Betty's Tips - Nov/Dec 2016

Dear Readers,

This year I couldn’t be more ready for NaNoWriMo. The writer’s survival kit was prepared for the 50,000-word month-long write-a-thon. The Bethlehem Writers Groupsuggested showing progress by filling a jar in intervals with sand for every thousand words written. The quart Mason jar marked with fill-lines set upon the window ledge before me. TheWriter’s Roadmap Scene cards for Finnie Fennel and the Cabbage Caper were pinned to the Scrivener corkboard, and the Charactersketches posted beneath them. Lastly, “Always end a writing session only when you know what’s next,” stuck to the wall at eye level.

At midnight, I plunged into NaNoWriMo with a zeal. Thanks to plotting last month, I sailed through chapters. Every time I lapsed into the old habit of editing instead of writing freely, seeing Fast Fiction: A Guide to Outlining and Writing a First Draft Novel in Thirty Daysat an arm’s reach away kept me on track. Each day began on a new scene, and by the beginning of the fourth week, the sand almost topped the jar. However, fatigue created lack of focus, and leg cramps kept forcing me out of the chair more frequently. Anything could derail my progress.

The proverbial nickel on the tracks stepped through the front door Thanksgiving morning. Mother arrived laden with grocery bags, and pulling a suitcase. My thoughts turned from how Finnie Fennel would apprehend the thieving garden gnomes, to readying the guest room for company. She knows I needed to cram every moment until 11:59 PM on November 30^th to fulfill the writing goal. She heard the mantra countless times. What was she thinking? But before the story scene evaporated from my imagination, circumstances flipped on its end once more.

She explained the reason for her unannounced arrival, or at least unbeknownst to me, while removing groceries from the sacks. My husband knew I would regret missing our traditional Thanksgiving. Deli sliced turkey sandwiches are no comparison to a home-cooked meal. He wished to surprise me with roasted turkey and all the fixings by having her cook, allowing me to continue writing.

Mother approached the desk and placed beside the keyboard a copy of Write Your Novel in a Month: How to Complete a First Draft in 30 Days and What to Do Next. She tapped the cover and warned, “Don’t look at this book until December.”

Bless her heart. She does listen to my rants. On this holiday season, I’m most thankful for family who has more confidence in my abilities than I have in myself.

Happy writing and happy holidays,

Betty Wryte-Goode

Betty Wryte-Goode is a writer and mother who lives in the Lehigh Valley. Her passions include writing, reading, shopping, gardening, and exploring the internet. Betty is always looking for writing tips, so if you have any you would like to share, please send them to her through our Submissions/Contacts page.