NaNoWriPod - Nanowrimo / writing / creativity / process - Black Rectangle

It's the first guest of this year's Nanowripod! Jim sits down with writer and friend, Carolyn Rahaman to talk about her history with Nanowrimo and how writing fan fiction has helped her grow and improve as a writer. There's lots of cool stuff here and Carolyn will be back on the podcast later this month to share more insights. You can follow Carolyn on twitter (@caryandthehits) and on her blog, twentypercenttrue.blogspot.com.

Even when your job is to write, it can be hard to write for Nanowrimo. This episode we talk about character descriptions, characterization and adding more senses to your scenes. We've got some exercises you can try outside of writing and some other handy suggestions and recommendations (some of which are linked below)

It has begun! Nanowrimo! YES! This episode recounts the first 24 hours of writing and trying to keep our brains on the rails in front of our keyboards. Hopefully the Nanowrimo website can keep up with all the activity. At least one Nanowrimo participant wrote over six thousand words that won't even be counted! What is this madness? It's all in the episode... and then some.

Yes, it's true listeners. There is a secret extra night of totally by-the-book writing available to die hard Nanowrimo participants. Jim and Ben know the secret combo to unlock it. This episode is also full of further ideas and plans leading up to National Novel Writing month. It's safer to travel with friends in this difficult challenge, after all.

In the third episode of the "preseason" for Nanowrimo, Jim and Ben duel it out and read their drafts aloud. Then we get into some of the planning and structure techniques that Brandon Sanderson teaches in his "Write About Dragons" classes.

Ben and Jim discuss the unlikely origins of a secret writing society in Chicago

Ben and Jim welcome their fellow explorers back with an early episode. . .

There is no denying that we are well beyond the bounds of National Novel Writing Month. Revision and other writing projects are starting fill our minds with new ideas. And speaking of new ideas, we try out a drafting game that we hope you will also have a chance to participate. Reviews and comments either on iTunes or on the Nanowripod page are greatly appreciated!

November is now shrinking in the rearview mirror but our story isn't over. What does one do now that they have some massive amount of text? Sure, we could take a break but that wouldn't be as fun as discussing what else lies ahead. Hopes, dreams, goals, and moments of brutal honesty abound in this episode of Nanowripod.

Ben still has miles to go before he sleeps. Jim is faced with the thought of where to go next. We are twixt and between in this episode and could use our listeners' help and brilliances to move forward.

Ben's graph hasn't been updated since the 12th. Jim has printed the first incomplete draft of his novel. The pack stretches out in NaNoWorld and many have settled comfortably into the land of procrastination. Keep your ears open to learn a new, archaic word and a phrase used primarily in the publishing industry.

Jim crosses the 50,000 word finish line. What else can we do to keep writin in November? Find out in this episode!

We take a linear approach to the novel writing. Jim dives back into Scrivener. Ben zones into isolation. Both hosts play the "Scenes" game at the end. Jim is not writing about stargates.

Ben and Jim recap their Nanowrimo weekend, then discuss some ways to generate new ideas and constrruct plot.

Ben de-stresses at the keyboard after a full day without words. Jim has an epiphany that brings him back from the edge of madness. Both love and loathe Scrivener. They wrap everything up with the "sequels" section of Jim Butcher's Scenes & Sequels notes.