Eve of the Gods--NaNo 2011-12 Prep

October 23: Letter to Self

Dear Self,

You've tried NaNo a lot, haven't you? And you've only won once. That one year you wrote with someone else, no less, and had only 25k to write for yourself. I know, college got in the way and then work, when Starbucks owned your soul five-days-a-week and exhaustion the other two. But now it's time! You've taken your life back from food-service hell and life is grand.

This is the year to do it! You've got a great idea, you know? Of course you know, or else you wouldn't take such joy in explaining it to people, adding detail after detail to the world you've created until you understand it more than you understand your own. Your characters, whether new-created or mythological in nature, are real and you feel as if you know them. And you do know them! So just allow them to speak for themselves. Allow the world you know so well to flow from your fingers.

Now, I know you, girl. You are going to want to edit and perfect every little thing you write before you post it anywhere. But don't you dare do that this year! Just get the damn words out. Yes, all 50k of them! Get them the hell outta your head and write down the story before your characters take a vacation up into the Twilight or out to Lucifer's villa and you're stuck with Mia and Laras arguing for months. Not that you don't love them (they're glaring at you right now, aren't they?), but they'll never let Lyn and Lucifer and Hermes back into your life if you don't shut them up. And you know it.

As for Conrad and Lilith. Keep it subtle. You know that's not your strong suit. It's the years of historian-ing, I know. You've been told to just make your point and back it up with research, but NaNo is the perfect opportunity to try it! Just get it down and get it out. Then you can shelve the damn project, take a writing course, and edit the fuck out of it until it's good enough to publish. Which it will be. You know you've got the chops. You've just got to develop the patience and learn to understand the finer workings of editing. Remember that Madeline story you wrote? The one you actually finished and not the one that's been sitting for years in your port staring at you in the face because Mia and Laras won't let Madeleine back in? You only decided you like it 4 years after you wrote the damn thing, and that's a short story!

Bottom line is, do not get discouraged. Do not stop to edit every little thing you don't like. Do NOT go back and read what you have written. Sit down, write your 2000 words and be done. Take Saturdays off to spend with your boyfriend and a good book. Do NOT obsess about this story.

And when it's done, go visit Jimmy and Nate. They've been waiting for almost six months now, and they'll be the perfect distraction. Come November 30th, you're not going to even want to hear the word god, much less write about them, and historical fiction will be just the way to soothe yourself.

Now, December 1st. It's a Thursday, so you'll probably be working, but do make sure to treat yourself to some awesome Mexican food and a shot of Jameson. Maybe some Ben and Jerry's. I know you like ice cream. But most important of all: DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT WRITING. After 30 days, if I find out you spend December 1st writing, I will force you to listen to Mia and Laras not only fight, but the only thing you'll want to write about is their amazingly angry make-up sex. And you know how long that'll take.

So butch up, don't read your writing, write 2000 words a day, and don't look at the thing for at least a month after NaNo. Come Jan 1st, you'll like the thing again and can begin editing. Also, sorry about your other NaNo novel. I know it's got potential, though, so don't give up on it. You've just gotta figure out Connor, right, and everything'll be fine.

Love ya!
-You