It's NaNoWriMo Time!!

So, as I mentioned in my last post, I am participating in this year's NaNoWriMo! This is my first year of participating, and between me and you, I'm super nervous/excited about it. For those who don't know, I'm basically, (Everybody doing it is also,) trying to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. If I do it, I will get a certificate, a winner's badge for my blog, be put on the winner's list, and also have a full book that will take me months of revisions to get ready for submission. Sounds crazy right? I'm just crazy enough to think it's fun!

Those who know me, know that I NEVER outline before writing a story. My muse just doesn't work that way. She says that there are too many plot bunnies out to get her, so she refuses to give me her plan. (I really believe she doesn't have one and is just winging it, but I digress. LOL) 

So, I picked my NaNo project from a list I've been writing for years. The idea is one I've been kicking around for around 2yrs. I'm super excited about it too. While talking with my hubby, who I am doing NaNo with (Big round of applause for him for writing his first book! Super proud wife!) I sat down and wrote a character outline. It shocked me that I actually did it. The thing I realized was that I actually needed it! This little list of character traits will help in the long run.

Come back around in a week or two for a taste. Also, stop by before then because I just might have a few surprises on here. How many of you are doing NaNo? Do you make outlines or fly by the seat of your pants like me? What is your writing method? I'd love to hear how others work.

Happy writing everybody! And good luck to all of those doing NaNo this year!!

...About the plot bunnies

I find myself sitting here in my little apartment writing my first blog and realizing that I need to explain about my blog's title.  It is a funny story really.  My husband loves reading fan fiction and is always hitting up his favorite site in search of new updates.  When said updates aren't available immediately it is not unheard of for him to go around complaining about those "Dang Plot Bunnies!"

The first time I heard about these plot bunnies I asked the normal question of what he was talking about?  He just looked at me and smiled saying that it was what one of his favorite authors said.  When I inquired further he gave me this explanation:

Picture this in your mind. A ball of dust under your bed that is normally referred to as a dust bunny.  Well if you are a writer those said dust bunnies are little tiny plots waiting under the bed to POP out just to distract you from the story you were currently working on. When these plot bunnies do this you are forced to put down your current project and start working on the new idea that just popped into your head. This causes projects to be delayed or to be never finished.

When I asked him again where he got this he said that the author he was referring to would put this at the end of their updated story as an explanation as to why a story wasn't finished or why they had started a new one when the old one was still incomplete.

After thinking about this for a while and laughing about it every time I pictured little bunnies dressed as Rambo waiting under my bed just to give me another idea I decided that this was a good way to explain things.  My husband loves when I write and always complains when I mention I have a new idea.  Now I know that it is normal for writers to have multiple plots at one time. I also now know who we have to blame for those multiple plots too. Dang you plot bunnies!