NaNoWriMo 2013 ... Here I Come!

This all started the other day...
I checked my email inbox and saw an email from Lulu.com, which is the site I have registered with to publish my books. The subject read, "Participating in NaNoWriMo this year?"

I have some other friends who like writing (although perhaps not quite as much as I do), so I knew what NaNoWriMo was. For those of you who don't know, it stands for National Novel Writing Month, and the objective is to write a 50,000-word novel between Nov. 1st and 30th. Depending on how many chapters you think you can write, that averages out to about 2000 words a day.

After browsing the message, I decided that the idea didn't really interest me -- I didn't know if I wanted to join this kind of contest, if I had the time, or even what I would write about -- so I sent it to trash.

Then, on the following day...
I was browsing Amazon.com for more free books I could download on my kindle and I saw a Christmas book. I don't remember what it was that caught my attention about it, but all of a sudden and idea came to me! Wouldn't it be neat to write a Christmas-themed book? And it would make a great Christmas gift for friends and family. I didn't know if I could write a Christmas novel by this Christmas, though.

Four years ago at Christmas, I wrote a poem about the true meaning and significance of the Christmas season and how it is so much more than just a one-day event. In those few short minutes, I realized that I could use the poem as the story's theme and the basis for each of the characters.

Then I remembered the email and I thought I would check it out once more. I discovered that a prize for completing the challenge - writing a 50,000-word novel in 30 days - was a free manuscript edit and one free hardcover copy of the book from Lulu.com! Well, if that isn't motivation, I don't know what is!

Consequently, I signed up for this event and began detailing the outline for the book and putting down the inspirations that were flooding my mind like a river in spring thaw. I have never even attempted to write an entire novel in 30 days before, so this will definitely be an adventure!

Here's what's going to take place:

1. By the end of October I will have a firm clear outline in place with as many details as possible so that I can just write, write, write! I will also have a plan of how many hours a day I can work on it, and what my goal is for each of those days, as it may vary a little.

2. At 12 midnight on November 1st I will begin work on my new novel.

3. Before 12 midnight on November 30th I need to have my entire 50,000-word manuscript uploaded to the website for official counting.

And now, for a quick preview...
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WHAT CHRISTMAS REALLY MEANS
A Novel by Darlene J. Koop

It’s Christmas Eve and despite the cold, many people have come to church for the annual candlelight service. For some, attendance is merely a tradition; for others, an event for which they have waited all year long. Many of them carry heavy burdens of pain and sorrow and think that they have been forgotten by God. But nothing could be further from the truth.

Pastor John’s message challenges everyone’s perspective about Christmas. And on this night, fifteen different people have a remarkable encounter with God, one that reaches into their hearts to meet their unspoken needs. They discover that they can help one another, and their lives are changed forever as they discover what Christmas really means.

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I will do my best to post at least a few updates throughout the month on how the writing process is going, but I need to focus my energies on completing the novel within the 30-day time limit. Looking forward to sharing the complete story with you when it is finished!!

One Step at a Time..

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
How do you prepare a book for publishing? One step at a time.

And the first step towards publishing is to get the book edited. People have been telling me this for years and I have finally taken the plunge. When I first began writing, I knew this would be required at some point, but I was nervous about it. I haven't always been good at accepting constructive criticism, and I didn't know what to expect in getting my writing published. I wanted to keep the integrity of what I had written.

So when I found a Christian editing company online I was thrilled! I want to be published, and not only to see my name on the cover of a "real" book, but because I want to share the gospel through my stories in a way that will encourage, inspire and even change someone else's life. I knew that a Christian editor would understand the message I was trying to communicate and would respect that.

When the sample edit was completed, I received some positive comments from my editor, and I started getting more excited about the process! A week ago, my editor sent the first section review back to me with his corrections, comments and suggestions for improvement. Minor grammatical changes, which I expected even though I know I have a strong grasp of grammar. But what really stood out to me were his suggested content changes -- I have read through my manuscript many times and I didn't see the things that he did. I needed a new perspective. So I removed some parts and rewrote and rearranged others, and as feel that my writing has been greatly improved!

Even a couple of years ago, I'm not sure that I would have been prepared to make such changes to my story, but now that I am determined to begin publishing my books, it has given me the impetus to take this giant step forward.

One step at a time...I'll keep moving ahead and I am excited to see how this will help me improve my writing as I continue with the sequel and the other projects I am working on.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you are in need of a good Christian editor with competitive rates, check out http://www.affordablechristianediting.com