I struggled with whether or not to do NaNoWriMo because the pace is a little faster than I would like. Then I found out that another 70 Days of Sweat is starting on November 10th.
The goal of “Sven” is to write a novel of between 60 and 200k in 70 days. It’s a bit more flexible than NaNo, in which the goal is to write a 50k novel in a month. My books tend to end up around 95k and it takes me longer than a month to write them because I have to stop sometimes, think about where I’m going. Sometimes I have to rewrite, ect. Therefore Sven is more suited to my process.
As a tangent, there’s nothing wrong with writing uber fast. I know many awesome authors who can turn out great novels in a short amount of time and I dislike them intensely they make me jealous. Heh. Just kidding. Everyone’s process is different. I don’t tend to write super fast. I’m kinda pokey and spend a lot of time cleaning my house while thinking deeply about my plot and how to move it forward in the right direction, ect. The middle of a novel KILLS me.
The other cool thing about Sven (besides the pacing) is the accountability. You’re expected to report your progress every Wednesday and Sunday on the Sven blog. I will also do it here on my blog just put extra pressure on myself.
So, if NaNo doesn’t quite work for you, maybe you should check out Sven.
Regarding the Magnificent Eight contest below. I’ll give peeps until midnight tonight to enter.
Check back tomorrow bright and early for the winner! Winner must contact me to collect their prizes. With a toddler to run after, book deadlines up the wazoo, as well as very full extended family life and other responsibilities, it’s too hard for me to track people down. I’m sorry!
Yay – I think I might need to do a writing thing to get my thesis done :X.
by limecello November 7th, 2008 at 1:50 pmWhile I’ve though NaNo sounded good since I heard about it 3 years ago, I think the 70 days of Sweat with Sven might fit me better. I have a tendency to do the same things you do, Anya, when trying to write. I find myself hitting a snag and needing to take a break to do something else while I think my way around it.
by Karin November 7th, 2008 at 2:40 pmI completely hear ya! But I’m doing NaNoWriMo anyway. The first week has been slow and a killer at the same time.
I really wish my fingers would keep time with my brain. My characters talk, walk, kiss, cry and all out are faster than I can write. By the time I look at my screen I have a ton of red and green lines and feel like a complete idiot.
Don’t get me wrong I lie the fast pace of NaNoWriMo, it’s just getting the rest of me to agree. maybe I” give SVEN a try. Wish me luck.
by Christine Morehouse November 7th, 2008 at 3:03 pmTTFN,
Christine 🙄
Good luck with the paper, Limecello!
Karin — YEP.
Christine — I think NaNo is pretty cool because it makes you write so fast you have put aside the internal editor. You can just get out that first draft in a full creative rush, then go back and rewrite. It works for some people!
by Anya November 7th, 2008 at 7:54 pm