When it comes to NANOWRIMO That is the name of the game. It has been my birthday present to myself since 2007. That was the first year I won and the first year they started making the winner awards available on my birthday.

2007 was also the first year that I realized that its only 1667 words a day. That's the equivalent of 11 Twitter posts a day. It's also an entry into just about any of our writing contests here on WDC.

Nano takes the idea that you can form a habit in thirty days, and asks you to suspend your inner editor for that period of time, sit down in your chair and write. If you can type just 60 words a minute, which I am told is slow, then you can complete the days writing in just under a half hour. Can you find a half hour a day to write? If you type as fast as most secretaries you might find that you can do it in 15 minutes. Most of us spend at least that much time playing a game like Candy Crush on our phones.

The best part about NANOWRIMO is that it is a fundraiser for the Office of Letters and Light. It is a nonprofit literacy group out of California that helps with literacy in libraries and schools around the country. It is not an excuse to write a poor novel. It is practice for writing a good one. The first step in becoming a novelist is to write a novel. It doesn't have to be a good novel. Making it good comes later. You know before you submit it to a publisher.

I can't imagine not doing NANOWRIMO.

The flurry of activity doesn't just happen on the official website. It happens right here. Which is why I am telling you about it now instead of waiting until my October Newsletter. WDC has its own word counter. You can activate it by going to http://www.writing.com/main/my_account/action/update_nano/nanocnt/1. All you have to do is click on it. The counter will load up in the left hand column. Whatever you do don't change the number count to 0. Leave it at one. As soon as you change it to 0 you remove the counter from your left column.

You can find out even more info by going to "The WDC NanoLounge" .

In October, October Nano Prep will begin. It is a fun novel planning activity that helps you get ready to write a story. I am the Head Cheerleader and I look forward each year to not only doing prep with everyone. I also float around the forum looking for people who need help with their planning, help with unblockers once everyone starts writing, and I get to hand out merit badges to those who are supportive and go out of their way to help their fellow planners.

My Editor Picks this week, will include many of the activities and groups that make Nano so much fun over the months of October and November. It's also an excellent way to meet people and make new friends.


I hope to see all of you at October Prep or around the Nano Forums.




Today I would like to talk about using ML code for enhancing your review forms, your blog, and e-mail. We all have seen the thumbs up and the big smiley face. There is two tricks to it. Trick # one: If you know the name to it you go {e:bigsmile} . Now when you type in {e: it will bring up a list as you spell out what think it might be the list changes and gets closer or further away depending on spelling.

Trick #two: You look above your review form, blog, or e-mail entry your working on and click the little yellow smiley face that says emoticons. The one {e:smirk} {e:smirk} or{e:facepalm} . It brings up the master listing of all the emoticons and you can hunt through it for the one you want. When you click on the one you want it will show you the ML code for it. I just copy and paste it where I want it. Or just type it in, all emoticons will start with {e: I use this the most when working on review forms or I get bored with plain text in my blog. You can make a train for an ellipses in your text or use the colored squares. You have at you r finger tips all this sites emoticons at your beck and call.

The next handy thing is the question mark right next to the yellow smiley face. This is the master listing of all the writing ML code we use for anything. The next few lessons I will do will be on the commands in here and how to get creative with them. Some examples of the fun you can have. See how they all work} {e:traincar1b} {e:traincar1bl}{e:envy}{e:facepalm}{e:cool}{e:inlove}{e:shield10} {e:checkg}

If you need any help or have questions fell free to e-mail me. Also in the top upper right corner is writing.com 101.

Brett or The Run-on King PDG Member