November 1 is the kickoff to National Novel Writing Month. Once more, authors and wannabes pledge to write 50,000 words. Why wouldn’t I succumb to temptation? Despite lacking a specific story idea, an outline, and no clue for the main character, I am all in. I am committed to composing 1,667 daily words. I am embracing full pantsing mode and working without a net. But it doesn’t mean I lack a strategy for winning.

I discovered Reverse NaNo. This format front-loads the word count, seizing the excitement inherent at the start of a new project. Day One requires 3,346 words with falling requirements on successive days. By November 15, the halfway point, I have fewer than the prescribed minimum to add. On the thirtieth, I need a single word to achieve the goal. The second tactic I am adopting is banishing my inner critic and revoking her permission to intervene. Editing comes later, and I want to capitalize on the joy of exploring the story in my head.

I am very excited about this method and eager to try it. Life drama intervened last year, leaving me with random days where I couldn’t reach my target. Making up a missed day was difficult. But this approach, with a declining word count, should make staying even feel less daunting. I’m planning a good night’s sleep before hitting the keyboard.

Are you taking part in NaNo?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

It is astonishing how much everything can change in a matter of one week. Last weekend I started work on my fall cleanup projects in the garden. Purple flowers covered the chrysanthemums I had planted in my front border. Those stunning blossoms attracted not only my attention but also the interest of at least a dozen bees and a single gorgeous Monarch butterfly.

Afraid to move, and scarcely daring to breathe, I stood transfixed. I didn’t want to scare him away, but he didn’t seem to notice me. Oblivious, he stayed focus on his task of gathering the precious bits of sweetness from the yellow flower center. Monarchs migrate to Mexico each autumn, traveling thousands of miles to escape killing frost, so he would need every ounce of energy he could glean from the nectar.

The forecast predicted freezing temperatures and snow mid-week, and my mums are proof of the ravages inflicted by wintry nights. Frost has a way of sapping the brilliant fall colors I cherish, and this weekend my thoughts return to my incredible butterfly encounter. Did my chrysanthemums provide the weary traveler with adequate sustenance to sustain him? Did he fly far enough, fast enough? I will imagine the next monarch I see is the grandchild of my friend, and I am making plans to plant more flowers in anticipation of their arrival.

Has a surprise encounter made you happy?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Teachers and friends have counseled me, at various times, to keep a diary. Others have extolled the virtues of a journal. We use the two words interchangeably, but they serve different functions. Dictionary.com defines a diary as “a daily record, usually private, especially of the writer’s own experiences, observations, feelings, and attitudes.” It describes a journal as “a newspaper or magazine that deals with a particular subject or professional activity, i.e. a medical journal.”

I know people who maintain a record of their daily lives, and they tell me they often study their passages. I tried the exercise, and I admit I never knew what to write. The real test was when, several months later, I reviewed the entries. The blithering idiot responsible for the drivel appalled and embarrassed me. I swore no one would read the garbage, and I burned everything.

Since then, I have decided journals are much more to my liking. I log notes, plan for projects, and add inspirational references and pertinent research. I don’t require perfection. Sometimes I scratch out entire sentences or remove pages to either destroy or to paste into another book. Thoughts toward the bottom of the page will crawl up the edges. Arrows and doodles cut across the text to connect ideas or highlight contradictions. Pictures, maps, and stickers add color, impart meaning, and create a tether to help me remember the moments I record.

Do you keep a diary or a journal?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Life challenges us with never-ending obligations. The day job creates added stress. Our employment provides the paycheck for our basic needs; rent, food, and a modicum of security. Family responsibilities weigh heavy on our shoulders as we strive to be good parents, loving siblings, and caring children. If we are foolish enough to presume to manage a side hustle, the demands escalate. The pressure mounts with an overwhelming task list.

Sometimes the answer to bolstering our determination and producing the longed-for triumph is to concentrate on a single, modest element. Even a tiny accomplishment that we can move to the completed column is a win. It boosts our morale. With one detail resolved, we are free to finish the next item. The wins accumulate like pearls in a necklace. It can make all the difference.

What small win can you make happen today?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I am late to the party. I’m unsure if I am 100% committed. A mere three days remain to get my head into the game, narrow my focus, and devise a plan. It happens this time every year. The writing world gears up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNo), and together, we embark on individual quests to compose 50,000 words during the 30 days of November.

Writers around the globe dedicate October to preparing for the event. They outline, identify plot points, write character studies and premise statements, organize notes, clean their workspace, and establish a daily routine. Some writers rearrange everyday life to give them the best chance for success. I applaud their dedication to the goal. But while I consider myself an organizer and a planner with the commitment and the drive to win, I have not mastered the art of NaNo prep.

I first took part in 2016. It was an impulsive decision made a few days before the kickoff. Somehow, in my novice state of oblivion, I hit the target. The draft languishes in the computer equivalent of my bottom desk drawer, waiting for a rewrite. I skipped 2017, and in 2018 I wrote a series of short stories that resulted in my second win. In 2019 I went bust when I ran into a brick wall at 12,000 words.

Now I sit, contemplating a track record of even-year wins, and I wonder if I can claim victory again.

Are you participating in NaNo? Are you prepared?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Yesterday, a surprise arrived early in my day. I expected to wake to gray, dreary skies and heavy clouds wringing precipitation from their voluminous folds as gusting winds pushed them eastward. But I was not prepared for my morning greeting. Honestly, I was not awake. Not really. Not in the bright-eyed, bushy-tailed fashion lucky people manage.

I listened to splatting noises hitting the windows, noticed moisture on the darkened street outside, where the streetlight revealed the descending rain. Only it did not look right. Perhaps my vision was still blurry, so I rubbed my eyes as I moved closer to the streaked glass. Slow recognition lifted the veil from my groggy mind. It was not raining. There were heavy sloppy snowflakes that melted on impact with any warm surface. Snow? How could that be? The season is far too young for snow. It’s not even Halloween. Then I remembered last year and a record-breaking accumulation of 3.4 inches of white cotton candy on October 31st. Trick or treat.

Snow. The word tickled in my heart, my lips smiled, and I swear I heard someone giggle. Flake by flake, they fell, whispering secrets hushed by the silent sky. The first snowfall transformed a regular Monday, creating something magical and enchanting. All I know is that it heralds the beginning of a spectacular week.

How was your Monday?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have a monthly ritual. I analyze my word counts, compare totals against my goals, and I set my schedule for October. During my most recent review, it shocked me to realize less than 90 days remain. The countdown stands at 65. It’s a source of distress for me. Normally, those numbers have little impact, but we are talking about 2020. Holidays add extra pressure. Celebrations, family obligations, and worry about what new obstacles this year has in store, cut my normal scheduling availability by ten days. My average word count will drop, but I am not willing to accept an avoidable disappointment. There are ways to reach my objectives.

November and NaNoWriMo begin on Sunday, but writing 50,000 words in 30 days feels like a daunting task. For the next 65 days, I have resolved to stop multitasking and instead concentrate on finishing one task before starting another. I have dedicated a cute notebook to collect random thoughts that often distract me from my current job. My aim is to eliminate a handful of low-priority habits and devote the time to higher valued assignments. I will plan my days the evening before and schedule my most significant work as item number one on my To-Do list. I pledge to complete that job before doing anything else. It means I am moving my daily writing session from afternoons to first thing in the morning. Well, second after my coffee, of course.

How do you plan to reach your goals?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

After a weeks’ worth of waking early and working late into the evening, sleeping in is a justified reward. The trick is finding the sweet spot. Wake too soon, and it’s different to distinguish Sunday from my typical workday. I drag myself from my bed, tired, drained, and uninspired. Sleep too long, and the slow, tranquil parts slip away. I chase after my longed-for relaxing pace and end up feeling cheated, rushed, and resentful.

Preparation is the key. I purposely turn off my alarms, set my phone to silent, and adjust the thermostat to cool. My optimal bedroom temperature is between 65 and 68F. It makes snuggling into a warm cocoon with my favorite fluffy downy comforter and pillows is a rare indulgence. Waking without an alarm to the aroma of a freshly brewed coffee is a decadent treat. One quick push of the start button is all it takes when I also prepare the pot the night before.

The next part happens naturally, with no prodding or forethought. My desk and my story beckons. There is nothing better than a steaming cup of Joe, a quiet Sunday morning, and the soft tap of keys as the scenes in my head appears on the screen.

Do you write on Sunday, or do you unwind?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I have a love affair with words, vocabulary, diction, and expressions. I have compiled a lengthy list of glorious examples I have encountered in my reading. There is great joy in discovering a novel turn of phrase. The best authors accomplish perfection by evoking thoughts, feelings, and atmosphere, almost effortlessly. Their brilliance shines by using, as Nancy says, le mot jeste.

I can spend a lot of time agonizing over a single word choice. Should I use “cold” or does “bitter” convey a meaning laced with harshness and resentment? Does the picture change if I select “crisp” instead? Can my reader smell an apple, recall a glorious autumn day, or see leaves changing color? Or perhaps “glacial” is more appropriate? If words make fiction blossom, do I want my rose to “smell,” or should it have an “aroma”? What about a “fragrance”?

The astute writer considers these nuances as their prose paints the desired picture. Every single word carries an image, flavor, or emotion. A single well-placed word can replace sentences and entire paragraphs filled with descriptions. I know because I have deleted them in my editing process.

How much consideration do you place on word choice?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Some folks anticipate Friday’s arrival and the week’s end. My weekends are pressure cookers. Invariably, a few tasks scheduled during the week remain unfinished and get pushed to Saturday and Sunday, along with other obligations, family dinners, connecting with friends, yard work, laundry, and grocery shopping. They consume the hours meant for generating stories, relaxing, and recharging our batteries. By Sunday afternoon, I can’t wait for Monday’s calm.

The brain doesn’t stop working because the calendar says it is Friday. It is always creating, solving problems, and it demands you pay attention. Finding time to satisfy the creative drive on the weekend is a challenge. I find myself scratching notes on any available scrap of paper, the app on my phone, and trying valiantly to remember to collect them all in my central notebook. Still, I discover stray notes, forgotten at the bottom of my purse.  Separating work and play is impossible for me as they both live in the same realm. They are two sides of the same coin.

Can you separate work from play?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer