The Writer’s Challenge in April

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The month of April is full of writing challenges for the industrious writer.  April 1st was the first day of  NaNoWriMo Camp.  Set your own word challenge limit for April’s novel.   Then there is the Blogging from A-Z  Challenge in April.  The challenge is to a blog  the entire month  using a new letter of the alphabet for each day starting with A.

InsecureWritersSupportGroupEvery month on the first Wednesday starts a new blog hop with Insecure Writer’s Support Group, hosted by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh  IWSG at this link to find out how to join the fun.  That’s today.

IWSG is about writing, sharing your insecurities and your fears, and supporting your fellow writers.  This month I am doing NaNoWriMo April 2014.  I imagine this is the way  horses feel, when being cajoled by their jockey’s into a racing shute.   My muse is giving me all kinds of nervous shivers.  When the gun goes off you are expected to run.  That was yesterday, and I am still in the race.  I decided to pass on the A-Z challenge, and focus on my novel.  I may give it go next year.

I am writing my first novel, and  using NaNo to help me focus.  I fell short of my word count in last November’s NaNo, and that project is still waiting for a rematch.  I am sending the editor on vacation, and shutting down the little voice of fear, or at least stuffing a sock in its mouth. I set my word count at 25,000, but I am going to try to push for 50,000.   The focal point is to get something written.  Muse says we have been plotting long enough, the gangs all here, so let us get to writing.

My biggest fear right now is  not finishing my novel, and never getting to write a second.  That is really kind of silly, since I know I will always be writing.  I guess I just want to be able to say,  Yes, I DID THIS.

 

Camp NaNoWriMo April 2014

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Blogging A-Z Challenge

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Insecure Writer’s Support Group Blog

IWSG link: Find out how to join the fun each month

InsecureWritersSupportGroup

 

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20 comments

  • great advice for reaching the goal – remove distractions like the little editor within! and having a month dedicated to writing is a great thing, i did that two summers ago and am publishing it in June! i hope to do it again this summer. we shall see!

    good luck!

    • admin

      Thank you. Congratulations Wahoo for you! I will probably do it again in July, because I have two novels planned, well, actually I have more, but only willing to say two at the moment. The first three are my priorities. Thank you for commenting.

  • Great post 🙂 You’ll get that novel finished. You know your Lake Writers pals will make sure of it 🙂 lol Happy NaNo! Gladiator’s Pen

  • Congrats for going there! It is nice to meet you~

  • Tyrean

    You can do it!!! You will be able to say that at the end of the month! NaNo is challenging but definitely worthwhile!

    • admin

      Thank you. I really hope so. It is slow going so far, but moving forward still. I am hoping I pick up momentum soon.

  • This is so awesome to see you jump in on that first novel!
    One of the biggest challenges I’m finding is to focus on just one thing. The A-Z Challenge is turning out to be just that: Challenging! (And making it awfully hard to find time for anything else …)
    Think about what you’re working on right now, and don’t let the Inner Editor, or anyone else, make you lose that focus! You will finish this story!
    Then you can start thinking about the next one. 🙂

    • admin

      Thank you Kirsten. I decided not to do A-Z, because of NaNo and wanting that extra focus to go there. LOL, my editor is complaining about his vacation. I told him to shut up and enjoy it, while he could. Muse and I needed some alone time. I am already thinking about the next one, and my other projects, but I am being good, and sticking with this one, even if I am moving slowly. I keep finding reasons to procrastinate, but I get back to it despite that.

  • historysleuth1

    Oh go you doing Camp NaNoWriMo! Last year I did Camp blogged a murder mystery for A-Z, nuts. I’m taking it easy this year.

    I get the fear of not finishing and just remember with each paragraph you add its one paragraph closer to -The End-
    .History Sleuth’s Writings – A-Z/IWSG

    • admin

      Thank you. I will remember that. Thank you for commenting. I did NaNo in November, but did not reach my goal. That project is still waiting for me too.

  • Good luck with the writing challenge this month. I’ve looked at doing NaNoWrimo, but haven’t yet plucked up the courage to do it. Also, I like to write at my own pace. 😉

    • admin

      Thank you. I am using it for focus, and to teach myself to “just get through it”, so I will have something novel size to edit.

  • best of luck on your goal, Juneta! Yup, sometimes you have to shut the editor and plotter off and just write! 🙂

    • admin

      Thank you. Thank you for commenting too. Yes I need to get to that writing now. I have been procrastination long enough.

  • Keep on keeping on. Really. The word goal is what it is, and if you don’t meet it in a month, keep going! I did the Scriptfrenzy challenge five years ago, and that was just for a 100 page script. I didn’t complete the script in a month, but I DID eventually complete it and produce it.
    Thanks for the encouraging comment on my blog.
    Play off the Page

    • admin

      Thank you for commenting too. I am really hoping to do better than November. I made 12500 words in November, so I keep telling myself I have to make more than that. I want to finished it, but if not I will do again when NaNo goes again in July.

  • Hey, just an FYI–your link at IWSG is for your MARCH post–you probably should link it to your general blog so people come to the current one, rather than the old one, though like a buffoon, I responded for a 2nd time to THAT post *rolls eyes*. As for finishing–I need an ending. I don’t have to stick with it, but I get muddled in the tangent swamp if I don’t know where I’m going.

    • admin

      Thank you for commenting. I actually do have an ending, Most of it is plotted. The middle is little muddled in the plotting, but I am hoping that works out in the writing. I was not sure how to change the link without just adding myself again. I’ll check it again.

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