Your comment about the founder of NaNo not being responsible for Thanksgiving made me laugh. Holidays are SO much work, largely falling to the women in most families, and it seems to double again with kids. My creative output crashed and burned after kids, and December has become a complete write-off for me. 😂 I like this idea of November being a do-what-you-can creativity goal. I’ve seen lots of spreadsheet trackers from various authors that allow you to track like NaNo’s website but you can set your goal to whatever you want.
I live by “Don’t fight the mess” at the moment. This year my mental health took a dive and I learned to accept it - not in the sense of giving up or in, but not acting like I’m fine and can do things like before. So I can really get behind the mindset of taking it slow and cozy. I wish you the best with your project.
I am all on board for just going easier on ourselves. It's been a hard year for me too, and I really want to do my creative work--I know it'll help if I can make time for it--but that also means I'll have to relax about the mess and some other things.
November is terrible for a big writing challenge. You've got Thanksgiving and preparations for Christmas/Yule/Hannukah/Kwanzaa. Plus, if you're in retail or any kind of retail-adjacent job, Q4 is barreling toward you like a Mac truck at this point. It's a busy time! It seems that January or a summer month would be more convenient for a breakneck-pace challenge. That being said, I'm generally opposed to breakneck-pace anything. I prefer the tortoise approach: slow and steady. Hurrying makes me stressed. I have an idea for my own version of the cozy challenge. Writing a book takes my whole brain and all my focus. Not possible right now. I have to work the ol' job, because money. However, I have an alpha reading gig, and I've decided to set aside every Wednesday to focus on that. Perhaps I will work on writing some shorter pieces, as well. We shall see. Whatever the case, I've set aside time for creative, storytelling related work. I've been neglecting my creative outlets (again, because money) for years. It feels good to dedicate time to those pursuits again, even in this small way.
Well, that is very good to hear! I struggled tremendously with the title of that story in the previous drafts but I felt like that was a good one, so I'm glad to get some backup on that!
Would titling, books or chapters, be a possible video? I always have million ideas while feeling like Im terrible at it. I dont care enough about titles yet I know its important. Uhhhhhgg@@lidiyafoxgloveauthor
I don't do Namowrimo mostly because I write short stories. That would be like 10 in one month, which is a lot for me. November's plan is to rewrite two stories and plow ahead on my novel draft (first in years I've attempted). Hope everything goes well for your writing. 😊
Agreed, November is an awful month to host a gargantuan writing challenge lol! I haven’t participated in years! What i might do in November is work on the rest of the logistics for my own self pub novel project (cover, formatting, whatever else is left) and maybe poetry.
This year I've been working on an old manuscript and pulling out the plot to rework and think I have it ready for rewriting in what I call draft November. I also have a spotify playlist of songs at the ready that have helped me get into the feel of the world and characters. A short but detailed outline to work from too. So I think I'm set.
I like your cozy challenge approach! I've also been having a hard time (not nearly to the extent of a hurricane, but personal life has been hard), and so I'm trying to balance being kind to myself and setting and accomplishing goals. I'm hoping to write 50k this month (I hit over 2,000 words on day one -- and learned how to build a bar graph in google sheets to track it!), but I'm not tying myself to one project, either. Not even all of it will be fiction. I'm hoping to write stories, newsletters, and maybe even copy for my website! I'm really just trying to get in the habit of showing up for myself, whatever that looks like. That incense sounds really nice! My favorite way to kick start my writing is to listen to the soundtrack from the movie "Spotlight". Not sure why it works, but I'm not complaining!
I'm hoping to do some writing in November even if it doesn't lead to something coherent- just want to invite the muses in and run with whatever they hand me!
Honestly I might doing the same sort of chaos. Juggling three books at once is definitely more of a muse-based approach than a focused one...but it is FUN!
I have a dedicated monthly planner that I use as my writing tracker. Basically, I use procrastiplanner stickers and put them on the month calendar. It always surprises me how motivating putting a sticker on there is. I guess we never outgrow kindergarten. lol It's also great because I use specific stickers for what part of the process (EX: plotting, revising, copyediting, etc.), and it is a great way for me to see how long things take me. :)
I am the big clumsy looking dragon that has a full body sticker 😉 For November, I hope to make good progress on my current in-progress manuscript. Any progress is good progress, but if I manage to write 60k words, I'll be allowed to reward myself with a new sea creature plushie toy. The big big challenge is my health (and the fact that I have a big time-intensive doctor's appointment in November). But I gotta remind myself that I love writing, and it will make me feel so much better in the future if I make writing progress! Also hoping that clinging to community groups will help with the process. I'll be using the Novel Gauntlet challenge for progress tracking purposes, since I'm already part of that community. Looking forward to a cozy & writerly November, and to making progress on my weird insect-people murder quest story 🥳
I had a very productive summer and unintentionally did two nanowrimos back-to-back in June and July. But my writing has slowed considerably since then. I've finally reached "act 3" of my book, and my goal is to finish it by Thanksgiving. This project is already way longer than it needs to be. So instead of focusing on word count, my goal is simply to complete the manuscript...even if the ending is hot garbage compared to the rest of the story, lol
I have been gearing up to do more writing starting in Nov'. Currently working on 3 projects, one of which is: 'a year in the dust', about living in the high desert of Arizona with the mesquite, 110f heat, and lots of animals.
i always thought the same about the people who started NaNo 😂 I'm usually so swamped during November and December, i could never understand why they didn't decide it in January to align with new year resolutions and such. But now that the weather has cooled, my creative battery is done. Even without a holiday, i probably wouldn't make 50 or 40k words. i think i might be solar-powered LOL Then again, February is lambing season (idk why they pick the coldest month to have their babies, cause it's stressful!) and late March through early May is calving season 🤔 so maybe that's a factor for why my creative brain doesn't really activate until around mid-May
I did NaNoWriMo about 7 years in a row. But I’m not doing it this year because of their insane stance on AI. 🤖 I think November can be more productive if you have more time off of work or are a student, but if you have hosting duties it can be more difficult than other months. I know since I usually travel I have tons of time where I can jot or type or scribble while loafing at other people’s homes. 🏠
So...for November, I'm going to finish my first chapterbook (geared toward grades 1-3). I will actually be in a month long workshop about chapterbooks as well, so that will hopefully be motivating. I'm trying to be gentle with myself--I have had a rough few years since my best friend, who was also my critique partner and supported my work SO much, passed away. But it's time to do this for myself! And I know he would have wanted me to be keep writing and be successful, etc. I have some written, but by the end of November I want to have a quite good draft of so,ething around 10-15k words.
That's sad and hard and it is understandable to take time to get back in the groove. I worry all the time about how long it will take me to bounce back when (hopefully not if, I don't want him to outlive me!) I lose Dade because he's been my cheerleader and plot fixer for decades. Doing a workshop sounds like a good way to ease back into it though!
I'd just finished the first draft of my WIP, and the next thing I did was watch your video. Talk about serendipity. Maybe I'll join in for cozy revision Nov (revision after the first draft is my favorite part of the process!)
Embrace the mess! Hehe, I didn't hear anything from your chair. I love writing to music like the soundtrack from Penny Dreadful. It really seems to open the pathways to pour out the writing, at least for me. Ever since I was challenged to write my first book, I reached that milestone of 90k words for my fantasy world. I am also a plotter; I feel it really works. Now its been over 2 years since I wrote my first book but for some reason I keep procasterning even thought I am currently going to college for writing. The doubt is real !!
Hi from Maine! Here to drop a comment for support. I'm a fairly new subscriber. I do not write (not by lack of desire) but enjoy your uploads just the same. You seem like such a sweet person that I'd probably enjoy hanging out with in person.
I have a good, better, best goal for November! Good = 30,000. Better = 50,000. Best = Finish the first draft! Sending you all the cozy vibes for your writing in November! :)
I'm doing a couple different challenges... loosely... I'm doing the 100KQ4 challenge Kate Cavanough is doing as well as the rough draft challenge Sarra Cannon (Heart Breathings) is doing. I'm a project hopper though so I think it'll be easier for me to do. And the 100K across 3 months is a little over 1K a day, so totally doable.
I'm doing a couple of challenges for November and Q4 in general. I'll be working on two story ideas. A Vampire Romance that I hope to publish in Oct 2025 and a New Adult, Romance set in Tokyo, Japan that has no "spice" in it.
The Potion Dealer reminds me of Potion Permit on Switch and I am here for it.. ✨ Best of luck on your cozy writing challenge. November is a horrible month for me with work and holidays, so I don't think I'll do any formal challenge. I do want to keep up with my writing habit of body-doubling via UA-cam, though, so I am excited to see others writing more, too. Do you have any recommendations for Japanese incense you like?
That is so sweet you got that care package. You deserve it! I could use advice on how to make writer friends. Maybe being autistic, but I've been writing / self pubbing for years but I don't feel like the friends I made are very close. Maybe I'm too secretive/private. Sigh. Good luck getting the words in!
The sticker idea is so cute! I’m a big fan of monthly challenges, mostly art ones (artfight/plein april/inktober) but I’ve attempted nano twice in the past. I’d like to try again this year! Though inktober has not been succesful due to a ridiculous amount of schoolwork so I’m not sure what kind of word goal I want to set. Going to keep working on a past WIP
@@lidiyafoxgloveauthor would love to see more of your art vids! It’s definitely hard to keep multiple hobbies up when they all require so much time lol
I write the opposite of cozy fantasy - dark epic fantasy. My plan is write the second half of a book I started in 2020... yikes. I published book 2 in that series in July. Book 3 is waiting like a blinking cursor on a blank page. I've been clearing my tasks so I can wholly focus because my brain isn't quite immersed in the story as usual. Good luck!
NaNoWriMo is the perfect distraction from the hellscape of American elections, IMHO. But I don't make Thanksgiving dinner or shop for Xmas or attend school. ;)
Your comment about the founder of NaNo not being responsible for Thanksgiving made me laugh. Holidays are SO much work, largely falling to the women in most families, and it seems to double again with kids. My creative output crashed and burned after kids, and December has become a complete write-off for me. 😂 I like this idea of November being a do-what-you-can creativity goal. I’ve seen lots of spreadsheet trackers from various authors that allow you to track like NaNo’s website but you can set your goal to whatever you want.
Yes, I am truly baffled why they didn't pick January. No month is perfect for everyone but it just seems like the best choice.
"The potion dealer" sounds like a book I would pick up and give a shot. I think it's a good title.
I live by “Don’t fight the mess” at the moment.
This year my mental health took a dive and I learned to accept it - not in the sense of giving up or in, but not acting like I’m fine and can do things like before.
So I can really get behind the mindset of taking it slow and cozy. I wish you the best with your project.
I am all on board for just going easier on ourselves. It's been a hard year for me too, and I really want to do my creative work--I know it'll help if I can make time for it--but that also means I'll have to relax about the mess and some other things.
November is terrible for a big writing challenge. You've got Thanksgiving and preparations for Christmas/Yule/Hannukah/Kwanzaa. Plus, if you're in retail or any kind of retail-adjacent job, Q4 is barreling toward you like a Mac truck at this point. It's a busy time! It seems that January or a summer month would be more convenient for a breakneck-pace challenge.
That being said, I'm generally opposed to breakneck-pace anything. I prefer the tortoise approach: slow and steady. Hurrying makes me stressed.
I have an idea for my own version of the cozy challenge. Writing a book takes my whole brain and all my focus. Not possible right now. I have to work the ol' job, because money. However, I have an alpha reading gig, and I've decided to set aside every Wednesday to focus on that. Perhaps I will work on writing some shorter pieces, as well. We shall see. Whatever the case, I've set aside time for creative, storytelling related work.
I've been neglecting my creative outlets (again, because money) for years. It feels good to dedicate time to those pursuits again, even in this small way.
Haven’t participated in nanowrimo before, but I wanna enjoy having a winter break here
The Potions Dealer is a sweet title. Ive never read the genre you write but i would try it with a title like that.
Well, that is very good to hear! I struggled tremendously with the title of that story in the previous drafts but I felt like that was a good one, so I'm glad to get some backup on that!
Would titling, books or chapters, be a possible video? I always have million ideas while feeling like Im terrible at it. I dont care enough about titles yet I know its important. Uhhhhhgg@@lidiyafoxgloveauthor
"if you're a total pantser, I can't help you" 😂😂😂
I don't do Namowrimo mostly because I write short stories. That would be like 10 in one month, which is a lot for me. November's plan is to rewrite two stories and plow ahead on my novel draft (first in years I've attempted). Hope everything goes well for your writing. 😊
I have also had a sucky year, and am also hoping for November to be a month to kickstart my writing again :)
Agreed, November is an awful month to host a gargantuan writing challenge lol! I haven’t participated in years!
What i might do in November is work on the rest of the logistics for my own self pub novel project (cover, formatting, whatever else is left) and maybe poetry.
This year I've been working on an old manuscript and pulling out the plot to rework and think I have it ready for rewriting in what I call draft November. I also have a spotify playlist of songs at the ready that have helped me get into the feel of the world and characters. A short but detailed outline to work from too. So I think I'm set.
It seems like that's what I'm doing too, at least today. Reworking this old novel, and I have a good playlist to carry me through.
I've been focused on revision but I'm hoping it will be done by the end of the first week so I can work on drafting Book2.
I like your cozy challenge approach! I've also been having a hard time (not nearly to the extent of a hurricane, but personal life has been hard), and so I'm trying to balance being kind to myself and setting and accomplishing goals. I'm hoping to write 50k this month (I hit over 2,000 words on day one -- and learned how to build a bar graph in google sheets to track it!), but I'm not tying myself to one project, either. Not even all of it will be fiction. I'm hoping to write stories, newsletters, and maybe even copy for my website! I'm really just trying to get in the habit of showing up for myself, whatever that looks like.
That incense sounds really nice! My favorite way to kick start my writing is to listen to the soundtrack from the movie "Spotlight". Not sure why it works, but I'm not complaining!
I'm hoping to do some writing in November even if it doesn't lead to something coherent- just want to invite the muses in and run with whatever they hand me!
Honestly I might doing the same sort of chaos. Juggling three books at once is definitely more of a muse-based approach than a focused one...but it is FUN!
Im all in. I have done Nano many times but a cozy approach works! Love the tips. And now I'm listening for the chair! 🤣
super cute stickers!!
Huh. A writing smell never occured to me before. Fun idea! Maybe I'll try it
I have a dedicated monthly planner that I use as my writing tracker. Basically, I use procrastiplanner stickers and put them on the month calendar. It always surprises me how motivating putting a sticker on there is. I guess we never outgrow kindergarten. lol It's also great because I use specific stickers for what part of the process (EX: plotting, revising, copyediting, etc.), and it is a great way for me to see how long things take me. :)
I got a busy office job, can't take this type of challenge, tried that, have to quit.
I am the big clumsy looking dragon that has a full body sticker 😉
For November, I hope to make good progress on my current in-progress manuscript. Any progress is good progress, but if I manage to write 60k words, I'll be allowed to reward myself with a new sea creature plushie toy.
The big big challenge is my health (and the fact that I have a big time-intensive doctor's appointment in November). But I gotta remind myself that I love writing, and it will make me feel so much better in the future if I make writing progress!
Also hoping that clinging to community groups will help with the process. I'll be using the Novel Gauntlet challenge for progress tracking purposes, since I'm already part of that community.
Looking forward to a cozy & writerly November, and to making progress on my weird insect-people murder quest story 🥳
I had a very productive summer and unintentionally did two nanowrimos back-to-back in June and July. But my writing has slowed considerably since then. I've finally reached "act 3" of my book, and my goal is to finish it by Thanksgiving. This project is already way longer than it needs to be. So instead of focusing on word count, my goal is simply to complete the manuscript...even if the ending is hot garbage compared to the rest of the story, lol
I have been gearing up to do more writing starting in Nov'. Currently working on 3 projects, one of which is: 'a year in the dust', about living in the high desert of Arizona with the mesquite, 110f heat, and lots of animals.
What genre is it? I’m curious since that’s exactly where I’m from. 🏜
Since it's about real life it's generally referred to as autobiography. But, it could eventually evolve into something else .... 🐱
i always thought the same about the people who started NaNo 😂 I'm usually so swamped during November and December, i could never understand why they didn't decide it in January to align with new year resolutions and such.
But now that the weather has cooled, my creative battery is done. Even without a holiday, i probably wouldn't make 50 or 40k words. i think i might be solar-powered LOL
Then again, February is lambing season (idk why they pick the coldest month to have their babies, cause it's stressful!) and late March through early May is calving season 🤔 so maybe that's a factor for why my creative brain doesn't really activate until around mid-May
I did NaNoWriMo about 7 years in a row. But I’m not doing it this year because of their insane stance on AI. 🤖 I think November can be more productive if you have more time off of work or are a student, but if you have hosting duties it can be more difficult than other months. I know since I usually travel I have tons of time where I can jot or type or scribble while loafing at other people’s homes. 🏠
So...for November, I'm going to finish my first chapterbook (geared toward grades 1-3). I will actually be in a month long workshop about chapterbooks as well, so that will hopefully be motivating. I'm trying to be gentle with myself--I have had a rough few years since my best friend, who was also my critique partner and supported my work SO much, passed away. But it's time to do this for myself! And I know he would have wanted me to be keep writing and be successful, etc. I have some written, but by the end of November I want to have a quite good draft of so,ething around 10-15k words.
That's sad and hard and it is understandable to take time to get back in the groove. I worry all the time about how long it will take me to bounce back when (hopefully not if, I don't want him to outlive me!) I lose Dade because he's been my cheerleader and plot fixer for decades. Doing a workshop sounds like a good way to ease back into it though!
I'd just finished the first draft of my WIP, and the next thing I did was watch your video. Talk about serendipity. Maybe I'll join in for cozy revision Nov (revision after the first draft is my favorite part of the process!)
Embrace the mess! Hehe, I didn't hear anything from your chair. I love writing to music like the soundtrack from Penny Dreadful. It really seems to open the pathways to pour out the writing, at least for me. Ever since I was challenged to write my first book, I reached that milestone of 90k words for my fantasy world. I am also a plotter; I feel it really works. Now its been over 2 years since I wrote my first book but for some reason I keep procasterning even thought I am currently going to college for writing. The doubt is real !!
It took me five years between my first book and my second! It's definitely not easy to do for a while.
Hi from Maine! Here to drop a comment for support. I'm a fairly new subscriber. I do not write (not by lack of desire) but enjoy your uploads just the same. You seem like such a sweet person that I'd probably enjoy hanging out with in person.
❤️ That's so sweet of you to leave a comment, thank you and welcome!
I definitely want to do a november writing challenge, gonna get at least halfway through my novel.
I have a good, better, best goal for November!
Good = 30,000.
Better = 50,000.
Best = Finish the first draft!
Sending you all the cozy vibes for your writing in November! :)
I'm doing a couple different challenges... loosely... I'm doing the 100KQ4 challenge Kate Cavanough is doing as well as the rough draft challenge Sarra Cannon (Heart Breathings) is doing. I'm a project hopper though so I think it'll be easier for me to do. And the 100K across 3 months is a little over 1K a day, so totally doable.
I'm doing a couple of challenges for November and Q4 in general. I'll be working on two story ideas. A Vampire Romance that I hope to publish in Oct 2025 and a New Adult, Romance set in Tokyo, Japan that has no "spice" in it.
November ❤
The Potion Dealer reminds me of Potion Permit on Switch and I am here for it.. ✨
Best of luck on your cozy writing challenge. November is a horrible month for me with work and holidays, so I don't think I'll do any formal challenge. I do want to keep up with my writing habit of body-doubling via UA-cam, though, so I am excited to see others writing more, too.
Do you have any recommendations for Japanese incense you like?
That is so sweet you got that care package. You deserve it! I could use advice on how to make writer friends. Maybe being autistic, but I've been writing / self pubbing for years but I don't feel like the friends I made are very close. Maybe I'm too secretive/private. Sigh. Good luck getting the words in!
The sticker idea is so cute! I’m a big fan of monthly challenges, mostly art ones (artfight/plein april/inktober) but I’ve attempted nano twice in the past. I’d like to try again this year! Though inktober has not been succesful due to a ridiculous amount of schoolwork so I’m not sure what kind of word goal I want to set. Going to keep working on a past WIP
I want to do an art one sometime too! But my plans to do more art this year totally got away from me. I haven't given up on it in the future though.
@@lidiyafoxgloveauthor would love to see more of your art vids! It’s definitely hard to keep multiple hobbies up when they all require so much time lol
I write the opposite of cozy fantasy - dark epic fantasy. My plan is write the second half of a book I started in 2020... yikes. I published book 2 in that series in July. Book 3 is waiting like a blinking cursor on a blank page. I've been clearing my tasks so I can wholly focus because my brain isn't quite immersed in the story as usual. Good luck!
I finished a first draft for the first time in ten years in October, so while everyone is furiously drafting I am taking a well earned break!
Awesome!! Enjoy the rest of autumn and refill the well!
Loved this video❤️
😊
I tried last year. I work too many hours and it was overwhelming. Nothing cozy at all.
NaNoWriMo is the perfect distraction from the hellscape of American elections, IMHO. But I don't make Thanksgiving dinner or shop for Xmas or attend school. ;)
I won't be making a Thanksgiving dinner this year, but I have done it and it took SO much time!