Why NaNoWriMo?

I'm half way through NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the second time. This time around I'm finding it's equally challenging but far more fun and exciting than the first time.

The novel that I wrote the first time in 2015, The Kelpie's Heart, has been edited and is making it's way round agents. It's a story that I'm so in love with. And, I probably never would have done it if I hadn't set myself the challenge of doing NaNoWriMo. I'd written two novels before and I had such a laboured process. The series was just getting started and the idea of starting a new one seemed impossible. So, I did NaNoWriMo to draft this new story with nothing to lose.

This time, I've returned to my first series, The Emersus Project. I'm experiencing the highs and lows of pushing myself to write minimum 1,667 words a day. But this time I know that benefits that come with it.

Never thought I could do it
I wrote my first novel over the course of 3 years. I wrote it chapter by chapter, editing each chapter as I went. I'd make some drawings. Study each character's motivation. Then I'd reread everything before I continued. It was a laborious process (which I enjoyed). But, I was never going to be a novel writer, so it didn't matter that my 'process' was untenable.

I'm now on my 4th novel and second series. Thanks to NaNoWriMo I know that my earlier 'process' was actually just fear of failing; fear of telling people that I can't go out tonight because I'm working on my novel. I can commit to a project and pump out a draft if I need to. I have the skills and experience to go back to it and create something beautiful and fun for others to read. I got this.

Learning not to judge myself
Self-critique is part of the process. And learning how to edit your own work and 'kill your darlings' is important. However, sometimes in the creative process, it's helpful to just get it out! So often I self-censor and criticise the words before I've even written them. I agonise over whether I'm using the right word, how prosaic it should be, where I think it needs to be going. And, by the time I'm done with that 10 minutes have passed and I've already lost my train of thought.

I'm thinking of my NaNoWriMo 50k as a sketch of a novel. It's the rough draft where I've put all my ideas down on paper. I will go back afterwards and refine, redraw, discard and develop new iterations.

Great encouragement
The NaNoWriMo team produce a series of pep talks and other incredible support mechanisms when you decide to participate. I kid you not, at 10,000 words I got an email that said 'Well done' and it brought a lump to my throat. So often, as a writer, we're hidden away from our friends and family as we create. And, even when they do compliment us it goes unheard. So, having someone else cheer you on feels flipping fantastic. And the inspirational reading, advice and community support gives you a lift sometimes when  you need it most.

Discipline
The difference between a professional and a hobbyist is discipline. We all use our muse as an excuse at one time or another. But, like any other job, sometimes you've got to suck it up and get on with your work.

NaNoWriMo is a great way to practice the discipline of writing every day. You have a goal. You have a fabulous non-profit and a community of other nerds cheering you on. When are you ever going to have that opportunity in any profession? Writing is hard sometimes. Even well established authors have hard days. So, if you're serious about it, why not learn how to get through it in a fun, non-judgemental way?

Rest is important
This blog post counts towards my 50k words. I've written 27k words in 14 days and I'm on story burnout. I need to recharge. But, I still have a lot of interesting amazing stories to tell. I've even planned in time to work on my Christmas card and letter. In creative work rest and revitalisation is important. If you diversify your creative writing outlets its a great way to help get through it. Using other mediums is a great way to rest up your creative chops in another area while still beefing up your skills. It's like the gym. You're trying to build up your upper body, but don't skip leg day! It's all exercise and working towards getting fit. But you need to rest a muscle if you're working it hard.

My colleagues got me a great book for my birthday that I'm using when I feel low on story creativity. NaNoWriMo also have some really great prompts and challenges if you feel like you hit a block. It all counts towards writing 50k words in one month.

It's freaking fun
Writing is fun! Over the course of two weeks I've had so many a-ha moments! I've created a scientific formula for teleportation and invented a religion. I've had dinner with some of my favourite characters and get to run with them as they grow and change.

This month I get to spend time in one of my favourite worlds with some of my favourite people. And, afterwards I'll be able to share that adventure with other people. Yes, there will be a lot of editing before anyone else sees it. But, I'll have had an incredible month hanging out with friends.


Hope you enjoy!
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Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Mhetli in the clouds

I've drafted the first illustration from Breaking Point.

Mhetli - above it all

I first had this idea almost 2 years ago just before the launch of Book 2. On a plane to Barcelona for a litter R&R I had this vision of Mhetli in the clouds, high above the world and his problems.

At the end of Spirit Shear he needs a bit of R&R himself to recover from the beating they all got on Rheza. What better place to get away from it all than high in the sky, above the clouds, above the world?

I'm not 100% convinced of the greys that I've used for the sky. I'll probably end up doing several drafts as usual. But, I'm stilly pleased with how the book is already taking shape, both the writing and the fact that I already have so many great images in my head. This picture has captured my own sense of the vastness of a new beginning - a feeling that will be pervasive in Book 3.

Persistence and proliferation, friends!

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Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook

Understanding gender queer - NaNoWriMo 2017

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) has begun!!

The gang - ballpoint pen and colour pencil

For this National Novel Writing Month 2017, I'm returning to the Emersus Project series. I drafted the outline over a year ago but have been working on The Kelpie's Heart, the book I drafted for NaNoWriMo 2015.

Headshots of new and familiar faces

Book 3 of the Emersus Project series is provisionally titled, Breaking Point. In this book we get lots of new characters and the return of some lots of other friends. Of course Gemmy, Sem and Mhetli are back. And in this book we'll get to see a lot more of the twins, Lauta and Ilä, and Gemmy's sweetheart, Mercy.

Pol, one of Gemmy's school pals, is back. As we learned in Book 1, Pol attends the military academy. The military plays a big part in Book 3 so in the drawing above we see him in his purple cadet uniform.

The new character that I'm most excited about is Arabella. She's the new kid in town and befriends Gemmy and Sem. This bombastic red head is a character that I've wanted to explore for ages because she identifies as gender queer.

As defined in the Equality Network glossary of terms, gender queer "refers to people who identify their gender as not conforming to the traditional western model of gender as binary. They may identify their non-binary gender as a combination of aspects of men and women or alternatively as being neither men nor women."

Arabella - pencil on paper

Some who identify as gender queer prefer to use non-gender specific pronouns 'they' and 'them'. But, I'm using the pronoun 'she' for Arabella because, as the story starts, she identifies as female. However, she makes clear in the book that that's not always the case.

I haven't decided what the implications of and reactions to her gender identity will be in Arbean society. They're a culture built on logic as the rule. But I think it will reveal some interesting dynamics with Gemmy and Sem as they've both been raised in a very conservative and traditional families.

Either way, I'm so excited to have a character that will highlight some of the social topics that are close to my heart. Not only will it give the characters a chance to grow and add new depths to their relationships, it will highlight a marginalised group of people in a (hopefully) fun and cool way.

So, I won't give away too much away. But, Book 3 is coming! And it's going to be a big one!!

Hope you enjoy!
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Buy 'Black Star' or 'Spirit Shear' on Amazon in the UK and US
Check out Themo on Twitter and Facebook