It's NaNoWriMo- get started RV writing on the road!

Today is the start of NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month. Participants write 50,000 words in one month. That’s an average of 1,667 words a day or an hour or so of writing. The object is to write the first draft of a novel without editing.

Writing practice
NaNo is a great way to start getting words on paper. Like any other skill, practice makes perfect. Writing is a skill to be developed. Even best-selling authors do not sit down and write a novel in one draft. Writing a good piece, short or a novel, takes many edits and rewrites. If you have even an occasional Internet connection as you travel in your RV, you can participate. You only need to sign up and to submit your word count at the end to be official. Otherwise, turn on your computer and write each day.

 If 1,667 words a day seems intimidating, NaBloPoMo or National Blog Posting Month is going on this month too. Post one blog entry per day - of any length. Check here for a list of free blogging platforms. Blogger and WordPress are popular choices with RVers.

Get started selling your writing
The RV lifestyle is a natural for writing. Writing about places you travel and the RV lifestyle are topics others want to know about. As you hone your writing skills, begin studying publications you’d like to write for. Also, be alert to opportunities to get your writing out there, even if you are not paid at first. Blogging is one way; commenting on other’s blogs is another. You might be able to contribute an article to a Web site in an area you have knowledge in, whether it be about RVing or something from your former life.

Selling articles and shorter pieces can start generating some income as well as credits. Here are three of the several methods outlined in Taking the Mystery out of RV Writing for getting started.

• Check with your RV club. Their magazines need submissions, usually about life on the road or travel destinations. Study their publication and see if you have an idea that would fit. Editorial guidelines, which tell you what they are looking for, length and how to submit, are often at their Web sites or you can write to the editor.
• Contribute to anthologies. Anthologies are a collection of short pieces by various writers. The Chicken Soup for the Soul books are examples. Check bookstores for other series. Google “call for submissions anthologies.” Poets and Writers classifieds list calls for manuscripts: anthologies http://www.pw.org/classifieds
• Purchase a copy of Writer’s Market (or the online version) to find magazines that are seeking articles. Check out Writer's Market here.

Your writing dream
If you have been dreaming of writing, for yourself or publication, get started by joining NaNo. If you  miss a day, just add a few more words to your daily count and get caught up. In any case, the discipline of writing every day will help you get started. George is participating for the 4th year. You can be his “friend.” He’s GeorgieB and is off to a great start with 1738 words this morning.

I haven’t totally committed to NaNo this year but will definitely be participating in NaBloPoMo by posting a blog entry every day. I’m keeping track of my words for blogging and writing articles and may hit 50,000 that way. Since I am not a fiction writer, the two years I have participated, I’ve written memoir topics and RVing-related blog entries and articles instead. At NaNo, I’m CalamityJaimie and would love to have you as a friend too.

If you’ve found these tips helpful and would like to know more about RV writing, either for writing down stories of your life or writing for publication, you’ll want to get the ebook that Alice Zyetz and I wrote, Taking the Mystery out of RV Writing. It’s available as a CD ($13.95) or an instant-download ebook ($12.95)  Click the links to read more and purchase.

So join us! Living the RV lifestyle can your perfect opportunity to have the time to write. Use November to get started making your writing dream come true. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak