sarahpotterwrites

Pursued by the Muses of prose, poetry, and music.

About Novel Writing Winter (NWW) 2013

Welcome to this page, which tells you about Novel Writing Winter (NWW),scheduled to take place from January 1 – March 20, 2013. This begins with a New Year’s Resolution to complete the first draft of a novel through the winter months.

In November, I signed up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), but backed out after a few days. You can read my ten reasons for this decision at http://sarahpotterwrites.wordpress.com/2012/11/04/reversing-lights-on-backing-out-of-the-nanowrimo-space/

If you share any of these reasons for not dashing straight up the steep slope of NaNoWriMo, but would like to commit yourself to a gentler climb, then NWW is for you.

For those who commit to this challenge, how about telling us in brief (between 50-100 words) why you want to take part in NWW and the genre into which your proposed novel fits (or doesn’t fit!). This post could take the form of a guest post on my blog or a reblog from your own site, which I’d also link to this page.

To spread the word about Novel Writing Winter (NWW), I would much appreciate if participants would display the logo above in the sidebar on the home page of their blog or their Facebook page. Please include the image and link url, plus caption (as shown below).

To insert the logo on WordPress

From left-hand drop down menu on your own blog, select widgets.
Drag and open an image widget box in your primary sidebar.
Insert image url http://sarahpotterwrites.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/novelwritingwintertrees1.jpg
Enter under image dimensions Width: 253 Height: 299.
Image alignment: None.
Insert caption — For info, left-click image.
Insert link url http://sarahpotterwrites.wordpress.com/novel-writing-winter-nww-2013/
Save.
Close.

Now get ready to party — research, plan, and prepare for lift-off on January 1, 2013. Meanwhile, why not install a “milestone widget” beneath the logo image, so you can countdown to New Year’s Day, then, when you start writing, reset your countdown to March 20.

Good luck with your research and novel planning throughout December

52 thoughts on “About Novel Writing Winter (NWW) 2013”

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Catherine Zs on 04/12/2012 at 8:31 pm said:

This is perfect! Do you mind my coming on board?

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- sarahpotterwrites on 05/12/2012 at 12:36 pm said:
  
  Catherine, I’d absolutely love to have you join in And it would be wonderful if, sometime this month, you could email me 50-100 words (as per the brief on my NWW page), and I can post it on my blog. Add any links to the post that are relevant — including the “angels” one, if you happen to have anything supernatural in your proposed novel! xox
  
  Reply ↓
Catherine Zs on 05/12/2012 at 12:46 pm said:

I’ll email you about the current book I’m working on. Thanks a million.

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Crowing Crone Joss on 07/12/2012 at 2:27 am said:

oh what a lovely idea. Would love to join in and get the novel that I kick started in November finished.

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- sarahpotterwrites on 07/12/2012 at 12:10 pm said:
  
  Really pleased you can join in, Joss:-) I think that NaNoWriMo is far too much pressure for people who already have other commitments–unless they’re capable of extreme bloody-mindedness–so thought to start something less taking but with a definite goal.
  It would be great if you could display the NWW logo (to spread the word) and write a short post about the whys and wherefores of your decision to join in.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Crowing Crone Joss on 07/12/2012 at 1:07 pm said:
    
    Thanks Sarah I will do that for sure. Thanks for setting this up, I’m all for a gentler path!
baileyboatcat on 14/12/2012 at 6:53 pm said:

What a fantastic idea! I want to write for children/young adults can I join in too?

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- sarahpotterwrites on 15/12/2012 at 3:04 pm said:
  
  I’d be delighted to have you join in And I’d love it if you could write a short post introducing yourself and what you hope to get out of joining in with NWW. Either you could post on your own blog, for me to reblog, or email me to post straight onto my blog. You can find my email address with my gravatar. Great if you could display the NWW logo on your blog, to encourage others to join us. The more the merrier.
  
  I’ve written one children’s novel, and am now trying to find an agent.
  
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peacefulpartings on 01/01/2013 at 4:43 pm said:

I have just found a meandering path to your lovely opportunity! I have not had time to think if I am ready to start off on my novel… perhaps I will be able to decide today! Much joy in the writing!

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- sarahpotterwrites on 01/01/2013 at 8:52 pm said:
  
  Life is full of random meandering paths that in hindsight you realise were meant. I say, seize the day and start writing! Hope you’ll join in with Novel Writing Winter
  
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  - peacefulpartings on 02/01/2013 at 2:45 am said:
    
    Ok, ok! I’m in already. – I want to write a novel because I love language and I love writing and they are the mediums through which I come to know and understand myself and my world. At the same time, I mostly read non-fiction. In trying to come up with a genre, I find that the fiction that I do really love could almost all be thought to have elements of magical realism. And so, there you go, so shall mine.
  - sarahpotterwrites on 05/01/2013 at 3:25 pm said:
    
    Sorry, I missed this comment. This sounds very exciting, and you’ll have loads of background information to draw upon if you’re mostly a reader of non-fiction.
    
    Do you want me to put what you’ve said here, in a brief guest post? Or would you like to write a post on your own blog about your intentions for Novel Writing Winter for me to reblog?
    
    I’ve just created a page today of participants, with everyone’s links to their blogs. And for those who’ve written NWW posts, a link to their posts. I’ll keep this up-dated as and when. It seemed a good route for participants to check out each other’s blogs
    
    Happy writing.
Catherine Zs on 01/01/2013 at 10:24 pm said:

Well, I’m going to have to cheat a little here. I’m half way through my first draft of a children’s novel. As of today I will try to get at least a chapter done per two days.
I’ve bookmarked this page so I can come back to spur people on and to be spurred on. Thank Sarah for a wonderful push to get me back on track.

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- sarahpotterwrites on 02/01/2013 at 6:04 pm said:
  
  Not cheating at all! I’ll put up your guest post as soon as I can, so everybody can see what you’re working on Thanks for your enthusiasm for NWW!
  
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cecilia on 02/01/2013 at 3:02 pm said:

How exciting.. What an excellent idea. I would love to join if I may. Winter is when I have the time to write and it would be great to have support. I have a little sustainable farm with a daily blog that keeps me very busy in the summer, and only a little busy in the winter so I am a cold weather writer. I shall put something in writing for you very soon and I look forward to reading what your other people are saying as well. many thanks for a grand idea.. c

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- sarahpotterwrites on 02/01/2013 at 5:58 pm said:
  
  Hi Cecilia, I’m very pleased you want to join in with NWW and look forward to some more info on your project:-)
  
  What a wonderful job you have with a sustainable farm. At long last we arrived at the top of the waiting list for an allotment at the end of the summer, so are looking forward to some fresh-from-the-ground produce this year.
  
  Reply ↓
  - cecilia on 02/01/2013 at 6:14 pm said:
    
    I love allotment gardening, I look forward to hearing more about that! c
Joseph Humphreys on 02/01/2013 at 7:24 pm said:

I’m in Thanks for setting this up Sarah: you’re a star!

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- sarahpotterwrites on 02/01/2013 at 9:26 pm said:
  
  A star! Thanks Joseph for visiting my blog. I’m glad to declare my novel writing block of one year’s duration is now unblocked. My new work in progress has taken a hold of me in the first two days of its life, and holds me in its thrall
  
  Reply ↓
Catherine Zs on 02/01/2013 at 9:45 pm said:

Got just over 1000 words down today. Thanks for the motivation Sarah! Yes, you really are a star.

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Merridy on 03/01/2013 at 4:58 am said:

I want to join in.. Am I too late?

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- sarahpotterwrites on 03/01/2013 at 11:27 am said:
  
  Hi Merridy, I’d love to have join in Welcome on board for what I see as fun work.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Merridy on 04/01/2013 at 4:51 am said:
    
    Yea!!! Now how to get started!!! I have to figure out what kind of novel to write first!!! LOL
  - sarahpotterwrites on 04/01/2013 at 10:30 am said:
    
    Hi Merridy, there are four questions you could start out by asking yourself:
    
    1. What sort of novel do you enjoy reading the most?
    2. What do you feel passionate about in life?
    3. Is there a novel you yearn to read, but nobody has written it yet?
    4. Do you have any short stories with novel potential? Many published writers have turned earlier short pieces into novels with great success.
  - Merridy on 06/01/2013 at 4:15 am said:
    
    You are awesome Sarah.. I have many books started but have never finished,, I am actually taking an early work and creating the next chapter to it
LadyBlueRose's Thoughts Into Words on 03/01/2013 at 5:44 pm said:

I would love to join y’all if I may…
I just found you on CCJ’s page…and as I am attempting to get enthused about going to work, I will read more when I get off tonight…
This is a wonderful ideal…not sure I have a novel in me, but I think I would like to see
Thank you for this….I too joined NaNoWriMo or however it is spelled
Thanks again!
Take Care…
You Matter…
)0(
ladyblue

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- sarahpotterwrites on 03/01/2013 at 10:08 pm said:
  
  Of course you may join us on our exciting quest:-) If you’ve written short stories, then you know how to weave a tale, which means it’s possible you have a novel in you!
  
  A first draft of a novel can simply be the bare bones, with a beginning, middle, and end. It need not even reach the 50,000-word mark (which is the minimum wordcount for a novel). The extra words can come in later drafts, like building up the layers of a painting after the basic priming of the canvas. One of the reasons I didn’t do NaNoWriMo in the end, was that I didn’t want to rush my thinking and trip over myself in the race to reach some magical figure at the detriment of the story. Every now and then I believe in taking pauses to listen to what my fictional characters have to say to me.
  
  Reply ↓
Mary DeKok Blowers on 08/01/2013 at 1:43 pm said:

I’d love to join you–referred by Joss. I’m not sure what genre you’d call my novel, started in November. I have almost 14000 words of sort of stream of consciousness autobiography–on NaNoWriMo I called it a “docu-novel” as I was planning to incorporate nutritional education into the novel. That may still happen, but the novel is evolving into an exploration of my own life and my re-imagination of how to improve it.

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- sarahpotterwrites on 08/01/2013 at 4:48 pm said:
  
  Hi Mary. Welcome to Novel Writing Winter, and great to have you join us:-) Your docu-novel sounds both most original. Nutrition is a subject that fascinates me, especially as part of a holistic approach to health. I look forward to hearing more, and will check out your blog.
  
  Reply ↓
  - Mary DeKok Blowers on 08/01/2013 at 5:07 pm said:
    
    Thanks–do I need to do anything else to join? How do I post your logo on Facebook?
  - sarahpotterwrites on 08/01/2013 at 5:32 pm said:
    
    That’s an interesting question. I guess by right-clicking on the logo image in my sidebar and then clicking on copy image. Perhaps you’d let me know if this works. If not, I’ll have to do a bit of research and come back to you.
    
    The alternative is to click on the facebook share button on my About Novel Writing Winter page, when you’ll be given an option to add a comment. When you post you post your comment, the logo image should be displayed automatically by facebook, along with the link to my page.
  - sarahpotterwrites on 08/01/2013 at 5:43 pm said:
    
    Sorry, I forgot to answer your first question. There’s no official route to joining–only gentle commitment to a goal. Other than that, I’d be very happy for you to write a brief guest post about what you hope to achieve during NWW and, perhaps, a little bit of info about your background. If you decide to do this, you could send what you want posted to sarahpotterwrites@gmail and I’ll put it up on my blog.
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dearrosie on 28/01/2013 at 6:06 pm said:

What a brilliant idea to spread it out over 3 months! I also tried the NaNoWriMo last year and dropped out after 5 days.

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- sarahpotterwrites on 29/01/2013 at 2:13 pm said:
  
  Yes, I signed up for NaNoWriMo and lasted 1 day. It just seemed to me that main emphasis was upon wordcount, rather than writing content. I may not make it in 3 months with NWW, but I see it as a positive beginning to the year — to start a new project and lay down the markers for completing it.
  
  Reply ↓
  - dearrosie on 29/01/2013 at 5:58 pm said:
    
    I lasted 5 days.
    I like Steven King’s approach to writing – I think he has to do 1,000 words a day before he can go play….
    Hey perhaps I’ll join you on Feb 1! I’m struggling with after effects of dental surgery right now and won’t be able to do much writing…
  - sarahpotterwrites on 29/01/2013 at 6:19 pm said:
    
    Ouch, teeth. One sort of loves them and hates them all at once. Maintaining them is also not good for the bank balance.
    
    Hope you make a quick recovery from your surgery. Toothpastes and mouthwashes containing Aloe Vera or Neem are super-healing and soothing.
    
    Lovely if you could join in with NWW in Feb
  - dearrosie on 29/01/2013 at 6:21 pm said:
    
    I’ve seen toothpastes with Neem at WholeFoods but they are so expensive!
  - sarahpotterwrites on 29/01/2013 at 6:24 pm said:
    
    Try Amazon!
  - dearrosie on 29/01/2013 at 6:35 pm said:
    
    Thanks.
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