NaNoWriMo 2021 - The Journey Has Just Begun

National Novel Writing Month is over, but your writing journey has hopefully just begun! I know mine has. I will be slowing down on the Far-Reaching Thread and moving back into my other novels that are in early draft stages. This NaNoWriMo was a fun, creative break for me to try something not connected to a larger series or even a singular book idea.

However, in my attempt to make a collection of short stories, I may have inadvertently created another new novel idea I may pursue in the future. I have other more pressing stories I want to complete. Last month, I promised to get a short story out for everyone to read. It wasn’t when I wanted it out for all of you, but I did get it out this month and can be found under the free story section the website.

It was one of my early attempts at a lighthearted flash fiction for the year and it was sadly rejected by the magazine’s I had in mind that may have taken it. It wasn’t surprising through. I learned that the likelihood of getting published in a professional sci-fi/fantasy magazine was in the realm of 1%. It’s difficult.

There are strict guidelines to follow, manuscript formatting requirements, and ultimately, at the end of the day, the editor that reads the work hasn’t to want it more than the hundreds of other submissions they may receive in a day. It’s a crowded, competitive space and one worth pursuing (at least I feel that way about it).

There is still one month remaining and even if I don’t get any of my other stories published in any magazine this year, I will simply try again next year. Hard work is rewarded to those who continue to work hard…or if they get lucky.

Anyways, my writing journey is not just short stories. I’m working on finishing a science fiction novel, which I would like to make into a series. The first draft (or draft zero as I like to call it) is done and I will be going through a comprehensive review of the work this month.

I’ll be looking at a myriad of items, but the most important will be revolving around characterization consistency and coherent plot. There are a lot of moving pieces and technicalities that I want to get right without stripping away the style and voice of the story and its characters. Once I complete a few rounds of editing, I will at some point have to decide if traditional publication is an option or if I should pursue self-publishing.

They each have their advantages and disadvantages, but finding the right option is going to be the difficult choice. I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

Until next time, Read, Write, Edit, Repeat.

- J.J.

NaNoWriMo 2021 - Weekly Progress

It’s update time! I will be doing a brief update on my work in progress here and you will see an update each week. The title of the science fiction short story collection is called, “A Far-Reaching Thread.”

You can also see my progress at nanowrimo.org.

WRITING PROGRESS*:

Number of Days: 30*

Word Count: 36,201*

Average Words Per Day: 1,167*

Average Writing Speed: 1 word per minute*

*All stats updated as of November 30th

NaNoWriMo 2021 - Writing Progress

Remaining Days (couldn’t fit all on chart):

• Nov 28th - 268 words

• Nov 29th - 438 words

• Nov 30th - 308 words

Now you know where I stand and I got more exciting work to go! How have your WIP’s been going? Are you meeting the goal or going beyond it? Give yourself a pat on the back. You’re awesome! Keep it up!

Falling short? Don’t worry, you’re awesome too! Writing is tough. As you can see, I’ve had my off days as well. Remember, don’t be discouraged if you can’t hit the goal every day. It’s all about the journey. This month is about challenging yourself to start, continue, and/or finish your novel. Remember, you can do it.

I hope you all have an excellent time writing next week and until next time…

Read, Write, Edit, Repeat

- J. J.

National Novel Writing Month - Another Journey Begins

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a pleasant Halloween dressing up, eating candy, and maybe taking in a movie or two (I think this was the first year I did all three!). However, Halloween is done and National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is upon us.

I have participated in this event a few times with varying success, but this year I wanted to try something different. As you all know, I’ve been working on editing my novel along with writing some new, yet to be read, flash/short stories. I’ve really been enjoying the writing process of these stories and I hope to have at least one ready for all you readers this November. Yay!

I’ve been enjoying writing them so much, in fact, that I am planning on creating a connected universe flash fiction/short story collection for NaNoWriMo this year. Creating smaller, loosely connected stories into a collection feels like a fun way to make unique stories. It leaves open room for creativity, takes the pressure of completing a single novel away, and also allows me to tackle the page in a more focused manner.

Each novel poses difficult challenges and can be mentally exhausting. As I edited my own novel, I found myself losing focus and energy for the last few months. It became a slog. Writing short stories re-energized me and helped me gain more focus when jumping back to my novel. Additionally, reading other novels assisted in this as well.

Yet, doing a short story collection for NaNoWriMo isn’t the only thing I’m doing different this year. For the first time, I will be using the NaNoWriMo system to record my progress. I haven’t done it before, but I can imagine it will be helpful in keeping me accountable. I will also be giving a weekly update on my progress as well. Hopefully, after the month, I will do a review of my experience and the system they use. Many of you may be intimately familiar with it, so feel free to share your experience in the comments.

Speaking of sharing experiences, I will be sharing more information on my short story magazine submission progress by the end of the year. I have several more stories written and will be submitting a few still this November.

So, as you can guess, I’m going to have a busy November and I have a lot to deliver. Wish me luck and until next time…

Read, Write, Edit, Repeat

- J. J.

Ethics in Science Fiction - Why Morals Matter

As I have been preparing for National Novel Writing Month (now only six days away), I had a question that consistently popped up as I prepared my story: “How does ethics affect technology?”

I had taken psychology classes in college where we discussed morals and ethics, but not through the lens of technology. We didn’t debate the ethics behind self-driving cars or proper levels of encryption for computer programs. The ethics we discussed were framed often around laws and non-technology life such as contracts and business operations. However, that doesn’t cover the full scope of this changing world.

Technology is rapidly changing life as we know it and leading to some incredible, yet potentially scary outcomes. Like social credit systems and growing national surveillance, ethical questions around these topics are more mainstream than even five years ago.

It makes sense that debating the moral and ethical stances of these topics will be a long, winding road for common day people and governments for years to come, but, what if, science fiction had the answers?

For my story, I wanted to learn more about the ethics surrounding A.I. technology. During my search, I stumbled upon an article from Journal of Future Studies entitled, “Science Fiction As Moral Allegory.“ Written by Timothy Dolan, the article dove into science fiction in terms of the broad history of the genre, it’s impact on society, and it’s use for building a better future through moral questions the stories can raise. I highly recommend reading the article if this interests you.

One quote that jumped out at me from a writer perspective was:

“Good science fiction is never about building utopias as much as about warning of the dystopias seeded in their attempt.”

— Timothy Dolan

The idea that good science should not be evaluated for potential dangers it could cause in the future is a real risk we run into everyday. For example, self-driving cars are great, but what if I can’t control the car, or worse, the car ends up controlling me and sends me into the river? Is it moral and ethical to allow technology to operate itself when the lives of others both or outside the vehicle could be negatively impacted? It’s a good question to ask. It doesn’t mean that self-driving cars are evil or bad, but with every technological advancement, risks need to be weighed.

I believe this same approach should be applied to science fiction stories. By not looking at and explaining the possible issues with a science fiction world of your creation, it can lose depth in the story and make it more difficult to build a compelling story.

It’s in asking these questions that brings out great stories and helps us all challenge our own ideas and beliefs.

To learn about the morals and ethics in technology, science fiction may be the best place to start. Science fiction tackles these topics in ways many of us fail to think about. That is why I’m researching topics like these for my next story more closely than I had before and I implore you to do the same for your next science fiction story.

What are your thoughts? Do you think ethics and morals matter in science fiction? Should escapism without moral thought be done in science fiction? Do you think all stories contain some moral or ethical lesson?

Let me know in the comments below.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.

Fantasy Tips: Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is critical to creating incredible, detailed worlds. With NaNoWriMo right around the corner, I thought it would be good to provide some additional resources for fantasy and science fiction writers.

Worldbuilding In Two Tips

Daniel Greene, a YouTuber and aspiring author, released a video yesterday about two awesome tips for worldbuilding. These tips primarily revolve around fantasy worldbuilding but could definitely be applicable to other genres.

Online Classes At No Cost

Another excellent resource is a YouTube channel I have recently discovered and love the content provided. Brandon Sanderson, bestselling sci-fi/fantasy author, teaches creative writing classes at BYU where he covers everything from plot and characters to worldbuilding and getting published. It is a treasure trove of information that I highly encourage you check out.

Please take the time and try some of these tips and resources out. You may be surprised how useful these could be for your story.

What are your thoughts on the video(s)? Did you find these helpful? Please let me know in the comments and I hope you all have a great writing and/or reading weekend.

Until next time, read, write, repeat.

-J.J.

How To Prep For NaNoWriMo

National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo, is drawing near and preparation is everything. Well, I mean you don’t have to prep, but it couldn’t to do an outline.

NaNoWriMo, for those who don’t know, is a both an event and an organization. During the month of November, the challenge is put forth to write 50k words in 30 days! It’s the longest writing sprint you will ever be a part of. To put this in perspective, that is writing over 1,666 words every day. No breaks. For a month.

For some that is a daunting task. Writing almost two thousand words a day is a lot of writing. However, it is definitely possible, and you can do it!

But I would recommend to prepping beforehand.

“How can I prep? I don’t even know what I want to write?”

That’s okay. Take a deep breathe, relax, maybe sip a warm beverage. We all start at zero, every story does.

First, determine what genre you want to write? Is it science fiction? Fantasy? Romance? Choose which genre you want the story to be. If you want, feel free to mix several genres. Your story = Your rules.

Next, what kind of story do you want to tell? Are you going to take us on a thrilling adventure across time and space? Do you want to tell a story about two sword experts falling in love? Describe what story you want to tell.

At that point, and maybe before, you might have the next element in your mind. Characters.

Who is/are our protagonist(s)? Our villain’s? Loveable side characters that would make us cry if they were harmed in any way? Discover who your characters are and what they need to do. Good characters can keep a story moving and bring excitement to every page. They are the lifeblood, treat them as such.

Once you have all these needed ingredients, you can start to create the colorful cocktail you will call your story. And a great way to gather your thoughts and organize them is an outline.

Outlines may not be your favorite part, but they can be incredibly helpful in laying out your story and helping you make sense out of every twist and turn.

To recap, determine the following three for an easier time during NaNoWriMo:

• Choose your genre

• Describe your story

• Create your characters

If you can do this, you are well on your way to writing your first book.

Make sure to check out the NaNoWriMo website for information on how the organization and event works, as well as find useful tools for your story. For additional preparation resources, visit NaNo Prep.

Are you excited for NaNoWriMo? Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, write, read, repeat.

-J.J.

National Novel Writing Month has Begun!

November 1st - 30th - Write that novel!

Today is the first day of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and I am not participating. It's not because I don't want to, I do, but I know I shouldn't. Last year, I took up the challenge. I tried to write 50,000 words in a month's span. I ended the month with around 40,000 words. That was 40,000 words I didn't have before on a brand new story. To make it harder, I did it without an outline.  I impressed myself with how well I did. The writing itself may not be spectacular, but it was a great exercise. 

The reason I am not doing it this year is simple: I have too many story ideas. I am always coming up with different stories. Novellas, short stories, screenplays, full novels, a series of novels. I have all these ideas, most of them somewhat outlined, but the problem is none of them are complete. I want to take the time to complete at least one of them. The one project I would like to finish is last year's NaNoWriMo story. I am 40,000 words deep and thought it might be good to finish it and do some editing on that draft zero of a story. If I finish the draft before the end of the month, I'll work on two other stories I had in mind as well. It's good to get some space from a draft before editing anyways. 

So, that is my own personal NaNoWriMo challenge I guess. Finish one novel by the end of the month. I plan to give you an update on the progress at the halfway point and the end of the month. 

That being said, NaNoWriMo is a great opportunity to challenge yourself as a writer and push yourself creatively. If you have a story idea and really want to see it finished, even if it is just for yourself, I recommend participating in NaNoWriMo. Also, don't limit yourself to writing just novels. If you got a cool comic book story, write that. Take this month to make your own writing challenge and go after it.

If you haven't done the NaNoWriMo challenge, I highly suggest you try it. Their website has a lot of great features, inspirational content, and even some support groups. They even have a 2017 worldwide word count on their webpage, which is pretty cool!

For more information on NaNoWriMo, visit their website.

Get out their and start writing! -J.J.

November has ended...on to DECEMBER!

Tim Allen as Santa Claus...I was expecting more power tools.

NarNoWriMo has ended and the holiday season is upon us. That can only mean one thing: Gifts! And Tim Allen, but not many people talk about him...

But, before I get into what to expect, I want to reflect quickly on the NarNoWriMo and hopefully encourage some of you to do it next year.

First, I am disappointed to say that I was unable to achieve the goal of 50,000 words in the month of November. I ended the month with 43,196 words. During the last couple of days, I saw the writing on the wall with holidays becoming a greater barrier than anticipated. Thankfully, my brother had a great perspective on it: "You may not have hit the word count, but did you finish the story? If you so, than you did it!"

Although I didn't hit the word count, I would say that I did finish the story from beginning to end. Was it my best writing? No. I can't believe anyone put out a bestseller with a first draft written in a month, but at least a story was completed. Editing is next! In fear of getting to wordy and not holding up to my word (I said I would reflect quickly), I have a bullet list below.

What I learned:

• Writing can't be done only when inspired, it must be consistent.
• It let me be okay with writing "bad" and put focus on finishing.
• Setting word goals can be a great motivator.
• I need to manage my time better to reach goals.
• I can write way more words in a day than I thought (Best day: 6,348 words).
• I can write a novella in a month, so I am pretty awesome!

Overall, I felt this was a great experience to help me reach my writing goals. My hope is anyone who is interested in writing would definitely take advantage of this opportunity next year. Plus, you don't have to pay to do. The only thing that is spent is your time. If you're not interested than lucky for you we are talking gifts next.

Not so fast...instant gratification is bad for you!

I enjoy the holiday season and I want to give back to great people who have been reading my blog, twitter, and/or subscribed to my newsletter. First, the ebook. It has been ALOT harder than I thought to make one. It shouldn't be, but it has been. I hope to have some progress this weekend and get it to subscribers soon. Once I get one done, another would hopefully be easier. I plan to have another free short story ebook in time for the holidays, unless you celebrate Hanukkah, I doubt I'll get it out by December 6th.

The last gift is a small giveaway. I am going to get those logistics figured out this weekend and have some information for you on Monday, December 5th. I haven't decided if I want to make it a secret, since it is a gift giving holiday season, but I am leaning toward letting everyone know what the giveaway is. Like I said, you will know (or won't know) more on Monday.

So, if you are interested in getting the free short story ebooks and potentially the giveaway prize, please remember to subscribe to my newsletter. If I get you email, it makes it easier for me to contact you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me through the contact page. If you can also follow me on twitter if you want to keep up with what I am working on or talking about (I say weird things from time to time, its just in my nature).

And now, I leave you with a GIF:

Update Post - NarNoWriMo

Hey everyone, I know I said I wouldn't be blog the rest of this month, but i wanted to give everyone an update. First, the NaNoWriMo.

As of this post, I am 23,144 words into the challenge and after today I hope to be at the halfway mark. That is perfect if you consider we are also halfway through the month! This writing challenge has been an incredible journey so far, but I still have a long ways to go. What I learned so far is it would be a much easier ride if I prepared beforehand. I have been consistently readjusting the novel on the fly, which has been a great challenge, but it might be an unnecessary one. The point of the challenge is to get the words out, but the craft is going to come in revising of novel.

Next, the Halloween story.

As you may have noticed the Halloween story was still up so consider the extra days a gift due to my forgetfulness. I will be working creating an ebook throughout the month and I hope to have something done by the end of the month. If not, I will update you on the blog. Remember, if you want a copy of the ebook, you need to subscribe to the newsletter.

I will post again before November 30th and I hope to have a lot of great surprises in store for everyone.

Until next time, keep writing everyone - J.J.

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH!!!

Happy NaNoWriMo! Or for the less abbreviated person, Happy National Novel Writing Month!

As many of you may know, this month is dedicated to novel writing. The challenge for the whole month of November is to go from 0-50,000 words and write an entire novel. This is absolutely the most crazy challenge I may ever take part in for my entire life (well...hopeful not, but it sure will be tough).

This is going to be my first year participating in the challenge during NaNoWriMo, but I am excited to give it a try. The worst thing that could happen is I don't reach 50,000 words, but I would still have an amazing start on my novel! There is even a website to help track your progress and keep you motivated!

If you want to learn more about how it all works, you can find that information here.

So, because I am taking part in this challenge, I will not be blogging this whole month. That way, I will be able to focus on completing the challenge.

I hope to hear back from everyone on their progress on Twitter or in the comments section when I get back.

Until next week, keep writing everyone! And for those who are participating in the NaNoWriMo, and I mean this in the nicest possible way...