I can hear you asking, "Huh? What on earth is this about?"
Until a few days ago, I didn't know either. WriMo refers to National Novel Writing Month, which occurs each November and entails writing a 50,000 word book in 30 days. If you know anything about writing, you know most of us can't create a clean product in 30 days. I've done NaNoWriMo the last two years and just vomited words onto paper.
If you want to do anything with the finished product, like, oh say, submit it, then you need to clean it up. And that's what NaNoEdMo is all about.
National Novel Editing Month happens in March and by signing up you commit to putting in 50 hours of editing during the month.
I did edit work on the novel I wrote in 2008 and entered it into an online contest at eHarlequin. The editor requested the full manuscript and I edited some more before mailing it. It was rejected, but with some feedback, so my EdMo goal is to take that feedback and fix the problems, namely pacing and characterization.
Each week I have to log my hours at the EdMo website, and with a firm goal in mind and a time limit, I hope to whip this sucker into shape and maybe pitch a new and improved version of it at the RWA conference this summer.
I have the manuscript printed out and have a green pen all ready. I like to edit in green because it's less depressing than red ink. Green means go and it doesn't look like something's bled all over your paper (unless maybe a wounded Martian has hovered over the pages).
So... is anyone else up to putting in 50 hours of editing starting next week? Do you have any good editing tips for me?
PS. Also, Trish has picked a winner for yesterday's blog - californiameaghan! Please email SP at smartypants@writingplayground.com to claim your prize.
