NaNoWriMo Q&A
This meme is brought to you via Benjamin Solah and his blog. Hopefully it will introduce you to some of my writing habits and other NaNo-related stuffs. 
When and how did you find out about NaNoWriMo? How did you do?
I found out about NaNoWriMo a year or so ago, I think. I was in the middle of writing Blood Bound at the time, and although I wanted to give it a go, I was close to the end of Blood Bound and I wanted to focus on that.
Where do you write and with what do you write?
I normally write at my desk, on my computer. The desk is generally a mess, although I will be tidying it up (again!) before NaNoWriMo begins. When I wrote Blood Bound I also wrote on the university computers in between lectures. I don’t use any fancy novel-writing software for my novels – OpenOffice Writer is more than enough for me. All the extra features of novel programs confuse or distract me, or I don’t end up using them at all. So… simple is best for me.
If I am away from my desk – which is often – I write in A4 notebooks/journals, and often in pencil. I don’t use regular/cheap schoolbooks, as for some reason the paper texture is light and thin and… I just don’t like it. But the rip-out notebooks I do use have heavier, whiter paper and I can write away on them, no problems. This is the method I will be using for about three days in November, as I have a GirlGuiding camp in the second weekend.
How do you find time to write?
I’m currently seeking employment, having graduated earlier this year with a degree in classics (which is totally in demand in today’s job market), and that leaves me with a lot of time in which to write. The problem is not so much a lack of time, but that I am lazy and get easily distracted. So I unplug the internet.
Are your partners, friends and family allies or enemies?
My parents aren’t involved in my writing – they know I do it, but they don’t ask about what I write and stuff. Most of my friends are writers, so they get what I am talking about. The problem is when we chat too much and I get distracted from writing. But JK and Rebekah are great sounding boards.
What are you strengths and what do you use to help you get to the end?
Stories, characters and ideas in general come to me very very easily. I’m very good at coming up with stuff, to the point where I have too many ideas to handle. I did a count the other day of all the outlines I have got down somewhere, and boggled. Coming up with that stuff is not the problem – it just happens.
What are your weaknesses, obstacles and challenges that hinder you from finishing?
As I mentioned earlier, I am very easily distracted and am a master of procrastination.
Do you plot/outline/plan or do you write by the seat of your pants? How much do you plot or how unprepared are you?
I do a lot of outlining before I start to write, although most of it is in my head. My outlines are very fluid though – I keep a basic plotline, and a list of events which I want to occur and in the general order. But if the event fits better in another position I can move it without too much disruption.bugge
Do you participate in the real life community, go to write ins and meet ups in your area?
I haven’t done NaNo before, so I haven’t participated in the real-life meetings. But Rebekah and I are going to kick off NaNo in person.
What are your writing aids? Special snacks, music, totems, rewards or punishments?
After turning off the internet, Write Or Die is my biggest asset, as it keeps me focussed and lets me know if I am wandering off. I write so much faster when I use it – it’s amazing.
