Hi friends,
Forgive me for writing about November in the middle of September. I’m not trying to fast forward past October (which is up there as the best month of the year) straight to end-of-semester and winter holiday stress. But I wanted to give you a tiny nudge about starting to plan planning for AcWriMo (Academic Writing Month, with academic used very, very loosely).
I was listening to an episode of the excellent podcast #Amwriting today as I walked home from dropping my kid off at school. They were talking about fall planning, and spent much of the episode talking about how the hosts are going to spend September and October getting ready for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month - what AcWriMo takes inspiration from).
Two thoughts crossed my mind simultaneously: Should I write a mystery novel this November? (Probably not). What kind of planning should I be doing right now? (I’ve done…zero).
And then a third…am I seriously still working on the same project I was last AcWriMo? (Yes, yes I am. I guess it’s like a fine wine or cheese or something, getting better with age, but I need something new for November).
Picking a Project
The idea of AcWriMo, at least in theory, is to spend the month of November generating as many new words as possible (some people try to write every day for 30 days, some people set a word or page goal - but the idea is to do a deep dive).
As anyone who’s talked to me in the past…six (!) years knows, I’m writing my second book. I’ve been writing this book forever. I have about 65,000 good words, about 45,000 discarded words. I am playing around with a new framing, which is necessitating a new structure, and I’m just deeply in the weeds on this book. I generated A LOT of words for it last November, but this year…it’s time for something new.
I have two possible candidates for a new project, and I’m going to spend the next 40 days doing some advance work on both of them. And then mid-October, I’ll commit to one, outline it out, and then put a lot of words on paper in November.
My suggestion for you is similar: If you have a project that needs editing, revising, or careful work, put it aside for the month of November. Give yourself space from it, and let the back of your brain work on the bigger questions about that project. In the mean time, choose something generative, low hanging fruit that you can make quick progress on, for the month of November.
This could be on a new project, it could be chapters of your book you haven’t written yet, it could be taking an existing project and rewriting it for a new audience. But the goal is to generate a lot of words, and to focus on silencing the internal editor as you go for quantity, not quality.
The Planning
So that means that prepping for AcWriMo might take some advanced work. Do you need to do some research? Do it in October. Do you need an outline? The time is now. Be as helpful to yourself as possible now so that it will pay off then.
The folks on the podcast were using their time to write detailed outlines and timelines, character sketches and synopses, so that all of the thinking work was done before November 1, and then the writing could begin.
It also means clearing your deck (to whatever extent possible) before November. For me, that means resubmitting a few things and making some actual progress on my existing book progress so I feel ok putting it aside for a month. For you, it might mean submitting those APSA conference papers to journals, turning around a few R and Rs, whatever you can do to now to make November an easy lift.
Writing is Better with Friends
So you’ve picked your project. You’ve done some planning. How do you make yourself … write? How do you actually produce words for an entire month?
My answer: come write with me (for free)! Why? Because accountability buddies make everything better. Here’s my Epilogue Editing plan:
AcWriMo planning Wednesdays: (October 12, 19, 26): If you want to get a jump start planning for November, join me October 12, 19, and 26 from 10-12 pm eastern. You can use this link to add the sessions to your calendar and use the Google Meet Link embedded in order to join. You can use this link to sign up, which will also sign you up for Epilogue Editing’s AcWriMo. We’ll do some brainstorming, turn off our cameras, and write. If you want to just come write with us without committing to AcWriMo, we can do that too - no need to sign up!
Let’s Write Thursdays: Every Thursday this year, I’m hosting writing sessions. At 1115 am eastern, we log in and say what we’re writing about, write for an hour, and check in right before 1245. Come when you can, stay as long as you can, invite people who might benefit from it.
You can use this link to add the writing session to your calendar, and use the Google Meet link embedded in order to join. If you want weekly email reminders, sign up here (but feel free to drop in without signing up!). (Note - I’ll be in Norway gazing at fjords on Sept 22 and 29, and with family for Thanksgiving on Nov 24, so there are no writing sessions then).
Let’s Write AcWriMo 2022: For the second year in a row, Epilogue Editing will be hosting 30 days of writing in November. When you sign up, you’ll get a daily email from me, a spreadsheet to track your goals, a mystery prize for people who reach their goals, writing solidarity sessions, and a full-day writing retreat (TBD based on participant schedules). All of that, all for free. All you need to do is sign up here. And because writing is better with friends, bring them along!
Housekeeping
If you think you might need an editor or coach in the next few months, now is a great time to get on my calendar. I have some availability left in 2022, but I’m beginning to book into January/February. I am taking on new clients, so PLEASE send your friends my way - you all know the best people working on the coolest stuff!
The amazing Laura Portwood-Stacer is hosting three free webinars this fall on scholarly writing (one is today) - these are very worth your time!
Finally, invite me to speak to your institution! I do half, full, and multi-day workshops for faculty, staff, and graduate students, both virtually and in-person!
Finally, I want to know — how are things going? How is writing? Any exciting or disappointing news to share about submissions and progress? I’d love an update - good or meh! Also, if you’re reading anything good, send it my way. We’re about to start traveling, and I need something to read!
Until next time,
Kelly