write A Concerto in A Month” challenge. 😉
Thanks much for the comment and for reading. I appreciate your thoughts.
After reading your post what struck me wasnt your opinion on nanowrimo, but rather your negative attitude towards new writers, or those ‘giving it a go’. I, like you, have never wnated to be a writer, but always written. For years I kept my writing hidden from people like a dirty secret for fear of rolling eyes and knowing smirks (writing a book eh? Think you’re a writer eh? Nudge nudge, wink wink). If, as you claim, ‘everyone thinks they have the next great novel in them’ just let them write it. As a writer yourself encourage them, advise them, acknowledge them, but please dont mock, ridicule and patronise them. You never know, one of the people you put off may have been the next Hemmingway.
Hi, Jenny. Honestly, I have no ill will toward new writers. I am working with a new writer friend who has tremendous potential. I bled all over her first short story, trying to point out where she could seriously strengthen her prose, and she took every comment to task and rewrote her story and the difference was palpable. I do believe she has the potential to be the next great writer.
You know what else she has, though? Humbleness. She’s not published eight times over on Amazon already; pushing out everything that flows from her fingertips. She’s wary. She respects the craft. She wants to get better—indeed to be the best she possibly can.
My fear is that with no cost, no wait publishing, all manner of writers (even good ones) are pumping out the product, charging next to nothing for it, and redefining an entire art form in the process. It’s gotten to the point where an indie novel sells for less than a song on iTunes. That’s called market devaluation and it affects every real writer in the world.
On your advice to encourage new writers rather than patronize them, you don’t know what I do with the writers I encounter. I do encourage them, as much as is reasonable. But the truth is, not everyone can be a writer. It hurt me when I figured out I would never be a professional athlete. But I certainly wouldn’t want to be out there making a fool of myself either. I appreciate honest criticism, and I think reasonable people with respect for the craft want the same thing. This was an opinion blog, not a personal critique of a writer’s work.
Thanks for reading and commenting! Cheers.
Step 1: Insert a response respectfully disagreeing with the OP’s opinion about NaNoWriMo.
Step 2: Receive response that can be summarized as, “That’s nice, but really in the end I’m right and you’re wrong because I ARE A PROFESHUNAL WRITUR.”
Wash, rinse, repeat ad nauseam.
Nota bene: I are also a profeshunal writur, herp derp. One with experience doing NaNoWriMo in the past, not just a random bystander shouting at the marathon runners as they go by. Not everyone participates in marathons because they think they’ll be the first to cross the finish line. Plenty of people participate just to say they made it, or even just to try.
It’s a writing marathon. Get off your high horse and let the people run.
This is an interesting theory. I used to think the same thing. Are these people nuts? Who the hell in their right mind would write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days? How many drugs would this person have to consume?
Well, I decided *heck with it* and jumped in this year. True, a lot of people do not finish ( I was reading the stats on the NaNo site from last year). A lot of people very well may write crap.
I have read a few (non – NaNoWriMo) e-books that were awful… awful!
But hey, beauty is in the eye of the… hmm.
Still, I am pretty Gung Ho so far and just knowing (knowing!) that a few NaNoWriMo books have been published (Water for Elephants comes to mind) gives me all the hope I need.
Thanks for a great post.
Darlene
Thanks, Darlene! I really appreciate the read and the comment. Amen…to each his or her own! And yes, NaNoWriMo is nowhere near the only source of poorly written eBooks. The other day I saw a writer complaining that a reviewer had commented about tenses changing and grammatical errors in their book, claiming there was no such thing. I went to read a sample — which of course is only the first chapter or two. Wow. Sure enough, tense changed three times in the first two paragraphs and I stumbled on 2-3 pretty glaring spelling errors (i.e. not even typos, honest-to-Pete incorrect spelling/usage). Which is unfortunate for talented indie authors because the marketplace is beginning to shun “unknowns” because of bad experiences with the “beauty” of many books! 😉
I sincerely hope you have a grand time in NaNo and that your book is the next “Water for Elephants”! Cheers.
I have since read the first two chapters of ‘The Hambledown Dream’ and will be buying it. Excellent writing. Thanks for the great recommendation!
Thank you, Kevin. I have never been so sorry as to have dragged Dean into a debate over an issue I believed to be (innocently enough) matter of conjecture and opinion. I truly appreciate you seeing through the murk of my post and noticing that I had recommended an author of extraordinary skill. A great read. Cheers!
This is my first year doing NaNoWriMo. 4 days into it, I decide to quit. I’m not usually a quitter. I don’t abandon much, especially my first novel I’ve been editing for 5 years. This novel I decided to write this month will be written. In a month though? NO.
I love the spirit. I love seeing how much I can get onto paper in a day, but I don’t like the deadline. I think you read my post on word counts. This is plain and simple torture! 😉 Okay. For me it is. What I’ve learned in 4 days is that this isn’t for me, and that’s okay.
Wonderful post by the way! I can’t wait to read Dean’s book. Luckily, I just bought it! 🙂
Hey, Em.
I happen to know you are well on your way to immense success as an author regardless of NaNoWriMo. One of the reasons I don’t care for the event is that I know many (talented) authors who join, only to become discouraged by the inordinate pressure trying to write a novel in 30 days represents. I can only speak about the people I know, but I would say at least 95% of them don’t finish and end up lashing themselves for the “failure”. I know that’s not you (I happen to know too much about your spirit already to think this is all that discouraging to you)…however I have known writers who’ve given up for a time because of the stress over writing X number of words per day.
Comments deriding the existence of a muse nothwithstanding, I believe with all my heart that great writing is born of the great writer muse inside those who were born to share the written word.
Thank you so much for commenting. And yes, Dean’s novel is so remarkable. Cheers and a happy weekend to you, dear lady!
Aww, Rob! You’re too amazing! I hope you know that. 😉 And thank you so much! You’re kind words have warmed my heart.
I know what you mean, and again, that’s one of the many things I hate about word count. As a writer, I firmly believe we need to focus on our writing not our word count. Again and again, I hear and say, “Quality over quantity.” Truer words have never been spoken (when it comes to writing of course).
Happy weekend to you as well, kind sir! <3
Hi,
After reading your post on this subject I whole heartedly agree with what your saying! Its true many people write without heart or song or soul – So many people produce for the masses purley for the profit,you can always tell when reading a book or novel what type of a writer the author is, are they writing from the heart for the love of writing full of spirit and song or have they just mass produced a story that when reading feels like its just jumped off the production line! I am a writer my self, and I would not want to rush a book I was passionate about, and certainly not in just one month… It defeats the object I feel, to write under pressure like that is not fun its stressful as I am finding out from some people who are doing it write now, writers block is encouraged due to the pressure of time constraints. I am not against NanoWrimon, I think its a good idea, but don’t entre it thinking your going to be the next James Patterson that is not what it is about. Great writers have invested a lot of time and research into writing great novels that we love, this whole concept reminds me somewhat of the x factor!!! I know I can hear you all screaming me a me already! Its just my opinion. I’m sure there will be some great novels that come out of it and its a great excercise to get people off the starting block.
Alright.
You have had many people disagree with you in these comments. And yes, you say you respect their opinion, and obviously you are going to believe what you believe, and none of us can really sway that.
But since writing is a form of expression. And I’m writing this, let me express myself.
Oh.
What did I just say? Writing is a form of EXPRESSION? Why yes, yes it is. Why do people write? To express ideas, thoughts; to persuade, tell a story; to entertain. Similar to art, music, etc.
As humans, self-expression is a monumental aspect of our lives. So many of the things we do are to express our thoughts.
I fail to see the bad in expressing oneself. In any which way, shape, or form.
Even through NaNoWriMo.
So, what if people are new to writing? What if they don’t have some “great writing teacher” to tell them what to do, or if their prose is weak? People participating in NaNo are simply trying to tell the story they want to tell. And even those masses of us that aren’t new writes who jump in on NaNo – we are doing the very same.
And, so maybe some write slowly and some write quickly – neither way is wrong. The process in which people write varies tremendously – and even in our selves. I have a book I’ve been working on for almost five years, and I have my NaNo which I’ll hopefully finish writing at the end of the month (and if not, in December). And then I will revise it and revise again, but it still probably will never take as long as that other book of mine. Of course, I have other books in between that have all taken different amounts of time to write. And you know what? I don’t really see a huge difference in quality in the two first drafts of both works. My writing style doesn’t change because I’m pushing for more words a day.
That’s not to say that someone else’s may. Perhaps people’s writing quality isn’t as great if they don’t have time to plan it out. But then again, people do have time before NaNo to plot and outline their novel.
And to quote an author I follow on Twitter (after having her first book published and released and working on more)- “Later on you’ll realize that it becomes NaNoWriLife.”
Authors are under pressure and deadlines a lot of the time for their writing. In fact, many of the authors I’ve seen are often behind on their deadlines and RUSH to meet them.
How different is that from those who push out the 50k for NaNoWriMo?
And to address those who are just giving write a try for the first time by doing NaNo – what the heck is wrong with that? Seriously. Once again, I go back to my ‘self-expression’ argument. They’re simply trying to express themselves. There’s no doubt that every single person has an imagination in them. It’s the way the human brain works. And if they want to put that imagination to use and do NaNoWriMo, let them do it. And let them do it in peace. I have gotten both of my parents (both age 57, both completely new to writing a novel) to try it out because they, too, have a story in them. And NaNo, which isn’t so much a challenge, but a COMMUNITY of writers working towards a goal, is allowing them to do so. It’s an opportunity. And yes, you mention you think it’s a great push for those that haven’t written before, but then you go on to say that they write crap!
That just doesn’t set right. And honestly, WHO CARES if somebody’s NaNo isn’t the greatest thing ever written? They’re writing for themselves. I reiterate – self-expression.
I also want to point out what I mentioned before – NaNoWriMo is more so a community of writers than anything. It bands people together in a common interest. It offers support and encouragement and FUN to writers. If I hadn’t done NaNo last year, I wouldn’t have met over 800 other writers on the internet. I wouldn’t know as much about writing, revising, and publishing, if it weren’t for NaNo. I’ve even met some of my best friends through it. It isn’t a challenge or a dare, as you say. It’s an opportunity for people to create and tell the story they want to tell, while bonding with others at the same time. It’s never said that people HAVE to make it to 50k by the end of the month. There’s not a big, fantastic prize. It’s more of a mental and emotional prize than anything. And many don’t even make it to 50k, but they still get a great feeling from the writing and the people.
Let me backtrack again to what I said about NaNo teaching me about writing. It truly does. It opened me up to other writers and a world of advice and blogs. Those who may not write incredible first drafts surely now have the opportunity to revise with the knowledge they’ve gained from others through the process of novel-ing during NaNo.
As Laina said, you do come off critical of NaNoWriMo and arrogant. What you’ve written, in a way, is truly discouraging to those participating in NaNo for the first time. Or even to those just writing for the first time.
It’s hurtful to see a writer discourage this event and criticize it. The meaning of NaNo lies not in forcing words out, but in creating something enjoyable for the writer – at a personal level. And if they want to share it later on, let them. Self-expression starts at the very innards of a person, and works its way out.
And that’s what writers – what those doing NaNo – are doing. It can be compared to any other art form. Just because one is doing something perhaps a little quicker, doesn’t lessen the emotion, the spirit and passion, they put into it. I, as an artist, know that I put the same amount of care into a rough sketch of something as I do a finished painting. And I can look at both objectively and find something beautiful. The same goes for one’s writing. They can write a 50k story in thirty days or an 80k story in four years, but when it comes down to the bottom line, they’re both just a person trying to tell a story.
And, honestly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
As well, you talk about (in the comments) enrolling in a class or workshop to learn how to write. I’ve taken creative writing classes, I’ve read and I’ve been critiqued. But honestly, the best way to learn how to write is to just simply write. It’s the only way anyone learns anything. No one person can teach another how to write – they can only help. The writing comes from within. Once again, I reiterate – it’s self-expression.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a book to write. My book is my ‘concerto’ and I’d like to write in a month.
I guess I am one of those people that has had their head in the sand the past few weeks because I didn’t know about this writing event until AFTER Rob had told me about it.
The reason it came into conversation, isn’t because I’ve signed up to the contest but because an author friend and myself have started a writing project in which we hope to finish a novella in a month — we were just challenging ourselves for the fun of it to see if we could do it. If we do, great and if we don’t that is okay to. The one things I would not do is sacrifice the story just to get it done within our stipulated time frame. I don’t think any writer should because that could mean the difference between something “good” and something “great”!
Just my two cents 🙂
Becky
I’ve noticed a recurring theme on independent author blogs: I wish all the hacks would give up so that “real writers” like me could see our obviously superior books. (Yes, Rob, you did respond to an earlier comment that all the low-cost independent books out there are causing market devaulation and affecting “real writers.”) Not only do I find these blog posts pompous, but they are also a little short-sighted. It seems to me that independent authors are *dependent* on networking with other independent authors as a way of marketing, so implying that they are not “real writers” probably isn’t helping your cause much.
Wow! How elitist. And with only one *independently published* book under your belt. Yet somehow your personal process makes your books better than someone else’s. Also, your eBook sells for $.99, so it seems like the pot calling the kettle black. More to my point, it seems like many independent authors just want the other independent authors to go away so that there isn’t as much competition for sales.
But I say, bring on more authors! I’ve picked up just as many gems off the bookstore shelves as I have duds for $8 a pop. If I can roll the dice for a buck and find just as many great books, I’m all for it. The junk won’t sell much and probably less for their next book. The treasures will be talked about and the next book will be anticipated. If your book is good, you have no more to worry about than you would with traditional publishing. Maybe less–remember that, as you’ve pointed out, the independently publish books are cheaper; hence, consumers will purchase more, giving you a better chance at a fan base.
Don’t concern yourself with what other people are doing. The only thing you need to worry about is that your fans don’t forget you between books. Which brings me to another point:
The other recurring theme on author blogs is that work, work, work pays off. The game is all about perseverance. I’m sure you know that, so I’m not sure why you’d discourage your peers from hunkering down and writing. As another commenter said, many first drafts are not an author’s best work. I wonder how many drafts your book went through before it was ready to be sent to the printer.
And with the growing market of inexpensive eBooks, an author (especially an independent author who doesn’t have a publishing house’s marketing department doing the leg work) is going to have a harder time making it on one book per year. It’ll take two, three, maybe four books to keep yourself in the readers mind. To do that you’ll need to write and write fast. NaNoWriMo never suggested that its participants will pump out the next great American novel. It says quite the opposite. The novels will need revision. A lot of revision.
If someone thinks they’re the next Hemmingway, they’ll self-publish without NaNoWriMo. Giving them some extra incentive hurts no one. You suggest that you’re just trying to prevent fellow writers from becoming frustrated with their failure. So what? We learn more from our failures than our successes anyway. NaNoWriMo gives them an excuse to make that first leap and give it a go. Shame on you for suggesting that someone not take that chance. The might be the next Hemmingway but just too nervous to start. Let them have a built-in support system.
And, frankly, the general public doesn’t seem to want the next Hemmingway masterpiece. If it did, the largest section at the local bookstore wouldn’t be devoted to cheesy romance novels. And I think that’s great! It seems that very few people are reading to analyze characters and symbolism. They want to be entertained with short, fun reads. The type of read that a polished NaNoWriMo novel could become.
I need to come to a close, but since you mentioned John Locke earlier, I’ll make a final point. He’s been quoted as saying that he writes the first draft of a novel in about 100 hours. Most of his novels are 50-60K words (some are even slightly less than 50K, I believe). He doesn’t worry about detailed descriptions of people or places. His fans don’t want to be bogged down by that. He gets the words down and he has fun with it. And he’s become very successful following what, in many ways, amounts to a NaNoWriMo formula.
Kudos to him, and kudos to every NaNoWriMo participant, full 50K or not. You set a goal for yourself, and even if you don’t exactly fulfill that goal, you’re farther ahead that you were in October. That’s a win, and don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise!
Thanks for commenting, Joseph. You make some great points. I think there is truth in the theory that independent authors need to produce more work, and that does indeed imply more writing hours per year and, perhaps, less time to create lengthy prose. And there is definitely a market to sell bare bones work. But to use John Locke as a standard is to preach from a vantage point of the exception rather than the rule. John Locke found his audience. The challenge for all other writers (not just independents, because you are dead wrong that any publishing house does more than an iota of marketing for an unknown—read unproven—author, even one of their “own”, whose work they have purchased) is to get their books into the hands of readers. The work then must stand (or fall) on its own. But getting the book marketed (i.e. seen) is becoming harder and harder with the exponential growth of the bookshelf and the ever-decreasing price of ebooks.
Also on the “John Locke” point: I am one who happens to appreciate great literature. Doesn’t mean I write it. I may strive to have a level of “song” in my work—there are a great many authors whom I admire and whose talent I work toward—but I, too, see the value of a fast-paced, 200 page read. There is definitely a market for raw, less-descriptive prose. I try to keep my “over-description” to a minimum. I love literary works, but I am not really trying to compete in that market, and neither are a lot of new writers.
And I am not discouraging new writers from writing or even from publishing. Not all of them, anyway. I also never once touted my own work as that of a “real writer” or any one writer (or even group of writers) as a hack, or hacks. I find it sad that so many respondents here resort to the personal, unwarranted language–to literally telling the writer what he meant, what he feels, outright rejecting his ability, and (by the way) doing the very ranting and raging that I never did in my blog. NaNoWriMo was a segue point. An annual event that makes me think. Not even the main theme of the blog post (and it is a blog post, filed under “opinion”, not a journalistic study of NaNoWriMo or even the machinations of ebook publishing and marketing). That said, I absolutely do believe there are too many books being published, and that is, in part, because it’s free. Do you watch American Idol? Do you really believe 10,000 aspiring singers showing up at every single audition is helping those who have a shot at their dream (i.e. real potential and talent)? Imagine if people could suddenly produce themselves at recording studios and post all their music on iTunes, free of charge. I mean dead free for the creation of as much music and as many songs as they desired to put out there. Do you really think that would be a good thing for the hard-working (as yet undiscovered) indie musicians? Further imagine this inundation of new musicians driving the price of songs from anyone but a well-known, Grammy award-winning artist, to, say three cents a song. Again, you actually believe this would be a good thing for the market, and more importantly for the talented indie artist trying to get discovered?
By the way, me pricing my ebook at 99 cents was because of a recent promotion with which I was involved—one that just ended a few days ago. In fact the verbiage is still in my book’s description, if you’d like to fact check that. The possibility that I may leave it at 99 cents, however, is exactly my point. The sheer number of books priced at 99 cents has made pricing at this rock bottom amount something that must be seriously considered by every indie writer—if one wants to sell books, that is, which is one of the only ways to find a readership. That any author is happy with the 99 cent price point is beyond me. Anyone who has written a novel-length work (in NaNoWriMo or anywhere—and any time—else) knows how much work goes into a 60,000+ word book, particularly with revision after revision. And these books should all be priced at 99 cents (which is the lowest anyone can sell e-anything). What to price a novella? What to price a short story? What to price a smallish collection of poetry? And what to divide the poorer work from the better (you do believe that there are actually better books and worse books, I assume, and not everyone deserves the blue ribbon)?
A novel, priced less than a single song on iTunes. You don’t need a degree in free market economics to see the inherent problem with that model (for the author AND the reader—Google the 99 cent argument and see that readers aren’t all happy with the price point either, and many won’t buy any more books at that price because they’ve been burned too many times).
And how could I be against “new writers”?
1) Without “new writers” there would never be another great book.
2) ALL writers are new at some point.
All I have said here is that not every person on the planet who thinks they can write well CAN. That could be said of literally any profession in the world, yet with writing (as with singing, ironically), there seems to be an inordinate number of people “throwing their hats in the ring”. I simply wish that all aspiring writers would receive criticism commensurate with their abilities and listen. This doesn’t always equate to “stop writing”, and it is certainly every person’s prerogative to chase their dream. However, there is also a time to put the dream into the “hobby” category (another theme in my blog that was summarily dismissed—my own self-deprecating honesty in laying down some of my own loves, and even dreams). The world where there are no 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons but rather a uni-colored one for each participant is not always a great thing. Competition can be good, and people who are going to make it must develop thick skin. Most great writers (and I mean proven great writers) have been rejected countless times. Google “famous authors rejected” and check out one of the pages listing authors from King to Kerouac, Cummings to Rowling, and Kipling to Hebert to Proust. How on earth could I be against new writers?
Which brings me to my final comment: all the respondents here must really have it in for agents, editors, publishers, and professional reviewers. Good lord. I make a few opinionated statements at how the market seems to be diluting, and that every person who puts pen to paper is not destined to be a successful writer, and you all come with guns a blazing. The irony is that I have worked with 3-4 brand new writers in the past few months alone, and—audacious attempts to tell me what I do and don’t do with and for new writers notwithstanding—I have helped them with honest critiques and words of encouragement. Each has been great to work with and each has been genuinely appreciative of my efforts and attitude with them (and each has improved immensely, in my opinion, and will most definitely be writing more, not less).
I am also assisting on the front lines of the launching of a new website that will support only indie authors, trying to help each other get exposure for their work. 99.999% of agents, publishers, etc. will (at MOST) send a form rejection. The majority will ignore even promising work because they are so inundated with unsolicited submissions that, yes, the baby does get thrown out with the bath water.
This was an opinion piece on, as you, Joseph, pointed out “an indie writer blog”—it was not an “Occupy The Marketplace” movement. I am not storming the offices of NaNoWriMo or picketing strategic Amazon locations. It was the written opinion of one writer (though not an isolated one in the least).
FYI: I really do appreciate your comment, and I feel like it was well-written and did bring up some interesting thoughts and possibilities. I don’t have time to respond to each of these comments and therefore some of what I said above was directed to folks in general, not just what you wrote (so if something seems to be attributed to you—i.e. something you did not say—mea culpa. I did not intend to put words in your mouth…just responding to all that has been written here that has piled up in my head). 🙂
You said: “Imagine if people could suddenly produce themselves at recording studios and post all their music on iTunes, free of charge. I mean dead free for the creation of as much music and as many songs as they desired to put out there. Do you really think that would be a good thing for the hard-working (as yet undiscovered) indie musicians?”
I answer with another question: How many great musicians have never had a shot because they didn’t have the funding or access to contacts that allowed them to make a break? How many of those American Idol contestants you mentioned have a story of singing their hearts out if dive bars while worrying about paying the electric bill?
Yes, I do think it’s a good thing for the hard-working indie because it gives them access to the fans (not as much as the establish bands/singers but they get it out there nonetheless).
The first weeks of an American Idol season are filled with people who don’t have what it takes. They fall away and those with potential remain. I honestly don’t see the indie book world much differently. There will be hacks (my word, not yours) and there will be new stars. The hacks will fade, and the stars will shine. And the public will vote on who’s who.
And, for the record, I apologize if I put words in your mouth. I was simply paraphrasing what I took from your replies. This is the potential danger of an opinion piece–it breeds more opinion. And my opinion is that quite a few indie author blogs I’ve read eventually have a comment about how other indie authors are dragging down the industry, but it seems to me that without the recent change in the industry, those complaining indie authors wouldn’t be there either. Embrace the change. Embrace the other struggling authors.
In an earlier reply you said, “On your advice to encourage new writers rather than patronize them, you don’t know what I do with the writers I encounter.” What you didn’t seem to take into account is that your are encountering new writers everyday on this blog. If you’re going to call yourself a mentor to writers, then be a mentor and encourage others. Even the worst of the worst on American Idol don’t want to be told by the judges (let alone another contestant) that they shouldn’t make a go of their dreams.
You repeatedly have said in these replies that the NaNoWriMo portion of the post was just meant to be a seque to another topic. Yet, look again at your title–nothing about plugging another author, only NaNoWriMo critism. Look at how much of the post is spent (over half) talking down on NaNoWriMo, its process, and its participants. In your response to Dean’s comment you apologize that your “well-meant plug” got lost in the “monolithic NaNo,” which you then compare it to attempting to paint a masterpiece with a spray gun.
You opened the post by impling that the amount of time *you* spend on a novel is more “reasonable” than a NaNoWriMo novel. You’ve inadvertently compared a NaNoWriMo novel to a graffiti-scarred wall. You’ve blatantly insulted NaNoWriMo and it’s participants throughout the post and your replies to comments (I honestly don’t know how you can suggest that you didn’t–reread your own words), but you seem surprised that it wasn’t well received.
You also keep reminding us that this is an opinion blog. Yet you often respond to other’s opinions by telling them how wrong they are and how you have more experience working with writers. Again, talking down on your peers. Not very sportsman-like. If you can’t take it, perhaps opinion blogs aren’t your forte and you should stick to other things.
(Actually, I don’t entirely believe that last bit–if I did, I would be a hypocrite for offering my own opinion; let the opinions fly!–but I wanted to get it in there so that maybe you’d get that slightly sinking feeling that comes with being told that what you’ve just decided to do might not have any value. It doesn’t feel good to go to the blog of someone who calls himself a mentor only to be told you’re doing the wrong thing. That sinking feeling is where the lashback is coming from. Take it as a compliment: people obviously value your opinion. Continue to give that opinion to your readers, just remember that many of them are also struggling writers seeking in some small way to be mentored…)
I had not considered my blog as a “mentoring” blog. If you read my first blog, I say off the bat that I plan to interject my opinion from time to time. And I think there are people who DO get value out thinking out their choices. I can’t possibly give an opinion that 1) Is not what I actually believe (which is tantamount to censoring myself) or 2) Pleases everyone. I’ve been in several writing workshops, and have critiqued hundreds of other aspiring writers’ pieces. I have never, not once, told a writer that they should pack it in. I don’t feel it’s my place. An opinion blog, however, is a different matter. I am not a mentor to anyone here (at least not in the context of an opinion piece). And if anyone reads my opinion and thinks “that’s the last person I’d want as my mentor” then I’m okay with that. (The irony is, again, that I do not discourage writers that I work with. Generally I won’t work with someone I don’t believe in, pure and simple.) I’m not going to change who I am. That said, I stand by my opinion that too many things in my country (don’t know what country you are from) are devalued by this pervasive mentality of coddling every person on every issue. I don’t believe in it. Ironically, that is why I would never want to be an editor or an agent or anyone else whose job it is to “tell it like it is”. Because I do believe that many people (even myself) sometimes need to be told the hard truth. Sometimes that “hard truth”, whether 100% accurate or not, is what drives an author to their eventual success. I am not trying to be cruel; in fact, I am not.I am, however, as honest as I can be. If you don’t want honest opinions of your work (anyone, not YOU), then you are in the wrong business. I don’t believe dishonest “criticism” is constructive, and I do know how to give positive reinforcement, so that’s generally what i do. In an opinion blog,however, I want to say what I feel to John and Jane Q Public. Yes, unfortunately that means some readers are not going to like what I have to say, or even vehemently disagree with me. Honestly, i have zero issue with disagreement. In fact, I am the least close-minded person you will meet. I love discussion and I feel like I always learn something new (I will be considering your comments in future blogs, realizing the potential swath of readers to which I might be speaking). What distresses me are people who talk about fairness and support out of one side of their mouths and then trash me, my writing, my book, etc. after reading one of my blog posts (a post which I have had several colleagues applaud, even though they disagree with me in principle. One even summed up my thoughts in a few words; “What’s the deal, you aren’t allowed to state a minor opinion but these people can go off telling you how you should come around to THEIR way of thinking, how insensitive and awful you are, and call into question everything from your motives to your talent?”. Bingo. I don’t give my opinions to sway the world–I think if you read my comments, you will find me responding to things said to (or even about) me, but nowhere do I go off on someone or tell them they have no special talent. There is, in fact, one respondent who claims to be a journalist with “cred” who misused at least three common terms in his post. I refrained from saying a thing to him about that. Of course now I have, but I feel I need to make the point. I try to be fair. I am not the type to run out and immediately post a cowardly comment or bad review of someone who disagrees with me. Unfortunately, there are others around this virtual space who tout fairness and ethics but have no qualms being underhanded, cruel, and self-serving. Whether believable or not, I am not like that. I can even say that one time I resorted to being smart with a person’s comment to me, but I felt the introduction of the sarcasm made my use of it appropriate (whether that happens to be true, I admit to doing it).
Your discussion has been most interesting for me. I respect all you had to say. I do want to point out something, however: my reference to the graffiti-scarred wall was an analogy to WRITER’S BLOCK…as in forcing the muse to write just because there is a challenge coming—the “wall” of writer’s block, if indeed it existed during the other 335 days, is likely still there (and the muse will still run into it). The graffiti was meant to evoke images of the Berlin Wall — thus the East German “Writer’s BLOC” (i.e. Eastern Bloc) comment. And the opening line was meant as satire. A comment about rushing 50,000 words in 30 days. Living in a cave to be a writer and not know it was NaNoWriMo time. It was not an indictment of new writers or their methods. Of course, when—as a writer—we find ourselves having to defend what we MEANT, we likely didn’t do a great job of writing it. So I will take the hit on that one. 🙂
Truce!
While I stand by my opinions, too, I also respect the shit out of you, what you’ve accomplished, and what you’re trying to do. I’ve been following you silently for a while now. I was a bit hurt by your NaNo comments (it’s not easy to have someone you respect suggest that your process is flawed), so I chose now to chime in. Unfortunately, on much of the Internet, that is the time when people choose to speak–when they have something less-than-upbeat to say.
Our opinions don’t need to agree for me to wish you all the best.
I glanced at my last comment and see how it could be taken that I’m saying you don’t wish people your best if they don’t agree with you. Didn’t mean that in any way. Just agreeing to disagree and wishing you the best.
The music equivalent happens in February, where participants write and record an album in a month. Kind of a fun exercise, and yeah, some quality music is bound to be created (a hundred monkeys with a hundred Strats), but by and large it’s all going to sound like a shallow rush job.
I enjoyed this column because, rather than denigrate NaNoWriMo outright, you just voiced a few of your personal doubts about its validity. That’s how good criticism should work. I don’t care for Metallica. But it doesn’t mean that they suck.
It’s almost unfair how well you get me. And my day couldn’t have gotten much better than “a hundred monkeys with a hundred Strats”. Oh, and AMEN. 😉
[…] R. S. Guthrie raised some interesting points, among other things, when he argued against forcing a writer’s muse to work: […]
I mentioned facetiously, (as usual) on Goodreads that I had cheated on NaNoWriMo by sending in an unpublished work that I had finished before I ever heard of the pointless exercise that is the actual contest. And people jumped all over me that I was only cheating myself. So there are those moral guidelines we have to be aware of.
I bought Hambledown Dream on your say so if you want to add publicist to your resume. Jesus H. Christ, you have a lot of comments to wade through. Who are you? And I write for the chicks too, but in a different sense than you, I am SURE.
Hi R.S., I have to say, I think the whole idea of writing a novel in a month and entering a contest to do it is a waste of time, big time. No one, except possibly Michael Crichton, ever wrote a decent novel in a month unless they were channeling somone or something from another galaxy, far, far away.
For myself, it takes six months to get a decent draft, forget a novel worth reading.
Nice site, good blog, great forum, good work!
Thanks, Alex! For both reading and for leaving a positive comment. Yeah, obviously I tend to agree with you. My concern is that I talk to a lot of people who get discouraged by not succeeding at goals that they seem to view as realistic. Beating themselves up because they didn’t write 50,000 words in a month. Cheers, and glad you are signed up! ツ
November really is National Writing Month. Schools across America celebrate writing during the month of November. As to NaNo, I’ve done it twice and met the quota. Then I had to go back and edit like a mad woman to make either of the novels worth reading. My muse likes working under pressure.
Hi, Rebecka! Thanks for reading and commenting. I’m going to politely disagree that November is officially National Writing Month. I’ve read many articles about the subject, and while NaNoWriMo has become so popular that a lot of schools, Universities, etc. DO participate in that month, I know of no official declaration from anywhere that November is an entire month honoring writing (other than, of course, NaNo). A nit, perhaps, and I would be happy for you to prove me wrong. Trust me, I have tried…there is no reference I can find to anything other than NaNo in November. Oh, and the first NaNo wasn’t in November. It was in July. And it’s not even technically “national”…it is recognized and participated in internationally. If you can send me a link to an official documentation of “National Writing Month”, I would love it…you’d have had more luck than I. Regardless, I’m glad for you and your pressure-loving muse! Cheers, and thanks again. 😀