NaNoWriMo

Like a crazy woman I decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month this year. The goal: write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. I’m working on a novel called Good Housekeeping, which is a contemporary fantasy. This began a short story which I realized was really a novel in disguise. In prep for NaNo, I have character sheets, a chapter outline and the original short story.

Technically, that’s cheating, but I plan on writing 50,000 new words and I’d rather do it for a story I’m excited about than just 50,000 words of monkeys typing.

The back story
The Faerie Queen sent a human changeling, Grace, back to try to keep the old ways alive in the world. Grace uses the internet to manage a network of Goodwives who let brownies, elves and other housefolk live in their homes. Because her foster mother was perfect unchanging beauty, Grace has grown up to be severely body concious.


The Plot

The Unseelie Court has decided to drive out all of the housefolk to diminish the Faerie Queen’s power. Grace has to try to save the Housefolk while balancing her life with her mortal family.

Stop back by to track my progress

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3 thoughts on “NaNoWriMo”

  1. Hi Mary,

    I liked your final word (laughter) in the 20k shout out, so I read your excerpt at NaNoWriMo. I liked the excerpt so I followed your link to here.

    Now I’m going to be needing some ‘wee folk’ of my own, to catch me up on housework that I should be doing while writing my novel for NaNo, which I should have been doing instead of larking about the Internet, reading what others have written.

    Does this qualify as structured procrastination?

    I’m bookmarking your page, and look forward to reading “Good Housekeeping” when it is finished.

    Yes, laughter is an appropriate last word for 10k: your writing is delightful.

    Cheeers,

    FlowerChild @ NaNoWriMo

  2. Mary Robinette Kowal

    Ha! Structured procrastination indeed. Thanks for your kind words; NaNo is always a blast. Maybe I’ll see you at one of the write-ins.

  3. Hi again,

    I’ve only been to one write-in: last Friday at Starbucks at Orenco (Hillsboro). I didn’t expect to get much writing done, (and i didn’t). But met a couple of delightful writers and we talked about concepts and the writing process – how it worked for us individually.

    I came home so recharged that I sat down and wrote over 2,000 words without stopping! That was a surprise.

    So maybe I’ll make it to another write-in. It would be fun to meet you in person. Although I’m currently writing an historical novel, I want to try my hand at some sci-fi/fantasy someday. Can’t wait to read yours; your novel notes sound original and full of possibilities.

    happy writing to you.

    FlowerChild @ NaNoWriMo

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