Final word count: 64146

It's a bit silly, but I try to end each NaNo with a word count that's an anagram. 2009: 75057, 2010: 63136, 2011: 64146. Even if I have to add things like, "The End. Really. No, I mean it!"

Next year I'm going back to fantasy. Last year and this year I tried mysteries. It's just too tough to crank out a ton of words when you're trying to stick to a tight plot. I am a "pantser," and that's all there is to it!

NaNoWriMo WIN! 2011

Once more this year, I'm a big winner, with five more days to go. Final word count estimate, 65,000.

It starts! National Novel Writing Month 2011. As of mid-November 2, I have over 6,500 words. That's 3,000 more than I need to be "on track" to 50,000 for the month. I wanted to get a big head start because I'm off to California for three whole weeks!

In additon to being able to see my family, I'll also get to attend NaNoWriMo's Night of Writing Dangerously in San Fransisco. I'm so excited! In order to do this, I need to raise $250 in donations to NaNoWriMo's 501(c)(3) parent company, the Office of Letters and Light.

If you have somehow found your way to my humble home in cyberspace and feel so moved, here is the link to my fundraising page: http://www.stayclassy.org/fundraise?is_new=1&fcid=156369

Thank you - I'll post photos of the big event after it happens on November 20!

Some helpful writing sites

Thanks to my fellow WriMos, I've found some pretty cool writing sites. There's http://www.750words.com, based on Julia Cameron's "morning pages" concept. And to get the creative juices spurting (ewgh!), use this for random plot ideas: http://www.archetypewriting.com/muse/generators/plot.htm

Here's where to go for excellent pre-November planning tips - Larry Brooks' storyfix website. There's a helpful article for every day in October! Start with the first entry here: http://storyfix.com/2011/10/page/3 .

Enjoy!

It's that time again - NaNoWriMo 2011!

Oh, frabjous day - callooh, callay! I'm writing a mystery/thriller this year, so this seat-of-the-pantser (aka "Pantser") is going to be a Planner this year. I'm smack in the middle of researching, outlining, and writing character sketches. I'm a real live professional writer this year.