Word by Word

Practical insights for writers from Jessica P Morrell

If it’s October 31st, NaNoWriMo Starts at Midnight

Written By: Jessica Morrell - Oct• 31•24

Steady, cold rainfall here.Trick-or-treaters are going to need to wear layers tonight–and carry umbrellas. Even though we’re oddly not an umbrella-wielding bunch in the Pacifc Northwest. It was one of the first things I noticed about autumn rains when I first  moved here. Not that no one ever carries one, but they’re sometimes a rare sight in the worst weather. For the record, I’ve discovered that I’ve broken or lost three last year so I’m going to procure a new one. Today.

So  I’m writing unless the rain eases so I can go out walking, and heading to the tire place later since those pesky dashboard lights are flashing showing every tire appears to be in distress. Hoping it’s not the electrical system.  Later I might be making get-out-the vote calls. I didn’t sleep much last night–there’s a lot of that going around– so am not sure if I’ll have the energy for it, though I’m making calls on Saturday.

I read Marian Keyes The Mystery of Mercy Close in the middle of the night.  I’ve already mentioned it, but might I add that there were more laugh-out-loud moments and my admiration for Helen Walsh’s sass has grown. And oh, the salvation of reading fiction when we need it.

I’m here to call your attention to the various columns I’ve written on participating in NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month in years gone by.

Here’s the link to last year’s post. There are 14 posts here about NaNoWriMo chock full of advice and suggestions and  general cheering on. Some cover the basics of survival–as in managing life when you’re obsessed with pounding out a novel. Then there’s a slew of posts about plotting, creating characters, and then messing with the poor dears.  You can just enter NaNoWriMo in the search bar in the upper right of the site. But I’m likely not telling you anything you don’t know.

I love how a long, hard stint of writing creates confidence and lasting habits.

Wishing you strong wrists and fingers. Don’t forget to stretch and drink liquids. Oh, and protein. I feel like a mother sending her firstborn off to kindergarten. So I’ll add,  have fun.

Keep writing, keep dreaming, have heart

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