Cut the crap.

Many of you know that I am working on a book this November as a part of Nanowrimo. Well, let me say, I WAS. I have given up on 50,000 words in a month. I have tried this numerous years, and I am of the opinion, AGAIN, that I just cannot do it. I guess it is my life. OR maybe it is my lifestyle, or something, but I just cannot sit down and write quality work via 1667 words a day.

I give up.

But I did learn a lot about myself this November. I learned that if I will sit down every morning, (not evenings – too many distractions) – I can get some writing done.

The biggest thing I have learned is that you can write crap.  Writing crap is good because you can cut it out. And that is what I will be doing soon. I have probably 20,000 words of crap to cut out. 

Don’t tell anyone, but my WIP is only about 20,004 words.

So, what other things have I learned?

1. Writing books is a much better way to market yourself and your work than any social media. People who read your work always want to know when the next one is coming out and they love hearing about the journey. 
2. Cutting out the crap makes your work far better than it was with all the dead weight. It’s like losing 20 pounds. You look better, feel better, and attract more good stuff to your fingertips.
3. Getting away from the WIP is a great tool for being able to see it clearly. You think it is the most brilliant writing you have ever penned until you see it with clear eyes, not eyes blinded by your bull-spittle.
4. Writing fast, as you have to do in Nano, is a great way to get the words down. Just know that you will definitely have to cut a lot of it out. I tried not to even edit my typos. There are going to be a lot of those to cut.
5. Nano is a tactic, it is not a tool. I would never recommend anyone to write fast, every day, and have a set amount to get done in a month. It is terrible advice. But it is a great idea to spur us forward into a book. 

Will I do Nanowrimo again?

Sheesh. Who knows? Ask me in a year! (likely not) (but i say that every year after i fail)