Planning NaNo Now

Initially, I’d planned to save any discussion of NaNoWriMo til next week, but I figured any post here is a good post….since I’ve been slacking.

Yeah, I’m doing the NaNo thing. No, really this time. Not that I’ve tried in the past–I haven’t. Evidently, somewhere along the line in 2006 I thought I would, because I created my account there but evidently didn’t visit after that. But each time November rolls around and I see all the hubbub over NaNo, I can’t deny a twinge of regret-tinged envy to all those who at least attempted to cram 50,000 words into an otherwise ridiculously busy month.

As a fiction writer, I just don’t feel I could have done NaNo successfully. I have a way, in real life, of stopping myself from getting involved in areas where I know I’ll fail from the start, and NaNo & Fiction was that trigger for me. But now that I’ve got several solid months of writing nonfiction (and a good start–20K words–on a memoir) under my belt, I feel like nonfiction is the playing field on which I was meant to face NaNo. ..and win. Writing lengthy fiction (over 10K words) was an effort in futility for me, but with nonfiction, I have yet (knock on wood) to fear the empty page. I just write.

NaNo has all the sparkle of an unwrapped present for me at the moment. Yesterday, after meeting my 20K goal in the WIP, I ceremoniously set it aside to now focus my creative and brainstorming efforts on getting myself ready for 50K in 30 days. My NaNo work is a theme I’ve been aching, itching, dying to explore–my life through food and essay–and I’ve been stoking the fire for months.

Earlier in the summer, I bought myself a special notebook only for my food essay topics and have spent time brainstorming. My next step was to start compiling these on spiral-bound index cards, much the same way I would work on plotting a work of fiction. Instead of listing plot events on the cards, I write the broad topic (Nancy’s Peanut Butter Popcorn) on the top and list every last minute detail I remember about the actual food or event. I list only in a single word or two–no sentences or lengthy recollections–I don’t want to write yet, just stoke the fire of creativity.

My next step, self-created, is to settle in with my index cards (now numbering almost 50…one for each 1K words…although I didn’t plan it like that!) over these next two weeks and transfer those card ideas to chart paper that will line the walls of my writing room all the way through November. My ideal goal is to list about ten ideas on one giant, lined yellow sheet. To start NaNo, I’ll stick up one sheet on the wall for a week and will write from those essay prompts each day (I take one essay prompt and run with it as far as it will go–no set word count limit). Then, the next Sunday, I’ll add one more sheet of ten ideas. I know I will not finish the initial ten ideas in one week, so this will give me options to work with. If Nancy’s popcorn idea doesn’t thrill me the first week, Richie’s Roast Chicken might…but I won’t forget Nancy because it’ll still be posted there.

And so on…by the end of the month, I will have all of my ideas out on the walls to work from, somewhat like I had plot events charted on my cards and arranged on my dining room table. With the walls papered with my inspirational ideas, there will be no way, no excuse NOT to write. I know the motivation will be refreshed each time I post a new chart on Sunday, my day for the renewing action of ritual to sustain me through 50K words.

I’m also trying to figure out how to work in some reading time each night. I know that for my writing, nothing refreshes my creativity than seeing how other people make their unique life experiences universal through memoir. I almost always get an original idea or two when I read, so that’s important for me as well. Still working on those details…

I know from my Twitter friends there are lots of you planning on NaNo and I can’t wait to get started on this journey with you. How are you all getting ready to meet the challenge? What advice do you have? I’d love to hear your thoughts to help me think all the way through this task…

If you’d like to add me at NaNo, I’m BuckeyeBeth. Be sure to add me! Hope to see you all there!