Beautiful Books: NaNoWriMo Edition

Beautiful Books is a feature for writers by the glorious Cait of Paper Fury, which is clearly the best blog other than mine (haha). This round of beautiful people is focused on NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, of which I am a participant writing draft 1 of Bisexual Bookish Novel.

1. Overall, how is your mental state, and how is your novel going?

This is my mental state:

But in reality I think the novel is going well. As of the writing of this post, I have about 8,000 words, which means I've been clocking in at about 2,000 words per day, which is pretty good. However, my mental state is a bit head desk, and I am freaking out internally because HOW AM I GOING TO THINK OF 42,000 MORE WORDS?!?!?!?!?! But also there is excitement because I didn't quit after day two like I usually do.

2. What's your favorite sentence (or paragraph)?

The first one:

"When I get out, the first thing I notice is the sun."

Don't ask me why I like it so much. It's so banal.


3. Who's your current favorite character in your novel?

Probably my MC's love interest, Beck, who is a questioningly bisexual cellist. She is very talkative and worries about the MC a lot and is very happy they are going to the same college together in the fall (as of now).


4. What do you love about your novel so far?

How bookish and bisexual it is. There are going to be 2 female love interests, and the MC is a book blogger, and her mom is an editor for a small publishing company.

5. Have you made any hilarious typos or other mistakes?

Well, my MC has breakfast for four pages in chapter four because there's so much going on in her head, but I'm not as good at the outside stuff in a first draft, so that amused me a lot.

6. What is your favorite to write: beginning, middle, or end--and why?

I think I'll like getting to the middle because it's where the actions will happen and where the goals of my MC will take shape, and where the love triangle will happen and a lot of other fun things I'm planning. And depressing things, because it is a Sad Book.


7. What are your writing habits? Is there a specific snack you eat? Do you listen to music? What time of day do you write best?

- Chocolate chip cookies are my weakness. Also melted chocolate chips that I eat with a spatula. Also copious amounts of tea, but I am running out and need there to be the holiday sale at Teavana so I can buy more
- I love listening to music while I write, which my writer boyfriend totally doesn't understand. I need calm indie music to listen to, a la The Head and the Heart, or, currently, Grizfolk.
- I like to write most at night. Maybe it's because I have a sense of urgency of getting in my words before I sleep, but I always feel like my creative juices get going right after dinner-ish time.


8. How private are you about your novel while you're writing?

Usually I'm very quiet about writing because it makes me feel pressure to have people know about it, but this time I'm writing about it on Facebook, Twitter, and to my boyfriend and my family because I need the extra encouragement. Plus, it's fun to talk to people about writing, even if what you talk about might change in a later draft.


9. What keeps you writing even when it's hard?

This novel is very personal to me, and I feel like it's an important story to share. Also, I feel like writing something so queer is like an act of resistance against the current Trump regime, so that is motivational. Also, my boyfriend is a sweet writing angel who tells me I'm talented and encourages me throughout the whole process, and I love him for it (we met in creative writing class our freshman year of college, so we know each other's writing fairly well).


10. What are your top 3 pieces of writing advice?

OMG, I don't think I'm an experienced enough writer to give advice, but I'll give it a shot:

- have lots of snacks. Snacks, caffeine, and tea are all amazing motivators.
- keep reminding yourself that you're writing because you love it.
- talk to other people about your writing. It'll be fun and motivational to have cheerleaders and people who support you 10000% helping you along during the hard times