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Persistence – the unsexy secret to success

By Madeleine D'Este

On November 7, 2018

In challenge, my writing life, nanowrimo, Uncategorized, writing, writing tips

Today’s post is for the NaNoWriMo people amongst us and part of #NaNoInspo blog tour.

Hello NaNoers

It’s Day 7.

By now you’re probably over the initial blush of excitement which spurs on your Nano project.

If you’re lucky, the words are still flowing and you’re riding high.

But the fairy dust has probably fallen from your eyes and you’re staring into a white abyss with a stupid blinking cursor wondering what the fuck you signed up for.

I’ve done NaNoWriMo a bunch of times and for the first seven times, I flailed at about 20,000 word mark.

I learned the secret over time.

It’s not sexy.

It’s not cool.

It’s boring and hard and takes lots of time and it’s unrelenting.

But it’s the secret to writing success and probably the tip you don’t want to hear.

It’s the one thing that all successful writers have in common. No matter which genre.

#47 – Grant Faulkner – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On October 14, 2018

In challenge, characters, craft, creative outlets, editing, interview, nanowrimo, podcast, reading, write through the roof, writers, writing, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode 47 with Grant Faulkner – NaNoWrimo Executive Director & writer

“One part writing boot camp, one part rollicking party”

Episode 47 – Grant Faulkner – Show Notes

Length of project depends on the story idea. Balancing fiction and non-fiction to better inform both styles of writing
Plantser
Writing most days – experimenting with 15 minutes per day
Themes – trying to look behind the veil and transgressions
Writing regularly – showing up and writing every day is the key
Active reading
Discipline, creative momentum, confidence
Trying something new by telling a story through unsent letters
Lydia Davis, James Salter, Denis Johnson, Elena Ferrante, Leonard Cohen, Roland Barthes
Pep Talks for Writer – 52 Insights and Actions to Boost Your Creative Mojo
Vulnerability, Creative Community, Writers Block, Playfulness, Improvisation
Vomit versus Gush
Grant issues Madeleine a challenge

“Every writer should experiment with their creative process.”

“A goal and a deadline is a creative midwife.”

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#05 – Beverley Lee – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On November 13, 2017

In discipline, gothic, horror, paranormal, podcast, write through the roof

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode o5 with Beverley Lee – Writer 0f modern gothic

First drafts, Tea and Exploring the Shadowy Places

“The one thing a story hates is a nit-picky writer”

Episode 05 – Beverley Lee – Show Notes

Being a planster
Battling to find the right genre
Don’t compare your work effort to others
Lewis, King, Rice and Schwab
Always listen to your story even if you think it’s wrong
Madeleine’s tip: the Emotional Thesaurus

“With a global community, there’s always someone around to hold your hand or kick you in the pants.”

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#04 – Kristy Acevedo – Write Through The Roof

By Madeleine D'Este

On November 2, 2017

In interview, podcast, reading, scifi-fantasy, write through the roof, writers, writing tips

Welcome to Write Through The Roof, the podcast for writers who want to improve their craft.

Episode o4 with Kristy Acevedo – YA Sci-fi author & writing community leader

In and Out, Diverse Voices and Dried Mango

“It’s getting harder to be in survival mode and also produce art.”

Episode 04 – Kristy Acevedo – Show Notes

The 100 page discovery draft
Dried mango as a writing aid
Getting in and out of a scene as soon as possible
JK Rowling and Stephen King as inspirations but not for the reasons you might think
Championing working class and disadvantaged voices
Madeleine’s segment: The Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge

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Links

Episode 04 – Interview transcript coming soon…

Why the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenge rocks – join for June

By Madeleine D'Este

On May 28, 2016

In challenge, writing

I’ve been a part of the Monthly Twitter Writing Challenges for over a year now. Finally in June 2016, I’ve stepped up to lead the challenge. The Challenge has helped me build a regular writing routine, but there are plenty of other reasons to join the ride.

new-york-times-newspaper-1159719_1280

Sometimes reading counts as plotting, right?

The 7/7/7 snippet challenge

By Madeleine D'Este

On December 31, 2015

In challenge, my writing life, writers, writing

Writing Challenge participant Natalie K challenged me to the 7/7/7 Snippet Challenge.

The rules are:

Go to page 7 of your work-in-progress
Scroll down to line #7
Share the next 7 lines of your manuscript in a blog post
Tag 7 other writers (with blogs) to continue the challenge.

Here are the 7 lines from the 7th row of the 7th page of my recently “completed” manuscript, Return to the Monolith. I’m stoked to announce, I’ll start querying agents with Monolith from early January. Hoorah! But here’s a sneak peek.

Dawn peeked through the pink-fringed grey clouds, lighting up the sky in the east. The snow-tipped mountains loomed in the distance. Alga’s heart pounded. This was the first time she had ever walked away from her mountains.

Her stomach had stopped rumbling. Her tears dried up. She tried not to think about her Sisterhouse and what she had left behind.

snow-black-and-white-mountain-ice

Now, I am passing on the fun to seven more writer bloggers. Consider yourselves challenged;

Looking forward to seeing other 7/7/7 Snippets.

How I “finished” – Tip #1 Discipline

By Madeleine D'Este

On December 2, 2015

In discipline, my tips, my writing life, writing, writing tips

Discipline is not a dirty word

Discipline and routine isn’t sexy but it’s necessary. Books don’t write themselves. Unfortunately. But creating a daily writing habit really helped to finish my project.

With the help of the Monthly Writing Challenge, I developed a routine of writing or editing every day. Every single day. The Monthly Writing Challenge has a target of 500 words per day or 1 hour editing. (More about the Challenge in Tip#2). There’s an online spreadsheet to record your work efforts and a little bit of public accountability helps.

Now, daily writing and editing has become a habit.

For example, I wrote this blog post while at the hairdresser in order to get my 500 words down for the day. I’ve written in parks at lunchtime, at airports, dictated while walking and other weirdo behaviours to get my words in.

Generally, I’m a boringly structured person anyway (I’m an Upholder according to Gretchen Rubin’s framework) but having regular accountability has made the habit stick. Then the word counts and drafts follow.

What helps you stay on track?

Tomorrow – Tip#2 Finding my Tribe

My Nanowrimo Tip #5

By Madeleine D'Este

On November 11, 2015

In my tips, my writing life, nanowrimo, writing, writing tips

My Nanowrimo Tip #4

By Madeleine D'Este

On November 9, 2015

In my tips, my writing life, nanowrimo, writing, writing tips

Nanowrimo – I’m in again

By Madeleine D'Este

On October 26, 2015

In my writing life, nanowrimo

I’m not quite sure how many nanowrimos I’ve done. I first heard of the fun crazy challenge in 2002 or 2003 from a friend in London. I’ve done at least four, I can remember.

My profile is from my days as a closet writer and apparently you can’t change your profile name. So find me under madolescent.

Nanowrimo taught me how to vomit draft.

Now I don’t get writer’s block, I keep on writing and writing. Filling the page with words even though it’s rubbish and sometimes it feels like I’m only typing.

But this way, the words get down and somehow in amongst the rabid typing, the magic happens.

Are you in?

What I learned about writing in 2014

By Madeleine D'Este

On January 2, 2015

In discipline, my writing life, nanowrimo, tools

Time for some self indulgent navel gazing about 2014.

2014 was a big year for me. I got serious about this writing malarkey. Writing and publishing a novel has been my life’s goal as long as I can remember, so it was time to stop tinkering around the edges and make a real go of it.

So what did I learn in 2014 and what inspired me.

There are loads of options in the publishing world

I love my podcasts and stumbled across So you want to be a writer. “Writer” comes from the Australian Writer’s Centre and is a valuable resource of information and inspiration. It alerted me to the booming world of self-publishing. Having read Hugh Howey’s Wool in paperback, I had no idea about his back story in super successful self publishing and the different options available to writers these days. Valerie and Allison are knowledgeable and entertaining, their advice on the importance of establishing an author platform inspired me to start this blog, join Twitter and come out as a writer. I look forward to each episode.

I can write hundreds of thousands of words a year and keep a day job

Having participated in Nanowrimo multiple times and won, this year I got serious about sitting down almost every day to write or edit. In 2014, I managed 4 drafts of a 75,000 novel #1, a Nanowrimo 50,000 word vomit draft of Novel#2 and 15,000 words of Novel #3. And I kept my day job! And still managed 8 hours sleep a night (well, many of those 8 hours tossing and turning but my sleep battles are a discussion for another day).

Although on the downside, I have fallen way behind in pop culture, if it’s not Dr Who or Games of Thrones, I haven’t seen it. Hey, I’m old now – it doesn’t matter if I don’t keep up with the cool kids anymore. Oh and the best thing, whilst some days writing is like cracking walnuts with my bare hands, I still enjoy the process.

My writing doesn’t suck

I put my work out there for the first time, seeking professional and beta reader feedback on my drafts. No one told me I sucked. In fact, people even said some complimentary stuff and more importantly, gave me pointers on what to improve. Onwards and upwards, friends!

My goal – to have a completed (ready to publish) manuscript by 31/12/15. And I can’t wait to share it with the world!

Tag: challenges

Persistence – the unsexy secret to success

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