making of a novel

50,000 divded by 30 days

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:04:14 +0000

The goal of Novel Writing Month is to write one novel in one month. Since I used to be a paralegal and bill clients, I divided the month, or 30 days into the 50,000 word count – which is what the contest uses the measurement for a novel. That makes 1667 words a day. That really isn’t that many. It is 3 pages, size 11 font and single spaced.

Of course, writing more in one day can help with slower days, days like today. Well, I made it to 1650 when the chapter ended. I think that is a great start, considering.

OK – 400 words farther

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:28:57 +0000

I started my story yesterday (one day early). I easily wrote 520 words and thought, ah, this is great. I wasn’t sure I had it in me but there they were, my old friends – words, just poring out.

They hit a clog today. But I finally settled down, brewed a cup of loose leaf tea from Pikes Market, turned on the instrumental music I wrote my first novel by, and there they were, more words, 400 more!

But then I started thinking of other things…

Should I set up a Twitter page to chronicle this month’s journey?

Maybe I should write a blog. As you are reading this, you can guess what I chose. Well, 923 and counting. Looking forward to saying 43,923 and counting…

do I jump in?

admin — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:39:47 +0000

Today marks the beginning of November Novel Writing Month. I didn’t think that high water would keep me from participating this year and yet it is 7:30 am on the first day and I already feel like backing out.

What the heck?

Where is my fortitude as a novelist? To complete the contest, I only have to write 1668 words a day. I got started yesterday and already wrote 512 words so what is a few more? Everyone knows a novel evolves one word at a time. But the sky is bright blue and the laundry is calling, and I am sure it is time to polish my shoes again…

Press Release: Contest & Pledge Produced Upcoming Novel in One Month

admin — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 13:22:10 +0000

The upcoming novel, Portrait of Josephine was written in 21 days. Author Allison Frederick joined nearly 100,000 participants in the 2007 November National Novel Writing Month contest.

The National Novel Writing Month is a challenge set forth by dedicated writers and organizers in San Francisco, California.

If you have ever said, “One day I am going to write a novel,” then this contest is for you.

The secret of success is the sense of community that surrounds all the contest participants. There are funny cartoons to keep you from crying in frustration as your plot plods along. They also send out motivational emails from famous authors like Tom Robbins, one of Allison’s favorite authors.

They try to help writers keep from being overwhelmed by breaking down the process. The goal is to write 50,000 words. That is just 1667 words a day. Allison, who was an intellectual property paralegal in a law firm, was used to breaking down projects in chunks. “It was fun to focus on my daily word count. As long as I kept up, I knew that I wouldn’t get overwhelmed and I expected to finish.”

About mid-way through the book, she hit a dry spell. She read supportive comments in the writer’s forum where she found out that several people hit a wall at around 30,000 words. “I wrote the entire story, from start to finish, but I was still 20,000 words short. How was I going to finish?” That was how Allison learned about filling in back story and adding sub-plots. She managed to squeak past the finish line with 50,100 words.

Allison had never written a novel before and in fact, she was intimidated to do so. But writing a novel was something she had wanted to do since she was a young girl. “The contest made me realize that it was time to put up or shut up. I pledged to myself that I would win this contest. After all, how could I be a novelist if I never wrote a novel? Now that I wrote A Portrait of Josephine, I feel like I can do anything.”

If you would like to take this 30 day challenge, then visit the National Novel Writing Month website.

A Portrait of Josephine is in the professionally edit stage. Allison is looking for an agent and publishing house for the novel. You can read the prologue at www.PortraitofJosephine.com