Wednesday, September 28, 2011

NaBloWriMo 2011

So October is SATURDAY, right?  I haven't heard much hype on this this year, and I'm not sure why. This was the first big blog event I participated in back in 2009, and my first cluster of new followers (you know... besides my friends I begged to follow me). I guess there are a couple really great things about this activity, and all of them make it a great one for October, so I am presenting my case in the hope YOU will join, too...

First though, I should probably tell you WHAT it is... NaBloWriMo stands for National Blog Writing Month and people who participate commit to writing a blog post every day for a month. WHY would you do that? Well see, it's like this...


1)  Daily Writing Habit: A lot of people need a bit of a push to write more regularly, and this is a nice way to get going—a group activity where you've committed to a daily blog. It doesn't need to be LONG, but getting into the habit can be good for #2...

2)  Good Prep for NaNoWriMo... You think BLOGGING every day is big, you oughta write a book in 30 days! But strangely, the habit... both the habit of daily writing, and the habit of following through on a commitment FOLLOWS...

3)  It is a good exercise in goal setting and planning. Surely, unless you live in a wind tunnel or mysterious vortex, there are going to be good days and bad days. It is good practice for scheduling a couple ahead.... it is a good practice for being scrappy and pulling something together ANYWAY... It is just a good practice at coming ACROSS as consistent, even if life persists in being unpredictable...

4)  It's a fun, interactive event—Now I am making some assumptions here, but in past years, the sidebar to the NaBloWriMo blog has had all the participants, so it was easy to meet others who were doing it—a great way to meet some new bloggers.

5)  It's a great tradition—some great people do this. They are fun and friendly. But besides that, it sort of sets off a marathon for me each year... NaBloWriMo, NaNoWriMo, prep for ABNA, ABNA...


As to what I will do differently around here to add weekends to my routine...

I've noticed I have a LOT of friends who've had book releases this fall... a lot more than made my guest list. So I am going to use weekends, at least partially, to share some new books by people we all know. I ALSo have intentions to change my recommended BOOKS page to just a recommendations page. It will include links to fellow bloggers who EDIT (as a business), as we have a few, and I will make an attempt to get my book recommendations up to snuff—I don't update nearly as often as I should.

And when all else fails, I can post llama pictures... I never get tired of llama pictures...

So Who's In?

Go let them know!

18 comments:

Angela said...

You're brave. I might consider it if the A-Z hadn't burned me out.

Not Hannah said...

Obviously, I'm in. And I luff you.

Just thought you should know.

Unknown said...

Hard for me to commit because I will be traveling half way across the world this October to meet my son for the first time :) Rest assured though, I will be blogging the whole trip!

Hart Johnson said...

Angela-this doesn't have as many participants, so it's not quite as HUGE to do, even if it's more days...

Heather, I luff you back!

Siv-you know, two years ago Mari did it when she was traveling---if you had a few posts READY for days you couldn't write... Still, very glad you get to meet your son!

lisahgolden said...

I'm going to do NaNo again this year. In the meantime, this 30 Day Photography challenge is making me write daily and it's been good for me. I didn't think about that side benefit when I decided to do it - I was looking for easy inspiration.

Ronald L. Smith said...

Sounds very interesting. I should probably do it, but I don't know if I can come up with anything worthwhile to post about each day!

Good luck if you do it.

Jan Morrison said...

Oh, I think October is tooooooooo busy for me but I might change my mind. I do all the time. Our dear Trungpa Rinpoche (Tibetan Buddhist Tulku) was asked once in a talk why he had changed his mind on a certain subject. He looked at the questioner, giggled and said, "because I have a mind to change!"
I love that.

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Not this time. Things are too crazy for me right now.

Krista McLaughlin said...

Llamas... I agree, you can always stare at them because they make such funny faces. :)

Heather Savage said...

Seriously, my daughter wanted to have a llama birthday party. They are awesome.
I'm going to try to blog more, as it's been I've been writing more than blogging and I never know if I should make my blog more business like or more personal. It's hard to figure out which side to show, you know?
I found you on linkedin so I'm just taking a sec to share with you (you mentioned side editing and book releases) my company site. We edit, offer reviews, and release books. I have one I'm going to put out soon that I would love a fresh read on if you know any reviewers I don't. Hate to keep feeding the same reviewers, the same author tends to get stale.
I hear you on constant writing, I wrote 8 books in 18 months. Exhausting but so fun!

Hart Johnson said...

Lisa-another good prep option!

Ron-no reason you need to be interesting! erm... Seriously, though, if you pick a couple sub themes, it can be easier.

Jan-teehee--I like that... Minds really DO change well, don't they?

Mary-uh oh!

Krista-YAY for llama solidarity!

Heather-welcome! I think that blog decision is personal. I couldn't keep up a blog AND write AND work my day job if I tried to be 'professional' all the time, but then I'm not selling editing services (though I have editing buddies who have blogs that are both personal AND professional)

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I need my weekends away from the blog. To do this would reduce me into a gelatinous life form with no skeletal structure whatsoever. Would you like that to happen to me? I didn't think so. Your understanding is duly noted and appreciated. May the fleas of llamas and camels alike somehow miss your dwelling.

Southpaw said...

Not for me this year, I'm still realling from the A-Z challenge!

CA Heaven said...

I always fail when I try to follow a tight writing schedule, so there's probably useless for me to try once more >:)

Cold As Heaven

Helena said...

So maybe everyone knows this poem by Ogden Nash:
A one-l lama, he's a priest,
A two-l llama, he's a beast,
And I will bet a silk pajama
There isn't any three-l lllama.

By the way, a friend who worked at the zoo told me llamas can really projectile spit, so you've gotta be nice to them.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

It was fun last year, but decided not to do it this year. Still debating on NaNoWriMo as well.

Hart Johnson said...

Oh, come on, people! Where's your sense of adventure!?

Helena, that poem made me snort... luckily I didn;t have any oats in my mouth, or they might have come out my nose... ewwwwww.

Anonymous said...

I'm in!!! heading over there now to figure out how to sign up!
Woot!!!!