Author Chris Baty revs up the tradition of The Artist's Way, Bird by Bird, and Writing Down the Bones with his singular guide for high-speed novelistic access. Founder of National Novel Writing Month - NaNoWriMo - Baty shares the secrets for knocking out a novel in no time. With week-specific overviews, pep "talks," and essential survival tips for today's word warriors, this results-oriented, quickfix strategy is perfect for people who want to nurture their inner artist and then hit print!
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Every November, tens of thousands of people sign up for National Novel Writing Month and attempt to write a 50,000-word novel. Baty, the brains behind this competition, has produced an uproariously funny motivational manifesto so readers can get a leg-up in his race or in the larger publishing game. The key is to lower your expectations "from 'best-seller' to 'would not make someone vomit, ' " says Baty, who maintains that stress and a deadline are important parts of writing. Aimed at the nonserious, with an emphasis on summoning creativity and having a life-changing experience, this original approach will appeal to anyone up for a challenge. -Library Journal
About the Author
CHris Baty is a freelance writer and writing coach whose work has appeared in the Washington Post, the Village Voice, SF Weekly, and Lonely Planet guidebooks. He lives in Oakland, California.
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First Sentence
Once upon a time, I believed that you needed to have several things before you set out to write a novel. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Once upon a time, I believed that you needed to have several things before you set out to write a novel. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
48 of 50 people found the following review helpful
By Rollasoc
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
As one of those people who have "Write a novel" as one of the things on my "Someday/Maybe" lists, I accidentally found myself on the NaNoWriMo website.
Thinking that the whole concept is what I need, to actually force myself to start, I thought I'd get up to speed and buy the book. I fully had the intention of reading it now, doing the writing course I've been procrastinating on for 3 years and then do the challenge in 2007.
Well I read the book in an evening.
Ok, you won't gleam much insight into actually how to write a novel (there are plenty of other books to do that, plus the website has some great information in the forums).
What you get is a very witty (it made me cry with laughter in places) walk through how to prepare and cope through a stessful, painful, delightful, enjoyable etc month whilst you do a, possibly very bad, first draft of your novel.
With tips from past winners, the authors own struggles and the fact that you really are going for quantity over quality. This really has motivated me into contemplating actually entering this competition this year.
Plus how to use fear to get yourself to succeed is a particular useful bit of information I will be using in other aspects of my life.
If you have any interest in writing (or art or music for that matter), then this is an enjoyable romp through how to temporarily motivate yourself to a concentrated burst of creative output.
Lets hope my novel isn't as waffly as this review!
Thinking that the whole concept is what I need, to actually force myself to start, I thought I'd get up to speed and buy the book. I fully had the intention of reading it now, doing the writing course I've been procrastinating on for 3 years and then do the challenge in 2007.
Well I read the book in an evening.
Ok, you won't gleam much insight into actually how to write a novel (there are plenty of other books to do that, plus the website has some great information in the forums).
What you get is a very witty (it made me cry with laughter in places) walk through how to prepare and cope through a stessful, painful, delightful, enjoyable etc month whilst you do a, possibly very bad, first draft of your novel.
With tips from past winners, the authors own struggles and the fact that you really are going for quantity over quality. This really has motivated me into contemplating actually entering this competition this year.
Plus how to use fear to get yourself to succeed is a particular useful bit of information I will be using in other aspects of my life.
If you have any interest in writing (or art or music for that matter), then this is an enjoyable romp through how to temporarily motivate yourself to a concentrated burst of creative output.
Lets hope my novel isn't as waffly as this review!
28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
By Sandra
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you're like me, teetering on the brink of writing a novel but never quite feeling confident that you've researched enough, are talented enough, or have the tenacity to see it through, then read this book. I tried the nanowrimo last July after reading it, and since then have written another one, and am just embarking on my third. What Baty helps you to see is that the first draft is not meant to be a work of great fiction, in fact it's better if it isn't. So go on, get your feet dirty and don't worry about it. I'm enjoying the process so much! It's amazing what you do know when you start to write!
34 of 37 people found the following review helpful
By microfiche
Format:Paperback
Other books talk about writing as a serious art form, or as a blood, sweat and tears way of earning a living.
This book is for the "I'd write a novel if I only had the time" crowd - which are what most participants of the National Novel Writing Month Challenge (aka nanowrimo) are. If you are looking for a book on how to write the great novel, this one just lightly skims over what you've probably read in other books. Pass it by.
If you are looking for a book that says: "Shut your internal editor in a cage for 30 days and Get The Book Out of Your System", this is a book worth buying. It won't help you write the Great Novel, but it will motivate you, my fellow closet scribblers, to feel great about writing the one you're thought about writing, even if the end result seems poor. Because, bad or good, you can look into the mirror and say I wrote a 50,000 word work of fiction in 30 days.
This book is for the "I'd write a novel if I only had the time" crowd - which are what most participants of the National Novel Writing Month Challenge (aka nanowrimo) are. If you are looking for a book on how to write the great novel, this one just lightly skims over what you've probably read in other books. Pass it by.
If you are looking for a book that says: "Shut your internal editor in a cage for 30 days and Get The Book Out of Your System", this is a book worth buying. It won't help you write the Great Novel, but it will motivate you, my fellow closet scribblers, to feel great about writing the one you're thought about writing, even if the end result seems poor. Because, bad or good, you can look into the mirror and say I wrote a 50,000 word work of fiction in 30 days.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Entertaining rather than inspiring
Full of useful tips and advice for aspiring writers but I'm afraid it didn't galvanise me into actually DOING IT
Published 1 month ago by Niblets
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome
AWESOME!! Definitely worth it at twice the price. Does exactly what it promises. Concentrates totally on action and removes all procrastination. Buy it!..You won't regret it.
Published 5 months ago by CUSTOMER
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful coaching guide to surviving and enduring the novel writing...
Novel writing is not easy. It's a LONG, HARD slog, a process of putting one word after another, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Damon Lord
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five stars because it got me writing....
A small book but packed with motivation. I didnt quite do 50k words in a month,
but I did do 45k....and thats great for me. Read more
but I did do 45k....and thats great for me. Read more
Published 22 months ago by macboo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thank you Chris
I have always wanted to write a book.
Now I have!! Thank you Chris
The first step was taking part in Nanowrimo 2010 and completing it. Read more
Now I have!! Thank you Chris
The first step was taking part in Nanowrimo 2010 and completing it. Read more
Published on 5 Jan 2011 by Dan
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of my favourites
Chris Baty has been a hero of mine since I took part in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2008. I'm one of those writers who is very passionate about the whole writing thing, I live... Read more
Published on 15 Mar 2010 by R. Fisher
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good fun but be warned!
This is a fun book, amusingly written and I generally just like dipping in and out of it.
However, be warned: the title is a little disingenuous. Read more
However, be warned: the title is a little disingenuous. Read more
Published on 30 Oct 2009 by Mr. W. J. Griffiths
4.0 out of 5 stars
No problem?
Chris Baty can obviously write. It seems he was a freelance newspaper writer before starting NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2009 by Banshee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic motivational book to get started
If you feel that you have a novel inside you trying to find its way out, this is the book for you. This is the perfect book to get you started, and combined with the annual novel... Read more
Published on 22 April 2009 by John Holland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not a writing handbook, but an effective kick in the backside.
I'm not 100% convinced that I should be giving this book five stars, as it has the potential to be misleading as to what you can expect from it; but given the number of times I've... Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2008 by tiggrie AKA Sarah
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