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3 Writing Tips For November And Beyond


Why November was chosen to be the month writers are supposed to rally all of their energy  to work on their drafts at a Stephen King (or another prolific writer) pace is beyond me. Holidays are coming up; also it's the end of the year, which sometimes means day-job goals; and it turns chilly in many parts of the country/world--what better time to cozy up with a good book--that somebody else wrote? Instead, the folks over at Nanowrimo have shifted many  writers (or would-be writers) to believe they can write a whole novel (or nonfiction book, or a collection of blog posts, etc.) in 30 days. Since I follow blogs, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and Pinterest boards that are all about writing, I can't escape these messages. And the spirit is contagious. At least for the first week or so. In the spirit of Nanowrimo, WNFIN, and others, I have taken the challenge, in a way. Here's what I plan to do this month:


  • Write every day. This is not  uncommon advice, but when everybody else is trying to do the same, it acts like that pea in the princess' mattress of my mind. Have I written today? Why not? Everybody's doing it. I'm not a teenager, so peer pressure can now be used as a positive. 
  • Focus on my outline. Since this summer, I've been working exclusively on my memoir. It was originally going to be about a more recent time in my life, but once I started writing (and that writing was scattered and almost non-coherent), it became clear that I needed some direction. I stepped back from the wandering writing, and emerged with some themes--all of which originated in an earlier time in my life. With the help of my "Write your memoir in 6 months" class (which I will talk about more once I've completed the course), I created a rough map of where this thing is going. Now, when I settle into my chair every day, I know where the story is going.
  • Wake up earlier. Thank goodness for Daylight Savings. This morning was the easiest so far. I got a full night's sleep, and was still up earlier than my usual time. I am not a morning person, usually. But if I am going to get these pages written in the next month, with my goal of doing my own edits/rewrites before I send it off to a professional editor soon, I have to write before the rest of my responsibilities take priority.  
HealthySkinParty.com
Are you participating in these writing events? Please share. I plan to update my writer's page with my progress, so please stop by with any encouragement or peer pressure if I seem to be slacking! 

I can't stay at my desk all of the time, and allowing myself time to share Pangea Organics Skincare with people has helped get me out of my head-- so it's clear for takeoff when I return! It's a great way to earn money for holiday and editing expenses. If you are interested in learning more, email me at tina (at) healthyskinparty.com. In the meantime, check out how you can get $50 worth of products free this month. Click here. 
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