National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

November is National Novel Writing Month. If you are not familiar with this, it is a "fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30." That's right, write a novel in 30 days! Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo has written a great guidebook (shown above) to help you get through the month with your sanity (somewhat) intact— No Plot? No Problem! His notion of giving yourself a deadline is what really sticks out in my mind (and, basically, is the whole concept of the 30 day novel). 50K words in 30 days breaks down to approximately 1,600+K words a day. The book is very inspiring, and even if you choose not to participate in NaNoWriMo it will still give you the kick in the pants you might need to finally start that long put off novel you've always dreamt of writing. I cut it in third and wrote the 50K of my second book in 90 days—still fast. You just have to write every day and not give yourself any excuses. I was able to write 500-600 words a day and still get everything else I needed to do accomplished.

Click on the image of the book to visit NaNoWriMo's official website. You still have time to sign up!

Chick-Lit Meets Intellectual Porn

“Writing with a mind-blowing commitment to honesty, inducing multiple orgasms, even from Eunuchs.” With a promise like that, how can one resist reading further? Newcomer Laure Dixon is sure to make her mark on the literary world with her memoir THE EDGE OF PASSION.

“...Laure Dixon leads her readers on a series of authentic, sensual adventures across international time zones and through unfathomable sexual scenarios involving business moguls, government agents and married men. Her boundary pushing and chutzpah will lure male and female readers as she embraces humor amid some deeply sad, and at times frightening, real life drama.”

Laure is currently seeking an agent. If a beautiful young woman with a sexy memoir can’t land an agent, then there’s no hope for any of us writers!

Check out her blog to read the complete synopsis and an excerpt from THE EDGE OF PASSION:
Laure Dixon

Rejected!

I heard from the agent who had the first 100 pages of my manuscript. As you probably deduced from the title of this post, the news wasn't so good. Here is her response:

"Many thanks for sending Into the Sunset, but I'm sorry to say I didn't like the writing. 

"Please know that my strategy is to go with what I like, and my response to a manuscript isn't always a reflection of what publishers are looking for.

"Thanks again for giving me an opportunity to consider your work."

OK, so the line about not liking the writing threw me for a second. I've been exposed for the fraud that I am! Why did I ever think I could write in the first place?! But I have confidence in my writing. Maybe she didn't like the humor, or the first-person narration. Maybe it wasn't "literary" enough. It is what it is: a mainstream comedy with jokes about sex, the workplace, jealousy, sex, toilet paper, hemorrhoids, centaurs, spying, more sex. Hell, what's not to like? It's pop, it's funny, it's a quick read. I'd buy it if I saw it in a book store.

Time to send out some more query letters...

Still Waiting...

The first 100 pages of my novel "Into the Sunset" has been with an agent for two weeks now. While I await her response I have suspended sending out any more query letters. Meanwhile, I received a rejection form Jonathan Ames' agent, who I thought would have been a good fit. Here is the rejection letter:

"Thank you for submitting information on your manuscript.

"Unfortunately, we are not accepting any new clients at this time, but we wish you every success with your writing career."

Now, back to waiting...