Skip to content

Squirrel Talk

Nutty Chitter from a Caffeinated Critter

Menu
  • Books
    • Niniers Series
    • Cera Chronicles
    • Anthologies
  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
Menu

NaNo Here I Go #IWSG

Posted on November 7, 2018November 6, 2018 by Loni Townsend

November kicked off pretty well on the writing front. If you’re not familiar with NaNoWriMo, it’s where people everywhere try to write 50K in 30 days. This is my 7th year going for it, and though I failed the past two years, I think I’ll make it this year. Why? Because this year, I have a plan. I took the time to map out all the scenes I’d need to take me from beginning to end of book 3, that way I’m not having to mess with the timeline post-writing like I did with Isto. I’ve already deviated, but I’m not worried since all the big coinciding events happen later in the book. Want to see my progress? Here’s the badge!

So you might wonder, with me keeping pace with where I should be, how am I insecure? Well, this book is different from the other books. Unlike its two predecessors, it isn’t linear. It changes based on POV from present day, 5 days ago, 5 years ago, and 25 years ago. They all converge eventually into present day about halfway through the book. It’s the way the story has always been in my head. But will it work? Will my tension suffer because of it? Guess I won’t know until I finish writing it.

IWSG Question of the Month – How has your creativity in life evolved since you began writing?

Well, not sure if this counts for the question, but I’ve gotten better at drawing my characters from the writing. Despite my mind being thick with the characters of book 3, my sketching is still in book 2. Here’s my latest work:

I’m still learning, practicing, improving. I’ve changed Derek’s hair style and focused on making him more masculine while keeping the comic flare. You can compare to my previous versions.

About Insecure Writer’s Support Group
Insecure Writers Support Group Badge
You can find the sign up for the IWSG here. We owe Alex J Cavanaugh a huge thank you for thinking this blog hop up.

Do you NaNo? Have you ever written a non-linear story? What do you think of my latest artwork?

34 thoughts on “NaNo Here I Go #IWSG”

  1. Erika Beebe says:
    November 7, 2018 at 5:07 AM

    Your creative talents are really wonderful. I do love the color and Derek’s new hair. I wish you luck this month. I’ve never tried Nano. For now, I write too slow. I can’t wait to hear more about how the story comes to life for you. Happy IWSG Day πŸ™‚

    Reply
  2. Angela Wooldridge says:
    November 7, 2018 at 5:33 AM

    I think with timelines like that you need have your plot in good shape, or nano would send you over the edge! (Looks like you’ve got it sussed though πŸ˜‰ )
    Good luck with nano, happy writing πŸ™‚

    Reply
  3. Alex J. Cavanaugh says:
    November 7, 2018 at 6:31 AM

    Nice sketch!
    That’s a lot of timelines to juggle. But if it works in your head, you can make it work on paper.
    Keep after that NaNo win.

    Reply
  4. Melissa Maygrove says:
    November 7, 2018 at 6:54 AM

    Go, go, go!

    Reply
  5. Elsie says:
    November 7, 2018 at 7:09 AM

    Oh, my, gosh! Your drawing is amazing! Is it bad to admit that am I bit jealous? I know I’ve said this before but I can’t even hang a picture straight in my house let alone draw something. Just amazing! Glad to hear you’re off to a great start. Keep it up!!

    Elsie

    Reply
  6. Madeline Mora-Summonte says:
    November 7, 2018 at 7:10 AM

    Look at that awesome word count! Keep at it! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  7. CD Gallant-King says:
    November 7, 2018 at 8:09 AM

    Great artwork! And congrats on even ATTEMPTING NaNo. You are a brave, and sounds like, prepared, woman, so you will do well! That next book will fall in no time. πŸ˜‰

    Reply
  8. L. Diane Wolfe says:
    November 7, 2018 at 8:20 AM

    I’ve always wanted to do NaNo.

    Just keep writing. It’ll come together in the end.

    Reply
  9. Sarah Brentyn says:
    November 7, 2018 at 8:39 AM

    I didn’t know you were participating in NaNo this year. Gah! I’ve still never tried it. Seems like you’ve got a good plan so… Go for it. Good luck and, win or “lose”, you’ve won because you’ll get some major work done. Also, love the characters. πŸ™‚

    Reply
  10. M.J. Fifield says:
    November 7, 2018 at 9:30 AM

    Hooray for that word count! That’s awesome!

    My NaNo project is Book 3 of my fantasy series, so I’m just trying to work my way through my storyboard and get something down for all of those planned scenes marked ‘Not Yet Started’. I’m sure there’s far more than 50,000 words in there somewhere.

    And I love your character sketchesβ€”I wish I had your artistic skill. They’re just fantastic.

    Reply
  11. Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor says:
    November 7, 2018 at 10:11 AM

    Great illustration! The multiple POVs and time shifts sound like a lot to keep track of. I don’t know if I’ve got the guts to go for multiple POVs, let alone time shifts, anytime soon. Good luck with NaNo. I signed up but I’m so behind in my wordcount.

    Reply
  12. andrea franco cook says:
    November 7, 2018 at 10:42 AM

    Here from Alex’s blog. Let me begin by saying, “Wow!” your picture is amazing. If you ever decide to go into business making book covers let me know. You’ve got talent kiddo.

    Reply
  13. C.G.Coppola says:
    November 7, 2018 at 11:01 AM

    Beautiful picture, as usual! And Hey, as long as it makes sense in your brain, you’ve got to write it that way. It’s your vision/story after all πŸ™‚

    PS good luck with Nano!

    Reply
  14. Anna says:
    November 7, 2018 at 11:35 AM

    I love your NaNo plan and I’m sure you’ll win this year. And… and that pic is awesome. Beautiful and awesome. I love it so much that I could go on for several repetitive pages. πŸ™‚

    Anna from elements of emaginette

    Reply
  15. Raimey Gallant says:
    November 7, 2018 at 12:43 PM

    Oh darn it. I thought it was 30K in 50 days, or at least that’s what I WISH it was. πŸ˜‰ I’ve given up on 50K already, and I’m aiming for 30. Wish me luck! Your timeline for the new project sounds really interesting, and I wish you the best with that as well. πŸ™‚ http://www.raimeygallant.com

    Reply
  16. H.R. Sinclair says:
    November 7, 2018 at 1:38 PM

    Oooo, your Nano project sounds delightful! I love when things move around like than and then come together.

    Reply
  17. Roland R Clarke says:
    November 7, 2018 at 2:00 PM

    Wonderful paintings – beats using sort-of photos for characters. Great to see such a good NaNo word count – planning has always worked for my wins in previous years.

    Reply
  18. ChemistKen says:
    November 7, 2018 at 2:17 PM

    Even if the tension suffers, you’ll still be able to go back and add more as needed. The important thing is to finish.

    I hope you’ll still have time to read over my chapters during NaNo. Good luck with the writing.

    Reply
  19. Arlee Bird says:
    November 7, 2018 at 3:43 PM

    A lot of times I don’t like non-linear storytelling, but when it’s done right then I think it can be very effective. That approach can get very confusing to a reader or viewer when there is not enough clarity.

    Good luck!

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    Reply
  20. Sarah Foster says:
    November 7, 2018 at 3:59 PM

    Good luck with NaNo! I like the structure of your book. I’ve got a story idea that will involve different POVs and different timelines, so complicated story structure never bothers me.

    Reply
  21. Yvonne Lewis says:
    November 7, 2018 at 4:13 PM

    I have never done NaNo, must give it a try sometime. I must say I enjoyed your post very much.

    Yvonne.

    Reply
  22. Jennifer Hawes says:
    November 7, 2018 at 4:50 PM

    Good luck! I love doing NaNo. It’s the push I need to crank my story out into the real world.

    Reply
  23. Jeri says:
    November 7, 2018 at 6:38 PM

    That’s great to hear that you’ve planned in advance and are making great progress. You’ve got this!

    Reply
  24. Juneta Key says:
    November 7, 2018 at 7:46 PM

    So much talent. Love your artwork. Happy IWSG Day.

    Reply
  25. Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine says:
    November 7, 2018 at 8:13 PM

    I enjoy seeing your artwork and drawings.

    Reply
  26. Natalie Aguirre says:
    November 8, 2018 at 6:21 AM

    Sounds like an interesting story. And you have a great plan for this month. Good luck!

    Reply
  27. C. Lee McKenzie says:
    November 8, 2018 at 9:19 AM

    I loved the picture of your characters! What a great cast you have.

    Reply
  28. Liz A. says:
    November 8, 2018 at 12:44 PM

    Non-linear stories can be really magical if done right. If you’ve got it all mapped out, you should be fine. Good luck with NaNo.

    Reply
  29. Joleene Naylor says:
    November 8, 2018 at 2:09 PM

    Love it! And good look with NaNo!

    Reply
  30. Cheryl says:
    November 10, 2018 at 6:07 AM

    The nonlinear plan sounds intriguing. And — yay: PostIt notes. Congratulations on taking on NaNoWriMo!

    Reply
  31. Christine Rains says:
    November 13, 2018 at 10:24 AM

    Awesome characters! You’re doing great with NaNo! I’m cheering you on! πŸ™‚

    Reply
  32. J.H. Moncrieff says:
    November 27, 2018 at 7:36 PM

    I love your artwork. Plus, unless I’m mistaken, don’t you make incredible costumes for your children too? That definitely counts.

    Whenever I’ve popped in on you re: NaNo, you’ve been doing well. You’re so close to the finish line. No time for insecurity–you’ve totally got this!

    Reply
  33. Karen Lynn says:
    December 5, 2018 at 2:40 PM

    I’m late to the party, but I see you won. Congratulations!

    Reply
  34. Sherry Ellis says:
    December 12, 2018 at 9:42 AM

    That’s great that you plotted out your story before starting the challenge. Hope it made a difference!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to my blog. I post here on Wednesdays most of the time, but you can find me on social media any day of the week. My topics include my stories and writing, life at the Town's End, creating and tinkering with graphics, things I learn and think might be helpful to others, and the occasional amateur photo. Thanks for stopping by! I hope to see you around.

Get Social!

Follow Me on FacebookFollow Me on TwitterFollow Me on FlickrFollow Me on InstagramFollow Me on PinterestFollow Me on RSSFollow Me on GoodreadsEmail Me!Follow Me on DeviantArt

Recent Posts

  • Keep On Marching On #IWSG
  • Got You Covered #IWSG
  • Welcome 2023! #IWSG
  • Progress Made #IWSG
  • No NaNo for Me #IWSG

By clicking submit, you agree to share your email address with me and Mailchimp to receive my blog posts via emails. Don't worry, I only post about once a month. Use the unsubscribe link in the email to opt out at any time.

Processing…
Success! You're on the list.
Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Categories

Books and Anthologies

© 2023 Squirrel Talk | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme