NaNoWriMo is just about over (t-minus two days). At this point every year, I hear many participants say, “Why bother finishing? I’m not going to win.”
Here’s my answer to anyone contemplating this question: NaNoWriMo isn’t about winning. It’s about writing.
Okay, I can see all of you competitive souls out there rolling your eyes and muttering under your breaths. I know, I get it. I’m competitive too and I despise it when I fail.
But, let me clarify something: NaNo is a writing challenge, not a writing competition. There are no judges or tangible prizes (besides those offered via third parties). And there’s definitely no waiting on pins and needles after November 30th to see if your slap dash, half-finished manuscript beats hundreds of thousands of other slap dash, half-finished manuscripts. If you want that, then you’ll need to sign up for an actual competition.
Okay, okay. Now I can hear all of you Mr./Ms. I Always Win’s saying, “It’s not about winning a prize. It’s about winning.”
Yep, I totally get it. But…let’s face it. We can’t succeed at everything we try. Failure is part of life, and failing to write 50K words in one month isn’t the end of the world. Not at all! It’s really just the beginning.
Here’s the truth about NaNoWriMo: If you sit down and start writing on November first, you’ve won. If you keep writing beyond November 30th, you’re a star. If you finish your manuscript, you’re a champion.
The whole point of NaNo is to write.
Period.
So, whether you’re currently at 1K words, 50K words, or 100K words, go ahead and declare yourself a winner (yes, even you, Mr./Ms. I Always Win). Go ahead and give yourself a trophy if you keep writing on December 1st. And give yourself a crown if you don’t stop until you finish your novel.
I hope you take my words to heart and persevere no matter where you are on the word count scale. And I really hope you don’t shove your manuscript into a drawer on December 1st and say, “Cool, I’m done.”
You’re not done.
Keep going.
Keep writing!
Congrats to everyone who participated in NaNoWriMo 2016. You’re all winners in my book!
Photo credits: giphy
Today’s Music Monday is one of those unexpected treasures I stumbled upon while listening to music on YouTube last week. From the corner of my eye, on the sidebar, I saw “Fight Song”. I’d never heard of its artist, Rachel Platten, but I decided to click on it anyway. And I’m so glad I did. It’s amazing!
The first time I heard “Fight Song” I thought, “Well, this is perfect for writers and anyone else pursuing a dream.” Most of us experience failure along our journeys, and many of us get so crushed by it, we begin to question everything: Our passion, our goals, our abilities. Some of us even wonder if we have the strength to keep fighting for what we want most. I know I have.
“Fight Song” also provides great story fodder. Although I can’t get a ton out of it for the current story I’m working on (my characters are way too crazy to care about digging themselves out of the pits they’ve fallen into), there are still plenty of gems to use from it: Conflict and drama. Depression and sorrow. Determination and hope. Freedom and courage…The list goes on and on!
And, as you likely suspect, the lyrics are what make this song so great:
So, whether you need a personal boost, or some motivation for your story, I strongly encourage you to listen to “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten.
Last week, I probably listened/watched this song on YouTube at least a dozen times. I couldn’t get enough of it! It has so many of the darker emotions and elements I need to feel while writing my story: Fury. Vengeance. Denial. Murder.
What makes this song extra powerful is the performance of it. As I watch the dancers in the video below, I can see my characters and I can feel their wrath. Their twisted righteousness, their satisfaction, their spite…
So, if you’re looking for a song that brings out the dark side of your plot and characters, check out 
I apologize for being AWOL the past couple of weeks. It’s been a little rough…But, more about that later. Let’s hop into today’s Music Monday!
The moment this music video began playing, I was infatuated with it. The imagery, tone, and words were exactly what I needed to see/hear to give my lagging story a swift kick in the rear.
Not only did “Shatter Me” help me tap into the raw emotions of my characters (anger, resentment, fear, sorrow), but it sparked my imagination with its amazing music video. I loved the shattering theme. It gave me some great ideas for my horror story’s morbid journey.
And, of course, “Shatter Me” has amazing lyrics with the power to inspire all kinds of emotions and ideas.
There’s also a dash of suspense and an edge of malice in “Partido Feminista”. Madonna’s voice, the crowd’s ongoing chant, and the background orchestration mesh together in a powerful and frightening way…I’m not sure if those emotions were intended for this song, but I hear them every time I listen to it. Which is perfect motivation for the current scenes I’m working on in my book!
So, if you’re in need of a strong, persuasive, and even threatening number to inspire your writing, listen to “Partido Feminista”!
When I create my playlist(s) for my stories, I tend to add songs that my characters would listen to. Why? Because it helps me develop them better. When I listen to their music, it helps me understand who they are and what their tone, attitude, and characteristics are. And “Bad Moon Rising” happens to be one of my protagonists’ favorite songs.
I also enjoy this song because it’s a fun one to listen to when writing suspense or horror. “Bad Moon Rising” is all about disaster and mayhem, and I’ll admit, those elements often appear in my stories.
“Ghost” by Ella Henderson is my new favorite song. I actually had to do some Googling to find out who Ella Henderson even was. I’d never heard of her before. Turns out she was a finalist on The X Factor…Yeah, a lot of you out there probably already knew that. Shocker, I’ve been living under a rock while I’ve been writing. 😉
The words in this song provoke so much emotion, and also provide oodles of inspiration. I keep replaying them in my mind and thinking of ways to use them to fuel my work.
So, if you’re looking for a fantastic song and music video to inspire you, check out “Ghost” by Ella Henderson.
I’m not sure what it is about this song–or any of Ellie Goulding’s songs for that matter–but it always transports me into whatever other world I’m living in. “Explosions” has a magical combination of lyrics, rhythm, and tone that inspires me every time I hear it. It’s also bursting with raw emotion, which is exactly what I need to hear right now as I work on the current chapters in my book.
To be honest, I didn’t listen to much music the past couple of days. When I write, I need absolute silence. And the only time I broke the silence in my house this weekend was to take breaks to eat and watch an episode of 
To me, this is a cinematic type song. It’s dramatic and grand, and overflowing with emotions. Plus the lyrics are amazing and offer up their own serving of inspiration.
So, if you’re looking for a powerful song that gives a writer a paintbrush and a thousand colors to create moving, vivid scenes, then check out Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain”.
Before I knew it, I was dancing and head jamming in my car.
Well, until I came to a stoplight and noticed the guy in the car next to mine staring at me like, “Uh, what’s wrong with you?”
I hate when that happens, LOL!
So if you’re looking for a song to pump you up and motivate your “Pow, pow, pow!” scenes, check out “Back in Black” by AC/DC.
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