 For Authors: October 24, 2018 Issue [#9193] |
This week: NaNoWriMo Nears Edited by: Jeff  
More Newsletters By This Editor 
 
1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions
"Do not over-intellectualize the production process.
Try to keep it simple: tell the darned story."
-- Tom Clancy
Trivia of the Week: In 2017, Joe Ide was nominated for an Edgar Award for his debut novel, IQ. He was 58 at the time and, prior to becoming a novelist, spent his life in a variety of careers: elementary school teacher, college professor, human resources consultant, and screenwriter. You're never too old to start your writing career! 
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NANOWRIMO NEARS
On Writing.com, there are a handful of events that get the entire site atwitter. The Quills, WDC's Birthday Week, Game of Thrones, and especially NaNoWriMo, result in a lot of traffic on the site. Whether you're excitedly participating, monitoring things from the periphery, or actively trying to avoid the rest of the members who are going crazy for the community activity, it's pretty hard to avoid all the chatter going on.
Rather than focusing on those activities, I want to devote this newsletter to all of the other things going on during one of these busy, popular activities. Most contests and activities are still running as usual. Writers still have items they want reviewed. There are still product reviews to be done, and interactive stories to contribute to, and questions in forums that need answering. If you're not on the participation bandwagon for the big event, consider devoting some time to participating in the other activities around the site that tend to see much less participation than usual when everyone else is distracted by the big shiny object.
The community aspect of this site is one of the things that makes Writing.com so great. There's always some activity to participate in, or something to do. As a result, some users can get stuck in a mindset where they're just going from one structured activity to the next, and not really taking the time to develop their own interests. I'm someone who likes the structure (and prizes!) of contests; participating in an activity like a contest is a great way to stay motivated and get inspired, especially when there's a prompt and you're not starting from scratch. But there have been times where I've found myself just migrating from one contest to the next and, before I know it, I'll have spent six months writing a dozen different contest entries with little time spent on other interests like my novels, screenplays, or even stories and poems that are personal to me, as opposed to those inspired by a prompt.
If you're the kind of person that enjoys these big site activities, that's awesome. Participation in large scale activities is a great way to meet new members of the site, develop relationships, and have a little fun in the process. But there's also plenty of room for those who aren't drawn to those particular activities. There are other contests to participate in, items to review, etc. And if none of that is appealing to you either, you can always work on your own thing. It can be tempting to just check out during busy periods so you don't see all the notifications and bustle, but rather than checking out, I'd encourage you to remain engaged... in whatever form most appeals to you. 
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"Blogocentric Formulations"
"New & Noteworthy Things"
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This month's official Writing.com writing contest is:
I also encourage you to check out the following items:
EXCERPT: What is Borderline Personality Disorder?
Borderline Personality Disorder or Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder a Personality Disorder that is often characterised by extreme mood swings, impulsive and destructive behaviour, intense yet unstable relationships and a perceived or real fear of abandonment.
It is probably the most stigmatised and misunderstood personality disorder to date this could be due to the fact that it is commonly misdiagnosed for Bipolar Disorder.
EXCERPT: This is pretty long, and is my humble opinion about everything mentioned in this essay. I know what it's worth....
EXCERPT: I am taking a leap into something unknown. Usually, I don't like having a tag on me. I remember, in high school, about the various clans: the popular ones, the preppies ones, the sports ones, the geeks ones. I was the outsider. A rock solid outsider. Have been in that category for years. Once, almost at the end of my high school, there was a girl, always dressed up in black. She didn't have any make up. No elaborate goth clothing or mindset.
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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Feedback from "For Authors Newsletter (September 26, 2018)" about nonfiction know-how:
Legendary❤️Mask  writes: "Great newsletter Jeff, I worked Retail for 35+ years. It's always best if you start at the bottom and work your way up. You carve out your reputation and succeed to be your best. Thank you for an awesome newsletter."
As someone who's going on 15 years in an industry where I started on the ground floor, I agree! Thanks for submitting a comment!
hbk16 writes: "Very rich writing which indeed give many intriguing advice especially for freelance writers. Indeed writing art needs from us a continual practice. A thing which is difficult for someone who has a busy schedule. But indeed we should provide much endeavors. Publication especially for books is a hard dream to realize and needs a long writing term especially for a foreigner. Yes Writing.Com offers a large space of writing and be developed. Thank you very much for such propos. Best regards!"
I'm glad you enjoyed the newsletter. Thanks for your feedback!
Mia - craving colour  writes: "Great article Jeff. It’s the kind that the ordinary soul needs to be reminded of from time to time. Thank you for the encouraging words."
And thank you for writing in! 
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