Writing has a pattern, particularly in the fall, particularly if you’re still new to writing. November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), in which writers try to finish a first draft of a novel. Then the holidays hit, and the writing goes away for 31 days. January rolls around, and writers make resolutions to write even more, maybe publish some of it, and get really serious. Of course, by May, those good intentions get buried by life and other things. Writers tend to slack off in the summer, and then focus again in the fall.
Well, we’re in the middle of the last part of that cycle right now. The Nano writers end up with a first draft that needs “fixing,” and they never get to it. (Always better to write a good first draft than a sloppy one. We teach how to do that in our various online workshops. You can see what those are here.)
The holidays have already started, and writers are starting to get distracted. But they’re also planning for January 1.
We have ways to help. One of them is the NaNoWriMo Writing Bundle that Kevin J. Anderson curates every year. This year is pretty spectacular. All of the writers in the bundle have good track records and a lot to teach you. If you have a finished “rough” first draft from NaNoWriMo, then Andrea Pearson’s book will help you create a marketable novel.
If you meant to write during November, but didn’t get to it, then look at Kevin McLaughlin’s You Must Write, as well as Simon Haynes’ book on writing a novel. If you’re an outliner, Scott King will help you focus your story and C. Michelle Jeffries will help you develop your fictional worlds. If you want to learn how to write fast, Dean Wesley Smith’s book on writing a novel in ten days will help you focus, as will Blaze Ward’s Pulp Speed For Professional Writers.
If you like working with other writers, then Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta will teach you how to collaborate, and Jaime Ferguson will show you how to collaborate without writing together. (Yes, that’s a cool trick.)
And then there’s the attitudes you need for success. My book, The Secrets of Success, will help with that, as will Craig Martelle’s book on becoming a successful indie author.
Finally, the most important book of the bunch comes from Joanna Penn and Doctor Euan Lawson. You need to remain healthy to do all this stuff, and she’ll show you how.
Lots of great material here. You can get all of these books for as little as $15. But here’s the catch…You only have until November 29 to get your copy. Head on over and get yours now. And while you’re there, order one for a writer friend. You both can read the materials and start the New Year right.
And speaking of giving things to writer friends (while keeping a copy for yourself), don’t forget WMG Publishing’s December Holiday Spectacular. WMG has developed a mystery box for writers. The box includes 12 ebooks, one lecture and an online course for $50 (with a value of $250. The lecture alone usually costs $50). You have until 12/19 to get that either for yourself or for a friend or two or three.
