November NANO: Writers Prepare to Meet Book Writing Challenge

LOS ANGELES - Nov. 2, 2016 - PRLog -- National Novel Writing Month (NANO) is finally underway and thousands of online writers like author Charm Baker have stepped up for the task. November 1^st marks the first day of this 30-day book writing challenge in which writers of various levels start and try to complete a 50,000 word (or more) novel.

The NANO goal-oriented challenge has gained nationwide popularity.  Writers are encouraged to start off with just a working title if necessary, so they can first concentrate on getting the novel written.  Those who choose to upload a temporary book cover can provide one at anytime, and later modify both the cover and the title.

2016 NANO Book Entry

According to Baker, her entry title:  "Skipping Childhood (From Abused Foster Child to Adolescent Serial Killer) is more than simply a working title and she has no plans to modify either the title or the book's current cover.   Baker stated:  "I'm very much pleased with my current title and cover.   I already put a lot of time and thought into them.  I think that both are spot on when it comes to conveying the dark and complex nature of my novel's main character."  Having started her chapter outline as early as October, Baker says she's been "just dying to write this book", emphasizing not just any book, but "this book."

"Skipping Childhood" is an urban family drama that paints a picture of a drug addicted mother, and the abusive and complicated relationship she has with her daughter.  The child in the book gets mired down in the foster care system, but not before she has committed two undetected murders and counting.

Some critics of National Novel Writing Month think nothing good ever comes from the type of cramming that NANO requires.  But former successful NANO writers beg to differ.   Scores of past NANO authors credit any current book success to their achievements in this annual writing challenge.  Countless other authors report that they may not have been as monetarily successful after completing their book challenge, but they still take pride in their NANO accomplishments.

Baker is already a self-published author who is best known for writing non-fiction ebooks.  With no real help with promotion and marketing, Baker attempted everything alone.  But after her self-published novel got very little notice, she decided the next time would be different.  The NANO challenge got her attention in 2015, however it was already well under way and November was just about gone.  After a quick examination of the NANO website, Baker was convinced that they could provide some needed help.

A Need for Visibility

A lack of visibility is one of the biggest problems for many new self-published authors and thier titles.  Baker was no exception to this rule.  The network and support among NANO writers appealed to her.  Many resources are provided on the NANO website, as well as the inspiration that NANO authors need to succeed. They can choose to join motivational groups of NANO members from their own region or regions from in other areas of the world.  The Los Angeles region, as well as the Long Beach/Hawthorne region were Baker's first two choices.  Included in the motivational benefits of NANO membership are the fun tools and resources like the helpful writing prompts.

The ability to interact with all types of writers of various levels was cited as a primary benefit to writers who register for NANO.  Members can find writing buddies and encourage  each other on their journeys.  Baker says she hopes to gain knowledge but also lend support to like-minded writers on the site.  But sticking to a rigid schedule is not always easy to do.  Baker admits, this is not one of her strongest points.  Like many writers, she has found it hard to exercise discipline and accomplish a time sensitive goal, especially with other responsibilities competing for her writing time.

Avoiding Counter-productivity

While NANO was designed to help would-be authors reach their writing goals and aspirations, some members actually lose writing time by trying to navigate and participate on the site. Avoiding counter-productivity is crucial.  Baker reported already having problems with technical glitches such as uploading a profile image and getting booted off the system until Day 2.  Other activities that may potentially steal your writing time include figuring out how to best utilize the NANO forums.  While there are many good groups available, sifting through them to find the best fit can become burdensome.  Baker cautions writers to regulate how much time they actually spend on the NANO site.  She warns:  "Don't network and socialize at the expense of not writing."

Baker says she is determined to meet the 50,000 word writing challenge deadline, one way or another.  Ironically, she states that if she has to withdraw from NANO in order to accomplish her goal, she will do it.  In that event, she plans on using her Self-Published Wordpress blog to show accountability and daily writing progress.

Get more details:  http://charmbaker.com