I look forward to November every year–not because of Thanksgiving or to start preparing for Yule, but because of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). For those of you who don’t know what NaNoWriMo is, it’s a free event and platform that takes place through the month of November where writers like myself strive to write 50,000 words in just 30 days! You can find out more by clicking the button below!
In the past couple years, I have been a NaNo Rebel. Instead of writing a new story, I would edit novels to get them ready for the next step of publication. However, this year I am drafting a completely new novel idea. I’m really excited to be starting on this novel. It has been brewing in the back of my mind for months now. I spent time each month plotting and planning and I feel I have a great foundation (which is code for saying I have a three-ringed binder full of maps, outlines, pictures, and more!).
You can follow my progress this month by following me on NaNoWriMo or checking out my profile page. If you are also doing NaNoWriMo, be sure to send me a buddy request so we can cheer each other on!
While I am hoping to get to 50,000 words at the end of the month, I have a different goal pushing me forward this month. Through the NaNoWriMo website, I am tracking my word count. My goal is to update my word count every day and stay “on track” with my word count (meaning I will have to write 1,667 words each day). I’d love to say there is a special prize for doing this, but my true motivation is to receive to special digital badges for reaching both of these goals!
When I reach my goal for the day, I then turn my attention towards more prep. I’m hoping this novel will be the first in a trilogy, something I never thought I would tackle. It is rather intimidating so I’m fighting those nerves and anxieties by doing some extra preparation for the future of the first book or the series. My binder is growing bigger each day as I add a couple pages of preparation each day.
I have been trying out a couple writing platforms to help keep everything together, but haven’t found one that I work well with quite yet. Right now I’m checking out “World Anvil”. It is a platform more so for Dungeons & Dragons and Tabletop Gaming, but it has a lot of promise for writing as well. I’ll be sure to give an update later on how it goes. You can check out the platform yourself by clicking the button below.
I hope everyone is staying safe, warm, and healthy!
Until my next time, Happy Reading!
~Shanna Pikora
Stories by Shanna Pikora 