Tag: ideas for writers

Some Alternatives to NaNoWriMo

Every November, tons of writers and would-be-writers set out to take part in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The concept is simple: in the span of one month, write a 50,000-word novel.

While many flock to this concept as a way to have an ultra-productive November, some writers resist. For example, I find the forced word count of NaNoWriMo causes me to write junk just to fulfill the word count. And that is not particularly helpful if you want to write a good novel.

If NaNo just isn’t your thing, yet you’d still like to take November and use it as a month for productivity, I thought I’d offer some alternatives to NaNoWriMo. Continue reading “Some Alternatives to NaNoWriMo”

Inspiration? Phooey.

Author K.S. Brooks at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics
Author K.S. Brooks at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics

As an author, one of the questions I’m asked quite often is: “where does your inspiration come from?” Frankly, I find that perplexing, even more so when it comes from another writer. I was speaking with a talented graphic artist the other day. She asked me, “don’t you hate it when people want to know where your inspiration comes from? That’s so ridiculous. It would be more appropriate to ask where doesn’t your inspiration come from?”

I’d always dismissed the question: scoffed at it, then indignantly deleted it whenever I saw it come up in writers’ discussion group emails. It wasn’t until this graphic artist rephrased the question to me that I realized that it’s not about being a writer – it’s about being creative. Continue reading “Inspiration? Phooey.”