Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Register Now!

Hello again!

It's October 12, and now's the time to register on the NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program website! The web address once again is http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/.

I myself have found the site to be helpful for several reasons. Registering gives you the chance to post a summary and an excerpt of your novel for other writers to read. You can set your word-count goal and easily keep track of how many words you've written. You can find friends who are also participating in NaNoWriMo and add them as "buddies" so you can keep track of their word-count progress. You can access the forums, which allow you to ask other writers for help with character crises and plot problems.

And as if all that wasn't enough, for several years, registered NaNoWriMo participants who have reached their word-count goals by midnight on November 30 have received a FREE copy of their manuscript in paperback book form, courtesy of NaNoWriMo's sponsor CreateSpace. As of right now, we don't know if CreateSpace will continue that tradition, but even the possibility is reason enough for me to sign up. Go ahead, click on the link above. And be sure to add me as a buddy!

~Lyla Calm

Are You Ready?

Howdy to my fellow youth writers out there!

The title says it all: Are you ready for NaNoWriMo this year? Have you chosen your characters and determined a plot? What about a title? Or are you just going to wing it this year? Either way, I encourage you to attend the National Novel Writing Month meetings at Bowman Library. The meetings will be held on Tuesday nights from 6pm-7pm throughout the month of November, starting on November 1st. The meetings are an opportunity to spend time with fellow writers and get inspired by those who are doing the challenge alongside you. Also, you can find out more information about the NaNoWriMo Young Writer's Program at http://ywp.nanowrimo.org/. So, what are you waiting for? Mark your calendars and get ready for a fantastic month of non-stop writing!

~Lyla Calm