NaNoWriMo

2022 Writing Snippet #7

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A periodic look at some of the passages and lines I’m most proud of. For this one, a passage from my current WIP (and 2022 National Novel Writing Month project) Summertime, Assassins, and Other Skullduggeries.

Guevera brings the Escalade to a squeaky stop and kills the engine. The rear door on the passenger’s side swings open, with no one on the outside, and Lola shrugs at me before climbing out. Wishing I was armed with something more than my own wits, I sit for several quiet moments before following her. As soon as my feet hit pavement, Lola’s hand clamps down on my own.

She’s nervous. Uncertain. It’s a strange look on her, but she’s not wrong to feel this way.

Hell, my stomach is little more than a ball of nerves. Like a hornets nest someone’s taken a stick to.

To make things worse, a fucking prop plane is waiting for us. It’s 2022 and we’re still hurtling through the sky in planes no bigger than a stick of gum and sound like some five-year-old who makes fart sounds. I don’t care how safe anyone tells me this is, I should never be forced to fly in something that looks like a remote control toy.

Writing Snippet #1 | Writing Snippet #2 | Writing Snippet #3 

Writing Snippet #4 | Writing Snippet #5 | Writing Snippet #6

Hey! We’re Doing That 50K-in-30-Days Thing Again?

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Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Or I am, at least.

That’s right: come tomorrow, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) begins anew. The annual 50,000-words-in-30-days challenge that is as simple as it is maddening once again takes over the writing world, and I firmly believe this is the most wonderful time of the year (no matter what the stores already putting out their Christmas trees tell you).

Four of my six novels — Bounty, Behind the Badge, Betrayal, and Notna — began as NaNoWriMo projects, and the annual event — of which I’ve taken part since 2008 — has also resulted in several other works-in-progress. The reckless creative abandon NaNoWriMo allows gives me the bravery to try things I might otherwise be too in my own head to tackle, and I’m a firm believer that NaNoWriMo has made me a better writer.

This year, I’m using NaNoWriMo to tackle Land of the Free, the first novel in the forthcoming Hellion series (think The West Wing meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The story is already outlined, and I can’t wait for the calendar to flip from October 31 to November 1 so I can start writing it.

I’ll be updating my progress on this page throughout November, and if you’re taking part as well, add me as a writing buddy over on NaNo’s site! My profile is here.

(And if you can, please consider leaving NaNoWriMo a donation.)

About J.D. Cunegan
J.D. Cunegan is known for his unique writing style, a mixture of murder mystery and superhero epic that introduces the reader to his comic book-inspired storytelling and fast-paced prose. A 2006 graduate of Old Dominion University, Cunegan has an extensive background in journalism, a lengthy career in media relations, and a lifelong love for writing. Cunegan lives in Hampton, Virginia, and next to books and art, his big passion in life in auto racing. When not hunched in front of a keyboard or with his nose stuck in a book, Cunegan can probably be found at a race track or watching a race on TV.

Follow J.D. on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Godsend that is NaNoWriMo

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It’s that time of year again. No, I don’t ,mean the Christmas trees going up in WalMarts and Targets around the country (seriously, can we not get through Thanksgiving first?). I’m talking about National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo, as the kids call it).

That… is what the kids call it. Right?

Anyway, for the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo is a challenge in which you have 30 days to write 50,000 words. It sounds maddening, and it can be (but less so if you consider that averages out to 1,667 words a day). Truthfully, the maddening part comes at the end of the month, when Thanksgiving approaches and family obligations take precedence.

But there is one benefit to NaNoWriMo, particularly for someone like me.

I’ve made no secret, both on this page and on my social media platforms, about my writing struggles of late. My lack of productivity has taken a toll in recent months, not only on my (lack of) word count, but also in terms of my emotional well-being. Writer is a large part of my identity, and if I’m not writing…

But one thing about NaNoWriMo, and why it’s such an important program, is that it establishes the habit of daily writing. It’s difficult to meet the 50,000-word goal in perfect circumstances, but if you’re not writing every day, then the task is even more daunting. Not that there’s shame in not reaching 50,000 words; there isn’t, and any progress made during NaNoWriMo is to be celebrated.

And in the interest of transparency, I’ve reached the 50,000-word mark every year since 2014, but none of my projects have been finished by the time November ended. That’s where the habit of daily writing comes in. Ideally, that habit carries beyond November into the rest of the year.

Which, again, is the whole point.

Three of my novels — Bounty, Behind the Badge, and Notna — started as NaNoWriMo projects. The fifth Jill Andersen novel, Betrayed, was my NaNoWriMo project last year, and this year, I’m using NaNoWriMo to take on a story and a genre I’ve never tried before.

That challenge, and NaNoWriMo as a whole, has been invigorating. Just yesterday alone, I knocked out almost 4,000 words on my NaNoWriMo project — a fantasy romance titled Unforgotten (working title). I also wrote 4,000 words in completing a short story for an upcoming anthology (from the same folks who brought you Cracks in the Tapestry).

Without NaNoWriMo, I’m not sure I’m a writer — and if I am, I seriously doubt I’d be published. Establishing that habit, treating writing as a journey rather than a destination, is what November is all about. It’s the perfect tonic for a lack of productivity, and I can’t wait to see what other words the month will bring.

If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this month, best of luck to you! What are you writing? I’m J.D. Cunegan on NaNo’s website, so become a writing buddy if you’re so inclined.

And remember, even if you don’t reach 50,000 this month, anything you do create is worthwhile.

 

About J.D. Cunegan
J.D. Cunegan is known for his unique writing style, a mixture of murder mystery and superhero epic that introduces the reader to his comic book-inspired storytelling and fast-paced prose. A 2006 graduate of Old Dominion University, Cunegan has an extensive background in journalism, a lengthy career in media relations, and a lifelong love for writing. Cunegan lives in Hampton, Virginia, and next to books and art, his big passion in life in auto racing. When not hunched in front of a keyboard, scratching a pencil over a piece of paper, or with his nose stuck in a book, Cunegan can probably be found at a race track or watching a race on TV.

Follow J.D. on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads. and DeviantArt.

The ACTUAL Most Wonderful Time of Year

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Don’t let Big Christmas (TM) tell you different: November is the most wonderful time of year for us writers.

Why?

National Novel Writing Month, of course.

National Novel Writing Month — or NaNoWriMo (or for those of us with really lazy fingers, simply NaNo) — is a challenge: write 50,000 words in 30 days. Is it insane? Maddening? Pull-out-your-hair frustrating? Absolutely. But it’s also a blast, a great way to establish the habit of writing daily — and if you’re really fortunate, NaNo will let you lay the foundation for a future published work.

Don’t believe me? Well, Bounty was my 2014 NaNo project. In 2015, I used NaNo to write Behind the Badge. In 2016, Notna was my 50,000-words-in-30-days bright idea.

Last year, I used NaNo to write Betrayed.

This year? I’m going to use NaNo to… write Betrayed. Again.

Betrayed has not been kind to me.

Not that you have to write something worth publication for NaNoWriMo. All you have to do is write. For you math majors, 50,000 words in 30 days amounts to about 1,667 words a day. Doable, so long as you avoid such things as writer’s block and real life.

But let me dispel a myth: we do not crank out our 50K and then hit “Publish” on Dec. 1. That’s not what NaNo is, that’s not what NaNo is about — and anyone who does do that has no idea what being a published author truly entails. NaNo is less about the finished product and more about doing away with the excuses and the road blocks and write.

In fact, most of us who reach the 50,000-word mark — who “win” — still have story to tell.

Even if you don’t reach the 50,000-word goal, simply getting in the habit of putting words on the page, of letting yourself tell your story, is intensely gratifying. Even if November only yields 20,000 words, just think: that’s 20,000 more words than you had at the beginning of the month.

Which, ultimately, is the whole point.

You can learn more about NaNoWriMo here. If you’re taking part this year, and you’re on the lookout for writing buddies, feel free to add me. I’m on there under my pen name.

 

About J.D. Cunegan
J.D. Cunegan is known for his unique writing style, a mixture of murder mystery and superhero epic that introduces the reader to his comic book-inspired storytelling and fast-paced prose. A 2006 graduate of Old Dominion University, Cunegan has an extensive background in journalism, a lengthy career in media relations, and a lifelong love for writing. Cunegan lives in Hampton, Virginia, and next to books, his big passion in life in auto racing. When not hunched in front of a keyboard or with his nose stuck in a book, Cunegan can probably be found at a race track or watching a race on TV.

Follow J.D. on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads, and you can also become a Patron.

Good News, Everyone!

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Another NaNoWriMo, another win!

For the third straight year, I eclipsed the 50,000-word mark in the annual writing exercise. With that said, the first draft of Notna — at 58,000 words — is about half-finished. Still, the book is on track for a mid-2017 publication, which would mean each of my last three NaNo projects would go on to become published works.

Bounty was my 2014 project, and I used last year’s NaNo to write Behind the Badge.

And aside from the winner’s t-shirt and all of the other goodies that come with winning NaNo (including a discount code for the fantastic writing program Scrivener), NaNoWriMo establishes writing as a daily habit. That, perhaps more than anything, is why I’m so strident in my support of the program.

While I’m on the subject of the Jill Andersen series, a couple nuggets:

Bounty is the Book of the Month for December! Just in time for the coming holidays, this is your chance to pick up my debut novel and join the discussion (of which I might be a part from time to time) on Facebook. And if you enjoy Bounty, the next two books in the series — Blood Ties and Behind the Badge — are currently out as well.

Surprise the superhero fan in your life this holiday season with my Jill Andersen novels, which are available in both paperback and Kindle. Paperback editions are available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble (online only), and CreateSpace (Bounty | Blood Ties | Behind the Badge).

The fourth novel in the series, Behind the Mask, is finally back underway. Originally slated to come out next month, I’m now targeting a mid-2017 release. The manuscript needed a complete revamp, and I’ve forced myself to at least create the bare bones of an outline. My inner pantser is screaming about being betrayed, but the story was in serious need of direction.

That’s the problem with completely retooling a series; it invites chaos.

Speaking of betrayal… the fifth novel in the series, which I hope to have ready by the end of 2017, will be titled Betrayed. I already have the cover for the book, and the blurb is ready to go… but the blurb would spoil Behind the Mask, so I’ll just hold off on that for the time being.

But I will unveil the cover in the coming weeks.

Also, we are roughly two weeks away from the release of a new book from one of my favorite authors: indie fantasy author R.R. Virdi will be releasing his latest opus, Dangerous Ways, on Dec. 14. The Kindle and paperback editions will be available that day, and there may or may not be a hardcover edition in the works.

Be on the lookout — not just for the book, but for my latest Author Spotlight, which will go live that day. And you know that once I finish reading Dangerous Ways, there will be a review.

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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No, not that one.

Though I’m seeing far too many Christmas trees for my liking…

No; starting tomorrow, NaNoWriMo beings anew. For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it’s every November. Basically, you get 30 days to write a 50,000-word novel.

That’s it. It’s that simple, and that daunting, all at once.

I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo (heretofore referred to as NaNo) every year since 2008, but I’ve only reached the 50,000-word goal three times (I did hit the mark in 2008, but I never finished that book, and we’ll just pretend it never existed). I also hit the 50,000-word mark in 2014 and 2015. But what became of those projects?

Well, you may have heard of them. I wrote Bounty in 2014 and Behind the Badge last year.

Some of NaNo’s naysayers are convinced there’s no way to write a brilliant, publishable book in just a month. And for the most part, I agree with them… but NaNo’s not about writing the best novel ever, first time through. No, it’s simply an exercise in putting words on a page, helping establish a habit of writing.

Basically, if you write an average of 1,667 words per day, every day, throughout November, you’ll reach the 50,000-word goal. It’s about how good the words are, or even what you do with those words once the calendar flips to December. It’s about putting the words on the page. It’s about writing for the sake of writing.

Some people do it for fun. Some use NaNo to tackle long-ignored projects. For others still, NaNo is simply affirmation of what they spend the rest of the year doing. For me, it’s a chance to knock out a first draft.

What I wrote in November 2014 and what’s currently available for sale are night and day. I wrote with reckless abandon in November… but I spent December through March editing, revising, re-writing… all of that stuff that tends to give us writers heartburn.

NaNo is an escape from all that. All that matters is getting words down.

Leave the editing and the hand-wringing and the self-doubt for December; starting tomorrow, those of us who participate in NaNo will feverishly peck at our keyboards, or scribble on our notepads, watching as the words mount and the word counts go up and up and up and up and…

Interrupt us at your own peril.

This year, I’ll be using NaNo to re-write — and finish — the first draft of my fantasy/supernatural epic Notna. What better way to finally get that project off the ground than the annual event that allowed me to push through two of my three currently-published novels?

You’d be surprised how many published novels began as NaNo projects. And quite frankly, I’m a fan of anything that fosters creativity, progress, community, and literacy. People who participate are writers and book lovers, and for the full experience, immersing yourself in a community of fellow NaNo’ers (there are locality-based groups abound; my group is amazing) is a must.

Ultimately, without NaNoWriMo, I’m not sure if I’m published right now. I’m a more productive, more polished, and more confident writer than I was before NaNo, and I look forward to November every year for just that reason.

To learn more about National Novel Writing Month, or to sign up, visit their website.