Mary J. McCoy-Dressel

a HUGE question to myself in 2014.

I’ve already added and anticipated a NaNo novel for 2014, but my decision is about 95% final. Consider my decision a BIG question mark.

National Novel Writing Month or better known as NaNoWriMo (NaNo)

From the NaNoWriMo About Page Click for more info including FAQ.

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing. On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought fleetingly about writing a novel.

My Page: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/maryjdressel

To NaNo or not to NaNo? This is my question of the month. Editing one book while writing another book fills my agenda for the rest of this year. This doesn’t include NaNo. I take that back because NaNoWriMo has been on my mind more than I care to think about. Is my muse betraying me by nudging [forcing] me to be consumed with it right now?

IF, and this is a big “IF” I do NaNoWriMo this year, I might have to be a Rebel. Yes, this counts and NaNo recognizes it.

I’ve been known to color outside of the lines.

But, there are some who don’t agree with being a REBEL. If writing 50K words to a novel in thirty days like everyone else, I see no difference. Of course we can’t count anything already written. Some of my close author friends don’t agree with being a Rebel, although no one has called me a cheater, in so many words.

This will be my fifth NaNoWriMo. How do I pass up a “five year” milestone?

• How about you? Will you be a NaNo participant this year? Have you ever participated?

• Have you heard of NaNoWriMo?

I ask this because even my local librarian never heard of it until I mentioned it to him. Not that he planned on doing anything about it. In my writers’ mind, I thought it would be a good idea to have a write-in there. Not so with him. He wanted to know how much it would cost them and basically, was the least bit interested in finding out. *Eye Roll*

In 2015, I plan on bringing another book into the Bull Rider Series and this book could be my NaNo project. The thing is, nothing is planned for this book, except in my head. (Well, a vague plan…um, maybe.)

On the other hand, I’m also writing the third book in the Double Dutch Ranch series, and readers are waiting for this book. See my dilemma?

Believe me—going into NaNo with no plans can suck. This coming from a pantster. A pantster who has learned to plot, if that makes sense.

In my own words:

• Plotter=Your story is planned out from beginning to end.
• Pantster=Sit down and write your little fingers to the bone by the seat of your pants. Better known as “just sit your butt down and write.”
• Mary=A little bit of each. Maybe 89% plotter these days. In the past I was 87% pantster. The more writing I do, I’ve discovered the more I have to plot. I’ve published three full length books this year with one more planned. Yes, plotting has helped.

I’m anxious to hear if you’re a plotter or pantster.

Plotting and planning can happen to creative souls in general I’d think. I take photos of whatever I see unless I’m looking for something in particular. My son photographs foot races when he isn’t participating. He goes out days before to scope out the trail/route, etc., and plans out where he will take photos, at what shutter speed, lighting, and whatever else he comes up with for the perfect shot. He’s a plotter and doesn’t realize it. (I took this image while walking along a river trail. Someone painted this beneath an overpass. The photo wasn’t planned, but there it was waiting. Having my camera with me was planned.) I digress…

• By the way, NaNoWriMo entails writing 50K words in thirty days, and boils done to 1,667 words a day. Some of my author friends write 5K a day or more.

Being a full time writer, making the word count won’t be a problem for me, but…as I said in the beginning, I’m working on two books now, and one is due out in December.

Now, if only my spell checker would agree to the way I spell NaNoWriMo and Pantster.

Stay tuned for the final decision…