Finding The Time to Write

By Maureen Bonatch

I love to write. I’m a better person when I make the time for fiction writing—I must differentiate this from freelance writing, or academic writing or other writing tasks that don’t tap into the well of creativity I associate with writing fiction.

Over the years I’ve had many people come up to me and ask about my writing and then share how they, too, planned to write a book if they could ever find the time. I always tell them, you have to make the time. There is no well of time just waiting for you to fill it with a story. 

We all get the same 24-hours a day that is quickly filled with tasks, obligations or any variety of things that suck the time out of your day more effectively than a vampire.

National Novel Writing Month

I always tell these wanna-be fiction writers about NaNoWrimonth in November. National Novel Writing month is my favorite. When November rolls around it gives me an extra reason to make time for fiction writing. 

The enthusiasm of everyone participating in NaNoWri makes me feel like my fiction writing is a priority, despite all the other things vying for my time.

No Time to Write

This year was the first time in the past 10 years that I hesitated when I went to sign up for NaNoWri. This year has been a whirlwind and my fiction writing has definitely suffered. I’ve had very little time to devote to writing. 

I asked my daughter (who has done NaNoWri with me the past several years- and won) if she planned on doing NaNoWri. I almost expected her to say she didn’t have time. 

It would’ve made me a little sad, since she’s such a good writer, but her excuse would’ve been legit. In her first semester of college with a heavy class load, I thought she might hesitate. But she didn’t. So neither will I. 

Books don’t write themselves.

There’s Something About NaNoWri

I love to talk about NaNoWri month. Here are a few past posts about NaNoWri. There are many more…but I have to get back to writing my NaNoWri novel.

• Making a DIY standingtreadmill desk

• Secrets to winning NaNoWri for pansters (raises hand) and procrastinators

• For your loved ones who must deal with their NaNoWriobsessed

• How NaNoWri is a little like being a alien

• The month after NaNoWri Poem

Who’s Doing NaNoWri this year?  

Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook & Twitter

Be the first to know about Maureen’s book sales and new releases by following her on BookBub, Amazon and/or signing up for her newsletter

Secrets for Procrastinators & Pansters to Win NaNoWri

By Maureen L. Bonatch

Hey Peeps, it’s November. You know what that means. There’s one thing I’m always eager to talk about. No, not turkey day. No, not Christmas shopping (bite your tongue!) Okay, okay, I’ll tell you, it’s NaNoWri—National Novel Writing Month for those of you new to my ramblings.

I may have mentioned it before, and maybe one other time, and perhaps I couldn’t even stop myself from continuing to rant about it the month after it ended. But I have NaNoWri to thank for multiple finished draft manuscripts. Granted, before I incorporated a few of my following secrets to winning NaNoWri I had several years of failing.

Find Your Peeps

It’s easy to lie to yourself about how many words you completed that day, but not if you have someone to answer to. The year I joined up with other authors in Savvy Authors on a team was the first year I “won” NaNoWri. Since then I’m sure to join up every year. This is in addition to the NaNoWri site where you can find all kinds of writing buddies to cheer you on, but just be sure to give yourself someone to be accountable for a specific goal each day.

Be a Role Model

My girls both like to write and they’ve both participated in either NaNoWri Young Writers Program or NaNoWri for the past few years. The first year we did it together, I failed to meet my goal. That story, The Secrets We Keep, is still waiting to be finished. Every now and then one of my girls will ask me about that story and if I’ve finished it yet. Since then, I’ve put my nose to the grindstone and proudly let them share my journey to the finish line.

Toss Your Dictionary

For that month be sure to totally forget your dictionary. Just get the words on the page. Don’t worry if some sentences don’t make sense, or if you have to skip to another scene, another chapter (I write in highlighted captions such as “Add More Here” or “Move This Scene”). 

Keeping your story flowing is all that’s important. That’s why I emphasized that at the end of NaNoWri I have a completed “draft” because believe me, it needs a lot of editing. But, as I’ve heard time and time again—you can’t edit a blank page.

Time is Irrelevant

You don’t have to set aside hours to work on your story each day. If you have the time, that’s awesome, and get some extra words that day in case you have another day that the words aren’t flowing as well. Although try to fit even a few minutes of writing time in each day to keep the story alive in your mind. If you only have ten minutes to write, take them! Write on your lunch break, or get up a little earlier. Maybe you’re writing an hour a day, but you’ve broken it up into four fifteen-minute segments, and that’s fine.

One Word—Sprints

You can find times sprints at almost any time, or you can start your own, on Twitter. If you’ve teamed up with other writers it’s a perfect opportunity to suggest planned and impromptu sprints. A sprint consists of a determined time frame of when you’re going to just write. No editing, no stopping, no surfing the internet. You just let the words flow and write as much as you can as fast as you can.

Prepare Your Family

This will be my Ninth Year participating in NaNoWri, and I plan for it to be my Fifth Year Winning. There are tons of articles about preparing your family by making meals ahead of time, assigning your chores to the kids or the hubby or eliminating activities you usually do. I don’t do any of that. I should, but I don’t.

I only have one requirement from my family and that is to let me “get my words” for the day. I strive for 1,667 words per day (or more!) to make it to 50,000 by the end of the month. My constant muttering must’ve worked because the hubs is now programmed to ask no questions when I lug the laptop with me announcing I must “get my words.” Then this year, for the first year, before November even arrived hubs said, “Is that NaNo thing going to start again?”

So to all of you who might have a book (or another book) in you, here’s your time to get it out!

Grandma Must Die is one of my Previous NaNoWri Winners!

Get Your Copy Here: 

http://amzn.to/2dpGV6I

Carman has worn out more towns and last names than impractical shoes protecting the secret of her magic blood. But when a friend goes missing, and another is infected with a deadly spell, Carman must choose. Expose her magic blood by curing the spell—or stop the infection from spreading by killing the source…the grandmother.

Besides Thanksgiving, NaNoWri is my favorite thing about November. What’s your favorite thing about November?

About Maureen
Maureen writes stories in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania that boast laughter, light suspense and something magical in the hope of sharing her love of finding the extraordinary in the ordinary world. She writes Paranormal Romance and Fantasy.

Find Me:
Writing on my Website
Tweeting on Twitter
Pinning on Pinterest
Flapping on Facebook

That Awkward Moment When... with @MeganSlayer

Anyone ever have that awkward moment when you're staring at the computer and you know you should be doing something, but nothing comes to mind? Maybe it's right after a gigantic writing session or a frantic promo blast. It could be after the family has gone to bed and you're alone with the story or you've found a quiet nook at your favorite writing spot... Ever had that moment?

I have.

I had a fellow author tell me that authors should never have downtime with a story. There should never be a moment when he or she cannot find some sort of words to put on the page.

Here's the thing. Authors do have this problem. It's called writer's block. It can be called procrastination. It's also been known to go by the name of NaNo Overload.

Ever heard of those?

I have. I've lived them. I am living them.

I just finished NaNo. Know what that is? National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo for short). It's every November. 50,000 words in 30 days. To some, this is therapy. To others, torture. Some use this as their way to catch up and get wordage in. Others simply stare at the screen and try not to cry due to stress.

Me? I had my moments of tears. I mean, 50,000 words is a lot of words. Okay, maybe not for Stephen King or Nora Roberts, but it is for me. There's some serious stress involved. I had moments where the words flew from my fingers and I thought, yeah, I got this.

I did got this...so to speak. I nailed it. 50,330 as of yesterday at 11:30 pm and the story isn't done yet. That's the best feeling--the story isn't done, but I reached the minimum word goal. Phew. Now to get print length where I want to sub the book requires 60,000, but I've got at least that left in the notes, plus two sex scenes to write. So yay me!

But now I'm at that awkward moment when I'm staring at the computer screen. I know I should be writing. I even know WHAT I should be writing. But the words aren't coming. They're stuck or on strike. I'm not sure.

Either way, I did get to blog today and got to talk to you, so that's pretty good. Have YOU ever had that awkward moment? Want to talk about it? Commiserate? I'm all ears.

How about a snippet from my latest release, since I'm here. Sure!

Bonding with Ben 

Sanctuary Book 4

Resplendence Publishing

M/M, Anal Sex, Masturbation

Novella

Sometimes the biggest hurdle in life is accepting who you are and what you want.

​

Joe Dallas thought he’d escaped the draw of the shifters at the Sanctuary. He doesn’t mind. With his tendency to keep relationships simple, he doesn’t want to get involved with a lion shifter. Then there’s Ben. The quiet shifter piques Joe’s attention. When Joe accompanies Ben on a rescue mission, he realizes the attraction isn’t one-sided. But can a shifter and a human really make a relationship work? Joe isn’t sure.

Ben knows who he wants in his life and bed—Joe. The lion wants to bond with the human he desires. The difference in their species doesn’t bother him a bit. Will the shifter be able to convince Joe they have a future or will fear dominate and destroy the love before it can blossom?


Warning: Once you’re in the sight of this shifter, you may be the “mane” attraction. This lion doesn’t give up until he has his prey.

Available at:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-bondingwithbensanctuarybookfour-1937295-340.html

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/m8/793-978-1-60735-921-0--bonding-with-ben-sanctuary-book-four-by-megan-slayer.html

​EXCERPT:

Copyright 2015, Megan Slayer, All Rights Reserved

What was it about Ben that kept Joe thinking about him? He closed his eyes and stood under the searing-hot spray. With other guys, Joe did the casual thing. Have a good time but no strings, so no one got hurt. Until now, that plan had worked. Right?
Kind of. Sure, he had nothing holding him down, but when he looked at John and Markas together, jealousy hit. He wanted that kind of devotion. Would he get it with Ben?

Ben was certainly different. He was innocent and deserved someone worthy of him. Joe wasn’t worthy of too much of anything. He’d had a little too much fun and broken a few too many hearts along the way. Ben needed true devotion and a good match.

Joe snorted. He was great as a reporter and nosy as hell, but he sucked at relationships. Ben deserved a partner, not a player.

Still, he liked Ben. He worried about the shifter and wanted him to be happy. Could Joe make Ben happy? Doubtful.

Joe opened his eyes and washed the cum from his body. He’d be a friend and help Ben find a suitable partner. No romantic entanglements—just friendship—even if it damn near killed him not to be the man in Ben’s arms and bed.

This was one situation he couldn’t screw up.​

* * * * *

​

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