NaNoWriMo Is Not (Generally Speaking) How Professionals Write Books

Before I get too far into this week's post, I want to start with the caveat that every writer has their own comfort zones, their own acceptable word count, and their own rituals. Some people do it faster, some people have more re-writes, and some people have been doing this so long that it practically seems like magic when yet another manuscript slides off their desk.

With all of that said, NaNoWriMo prepares you to be an author in the same way that watching gonzo porn prepares you for a night of romance. Some of the same elements are indeed present, but if you think this is the way it works then you are going to be sorely disappointed.

Seriously, that is NOT how this works!

 

Bad Habits Lead To Bad Writing

For those not familiar with this November event, NaNoWriMo is when everyone hunkers down in November to hammer out that novel they've been talking about for years. You have to hit a particular word count, which means that you need to get several thousand words a day in order to be done with it by the end of the month.

Is this real writing? Absolutely! People are sitting down and putting words on the page to tell a story, and that is literally all it takes to be considered "real" writing. However, as with my adult film comparison above, there's more to writing a novel than just the mechanical process of putting one word in front of the other.

There may not be a lot more to it, but there is more.

However, Nano teaches you to write at a dead sprint when a novel is really more like a marathon. There are some writers who can put out a manuscript in a month, but the Stephen Kings and Robert Louis Stevensons are sort of the exceptions that prove the rule. Most people cannot hammer out several thousand words of prose in a sitting... especially not if they have a social life, a full-time job that isn't selling books, etc. And that doesn't even get into the editing process, re-writes, submissions, self-publishing, sales, and the hundreds of other areas you need to be skilled in if you want this to be your job.

 

The pace required to complete the challenge keeps you going forward with no time to pause and evaluate what you're putting down. Whether you thought of a change that would improve your plot, or you realized there's a mistake, you just don't have the time to go back and change it. Anymore than you'd stop to tie your shoe during a sprint. Worse, if it turns out your story needs more space to stretch out, but you've only budgeted your efforts to hit the minimum word count, then you're going to add an extra stress trigger into your brain because you "failed" to accomplish what you set out to do.

I could go on, but in many ways, Nano is kind of like a crash diet. You will achieve what you set out to, but it isn't really a sustainable result. And if this is something you want to maintain long-term, you need to develop better habits, and make more permanent changes to your routine rather than just slam energy drinks and go nuts for one month out of the year.

Hey, It's Just For Fun!

If you are one of those people who just wants to sit down and pound away at the keys for fun this November, far be it from me to hold you back! If you're someone who is using this as your excuse to finally indulge and see if you have what it takes, or you're looking for something exciting to do when going back into quarantine, then by all means go for it!

However, my point is that the pocket universe of NaNoWriMo that crops up every year is not how things work if you're a professional writer. And just because you managed to finish a manuscript for Nano, that book has no better chance than any other at becoming your meal ticket just because of how quickly you wrote it. If anything, I'd suggest that it's probably going to need a great deal more revisions than something that was put out with more attention to detail, and at a steadier pace.

Pshaw, this writing thing is easy!

And I'm sure there are people out there right now saying that of course it's different when this is your job! Stop ragging on people who are just doing this for fun! But the human brain is exactly as smart as we'd expect electrified jello to be, and it often draws false conclusions. Whether it's comparing yourself to that fitness model who spends a dozen hours in the gym and has an entire lighting crew to make them look their best, or watching a romantic comedy and forgetting that acting that way in real life would get you slapped with several felony charges, even the smartest among us are working with brains that are pretty stupid.

So if you want to participate in NaNoWriMo, please, do so! Break that keyboard, write your story, and have a blast with it! But if you want to be a professional novelist, understand that the Nano format is not a great way to hone your craft, and to produce the best quality work you're capable of. And while a crash workout designed to get your toned and fit fast might get a lot of immediate results, it isn't a great strategy if you want to become a body builder.

Lastly, don't get too hung up on your daily word count. A couple of paragraphs a day will have a complete manuscript in less than a year... you don't need to go overboard with it.

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my cat noir novel Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!

 

And to stay on top of all my latest news and releases, collected once a week, make sure you subscribe to The Literary Mercenary's mailing list.

If you'd like to help support my work, then consider Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or heading over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page! Lastly, to keep up with my latest, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now on Pinterest as well!

Just Because You're Having Fun, That Doesn't Mean You Shouldn't Get Paid

I have come to the conclusion that no matter who you are, if you expect to get paid for something that other people do for fun, you are going to get a lot of angry messages on your social media feed. I was recently reminded of this when I published the post What Does It Take To Be A Professional DM?, since about half the comments left on it were some variation of, "how about you not be a piece of shit, and try to make money off something people do to have fun?"

Of course, you know, this means war!

It is worth noting that no one who read that post claimed that being a dungeon master was easy (because it isn't). No one argued that it doesn't take skill to be a dungeon master, or that it didn't take time, energy, and investment to make sure an entire table of players had a good time. The main source of outrage, paraphrased, was that the commenters were willing to do all that stuff for free, and for their personal enjoyment. So anyone who participated in that hobby as a for-profit enterprise was clearly doing it wrong, and they should be shunned for polluting the purity of a fun hobby by twisting it into a source of income.

Think about that for a moment. Someone who is willing to do a difficult job that is often in demand, spending copious amounts of their own time, energy, and often money to provide a positive, engaging, entertaining experience for other people should never, ever make a profit off of that. They should just enjoy the activity, and that's that.

Replace being a dungeon master with being a blogger, a video creator, an author, a painter, a sculptor, or any other creative activity, and you'll get much the same result. Without fail.

Your Job Isn't Supposed To Be Miserable, You Know

Kara Dennison recently hit the nail on the head with her post Creativity For A Living: The Curse of The Jobbing Hobbyist. The post touched on the usual suspects, such as how it's hard to be creative on a deadline, and how difficult it is to get people to see that art is neither frivolous, nor a luxury, but that it is a necessary good that's consumed in huge quantities every day. However, the third point in the post is one of the most important, I think.

Simply put, the money you're paid is for your time, and your effort. It is not to compensate you for doing a job you hate, or that makes you miserable.

There is no fringe benefit that can stop making me feel empty inside.

This is something a lot of folks overlook. The main reason they overlook it, I feel, is that when someone writes, draws, or plays a game as a hobby, they tend to do it for their own amusement. You draw when you feel like it. You write when you're inspired. You're not thinking about what would get the most hits on social media, or what would look good on a tee shirt, or wondering if you can finish the project fast enough to get it on the slate before the next convention, because it's not about all that. It's about you, and your personal enjoyment.

Now, that isn't to say that creative professionals don't enjoy the work we do (I wouldn't put out as much content if I didn't enjoy holding forth on all these topics). However, a lot of people think that because we enjoy our jobs, that should be payment enough. After all, they hate their jobs, so why should we make money for doing something they would gladly do for nothing in their free time to relax?

Because, to re-iterate, you are not paid for enduring something you don't want to do. You're paid because you put in the time and effort to do your job.

The Other Reason is People Need To Be Taught To Value Art

If you go to a restaurant, you can always tell the people who have worked as wait staff in the past. They're understanding, they know how to talk to their server, and they always tip. Even if the service wasn't great, they know how hard the job is, and they understand how tough it can be to make ends meet, so they always leave a gratuity.

Always.

You can also tell the people who have not had experience working in a restaurant, or who have never had friends or family members who worked there. They tend to be the people who are demanding, pushy, and who won't leave a tip unless their server went above and beyond, acting more like a personal servant than a staff member. Because, as they rationalize, that server will make minimum wage if no one tips them enough to go over, so not tipping them isn't really hurting them.

The problem creative professionals run into is that a lot of people have worked in the service industry, or have friends who have worked in it, so they empathize with the struggle. They understand how much work goes into that job, and they value it. However, if someone views writing a book as something you do on your own time, for fun, then they aren't going to think twice about just downloading a free copy off of a pirate site. If someone thinks that drawing is something you do to unwind at the end of the day, then they don't hesitate to right-click on a digital gallery and steal an image for their own use. Because, hey, this person should be happy someone like you values their art enough to take it, and use it. You made it from passion, and that creative experience should be enough payment for you. Never mind the long hours you put in, or the fact that you own the legal copyright to that work, because it would just be selfish of you to expect to be paid in real money on top of all those feelings of accomplishment.

Of course, the truth of this situation is that when someone is a creative professional, we aren't just sitting around indulging our own fancies all the time. We are creating art specifically to enrich the lives of others, to make statements, and to provide experiences. We write books, we make films, we whisper into a microphone for a podcast, but we don't do that just to amuse ourselves. We crunch the numbers, we research the market, we hustle at conventions, we invest time, effort, and money into building the brand, and we do our best to provide something of value.

That's exhausting. But sometimes just having someone come up and say, "Hey, I really like what you're doing. It's good. Keep it up!" is the most rewarding thing that can happen. With that said, if you can afford to drop a dime into someone's Patreon jar, you should maybe do that, too. Share the links, buy the merch, leave reviews, and if you value what someone does, help give them the support to keep doing it.

Speaking of which, if you enjoyed this latest Business of Writing post from yours truly, why not head over to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron today? For as little as $1 a month, I'll even throw in a free book or two as a holiday thank you! Lastly, to stay on top of all my releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter, too.

Fun and Funny Links For Writers

Being a writer is hard work. It's filled with migraine headaches caused by rumbling over plot holes, going over your syntax with a fine-toothed comb, and all of the other brain-bending labor that comes from putting together a piece of art. That said, sometimes you need to take a deep breath, save your progress on the current work, and just go have a laugh or three. This week The Literary Mercenary brings you a handful of sites that if you haven't visited them you really should.

Right now.

Terrible Minds: The Blog of Chuck Wendig

When bad brains get worse.

For those who don't know who Chuck Wendig is, I am glad you finally ran Internet service under your rock. A risen star who's fought in a half dozen culture wars now, Wendig is also an author, screenwriter, and a freelancer himself. His blog contains both nuggets of wisdom (like the 25 Lies Writers Tell Themselves), as well as generally hilarious riffs and rips on the industry, the art, and the craft. Always good for a laugh.

The Official Evil Overlord List and The Mary Sue Litmus Test

They're never dangerous till they're clawing your face off.

For those who don't know about either of these things we'll discuss them in order. The Official Evil Overlord List (which can be found here) is a compilation of every trope the bad guy has ever fallen victim to. Assembled in a check list of dos and don'ts, this list is amusing to read all on its own. As a tool for checking to see just how trope-free your bad guy is, it's even better!

If you're a writer and you've never crossed paths with the Mary Sue, count yourself lucky! If on the other hand you're well aware of what they are, and you're looking for a quick and easy way to sweep your manuscript for them then you're in luck. The Universal Mary Sue Litmus Test is located right here, and now you and all your friends can take it to see who's lead is the most ridiculous!

Speaking of literary tests...

Who Do You Write Like?

He, like I, gotta get paid.

I Write Like is a website that looks through your work and compares your ear marks to those of famous writers who came before you. This test, located right here, includes a database that ranges from H.P. Lovecraft to Earnest Hemingway, and hits all the high points in between as well. So if you were always curious which of the old masters you invoked in your work, stop by and take a gander!

Thug Notes: The Only Cliff Notes You'll Ever Need

The Original Literary Gangster

For those who've always felt classic literature is a bit dull or boring, let Dr. Sparky Sweets break it down for you. The good doctor provides reviews of classic books such as Frankenstein, Fahrenheit 451, and Heart of Darkness, but he does it in a smooth, street-level lingo that will have you belting out laughs even while you pick up some knowledge. Check out all of his videos on the homepage located right here.

Put Your Voice To Work Reading Audio Books

And money.

While we used to call them books on tape, audio books have gone from being a novelty for children and the vision impaired to a huge industry. With more books being written and published then perhaps any other time in history voice actors are now more necessary than ever before. For those who have always wanted to try making money with their voices instead of just their words this article here provides a lot of insight as well as a few links to get you started in the world of audio books.


As always, thanks for dropping in on me at The Literary Mercenary. If you'd like to be kept up to day on the latest and greatest the put your email in the box on the top right or follow me on Facebook or Tumblr. If you'd like to keep this blog going then check out my books available for purchase at my Amazon author page on the right hand side, drop your pocket change into the tip cup by clicking the "Shakespeare Gotta Get Paid, Son" button, or stop by my Patreon page and become a patron today!