NaNo Ahoy + Giveaway!

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So NaNoWriMo is coming up. I am SUPER excited. Seriously, NaNo is my favorite time of year.

For one, the energy is just so inspiring. I love logging in every day to update my word count.

For two, there are so many new writers–it’s FANTASTIC! From people who have always wanted to write a book but never had the motivation to people who’ve never ever tried to write in their lives. So many bright-eyed writers all writing at the same time.

Whoa.

I am prepping my own NaNo projects. Yes, that’s write. Plural. I did this last year, and I think I’ll do it again (my poor husband will not see me for November, methinks). Last year, I wrote A Darkness Strange and Lovely along with my “just for fun” project (a YA contemporary). This year, I’m pulling out that same contemporary project and also hammering away at the third book in the SS&D trilogy.

Why do two projects at once? Because I find it’s the best way to get my Muse to cooperate. Right now, Musey Suzie really wants to write this YA contemporary (so many feelings when I picked it up two weeks ago and read all I’d written last year!), but Responsible Author Susan has deadlines… I find if I indulge my Muse for a time, then my Responsible Author side feels more inspired too. It’s not that I don’t love SS&D (oh goodness, I do), but there are so many other characters in my head right now that need to get out. If I give them each a little face time, everyone is happy. (Except for my lonely husband.)

ANYWAY, the whole purpose of this post was to remind you all TO SIGN UP, to add me as a buddy, to donate a few bucks to the NaNo cause (if you can), and to start prepping your own stories!

And to HELP you get ready for NaNo–and then help you push through November–Sarah Maas (here’s her username info! ADD HER!) and I are going to be posting writing tips, advice, and motivation until we all cross the NaNo finish line together. Huzzah!

Also, I want to go ahead and say: it’s okay if you don’t reach 50K. I’ve done NaNo for 3 years now (this will be my 4th!), and I didn’t win it the first year I tried. But I still got a lot written–a lot more than normal, certainly. We can’t all write 50,000 words, but the simple fact that we all TRY is just darn brilliant.

Oh, and if you DO plan to participate (and ultimately do WIN), then you can enter into a raffle for a 5 page critique from Sarah and me. We’ll actually pick two winners for 5-page critiques once NaNo is over. If you already have a username/account, link to it in the comments and go ahead and enter! Once November ends, we’ll check to see which entrants actually won. 🙂

Now, stay tuned for more NaNo goodness! On Friday, I’ll list books I recommend for writing beginners and more experienced writers too…and for now, I’ll leave you with a motivational image of Wade from Hart of Dixie. I am currently watching the first season of this show, and I might be a wee bit obsessed with this super hot southern bad boy. 😉 (Oh, and we’ve started a Pinterest board where we’ll add motivational quotes, NaNo Hey Girls, and whatever else we find!)


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