Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.” ― Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

Elisa’s Thought for the Week:

It’s November on Monday, and for many writers around the planet, that means it is time for NaNoWriMo.

In case you aren’t in the know on such internet acronyms, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.

This is a challenge to write every day in November, aiming for 50,000 words by December 1st (approximately 1,666 words a day or 2,000 words a day if you take one day off a week.)

50,000 words a day will get you pretty close, if not completely done with, a completed first draft of a novel.

That’s right — if you click that link above (or here, if you don’t want to scroll), you’ll be able to sign up for resources, updates, and more to help you finish a whole book in one month.

If writing a book isn’t your thing, you could try participating in another trend, #NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month), in which you commit to posting a blog post every single day for the month of November.

Who knows, you might just have a book of essays to share at the end of it all.

Worst case scenario, you’ve given your writing muscles a good sprint!

What You Missed on Craft Your Content …

Our articles have the same mission we do — to help you to make your own words even better!

  • Despite how popular experiencing it is, writer’s block is an unnecessary and preventable aspect of writing. This week, writer Chelsea Terry explains how to prevent writer’s block—and save your stories—before you even start writing.

CYC Elsewhere ... 

Other places we’ve popped up around the interwebs.

  • We’re in the last leg of the year, and it’s officially NaNoWriMo season. In this pair of articles from before and after, author Melody Boggs shares her experience participating, and discoveries that will be helpful to every writer—whether you’ve never heard of this writing challenge, or you think of it with trembling fingers.

In Other Reading This Week …

Need more insights and inspiration for your writing and mindset?

  • Would you like to compete in NaNoWriMo, but don’t have enough time for comprehensive planning and outlining before you start? Author Stephanie Bourbon shares the strategy she has used to fly by the seat of her pants every season, completing a 50,000 word draft each time.

  • Building a writing habit isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. Top 1000 Medium author Khadejah, shares her experience writing on the platform every day for a year, and advice for anyone looking to earn from writing on Medium.

  • Interested in NaNoWriMo? In this article from MasterClass, find out how NaNoWriMo is valuable to writers, tips for when participating, and some successful stories that began as NaNoWriMo projects.

  • Whether you’re new to the challenge or a NaNoWriMo veteran, if you’re participating, this NaNoWriMo calculator is useful to set a goal, keep track of your progress, and give you much-needed motivation—whether you’re ahead of or behind schedule as you write through the month.

  • As an event that’s been around since 1999, NaNoWriMocan unsurprisingly has its own industry culture. While this have many benefits to authors, writer Laura Miller shares some reasons why NaNoWriMo may be less grand as it seems.

Pitches & Submissions…

Want to get your own writing and ideas published on other sites?

  • Want to write for women and nonbinary people? Diem’s The Power Outlet is seeking pitches on Beauty & Power, Gender & Religion, Motherhood, The History of Marriage, and more. Interested writers can check out their pitching guide, or learn more. Rate is $200 for 700 words.

  • Autostraddle is still seeking pitches on reporting, timely political pieces, personal essays, comics, and more from writers who identify as trans. Interested writers should pitch to xoai@autostraddle.com. Rates vary, but are $100 - $300 depending on the piece and experience. Learn more.

  • Want to write about education journalism? The Grade is seeking pitches in this niche. Interested writers can check out their pitching guide, or learn more. Rate is $600 per 1200 words.

  • Want to write about writing SciFi/Fantasy? Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SWFA) is seeking pitches from BIPOC or other writers of marginalized identities. Interested writers can check out their pitching guide or learn more. Rate is $0.08/word and article length is ideally 700-800 words.

Weekly Writing Tip …

A quick chance to learn from the masters.

“I kept always two books in my pocket, one to read, one to write in.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson, Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson

For the Upcoming Week …

Because we all need a good chuckle to start things off right!

Now if I could just get this crick out of my back…

Image
(Credit: Grant Snider on Instagram)

Till next time!

Elisa