Blogging During Nano

JenBluekissed
Blogging During Nano

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Location: Nashville, TN
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Posted on:
Sep 27, 2008 - 10 26

Do you intend to continue to blog during Nano if you currently have a blog? If so, how do you manage your time?

I've gotten really into blogging lately. I did nano last year under a different user name and was able to finish the 50,000 words, but I didn't blog at that time. I want to do both and am looking for tips on how to manage my time between keeping my blog following up but yet complete my NaNo goal.

Any tips?

www.jenbluekissed.blogspot.com
www.jenbluekissederotica.blogspot.com
----------
Jen Bluekissed
www.jenbluekissed.blogspot.com
www.jenbluekissederotica.blogspot.com

blkdawnGlowing Halo

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Sep 27, 2008 - 15 15

One thing I already do is future date my blogs. Now that you mention the dilemma of blogging in November, I'll probably take some time in October to set up weekly or biweekly future-dated blogs. I know this can be done easily if using Wordpress or Blogger. You're on your own with any other utilities!

D

Shayla Kersten

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Sep 27, 2008 - 15 49

I try to blog at least once a week but I don't always make it. LOL I'm going to try to get better. My last day at the Evil Day Job is Oct 3 so I should have some serious time to both write and blog. I'm not planning on going back to work for a while. I want to try to write full time and see what happens.

My blog is on my website at www.shaylakersten.com. Over 18 only please!

Shayla

JenBluekissed

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Sep 27, 2008 - 18 11

Shayla,

I just added your blog onto www.jenbluekissederotica.blogspot.com (over 18 only, please).

I guess my biggest issue right now is that I started a novella on my blog and my characters are tugging at me to keep it going on a daily basis. It's exhausting. Currently, I'm working a contract job that ends Dec. 5th, so I'm going to be commuting an hour per day, working a full time job, trying to blog, and do Nano. I want to do all of them well and not let any suffer, but we'll see.

I like the idea of future dating blog posts. I'm going to have to look into that.

~Jen

Shayla Kersten

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Sep 28, 2008 - 11 29

Thanks for adding me!

I understand the exhaustion! I've been doing full time job with an hour commute for over 13 years. Next week is the last day for a while. I plan to write full time for a little while and see how it works. If I have to go back to work full-time, I will but for now, I don't plan on working until after Christmas.

Shayla

DragonchildeGlowing Halo
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Sep 28, 2008 - 12 18

Since this is not genre specific, I'm going to move this topic over to Helpful orgs and sites... that way, you can all share your links with anyone who wants to check them out!

Juleneifier
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Sep 28, 2008 - 19 32

I kept a more or less daily blog last year while doing Nano. It was more or less a record of "Hey, I did this much writing today, I had this problem, or got stuck here and here's an excerpt from today's writing!" I've been going back over it and re-reading my posts and remembering all the fun and all the struggles (I'd almost forgotten about the carpal tunnel I developed in my wrist!). My blog can be found at juleneifier.livejournal.com

I would usually take a few moments after finishing my quota for the day and write out how I did. Because I had a few other friends also doing Nano and just some other friends who have always supported my writing, it helped me keep in touch with them and allowed them to offer encouragement and feedback when I needed it.

BTW, my blog is safe for all ages. :-)

dogboi

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Sep 28, 2008 - 23 24

I keep a few blogs. A personal blog, a writing journal, and a few others. I find that I can make time by scheduling it out. I set aside a certain period for blogging, and a certain period for writing other stuff, etc.

faesutherland

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Sep 29, 2008 - 08 43

I vlog during NaNo. Every morning I do a quick video (sometimes not so quick) with the day before's word count, my total to date, a snippet, ramblings and ranting about what's going on in the story, with my characters etc. I put them on the Viddler nanowrimo group. Lots of other NaNoers vlog on Viddler too, last year we had a good twenty or so regulars/semi-regulars on the group who video blogged their way through NaNo together. We're all mostly back this year too, along with some new faces. You should check it out! http://www.viddler.com/groups/nanowrimo/

writersbane

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Sep 29, 2008 - 19 27

I'm gonna do weekly audio blogs on youtube and put them on my live journal. A lot easier than typing more out everyday.

SpicaGlowing Halo
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Oct 2, 2008 - 17 19

I'm addicted to blogging, so I don't think I'll be able to keep myself away from my livejournal during NaNo. :( Usually what I do is use blogging as an incentive and try to finish this many words before blogging.

Taleseeker

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Oct 3, 2008 - 02 23

I already have a professional blog which I update fairly regularly, but when I found Nanowrimo again, I set up a second blog on my domain dedicated entirely to my writing. Please check it out at www.gjob.co.uk/write

LunalelleGlowing Halo
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Oct 3, 2008 - 13 18

I'll be blogging my NaNo progress, too, among other things (at other blogs). I love to blog, and sometimes writing about other things helps stimulate whatever fiction I'm supposed to be writing.

I write erotic fiction, so there's some sexual content, although not enough to flag the blog as adult, I don't think. Still, older than 16 is preferable.

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Oct 3, 2008 - 17 53

Hm, my previous post got lost in that server meltdown...

I actually started blogging because of Nano. So I guess at the get go, I had to manage balancing both blogging and novel writing. I think someone earlier mentioned the tip of setting aside time to do blogging vs. noveling--and I think that's a great idea. After all, trying to get lots of things done involves quite a bit of time management.

I'm currently blogging my progress of this year's Nano here: http://www.gamalei.net/nano/2008/updates.html

littlevampiregirl
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Oct 3, 2008 - 17 54

I blog on a daily basis and will probably continue to do so during NaNo.

http://imaginarysunshine.com
http://onelastminuet.livejournal.com - most of my NaNo-related blogging - "friends only"
http://alettertoastranger.blogspot.com

(And yes, I realize I have a lot of blogs.)

M M V HamiltonGlowing Halo
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Oct 3, 2008 - 22 33

I might be blogging during Nano, if I can get everything else organized. I found this blog -- http://www.wbnm.typepad.com/treadmill/ -- to be an interesting idea for keeping track of writing. Maybe it's an appropriate thing for Nano, as well as for communicating with community! My process isn't that organized so I might modify it.
(note to self: maybe not is time to start the writing blog?)

Zooey
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Oct 4, 2008 - 12 53

I haven't blogged during past NaNoWriMo's...maybe one or two entries throughout the month, usually short...but I'm going to give it a try this November. Just random updates & such most likely.

http://idhappens.wordpress.com & http://betterthancake.tumblr.com

The second website is just a food blog--recipes & such. That should be simple. I get the feeling that tumblogging would be very convenient during November, especially with their "reblog" feature. I definitely recommend taking a look at tumblr if you're interested in making a few quick entries throughout the month!

Are there any other tumbloggers out there?

JessSmith
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Oct 4, 2008 - 16 53

I keep a blog, and imagine I'll keep updating it through NaNoWriMo. The entries are an assortment of random things: sometimes about my life (or my cats' lives), sometimes about the news or current events, sometimes miscellaneous opinions on writing or books or language or technology... whatever I feel like, basically.

It can be found at http://jess.retti.org/ if you're interested.

ljordan

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Oct 4, 2008 - 21 44

I'll be blogging NaNo tips during November. This month I'll do some posts on preparing at http://www.authorstoolsblog.com.

I might set up a teleconference, if there's any interest.

I'd like to get even more folks to participate.

Lynn

Helen David
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Oct 10, 2008 - 12 16

I probably won't be blogging very much in November. This is my first NaNo, and it's my top writing priority for November. I have three main blogs, and two that I post to occasionally, and two online journals. My readers know of my commitment to Nano, and they are very supportive. They've actually asked for update posts! My posts will probably only be NaNo updates such as word counts, how the novel is coming, and such.

http://helenhdavid.wordpress.com
http://flyingfromtheinside.blogspot.com

TaischGlowing Halo
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Oct 5, 2008 - 08 05

I'm planning to blog my nanowrimo progress (or lack thereof) this year. Previous years, I just kept a web page with mini-updates, but a blog sounds more organized. Heh. I just set it up today.

http://taischnano.blogspot.com

PaperClipFrenzy
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Oct 5, 2008 - 13 43

I have a blog at: http://www.splatteredinkpages.blogspot.com

I will mainly blog about my nano progress (or lack thereof) during November.

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Oct 5, 2008 - 16 54

http://arieswriting.livejournal.com

Feel free to add me =)

Hello, DollfaceGlowing Halo

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Oct 5, 2008 - 17 08

I have a photoblog that I'm really working on trying to keep updated! So I'll definitely be updating in November, lucky for me it doesn't take too long to take a picture and write about it! I'd like to work it up to a vlog eventually, but I don't have the technology to do so right now.

http://eidnic.wordpress.com

For those of you that want to see the random pictures I take. Some are actually really nice, others are very random.

shiningstar5
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Oct 5, 2008 - 17 09

I plan to use my writing blog to talk about NaNo, my progress, etc. during November.

http://peacheswordplace.blogspot.com/

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Oct 5, 2008 - 17 30

I'll be attempting (and most likely failing) to blog my NaNo progress on a regular basis. I'm the sort of person who starts a blog, gets all excited about it...and then forgets all about it. Heh. But you can find mine at:

http://jackalcatproductions.blogspot.com

The Wanlorn
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Oct 5, 2008 - 17 43

I'm going to try to keep blogging, both at my regular journal (http://the-wanlorn.livejournal.com) and my NaNoWriMo blog (http://nireville.blogspot.com/). I'm sure that the NaNo blog will fall by the wayside like usual, but I'm pretty good about keeping up with my LJ.

I use it to procrastinate, you see... ;)

Devon Ellington
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Oct 5, 2008 - 18 21

I blog almost every day no matter what, and, for the past three Nanos in which I participated, the blogging was not a problem or a conflict in time management. It takes all of 15 minutes to write a blog post.

The routine I crafted for Nano stays all year round -- get up, feed the cats, do my yoga, do my first 1K of the day, blog and check email, then focus on the rest of my writing day, depending on what's on deadline.

During Nano, it's 2500 words a day, not 1000, and once I've met my quota and blogged, I send my daily encouragement email to those I mentor, but other than that, blogging during Nano is something I find helpful. It's brainstorming, and my regular readers, some doing Nano, some cheering from the sidelines, get a kick out of it.

You can read my blog on the writing life here:
Ink in My Coffee: http://devonellington.wordpress.com

If you want to read blogs specific to Nano, they're in the November archives.

It's the same as any rule for the writing life -- sit your butt in the chair and do it! ;)

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Oct 5, 2008 - 18 24

I blog far more when I'm procrastinating, so I predict my blogging will skyrocket in November. I've been trying to blog at least every second day as it is - you can find my pictures and rambling at www.hogsandwich.blogspot.com .

MidnightGds

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Oct 5, 2008 - 18 34

Here's a link to my live journal blog. It's friends only so you must be a pal of mine to read it. If you want to join just click here and friend me! http://leenablackthorn.livejournal.com/

Dot.Glowing Halo
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Oct 5, 2008 - 18 58

I do plan to continue blogging during November. I currently post about every two to three days - so I will keep my blogging goal realistic during NaNo and stick with that. Ideally, I hope to be posting daily *smile*. As someone else already said, I suspect my blogging will be mostly about my experience and progress and obstacles to overcome of the NaNo process. (There is an example of that for the month of July, when I was working out of state for just under a month ... daily posts; some very simple, some with pictures, some with a little longer.)

You can take a peek at my eclectic mix of thoughts, overheard conversation, creative inspiration, upcoming events, some art, some videos, some writing, and so on at http://TheWritingVein.blogspot.com .

The first post asked about hints for how to keep blogging during the month. A couple ideas, in addition to the post-dating one someone else said :

- one: depending on which site you use, there may be a way to remotely access the account and post. I know that I have a super-secret email address for my Blogger blog and I can send an email from any device I have access to (blackberry, smartphone - anything with email capability). I have a Wordpress account, but don't do much with it so I don't know all of its functionality -- but I'm guessing most blogs have something. The "plus" of this is that you could write a short post on the bus, on a break at work, while going for a walk ... anywhere.

- two: similar to the above, except write it on paper if you don't have a device with access or if you have a phone where you have to hit a key two to three times to get the letter you want. That could take an annoyingly long time to write up a post *grin. So, same principle: on your lunch. waiting for the bus, in line to get that extra hot soy mocha no whip, at Trader Joe's in the Saturday afternoon checkout line -- write up your blog. Then it will take just a few minutes to type it up and post it when you get to the computer.

- three: Maybe make an agreement with yourself to post to your blog at the end of every writing session. Make it a part of the NaNo writing time you will be doing. Or post at the beginning as a way to get the creativity flowing and get the non-NaNo writing out of the way.

- four: find a writing friend you know and trust to be a guest writer for the month. Or, if you post daily, maybe the friend could do the posts every other day - or whatever configuration you need in order for you to continue your blog in the way you want and to have the energy and brain power for NaNo. This could be a fun and interesting month for your readers, too!

dot.

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