Make Writing Challenges, Contests, and NaNoWriMo Work for YOU - by Kathy Halsey

NaNoWriMo, Storystorm, ReFoReMo, PBPitch, Susanna Leonard Hill's contests and Would You Read It Wednesdays... I know you can recite the writing alphabet with me if you are serious about this industry. So many opportunities and such a finite amount of time — so what's a savvy writer to do? My answer is to customize these events so they work for you! 

In the Beginning

We'll begin by using my track record as a newbie. As a beginner, I joined every challenge possible. That was a huge mistake as my time was so fractured, I had no time to spend on my own work. I followed all directions given by the moderator/group leader. I worried if I was doing it "correctly," if I had to use a certain form, or if I had really met the requirements for the challenge.

I still see comments that illuminate my first attempts in forums now, and I know the anxiety these writers feel. If you are asking questions such as "How do I prove I wrote 30  ideas in 30 days?" or "What's the best way to organize ReFoReMo research?" you need to relax and think about YOUR goals and what you need this challenge to do for you.

How to Thrive

• Your time is precious so pick your challenges wisely. If you are on deadline or juggle writing with another career, an event like StoryStorm (a new idea each day) or Halloweensie (a story of 100 words or less) is more doable than NaNoWriMo (a complete novel in one month.)
• Survey your strengths and weaknesses as a writer and choose accordingly. Since I had less knowledge on writing chapter books than picture books, joining ChaBooChaLite proved to be just what I needed. If you need help crafting a pitch, help others craft theirs or submit your pitch to Susanna Hill's "Would You Read It Wednesdays." It's great practice.
• If you are intent in connecting with other writers, finding critique group, or submitting, 12x12 will satisfy your needs. 
• When beginning a new conest/challenge, look for files with resources contest rules and forms. Review past years' challenges and see how they worked. Don't be afraid to ask questions of moderators and long-time members. These tips will save you time.

How to Customize

These anecdotes from my past will explain how I made events work for me after I'd spent a year or two following all instructions to a "t."

• NaNoWriMo: This is year two for me, and I'm considered a "rebel." ( I love that NaNo has a nomenclature for what I do.) I am writing 10,000 words, not the recommended 50,000. I am using a picture book plot as my outline and am transforming it into a chapter book. I still get the motivation and camaraderie NaNo provides but on my terms.
• Contests such as the Halloweensie, the Valentiny Contest, and 50 Precious Words: Word count is crucial in these contests, the lower, the better. I find WIPs that may not be working and  shave them down to the required words. I have saved time and haven't sacrificed a new story. An added bonus for me is these contests have taught me how to write in rhyme, a form I tend not to use.
• ReFoReMo: Reading and learning from the copious mentor text lists is always a fun challenge. Now I peruse the lists, and select the texts that fit my current work – be it humor, science, circular stories. I also try to read a stack of books from specific  publishers/imprints if I am querying them in the future.

As writers, we all the same amount of time given to us each day to hone our craft. Find ways to make contests and special writing month authors create for us work to our advantage. Make the process a win-win.  Please share in the comments ways you've modified challenges to fit your needs. 

NA-NU NA-NU! How NaNoWriMo Helps a Picture Book Writer - by Kathy Halsey

As you munch on turkey, give thanks with family and friends, perhaps you have a moment to read about a another November tradition, NaNoWriMo. Ask your parents or others around the table today if they recall the Mork and Mindy sitcom that featured comedic genius Robin Williams. Robin played the alien Mork from the planet Ork, and his greeting was, "NA-NU NA-NU."  I felt rather like Mork, visiting another planet as I began my November journey through National Novel Writing Month. 

The challenge to write 50,000 words in one measly month seemed monumental. It feels that way still. I may not make the word count, and  today, if I keep writing at my current pace, I'll reach the finish line March 27, 2017. Plenty of people who embark on this adventure say they "fail" the first year. Whoa, that's harsh. However, my "failure" is still a win in my book. 

I primarily write picture books, have tried my hand at a chapter book and even dipped into  a middle grade. I pride myself of word counts of 300-500 and by final draft time, I usually cross that finish line. So could this older dog learn a new trick? I had to find out if I could sustain a much brisker clip.
 

My motivation was a "failed" PB biography that just wouldn't budge. Taking revision to the nth level, I played "what if." What if this became a first person, middle grade, historical fiction? I became my main character and revised my structure to a travelogue on which to hang my plot and research. I shared that beginning with a friend's 5th grade class, and voila, they actually clapped after my reading. Yes, I guess I'm writing a middle grade novel. GULP. So here's a few tips to chew on along w/the turkey sandwich.

Top Tips from a Newbie

1.  Prepare for NaNo ahead of time. There are meetings all over the country during October on the website. Also the site includes articles and help boards similar to the SCBWI blue boards.

2. I had a topic and plot via my PB bio, which helped. Perhaps you can dust off a manuscript that tugs at you still for NaNo. I used my fourteen spreads and reimaigned them as chapters. 

3.  Gather your tribe. I hooked up with picture book and nonfiction writer friends  from FaceBook  and they became my first NaNo 'buddies." We spur each other on.

4. Go to meet-ups within your region. This may be more difficult if you live in a small town, but it helps. Some meetings are informational; some are like-minded folks who write on their own, yet join together. I found coffee, munchies, and camaraderie at   The Thurber House and two library branches in Columbus, Ohio. 

5. Be kind to yourself if you slip up and don't reach your word count target for the day. My daily target is 1667 words and I don't always measure up. But I will not quit.

6. JUST WRITE. Sounds simple, but it's not. I am a constant editor and rough drafts come slowly. That works for writing a picture book draft, but for NaNo, I had to plunge forward with a truly #%% draft. I had research holes to fill, too. When I had no time to sift for dates or names, I just wrote "XXX" and highlighted it for later. It almost killed me at first, but it is a DRAFT. (This gets easier over time.)

7. Make this challenge your own. My middle grade novel is probably going to be 30,000 + words, not 50,000. I have to research as I write this month because of the radical change in structure. And, I may not get done by November 30. What? Me worry? No, if  I get this middle grade written by the time the NESCBWI conference rolls around, I win. These are my goals, MY NaNo.

The Benefits

1. NaNo forced me to adopt a real writing routine which became a ritual.  I researched in the morning or read sources for the section I'd write in the afternoon. Afternoons were for writing and "writing sprints." (Timed writing with others made me accountable. Try it even if you aren't interested in NaNo.) 

2.  I found more writing time in my day by breaking it down into manageable segments. The official name for this is the "Pomodoro Technique." The method breaks time into 25 minute intervals with short breaks. Here are twelve timing apps to help. 
3. The resources within the NaNoWriMo website are awesome. There are pep talks and wonderful forums. Listen to these forum titles: Plot Doctoring, Reference Desk (great for NF), Worldbuilding and The Adoption Society. Folks leave characters, plots and catchphrases they've abandoned that you can pick up. 
4.  The confidence you will gain with sustained writing. Yes, there is a real "zone" or "flow" that happens w/this type of writing. My biggest surprise is that my main character really does enter me, and I just type what she is thinking, doing, and saying. I used to scoff when I heard this from other writers. 

Whether I run a 5K or a marathon, I will finish. (If I don't cross the finish line in November, I'll join Camp NaNo which let's me complete a project in any month.)  
I am proud of stretching beyond my comfort zone and pushing myself past what I think I'm capable of as a writer. I took a big leap forward, and I win! 

ORGANIZE, WRITE, & BREATHE!

Okay, so November have arrived. The challenges are in full swing. PiBoIdMo! NaNoWriMo! Thanksgiving! Family wants! Family needs! Family drama! And the fifty more challenges that will guide your writing career. (Yes, we do not want to forget those.) So how do you keep yourself from getting overwhelmed? The answer is simple. ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE! ORGANIZE!

If we do some simple pre-planning strategies, we can limit the frustrations and cruise through the month of November like a sailboat on a calm sea. Here are some tips.

PiBoIdMo ~ Picture Book Idea Month

CALENDAR

•  PiBoIdMo - Get a calendar and jot down your ideas for PiBoIdMo. Write a title, character description, plot synopsis, setting, theme, or any detail that will enable you to draft a manuscript.  jot down the word
• NaNoWriMo  - Use a calendar to track word-count progress. For instance, if you add 1667-words for the day, add it to the previous day word-count. So according to NaNo standards, you should have 11, 669-words to date.
• So sit in a quiet place (Mine is the laundry room. No one does laundry during the week.) WRITE down your idea for PiBo.
• WRITE your new chapter for NaNo.
• WRITE your shopping list for Thanksgiving.

FAMILY

• Do not forget to take care of your family. Plan your writing around them. Make time to question their day.
• Walk With Them ~ Take a walk in the neighborhood.
• Cook their favorite meals.
• Help with homework, projects, spelling words.
• BREATHE! BREATHE! BREATHE!

In conclusion, simple planning can alleviate the stress that finds us in the month of November. Get that calendar and organize your days and times. Then sit back. Brainstorm. Generate ideas. Write. BREATHE! BREATHE! BREATHE!