MoWriMo Success or Failure?

This is the first time I have done MoWriMo, our local version of NaNoWriMo. I set my goal for 5,000 words a day- because this is what I am doing now- writing.

 

Why this number? My big non – mathematical head figured I can easily type 60 wpm, of which I will round down for easier, quicker math to 50 wpm, multiply the easy way of an hour being 50 minutes gets me… 250 words an hour… that’s not right… oh, add another zero. Yeah, I can do 2,500 words in an hour. Piece of cake to do 5,000 in even three hours.

 

I realized I could type this amount in a day. But after a point I sound like a teenager who has had way too much Diet Coke on a celery only diet with fingernail polish fumes in a windowless room. Yes! I can create reams of printed paper that later no amount of polish fumes will make it sound good.

 

This is what I felt like when I tried for 5,000 words a day.

 

Right from the start gate, I realized it wouldn’t work. I was just shooting off unnecessary, unwanted words to get to that goal. Trying to wade through the nonsense and edit it was tedious and confusing. Writing it was almost the same. Would I save any time or my sanity? Would this be productive? No. I wasn’t working any harder or working any smarter.

 

I adjusted down to a more acceptable level- 40,000 words for the month.

 

Did I make it then? No, I didn’t. And I’m okay with that.

 

I wrote what needed to be written- I had some due dates on stuff that happened to all be in various stages from nothing on the paper to final read through. I worked on several projects in progress. Started a few new ones. Edited others. Some of what I wrote was ok to be rough draft, early or middle stages, some if it needed to be written and edited right then. Editing puts me behind on my word count. I didn’t subtract or add as I went. I did a rough grand total that included everything I did that month.

 

Was I happy with the things I did write? YES! I got some great stuff that covered rough drafts to finished pieces. Did I learn many things about my writing? Yes, look at some of the things I learned on this blog.

 

Therefore, I’m not going to look at my 20,000 words as:

• A Failure
• I tried
• I Gave It My Best Shot

 

I saw what works and what doesn’t. I ended up with a broader understanding of my job, and my craft, which will enable me to create better solutions to my problems.

 

So, no. I don’t think I failed.

Halfway Through MoWriMo

So, we have made it past the halfway point of MoWriMo – the local version of NaNoWriMo – Montrose Writing Month at the Montrose Colorado Library. How is everyone doing? Freaking out or freaking awesome? Remember this is a goal that you have set. It can be a poem a week, three short stories, x amount of hours, a word count. A goal is a goal no matter how big or small.

For those of you that are struggling- look at what you have done already. It’s probably more than what you have done in the past. Maybe you have bitten off more than you can chew, that’s ok; spit out half and finish the rest. You know what is NOT working for you, and that in itself is a huge achievement. If it’s not working for you, change it. Keep writing and you will find what works for you.

For those of you who are sailing through this – keep going. Pay attention to what is making this work for you. Is it the space you are writing in, what you are writing on or the software you are using, time of day, closing your door, music, striving to meet the goal, enjoying the ride? Maybe you picked something new to write about, or maybe you revisited an old project with new insight. Whatever it is keeping you on track- go with it.

No matter if you are struggling or sailing you are going to learn from this.

Here is what I have learned:

• If I have a game plan of what I am going to write about before I write, I get more words.

• If I remember I can toss it all out- I get more words, I don’t care so much about what I am writing. It doesn’t even have to make sense! How liberating is that?????

• If my story is not going where I want it go, I simply hit the enter button a few times and start from where I want it to be. I no longer spend time trying to get from Point C to Point H or trying to fix it – which was so frustrating because it stalled me up. Now I just go to Point H. I can figure out how to get there later or decide to just start at Point H. This revelation has been a HUGE turning point for me. I like heavy metal sometimes, but I HATE head banging! Much less head banging going on now.

• If I fail for the day- so what? I don’t have to be prefect everyday. And on those days when the words aren’t coming, and something else is more pressing and occupying my mind- I just go deal with whatever it is, and reschedule more writing time later- and you know what? I end up with double the word count in less time because I could focus on the writing. And the writing was better. I didn’t have to think/worry/remember or anything else about the errand that was wasn’t done (which always made me feel like my time management skills sucked, which of course translated into I suck- which is untrue, but it still felt sucky!!).

• This is not the end piece, it’s not about the editing and being final, it’s just about being.

There is one thing I think is non-negotiable of any goal achievement – it is support. Support from inside yourself is just as important as outside support. You need them both.

Meg Nagel has set up writing space for us. Click here for the times and dates. Remember it’s not late to sign up for the goal.

Start writing.

Keep what is working, change it up if it is not. See you at the library “For the Love of Words” party at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, February 4 and get your Rhinoceros for reaching your goal.

Bad Cop of MoWriMo

The Bad Cop of MoNoWriMo

MoNo…. What? MoWriMo is the local version for NaNoWriMo which stands for National Novel Writing Month, check it out here – http://nanowrimo.org.

During NaNoWriMo which takes place in November, people accept the challenge of writing 50,000 words of a novel in a month. That’s 1,613 words a day for 31 days.

Not interested in writing a novel? That’s not a problem. Here in Montrose the goal is to challenge yourself and write. For some people this is four poems for the month, some want 50,000 words, others are writing memoirs, some are just writing for a certain amount of time every day. It’s a challenge- whatever that means for you.

It is for anyone who wants to participate, doesn’t matter if you are published, unpublished, newbi to writing or an old hat.

Why do this? Danielle Kemper, a life coach and psychotherapist came to the library to help us out, and to share some of the benefits and insights she discovered when she challenged herself to NaNoWriMo in November. Here is what she discovered:

• it will change how you write
• how you view your craft
• your daily life
• makes you disciplined in your writing

All of which means you don’t have to wait for your muse to find you, you find your muse.

Danielle has appointed herself the “Bad Cop” of MoNoWriMo, for when we need tough encouragement to get through this and offered insights to help us succeed in our goals.

“Busy people get more done. Push yourself!” She gave us the following tips:

• Make a schedule for your writing time
• Get support- tell your friends what you are doing, your fellow writers
• Make yourself accountable
• Find a space to write
• This is not about the perfect novel, it is getting it all on paper, edit it later. For now you want the word count-and that means that yes, you can use the two little words “the end.”
• “Through discipline you find your muse,” Danielle told us

It’s a huge challenge, you are going beyond what you normally write. Meg Nogle at the Montrose Colorado library helps out with the schedule and a place to write. She has dedicated us time and a space to write at the library. No need to RSVP, just show up.

Convinced you can do this now? Great! Sign up with Meg, the good cop. She has pledge sheets and a Rhino for you to put on the MoNoWriNo map; complete with The Yellow Brick Road, The Juicy Plot Jungle, Lake Long Ago, and many other places that you may hang out or avoid completely. You can apply it to whatever you are working on.

On February 4^th the open mic night, you can get your reward- a rhino (food NOT included, neither are batteries). And the feeling of success.

Good things come to people who wait, but better things come to those who go out and get them. ~Anonymous