On Monday (Nov. 29), the Lee’s Summit Branch wrapped up its first Nanowrimo group. Yep, a total of 7 brave souls embarked on a frenzied 30-day journey that for some of us ended with a completed novel, 50,000 words total. It can be done! I’ve seen it happen!
Unfortunately, I have to admit that my novel never really got off of the ground. 11,000 words in, I got stuck with characters that had no depth at all. Just between us, I had an eerie hankering to kill them all off. I guess there’s always next year.
Do you hear the silence surrounding you now that it's December? Now that National Novel writing Month is over, silence--blessed silence--replaces the clack of the keyboards, the scratching of pencils, and the grinding of mental gears as Nanowrimo participants created 50,000-word manuscripts out of nothing but their own creativity.
It was a hard month. Ask any of us. November is always the month that a cold sweeps through the office, or a dishwasher breaks or--let's not forget--we get together with all of our family for a huge Thanksgiving feast.
Back to school and going full force, back to reading books and writing papers. Do the teachers want it in MLA or APA style? If so, your local library has books that can help you write a perfect paper.
It happens to the best of bloggers. It happens to the best of writers, and it even strikes at the worst times for students with a five page paper due the day after tomorrow. I’m talking about that dreaded illness known as writer’s block. Not to be confused with procrastination, which is plenty of ideas and plenty of things to do but no desire to get things done, writer’s block tends to make an appearance when you need it the least. But have no fear!
If You Thought Writing a Novel in a Month was Crazy, You'll Love This!
You may be familiar with National Novel Writing Month, where writers of all ages and ability crank out 50,000 words of fiction in 30 frantic days. But, have you heard of Script Frenzy? Think of it like Nanowrimo, but for TV.
Can you write a good story in 5 minutes? That was the challenge during the Creative Writing program for teens here at the Camden Point Branch. One young lady won our little contest by writing an imaginative history about Dr. Seuss. Here is her story:
Dr. Seuss came from a place called Cramer County. His two best friends were Sally and Sue. His address was 101 10th Street. His friends lived on either side of him.
His pet elephant was named Carly. She slept in an elephant-shaped bed that was neon green.
Most readers occasionally fantasize about becoming writers themselves, only to drop the notion once confronted with a blank sheet of paper or flashing computer cursor. Writing fiction seems especially daunting. After all, it seems like you have to make it ALL up from scratch. Actually, you don’t have to make it all up. You can use the elements of literature like building blocks to create your own story.
"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot." - Stephen King
The craft of writing is not an easy one. You need to be able to create characters, construct a plot, and do all this while trying to capture and hold the interest of a reader.
Whether you're writing a blog or trying to come up with the next bestselling novel, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome before getting the words on the page the way you want them. Writer's Block, lack of time or focus, and all kinds of other obstacles face a writer every day.
Many genealogists trace names, dates, and places. Others want to know the stories beyond the facts. The only way they can learn those stories is if someone preserved them. The act of writing your story is an act of love, and your children, grandchildren, and descendants want to know who you are.
