It’s November 1, and if you’re participating in National Novel Writing Month, you’ve probably already started knocking out words. I thought it’d be fun to give away some prizes to help motivate you during your journey. How about some Amazon gift certificates? And maybe a couple other goodies?
Here’s how it will work:
- Post a comment here with your email address and a link to your NaNoWriMo page (i.e. mine is http://nanowrimo.org/participants/goblin_writer). If you like, tell us about your book and your goals. Other writers with common interests may want to “buddy” you.
- Every Friday (the 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th), I’ll randomly pick a winner from those who are on target with their word counts. That winner will receive a *$25 Amazon gift certificate. That means four chances to win if you keep up with your word count.
- In addition to the weekly prizes, at the end of the month, I’ll give away a $50 gift certificate and a copy of Scrivener (the software I’ve been using to write for years) to a final lucky winner.
- Lastly, I’ll be giving away some random $5 gift certificates here and there during the month to folks who keep popping in and commenting on these blog posts (keep using your NaNoWriMo address, so I know you’re a participant). If you buy from independent authors, that’s often enough to get you a book or two.
All right, that’s it. Easy rules, right? Let me know if you have any questions, and get to it! 🙂
*If you win and you don’t have Amazon in your country or simply prefer to shop in another store, let me know and we’ll work something out.
Update: You don’t have to write your email address in the body of the comment, just in the form where it says email. That way I can see it but the spam-bots of the internet can’t!
WINNERS
Mini-winners of a $5 Amazon gift certificate:
- Nov. 6th: James Russ Moon
- Nov. 6th: Vanessa Tuttle
- Nov. 13th: Tiara Sanders
- Nov. 13th: Greg Strandberg
$40 gift certificate winners:
- Nov. 8th: Emily
- Nov. 15th: Erica Converso
- Nov. 29th: Lucy
- Nov. 29th: GregB
Thank you, Lindsay! This is my first year and I can use all the motivation I can get. I, too, appreciate how generous you are with your time and with sharing tips with other writers. I will be on track with my word count by the time I update in about an hour, and your contest will help KEEP me on track! Thanks again.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/leanne-phillips
This is my first try too. I must be crazy.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/celtic_woman
Thought I’d pop in with my progress. I’m up to 11,409 words now.
I like to begin after midnight and get those words in pretty quickly. It’s nice to go through the whole next day with that box on the calendar showing green.
I’m a speculative fiction writer working on a YA novel ‘Between Blinks’, where young people keep falling through the cracks in reality into the world between blinks.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kirstie-olley
Always excited for a little more motivation.
What a wonderful, generous idea! This is my 2nd year and this time I want to make it to 50,000. Thank you, this is a huge motivator!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/perennial/
I have some making up to do, I was gone for the weekend so I missed three days of writing. Hopefully I can make up for that soon enough, and I also hope that college doesn’t take a huge toll on my word count. I haven’t been able to finish much of my writings because of school, but NaNoWriMo may be just the motivation that I needed.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lillynightingale
Reached 2,365 words today >w< so If I can keep up this pace for a few days I'll be back on track.
Now up to
4,496
I am hoping to be able to write more in a day so I can make up for those three missed days, but so far I seem to have a good pace doing (only my second day writing)
I FINALLY broke 10,000 words <3
Still attempting to make up for lost time, missing three days was brutal as well as having to stop for school work.
Keep it up, Tiara! 🙂
It’s a first NaNo for me. I’m so new, I keep forgetting to update my word count and NaNo page. Since I have family in town until November 6, my stats will be low until I can play catch-up.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/blairmacg
I’m working on a contemporary paranormal that includes earthquakes, ghosts, martial arts, museums, war memorials, earth elementals, and maybe–if it works–wolves. I’ve never written a contemporary novel before, but I’ve been kicking the idea around for years. My NaNo goal is to not only finish the first draft, but get down a rough outline for the next two books of the series.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/tay-nelson
Unbelievable generosity! Need all the help regards motivation I can get – this may work!
You are awesome, Lindsay! I won’t be winning any prizes from you this year (my personal goal is 25k due to life being too hectic this year), but best of luck to everyone else in both winning and NaNoWriMo!
I will say my book is a light steampunk, post-post apocalyptic (i.e. society is on it’s way to rebuild) adventure. It’s a 3 book series (this year I’m starting on book 2, book 1 is still in editing) in which the protagonist witnesses an event that pushes him from a quiet machinist keeping to himself to a hero, at least in some peoples eyes.
It’s not the best description, but there’s more on Nanowrimo’s website.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/perplexinginkslinger
Ooh, this is a fantastic idea! I have tried doing NaNo a few times in the past, but always lost it right around Thanksgiving. We’ll see if I can build up a buffer this year so I can take some circa-Thanksgiving days off and spend time with family. And now I have extra motivation to keep on track!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/hoverlight
Normally I write high fantasy. Somehow I managed to saddle myself with a superhero story instead. Well, a supervillain story.
Well, really it’s a story about supervillains, human weapons, and empathy.
I guess I’m ambitious?
I did a complete change on Saturday and started a different book, so I am playing catch up. Thanks for the added motivation to get back on target by Friday!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/notreallyme
I’ve been meaning to do NaNo for a while now, but this is the first year I’ve actually gotten around to doing it.
I’m taking a break from the fantasy I usually write and doing, well, I’m not entirely sure what it is. Urban fantasy, maybe? It’s called Cursed and it’s about these kids who are dying before their time, from things such as cancer or accidents. A man with sad eyes comes by their hospital room and offers them time to live, to complete their bucket lists and stuff like that. Their illnesses are frozen, although they can’t advance, they still affect them. The idea is that these kids finish their goals and say their goodbyes so they can die in peace, but a small group decide that they don’t want to die and they hide from the man. The book deals with the repercussions of this decision and how it affects these kids’ lives.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/ebthompson
Hey Lindsay, here is my nanowrimo address:
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/james-moon
Working on a Fantasy/Science Fiction full length novel that ties in to my first published short story Malediction. Looking forward to winning this year’s nanowrimo with all you other great authors out there!
Great idea. Thank you for doing this!
First year doing NaNo. The little novel I’m crafting is about people trapped in Outer Heaven, a dimension between life and death, while their bodies lay in coma back on Earth.
A war is brewing in Outer Heaven, one that will decide the future of Earth (i.e. bad guys win = end of the world). So a lot is at stake.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/chelai
Going to give this a shot, in between a possible relocation across the country.
Thanks for the inspiration Lindsay!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/dmc3472
I’m still chugging away! Up to 7300 words and haven’t started writing for Day 5 yet. If you’re looking for a writing buddy then please add me!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/boston-bee
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/arilessiers
I’m writing Fantasy, redrafting book 1 from last years Nano and doing books 2&3 as well (hopefully)
You know how the stories go, Good vs Evil, Light vs Dark. Leto and her brother Azrael were born to the side of Darkness.
Their family cruelly slaughtered, their childhood spent preparing for the war to come, whilst shadows move in the forest surrounding their lands, and Leto cannot dream of anything but revenge…
This is my 4th attempt at Nano. I’ve one once and finally completed the novel just before starting this year.
This year I’m writing a YA urban fantasy novel with a genderqueer MC who is struggling with adjusting to a new school after being expelled from her previous one for fighting. On top of that she finds out that her father may be a celestial being. It’s a lot to deal with. 😀
My profile is here: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/robertmckay
Thanks, Lindsay! I’m excited for the new book!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/milarii
Hi, Lindsay;
This is my first year participating in NaNoWriMo. Despite lugging around a Creative Writing degree for 20 years, I have yet to live the dream–until now. I actually felt compelled to do NaNo, because after teaching/editing for 10 years, I have a lot of difficulty ignoring my internal editor, and the tight deadline has given me the freedom to spew words with abandon. Now, two “crap-ters” into my novel, things are starting to flow. (That sounded a lot better in my head.)
You should know that you, via the EE series and this website, influenced my decision to start writing again. Thanks for all you do to encourage writers to pave their own paths.
Happy writing,
Vanessa
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/vj-savoy (I’m writing under the name VJ Savoy.)
LOL. I like “crap-ters”. I’m tucking that in my pocket to use laters.
. . . hee hee. Crap-ter. ^^
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lastlivingpoet
Kerry here again. http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kerry-howard.
Things have been manic with the other work commitments and I’ve fallen behind on my NaNo word count over the last few days. Got some serious work to catch up but looking at everyone’s numbers inspires me to crack on with it.
Today I had the rare experience of enjoying being a car passenger in a traffic jam. I’ll take that impromptu 890 words thank you very much.
How do you manage the demands of work and family life during NaNo?
This is my second attempt … and still trying to finish the novel i started last year!
So far 10720 words … life keeps getting in the way!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/miss-things-place/novels
Okay, I’m back with a little more time. I’m always looking for more writing buddies, so feel free to find me on the NaNo site. 🙂
Just a bit about me: I’m writing a thriller this year, which scares me. (The stress of writing a thriller, not the story itself, I mean.) I’m absolutely loving all the research, but I’m behind on my word count.
Is anyone else writing by hand? I’m a bit behind, so I may have to plunk down at my computer to get caught up.
How’s everyone’s novel going?
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lastlivingpoet
I’m a little late to the game here, but I”m participating in NaNoWriMo! I’ve met word goals every night and am a little ahead of the official goals, but I’m still writing 1,667 each day.
Here is the link to my page: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/candicew
My nano link: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/hypercaz 🙂
This is the first year I haven’t had giant exams and major works due in November so finally I’ve been able to participate. ^_^ My book is set in an old fantasy universe of mine and I’m not sure if it’s a prequel or a start point? 😀
My nano link is: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/drmaryann
I was a winner last year with a book of magical realism set in the not too distant future. I’m taking a break from editing that book to do something completely different. This year I’m writing a story very loosely based on what I know about my mother’s birth mother. Since what I know would fit in about 5 tweets, it’s purely fiction 😉 I broke 10,000 words yesterday. Yea me!
I’d made it to 12540 by the 6th, but work issues kept me away from the keyboard yesterday.
Having fun, but feel like I’m already running a bit ragged.
I tried to link my nano page to my name in the above post, but when I clicked my name to test it my browser just took me to the nanowrimo homepage. Here’s my actual nano page:
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/marcos-soriano
The book is about a homeless alcoholic investigating the murder of his sponsor. It’s set on the streets of Waikiki, and I’m posting it free, as I go along, on Smashwords. Here’s that link:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/374049
Thanks, Lindsay!
Since I am amazed by my ability to meet my goal every day, I decided, what the hell, I might try my luck here 🙂
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/alexcallahan/
I am not sure what the goal count is, but I made it to 12,021 already! I have more to write today, too. Thanks for being an extra motivator!
I am writing YA fantasy wherein a boy’s soul is trifurcated by a witch, each sliver growing up without knowledge of the others and each with a different magical talisman. Through the twists of the spell, they end up finding each other again as adults, all three desperate for possession of the other talismans and the other lost pieces of a single soul. All three will change the world in their struggles to be whole, but only one can survive in the end.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/jmarcotte/
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/fensbutt
I’m keeping slightly below the curve, but I figure the weekend will get me farther ahead. Talking to others is more of a motivator than I thought.
I planned on doing a double this year, but now that I look back, I’d probably have died.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/eternal_echo/novels/key-of-legacy
I feel like my plot is off course but I’m still doing my best to write. (> u <)
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/kcotton
I have been writing stories for myself for years but this will be the first time that I have submitted a story for any type of consideration, even if it is just the word count. I am hoping that participating in this activity will help me to complete more stories.
I have to say I have been encouraged by the authors writing in the Steampunk genre which I have discovered recently. Many of them seem to opt for non-traditional methods of publishing their work. It gives me hope that more people will have the chance to share their stories.
Heh… on target… go figure.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/srynivasan/
Urban fantasy – a first for me. I think I’ve finally got a grasp on the narrator’s voice… Twelfth go at NaNo… and I’m looking for a 12th win. 🙂
My fifth full time novel, but first time on NaNo – mostly since I’ve already started writing it, so might as well make it count 🙂
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/james-calbraith
Trying to keep just above par… not easy since I’ve started without most of the plot building and research done beforehand :/
The only time i get to write is when my son is asleep, so pretty much two hours during the day and maybe if i’m lucky two hours at night. I haven’t stayed on goal every day but i’m trying. I’m hoping that i can catch up tonight. My sons almost two so any of my free time that i do get i spend doing things that need to be done around the house.
I dont have a set plan for this story except whatever comes to mind as i’m writing, but it is an “epic fantasy” or at least thats what it is looking like right now. This is also the first year that i have participated and i’m doing my best to keep up, even if i can only write a 100 words or so here and there. Hopefully by friday i’ll be all caught up again and saturday i plan on getting ahead (if i ever get the chance haha.)
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/clgentry06
I finally caught up on my word count today by hitting just over 20,000 words and am put on track to hit 50,000 by the 30th (though I hope to reach it before then). The three missed days are no longer looming over my head ^-^
Sick for a week and without internet for a weekend plus crazy busy with teaching prep = WAY behind. Hoping to crank out some grading and then pound away at my word count. It will also help if I update over at nanowrimo!
Thanks a lot for the gift card, Lindsay!
I’m up to just over 33,000 now, although when I post after midnight tonight I should have more. I want to find a word count monthly calendar widget I can keep on my site year-round for motivation. Those things work!
I’ve started to go through and edit a bit of the earlier parts. I know this is frowned on a bit, but I need to get little things squared away and loose threads tied up. I’ve already written the ending and much in between, and hope to finish by Nov. 25.
My nanowrimo page: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/gregb235
Thursday 14 Nov 2013
I’m really enjoying this nanowri thing. It’s giving me some discipline and making me write nearly every day. I’ve pulled ahead, slightly, of the daily average, which is a good thing as I may not be able to do any writing tomorrow. But I’ve got the words to keep up with the average per day even if I don’t.
Once again I couldn’t get started, even thought I had the time, this morning. But suddenly I got going in the PM. My heroine got herself into more trouble, but I’m sure she’ll extricate herself. What happened to her Captain. He should have been back to the group of castaways by now. Was he OK, did that smudge of smoke on the horizon she saw this morning before the French pirates attacked mean anything. How much Treasure did the French find and take. How many of the party survived. Tune in next time folks, same time same station.
Just started Chapter 6 and i have developed my first writers block since starting this! So excited that i have made it this far! I have decided that my story isn’t going to be anywhere near 50,000 words…but in fact much longer than that! I’m excited, and i do have to say this has helped me keep writing! Thank you 🙂
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/clgentry06 (I’ll make at least 25,000 by midnight :P…i hope >.<)
Holy cow! I won?
First of all, Lindsay, thank you so, so, so much for hosting this contest in the first place! I’ve gained innumerable writing buddies from it, and their progress spurred me to keep working harder and faster.
Second of all, thank you so much for the prize!!! I don’t think I’ve won a random contest since about the second grade – and back then, the prize was a pencil from the prize box. If you were lucky, it even had a working eraser. 🙂
Thirdly, I won! When you sent me the notification that I’d won the prize, I was at 46,000 words and change. I was so thrilled that I just kept tearing away at my novel and today, at 12:53PM, I crossed the 50,000 word line. I’ve never written anything so fast, and I honestly don’t think I’ve finished more than a quarter of my novel. I’m still mad about my characters and my setting, and can’t wait to keep going. Thank you so much for helping to bring my passion for writing back. At this rate, I really believe I can meet my goal to be published next year.
So anyway, thanks, thanks, and thanks some more! Keep going on your novels, everyone – I can’t wait to read them all!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/eternal_echo/novels/key-of-legacy
33167 words so far! The climax already happened in my story but I’m still so far from the word count >_<!
I know I’m late to the party, but I figured there was still a chance for me since I’m ahead on my word count!
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/mvaughan
This is my first Nano. I’ve had a hard go of it so fur but it’s been fun.
Finally got caught up to my word count last night, 40,000. I plan on pushing myself to finish early. This is my first NaNo and now I am determined to win since I am so close.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lillynightingale
I finally hit 50k. >w< I won my first Nano….but I am still not near finished with my novel. If anything, NaNo has taught me that you need to write each and every day.
Just about to cross the 70,000 mark here. I was surprised to get up to 60,000 and I hope I can wrap it up here pretty soon. Really all it needs at this point is a few good line edits and some time to cool off.
http://nanowrimo.org/novels/key-of-legacy/edit
49580 words!
Trying to push through. Did a prologue and epilogue. Hopefully can get over by adding more imagery and details. So excited!
Hi Lindsay, I have finished my novel now. It’s my first NaNoWriMo and WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE!!!! Loved it! I’m going to participate every year from now on and I got so into my story . I had tears of happiness in my eyes as I hit the finish line too. I want to demonstrate that despite my disabilities I can achieve my dream to write a book and show others they can too . Great blog! 🙂
This was my first NaNo as well and I was so happy when I hit 50,000. Still haven’t finished my novel lol, will have to do that during the last couple weeks of this school semester and during break. Congrats on finishing ^-^
What is everyone going to do now that NaNoWriMo is over? I know I still have to finish my novel, survive finals for college and work on that plush project I said I would do for a family friend’s daughter (and the one for my best friend)
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/lillynightingale