​FishEye Pinot Grigio 2016
 
This bad boy was on sale for $4.99 at Kroger (my second fav wine spot next to Aldi). I picked it up because I liked the packaging, I was in the mood for a white wine, and it was made in Australia which makes me think of Tim Tams. Nom.

This wine has a great FAQ page on their website that talks about how long their wines will keep and what temperature to store them at. Who are all these people who have "leftover wine"? The site says this wine should be stored at 52 degrees. My wine fridge only goes to 54, so that is going to have to be close enough.

​First Impressions
 
Screw on cap. Yes, please. I have learned that corks do not always equal quality, and since I have expanded my horizons, I was in the mood to not have to plop a cork out of the bottle and do all of the foil peal nonsense.
 
This also has a handy dandy bar on the back that tells me this wine is smack dab in the middle between sweet and dry, which is usually where my wine preferences lie.
 
The bright blue label says this wine will have a peach flavor. Sounds awesome. I love peaches. Memories of that song from the nineties are blasting through my brain as I say that. Damn that was a fun song...
 
And because that song is now overtaking me, you get the earworm too.

The 90's were awesome. But back to the wine.

First Sniff
 
Very fruity burst in the nose holes. This one definitely smells like peach, but more of a peach punch vibe with a little bite. Doesn’t smell artificial, just like really ripe fruit. (Still singing in my head. "Millions of peaches...")
 
Weird thing about this bottle is that the initial level of liquid is well above the seal on the top of the bottle, so it looks like it’s not really moving when I start to pour it. If I couldn’t smell it, I would wonder if it was an empty slightly yellow bottle. Which would make me sad, because this is the only wine in the house right now.
 
FishEye…you’d better come through for me.
 
First Pour
 
No fizzy bubbles on this one, and aside from the glug bubbles at the top due to my bad pouring technique, it sits perfectly smooth in the glass. And when I swirl this one it drags down the sides nicely. This bitch has some legs.
 
 
First Taste!
 
Now to the important part. The taste. I haven’t had anything funky to eat in the past hour or so, so my palette is clean. Aside from the slight nap mouth, but hey…I’m about to drink alcohol. That should kill off any dragon breath germs from my afternoon snooze.
 
If I had to pick one word to describe this wine, it would be smooth. It coated my mouth, but didn’t leave any funky aftertaste or give me the pucker face I get from wine that’s too dry for me.
 
The flavor is more of a hint than a shot to the tastebuds, but when I breathe in and out after a good drink I have the nice warm glow in my sinuses that lets me know fruit happened somewhere along the line here. Kind of like if I’d snorted a white peach before eating it. It makes me flex my nostrils a little and I know that I’m consuming the fruit, but the smell is more powerful than the action on the tastebuds.
 
This is a drinking wine instead of a sipping wine. This shit will go down almost a little too easy. Which suits this wino just fine-o. Yes. I made that pun. No. I’m not taking it out. In fact, I think I need a t-shirt that reads, “A big glass would suit this wino just fine-o”. Yeah. I need that. Or if it already exists, shoot your girl a link. Or buy me one. So I can spend my cash on more wine. While singing 90's songs about peaches.
 
This is one of those really good non-offensive wines. This is one you could probably hand most any wine drinker and they wouldn’t turn you down. Not too sweet, not too dry, and would mesh well with most any food, because although the fruit taste is there, it’s more of an aromatic, and you’ll get enjoyment out of it even with a strongly seasoned dish.
 
Final Verdict

Will I add it to my Kroger bag to get it at 10% off when it’s on sale? Yup. It’s going into my “when it’s on sale rotation”, but it won’t be something I go out of my way to grab.
 
What am I pairing it with tonight? Chicken nuggets and fries. Because I’m a classy bitch on the look for a great bargain. No shame over here. What wine have you seen under $5? Let me know in the comments below so I can keep my eyes peeled for my next cheap date.

~Roxy

Before this year, I didn’t have a dedicated “Office” for my writing. I wrote on various chairs and stairs around my house. I used the kitchen table, coffee table, end table, and even the bathroom sink. Don’t get all high and mighty and act like you never take your phone into the toilet with you. I have emailed myself quite a few necessary ideas while the cat was sticking a paw under the door wondering if I’d died and he’d have to feed himself.
 
I also spent, and still spend, a significant period of time writing outside the house. I purchased a library card for a library outside my own county just so I’d have yet another space to write. A change of scenery and the ability to attend a whole slew of previously unavailable to me events was well worth the $50 price tag.
 
Even with my fancy new office (Hubby still gets brownie points for that!), my favorite place to write and work is my local Panera. Not only do they have free coffee refills, but they have outlets for my laptop, clean bathrooms, and other people doing the same thing as me. Working.
 
Sure…I always seem to end up seated next to a church group discussing a sermon while writing a double penetration menage scene, but since the last time that happened, I got some more visible ear buds, and can block out all the people praying for my soul.
 
I get more done at my local Panera than I do anywhere else. Something about that place gives me a guaranteed two thousand words plus if I’m writing a new draft, or brilliant ideas to fill in plot holes while editing. So I thought I’d share what I travel with when I head into my Panera and get to work. Like writing this blog post. Which I happen to be doing at Panera with a cup of hazelnut coffee in hand.
 
So…
 
What’s in my traveling office?
 

1.  My computer. Obviously, this is technically the only thing I need. It’s something to write on. But, I have also traveled with my Alphasmart, and even just a notebook and pen, if I have been getting bitten by the distraction monster that is social media. 

​Personally, I like having my computer, because if I get an idea or need to reply to an email or review a blurb for a friend, I don’t have to do it on my cell phone.

 2.  A plan. Depending on my level of planner addiction at the moment this can be up to three planners. But however many I bring, I know what I’m working on out of each before I head out. I started making notes on what I want to accomplish when I finally get to my destination. Because let’s be honest, I like my house and not having to put on real pants or makeup.

​If I am putting in the effort to go out and spend my hard earned money, you’d better believe I am going to be productive. Even if my “plan” is a post-it stuck on my computer with a list of top 3 things to accomplish while out, I have a plan. I get more shit done when I know what to get started on once I get to wherever I’m going.

​3. Chargers, and cords, and earbuds, Oh My!

Because the vast majority of the devices I travel with use electricity, I keep a bag of battery packs, cables, and backup earbuds in my purse at all times.

This isn’t fancy. I got the pouch at Goodwill for a buck, and now I never run out of juice. Because all the people in Panera don’t necessarily understand I need access to an outlet, I have the ability to plug in my phone and ensure I can earbud up and listen to some background music no matter how much South Park Phone Destroyer I played that morning.

​4.  My Cell Phone. I know this is kind of a “duh” to have, because no one leaves their house without their cell phone. And if we do happen to forget it, you’d better bet your ass we’re turning around and heading back to retrieve our baby. Specifically, I use my phone for music and a timer. When I’m writing, I sprint in fifteen to thirty minute blocks, so I plug in my earbuds, blast my music and set my timer.


5.  Extras. I don’t need anything aside from the four items above to work in my office, because the vast majority of what I’m working on or toward is digital. But there are occasionally things I add to this list and drag in with me.

My wireless mouse and keyboard help me on heavy writing trips.

My series bible/pink binder of awesome for whatever book I’m putting in brainstorm time with, or scene note cards will go with me if I’m trying to be my new organized self. (New Year, new me and all that shit.)

And if I’m doing a read through of a document I will have my printed manuscript and my Kindle Touch. My kindle reads my book out loud to me while I follow along and make notes in my paper copy. 

​All these extras are "sometimes" items. Which makes my planner and my task list for my traveling office even more important.

It's January! The first month of 2018. This is a time where everyone starts evaluating how they spent the prior twelve months. And for writers, the evil tax season where we see the expense lines added up is almost upon us. (Send booze.)

But rather than doing a list of "Eighteen Things To Do in 2018" or elaborate New Year's Resolutions, I am going to chose my "One Word."

One Word is an idea that you whittle down what you want to accomplish, and how you want to live your life into a single word. Surprisingly it's easier to do than you think. Finding your word is kind of like looking for a spouse. You know it when you see it. ;)

I first discovered this idea from the site MyIntent.Org. And you might have seen this running around your Facebook feed, because that's where I first ran into this. Thank you, Facebook Ads! Mainly this site is selling a product which is a glorified washer on some hemp, an idea that the inner 90s kid inside me loved. But the idea struck me. Imagine finding a word that resonates with you and puts you in a mindset to live your life leaning in the direction you want to go. Even if you are tripping over your own feet somedays, leaning in the right directions means that after you fall and dust yourself off, you are still a little closer to your goals.

A YouTuber I was watching as I fell down the planner rabbit hole I was recently on credited this idea to a woman named Ali Edwards. Doing some research, she has a great resource for this idea (probably because it was hers.) She also sells workshops and planner goodies to coordinate with the process. But fair warning...most of the stuff I found from her had a large bent toward the products she was selling. But the idea...choosing a word to direct your year...well, that's free. But if you're interested in how she embraces her word, her video is below.

All that said...you're probably wondering what I chose for my "One Word". I know I'm always curious about what everyone else is picking.

I wanted my word of 2018 to spur me on and push me toward action. I wanted something powerful and strong. So my word of the year is....

EXECUTE

Why? Because I wanted to stop planning and start completing. I wanted to execute the plans I already have sitting at my fingertips, and I want to carry out all the ideas I have stuffed into notebooks in my office. 

You may also realize that the word "execute" has a darker side too. It can also mean "To carry out a sentence of death." And there are some things I plan on cutting the cord on this year. I plan on killing off the negative voices I listen to far too often. I am going to assassinate my martyrdom tendencies, and I am going to sever ties with toxic people and outlooks in my day to day life. 

If my ideas are worth going for, I'm going to execute them. If people or places are toxic, I'm going to execute my connection with them. Life is too short, so I don't plan on wasting it.

I want 2018 to be about getting rid of the guilt and garbage and carrying out my goals. This year I will be executing my own plans in order to consciously curate the life I am ready to embrace. 

My word is "Execute". What's yours?

~Roxy

 

​This post was meant to go up the day after NaNoWriMo ended, but frankly, your girl earned a day off to buy herself a little celebration present. 

I wanted to review my experience with some rapid fire questions and responses. NaNoWriMo is one of my favorite writing events, and I'd never want to miss it, but I do try to attempt new techniques and stories to keep myself interested and challenged.

Did you write for NaNo this year? It's definitely a challenge, especially considering the time of year, but that's how the creators of NaNoWriMo intended it. Because if you can write a novel in November, you can do it any time of the year.


HOW MUCH DID I WRITE?
I wrote 56,713 total, and crossed the finish line of 50k on November 24th.

WHAT WAS MY MOST PRODUCTIVE WRITING TIME?
I made sure to write at least something every day. And my most productive times are between 6am and Noon. #5amclub4life

WHAT DID I TRY FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Using ambient noise instead of music. (THIS IS MY FAV) Worked better than I thought, but had a mild ASMR effect on me, and made me sleepy sometimes.

WHAT WORKED THE BEST?
Writing in the morning. Getting my words in before everyone else woke up helped immensely. 

WHAT WILL I NEVER DO AGAIN?
Stay up late to write. I've discovered I am an early morning writer. There's no point in me staying up. Unless I like one letter documents when I fall asleep on the keyboard.

WHAT DID I NOT DO LAST MONTH?
Laundry. And dishes. And sleep.

COFFEE OR TEA?
Coffee. Deathwish coffee, to be exact. 

HOW DID I CELEBRATE?
I bought planner supplies, and gave myself permission to take a day off, culminating in playing South Park Fractured But Whole.


I have a lot of housework to catch up on, and finances to address, but most importantly, a story to get back to. Because at the end of the day, NaNoWriMo for me is a practice of putting my writing before everything else for 30 days out of the year. It's a way to reconnect with my favorite part of being an author, writing a new story.

How did you do with this NaNo? Did you hit 50k? Did you try and decide the challenge aspect isn't for you? Is there something new you tried that you're going to incorporate into your writing routine? Let me know. I'm always looking for new things to try for next year. Because I'm ready to earn my next winner badge. 

~Roxy

NaNoWriMo is in the last days. Five days to be exact. So l figured why not make a list of 5 things to do in these last 5 days. We're less than a week from the end of our beautiful graphs and NaNo sanctioned pep talks. Some people have already hit the 50k milestone (Like me! Woot!) and some are wondering if it's possible to write 10k per day and squeak out a win. 

Before the clock strikes midnight and all possibilities of adding to your numbers evaporate here are five things to do....

1. Make note of people you wrote with and who inspire you.

Whether you attended a write-in, worked with a buddy in a writer's group, or just found a YouTuber or Blogger who posted content you enjoy, keep in touch. Set up a meetup in the upcoming months, or drop a comment or email if they are an online buddy. Writers don't just write in November, and while it is A-Okay to take a breather during the craziness of December, don't drop off the edge of the earth.

You may have met someone new or re-invigorated a relationship with a content creator that pushed you forward. Don't let that connection die. Bookmark their page, give them a shout out on social media, or send them an email. 

2. Vow to revise AFTER.

I hate to break it to the newbie writers, but your book is not ready to submit to a publisher. Take a few days off before you start going through the document you've been slaving over. I recommend a complete re-read before you start marking it up to get the whole picture. Get an idea of what needs fixed and make some basic notes so you know who changed names and eye color. Then go about fixing plot holes and other nasty bugs that crawled out of your 4am writing sprints.

Once you've done your re-reading find another writer to read it. Get some honest feedback. Preferably someone not on your xmas list, because you want someone who will lay it out, not try and ensure their stocking isn't full of coal.

3. Figure out your next step.

If this is the first time you've finished a book, I highly recommend finding a writer's group or critique partner to trade work with. You could attend workshops, or join an organization (like RWA if you write romance).

If this isn't your first rodeo, write down what comes next on a Post-It and slap it over your writing space. With the craziness of the holidays sometimes just knowing what you have to do one step at a time helps you stop being overwhelmed. You've just spent the month putting your writing before everything else, don't let that fire slip away.

And if you didn't get near what you wanted to accomplish done, figure out why. Is this challenge not realistic for you? Is the daily writing not your style and demotivated you? Evaluate what happened and figure out how to better match yourself with a timetable. No writer has the same routine. But the only way you'll find out yours is to keep trying new things until one of them works. So...if NaNoWriMo didn't work for you, still get out that Post-It and write down what you're going to try next. And do it.

4. Reward yourself.

Whether or not you made it to 50,000 words this month, you took the plunge to make a commitment to your writing. If you set up rewards for yourself that you didn't quite make it to this year, that's okay. Look at what you did accomplish. There are writing buddies on my list who have less than 500 words. But those are 500 words more than they had at the beginning of the month. And if they keep doing it, they would have a novel in less than a year's time.

Sometimes the reward spurs you on to getting more in the last few days than you'll have written all month. I've come back from 10k behind because once I hit that halfway mark and got myself my coffee reward, I knew I could do more.

5. Do one thing every day we have left to feed your story.

Notice I didn't say write every day in these last 5 days? I didn't. Do one thing to feed your story. Realize you need a lot more research before you keep writing? Spend thirty minutes a day doing it. Need to decide on the best ending for your characters? Spend thirty minutes a day brainstorming, or outlining, or even just writing your plot points on note cards so you can have a visual layout of your book. 

We only have 5 days left. And if you signed up, you wanted to commit to this crazy idea you had in your head. Use these last five days to either write like crazy, or get yourself set up for success in the coming year.


I could keep writing and wax poetic on my #NaNoWriMo experience, or my love of the atmosphere it creates, but I have words to write, and brand new vampire who is dying to sink her teeth into her maker. I'm off to keep sprinting toward my "The End". What are you going to accomplish today?

​~Roxy

Hello. My name is Roxy, and I'm addicted to YouTube videos. Whether I'm doing research, killing time, or need some background noise, I will hit up YouTube for my fix.

For NaNoWriMo, there are a few types of videos I keep returning to, so I thought I'd share some!

I found this channel last November when I was first falling down the YouTube rabbit hole. She's got a few tips from in this video that I use myself. I especially recommend writing notes at the end of each writing day to make sure to know where to go next. 

But I'm not all about getting new ways to make myself productive. Sometimes I just enjoy watching people write. I feel inspired by seeing others get shit done. I frequently watch the channel below when I need a hit of this.

But let's be real for a minute...I write erotic romance. Sometimes I need to watch a video that speaks to me on an inspirational level having nothing to do with the act of writing. I have different songs that I'll listen to for each character story I'm trying to get into, but I also have music videos that are perfect for getting me into the mood for steamier scenes.

​My current favorite is Bruno Mars. 

You see why he's my favorite, right? *swoon*

What YouTube channels are your favorites? Or which songs do you enjoy watching the videos with? Share some links below for me. I'd love to add to my rabbit hole adventures. 

​~Roxy

I originally posted this a couple years ago on a different, now expired blog. But this information is far too valuable to lose. Know what else is far too valuable to lose? Your NaNoWriMo manuscript.

Gather round the computer ladies and gents it's story time. 

Once upon a time, there was an event called NaNoWriMo. That stands for National Novel Writing Month if you aren't familiar. This event gathered people around the globe to write fifty thousand words in just thirty days time.

Everyone had different reasons for going on this journey. Some wanted to write for a living, and needed some motivation to complete the next project on their plate. Some wanted to try writing as a hobby. Some have had dozens of story ideas, but were never able to make themselves get to the end of the book. And some just wanted to go to write-ins and catch the word count frenzy that followed.

They all banded together in support of each other and created buddy packs to ensure they had the sustenance needed to reach the purple bar of completion. All worked diligently and through late nights to accomplish their goals.

But one writer disobeyed the cardinal rule of NaNoWriMo...BACK UP YO' SH*T.

Now. This writer saved her entire book on one thumbdrive. The book wasn't on her computer, it wasn't on cloud storage, and it wasn't saved on any other thumbdrive. She held her precious thumbdrive in high regard and knew no other device was worthy of her story.

When she didn't pour an extra a cup of coffee and leave it as a sacrificial offering, the gods of NaNoWriMo became angry with the writer. They knew the muses did not get their caffeine fix and it was about to be a serious problem. The NaNoWriMo gods possessed her cats and ordered them to destroy the book for not providing the muses with their fuel.

The cats did as the NaNoWriMo gods commanded and destroyed the computer.

 The destruction was incredible.

​The files were corrupted. 

The storage device was annihilated. ​

The evening had started out as a joyous romp through wordland. The writer had planned to feed her book with thousands of new words and frolic in the beauty of the daily green bar of accomplishment. But that would not come to pass. The destruction was absolute.

But although the writer was sad, the story was still within her. She knew she could rebuild her world. She knew there was light on the other side of this tragedy, because she could create the happy ending she needed. 

THE END 


The moral of this story is...BACK UP YOUR FREAKING MANUSCRIPT! Put it on a thumbdrive. Save it on your hard drive. Load that bastard up on the cloud. Create a drop box account. Hell, take your novel on a field trip to a friend's house and save it on their computer!


I didn't tell you this tale of woe to scare you, but I told it to you to ensure you BACK UP YO' SH*T!


~Roxy

Everyone starts to get the holiday happy buzz going in November. Or if you work retail like I do, you begin to feel an overwhelming sense of dread and the horror starts to build inside your soul. (Just kidding...sort of.)

But November marks something else...#NaNoWriMo!!

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is my favorite time of year. At first it was a challenge to take on, and then it became a way to help me get a book done that needed completed by deadline. Interlocking Hearts, the second book in the DMA Files, began as a NaNo Novel because I had to get a manuscript finished to be able to secure a contract for the series with my former publisher. 

Somewhere around the fourth or fifth year I completed NaNo, this event came to mean something else. It became a celebration for me. NaNo represents a journey I've been on as a writer, and seeing a simple graph, or memories pop up on FB from years past, gives me a true sense of how kick ass of a journey it truly is.

NaNoWriMo helped me reach that first "The End". It helped me learn to reach out and talk to people online and even *GASP* share some of the work I had written.

Sure, I still have edits and lots and LOTS of revisions ahead of me whenever I finish a NaNo manuscript, but here's the thing...

You can't edit a blank page.

And you can't polish something that isn't a finished product. Because the main thing I learned from my NaNoWriMo years is you have to finish your shit.

The most beautiful first chapter on earth doesn't mean fuck all, if you don't finish the damn book. What I found in the NaNoWriMo community that keeps me coming back, was support alongside humor, like minds alongside different opinions, and all of us were in the same boat. We were all creating something new. We're all working our asses off, and when you see someone bent over a laptop clicking away in a coffee shop or Panera Bread, you feel that connection.

This is also the time of year that the NaNo haters start to surface. For every NaNo Motivation blog or YouTube video, I'll find a blog post about how NaNo is the death of good writing everywhere. *eyeroll*

If you are writing for publication, think of these negative bastards as preparation for those bad reviews you need a thick skin for and then move along.

There is no one way to write, and NaNo doesn't work for everyone, but I am going to have a fab time writing with my friends. I am going to double my word count on Double Up Day. And I'll probably buy the Winner shirt after I get my purple bar on the graph. 

NaNoWriMo is my party as a writer, and gives me new goals for what I continue to improve on. November is my new year. It centers me and reminds me at the end of the day, it's all about the journey we take when we tell a story. 

This year I'm returning to Paranormal Romance, and I couldn't BE more excited. I'm creating a new world to play in, and I've been chomping at the bit to dive in.

Are you a WriMo too? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Are you a NaNo rebel? No idea what I'm talking about, but intrigued by the idea of tackling that book tickling the back of your brain?

​Head over to NaNoWriMo.org and look around. Want to dive in? Make sure you add me as a buddy. (I'm over there as Roxy Mews.)

So tell me? What kind of kickass story are you going to tackle this month?

Today is Day 1. Go get your words in. You can totally do this.

​~Roxy

Hashtags have become a large part of how we interact and find different content around social media sites. With National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo for short) around the corner, we are about to embark on a time where we can connect with writers all around the world, and in dozens of different genres. 

The best way to meet someone pulling their hair out at the exact moment you are? 

HASHTAGS!

Most of these are going to be in use even more frequently than normal during NaNoWriMo, but many are frequently tagged all year long.

Here are some of my favorites.

#NaNoWriMo, #NaNo, #NaNoWriMo17, #NaNo17{Or whatever year it may be} - These hashtags are used for many different reasons, but mostly I use these hashtags to search for blogs or YouTube content on NaNoWriMo. You will of course also find those of us deep in week 2 blahs, wondering how we're ever going to do this, but I love this hashtag to see what's going on in the world of WriMos.

#AmWriting, #Writing, #AmWriting{Insert your genre here} - This is one of those hashtags that is used all year round and is great to discover who else might be burning the midnight oil with you. Use this hashtag before you get started on a massive writing sprint, or when you get settled in to open your first page of your brand new story.

#WordSprint, #WordSprints, #1k1hr - These are the ones to keep an eye out for or use the search function for when you're struggling to get words on the page. I love 15 minute words sprints, because I get to see my word count jump. There is ALWAYS someone sprinting on Twitter during November. So do a quick search and make a friend. And if you can't find someone, tap all those buddies you've got on your Author Profile. Chances are someone else is in deep procrastination and needs a reason to get words down too.

Where do I use these hashtags?

Facebook - Although I'm not as thrilled with the ease of sorting on FB, you can click through on hashtags here to find content. You can also sort out content by people on your friends list, effectively cutting down the noise that can come along with popular hashtags.

After you enter your desired hashtag in the search bar, just make sure under the "Posted By" section you select "Friends". Now you can keep tabs on all the good things your buddies have going on, maybe find a local write-in they are going to, or even just see when they need a #NaNoWriMo pep talk.

Twitter - I like to use Twitter on my phone while I'm writing so I can turn off the internet on my laptop. I'll toss out a quick tweet using the #AmWriting hashtag, and see if I can pick up a #WordSprint while I'm there when I need one. 

Nobody gets too wordy on Twitter, and everything is short sweet and to the point. I frequently see #1k1hr used on Twitter as well. And finding people to follow with these hashtags is super easy. Need a way to weed out your celeb gossip or general convo noise? Add all your WriMo buddies to a twitter list. If you've never done one before click on your profile under the "Lists" tab. On the left hand side you'll find a box where you can "Create New List". Follow the prompts and you can selectively stalk people. This is a fab feature to utilize in TweetDeck. 

I'll be plugging away with all of you starting November 1st. If you want to keep up with my progress and hold me accountable, you can buddy me on the NaNoWriMo Website. Just search for Roxy Mews.

What are some of your favorite hashtags to look for when you need some writing inspiration? Help a gal out and put them in the comments section below.

~Roxy

After clicking on this link you are one of two people. One who is scouring the internet to get yourself ready for the craziness that is NaNoWriMo, or you're lost and wondering what the hell I'm talking about.

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month and takes place every year for the month of November. People from all around the world put their writing to the top of their priority pile and tell their families that yes...they really do need to sneak away from this awkward conversation to write. (Don't discount this as an awesome excuse to hide at uncomfortable family gatherings.)

To "Win" NaNoWriMo you need to write 50,000 words in 30 days. And if you're in the USA, this falls during the same month as Thanksgiving, and tends to mean family time, travel and all kinds of other distractions. The creators did this on purpose. If you can write a complete novel in November, you can do it any month of the year. 

Is it easy? Nope. But NaNoWriMo got me to my very first "The End", and after that, I was hooked. If you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or even Instagram, you will probably see a lot of writing related content from me next month. And pics of my animals in my office. Because they love to help me out by looking adorable next to me. 

This will be my fifth year in a row participating in NaNoWriMo as "Roxy Mews". Yes, it's a penname. No, I'm not linking my old profile. ;) I have 4 wins under Roxy's belt so far, and I plan to make it 5 with this year's novel. If you want to be my buddy, you can find me HERE. I do check my NaNoMail, but not as regularly as my gmail, so if you drop me a message give me a few days to get back to you. 
​
Intrigued? Already signed up? Keep reading for my TOP 5 NANOWRIMO TIPS.

1. Practice Butt In Chair

I'm not saying you need to write everyday, because that's not always realistic. As someone who works 12-hour shifts every Sunday, I understand this. But I do check in everyday. I look at my NaNo site graph. I look at how my buddies are doing. And I check in with my NaNoWriMo group. 

I started running a NaNo Crew for my RWA chapter, and I continue to do it because it keeps me accountable, and seeing everyone else reach their goals is just as fun as smashing my own. 

But my point is...I'm thinking about it for at least a few minutes a day. Every day. Even if my words are making a note on what happens next in my story, or a bit of dialogue that came to me while I was in the check out line at the grocery, having a moment every day to think about my novel keeps it fresh in my mind, and when I can write, I hit the ground running.

2. Get a Crew

As you can probably tell by the fact that I run a NaNo group myself, I think having people around you during this time is important. And I'm not just talking about the nice friends who will tell you "It's okay" when you don't get your word count in.

Befriend a bitch or two. Buddy up on the NaNoWriMo site with some overachievers. Some folks are in the 100k club, and I won't be able to catch their numbers anytime soon with the way my schedule is, but I follow them. Why? Because if that bitch can knock out 10k in a day, I have NO excuses not to put 250 words down. 

I have friends who write slower than me. I have friends who are weekend warriors and hit 15k in the span of a couple days. Between those two extremes, there is someone I can lift up, and someone I can chase. Find the people who you need to battle and make sure you check in with them.

3. Bribe Yourself

This is one of those things you need to figure out for yourself. What motivates you? Candy? Stationary? Netflix? What is something you can withhold until your words are on the page?

Since Halloween Candy goes on sale November 1st, I buy a couple bags. I give one to the fam and the other I hide for me. If I'm struggling, I set a reece cup in front of me, and I don't let myself dig in until the words are there. Sure, sometimes my characters will wax poetic about the way chocolate tastes melting over their tongue during this time, but hey...words are words.

I also order myself Death Wish Coffee when I hit the 25k mark. It's my favorite coffee so, I race to that milestone. There's something so damn satisfying about cresting that word count hill. 

Worried about your willpower? This is another instance when you need to befriend a bitch. Give that bitch your Netflix password, and have her change it. You only get to binge watch Supernatural after you get your words in for the day. Bitches are the best.

4. Plan Ahead

Now this isn't the plotter vs. pantser debate. (If you're not sure what that means, here's an article I love by Chuck Wendig to get the scoop. Fair warning, he's a converted pantser.)

What I'm talking about is scheduling your time. 

Are you a plotter? 
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You need to get your ass in gear. It's almost halfway through October. Need some help? Search YouTube for "PrepTober". Here's one of my fave videos by BohoBerry. 
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If you are of the pantser persuasion...I am in your boat. But that doesn't mean you don't need to consider a few things too. Brainstorm just a little before the clock strikes midnight on Halloween. You need at least a glimmer of an idea if you want this book to be worth anything at the end of November. And keep brainstorming. More ideas are better than not enough.

Both styles need to get what I refer to as your AWC or Adjusted Word Count.  Am I going to write after working a manual labor job for 12 hours? Nope. Am I going to really get a full writing session in after dealing with in laws on Thanksgiving? I wish.

So look at your calendar. Cross out the days you know you have something big going down. Now count the number of days and divide that into your 50k. What's your new total? I have 21 writing days in November. So.... (50,000/21 = 2,381). Meaning when I sit down on any day that doesn't have that black X on it, I need to get not 1667, but almost 2400 words. That's my AWC. One of the biggest things you can do to plan, is calculate yours. 

5.  Believe You Can Do This. Because You CAN.
 
Now before you start rolling your eyes, I'm being serious. I think I lost the first three or four NaNoWriMo attempts, because I let myself get psyched out. Then one year, I hit 40k. It struck me how close I was, and something clicked. I could do this.

Write down affirmations and read them out loud to yourself every morning. I don't care if it sounds hokey. It works. (If you need some ideas, I have a few pinned to a board on Pinterest.)

Rather than thinking what I was doing was pointless, I saw the story coming together. Rather than thinking what I wrote would be crap, I practiced my typing skills, and story technique. And most importantly... I told myself this was the year I would finish.

And I did. Now, of course, life gets in the way of any plan we put into action. ALWAYS. But there's a difference between getting into a car accident, and your kid's sleep schedule getting thrown out of whack. Unless there is something physically standing in the way of your writing, stop making excuses. Because I was where you were. 


Do you want to get your ass into the winner's circle of NaNoWriMo greatness? Do it. The only thing in your way is you. So head on over and declare your novel on the NaNoWriMo.org site. Fill out the profile and look at all the pretty badges you can earn throughout November. 

I'll be back later on in the month with some of my favorite hashtags, websites, and YouTube channels to browse. But let me know...are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? What are you doing to get ready? I have a whole folder of memes ready to unleash on my NaNo Group. And even a little bit of plot that has my pantser ass all shook up. It's going to be an awesome November.

~Roxy