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Thursday, November 3, 2011

NaNo No-Nos



So it's the third day of November, aka "National Novel Writers Month." How goes your NaNo? At this time last year I was already well on my way to completing INDIGO. How am I doing THIS year you ask? HA!

I am morbidly over-ambitious when it comes to things I love doing or have an interest in. I have this delusion that I can do anything I put my mind to (and I really can...given an infinite amount of time, of course). The problem is that I have once again bitten off more than a mouthful. I've got an unfinished novel, an unfinished short story and a freshly started NaNoWriMo project all in flux at the same time. As of this post, I've written a paltry 1,000 words or so. I'm way behind the eight ball on this one.

So, for the rest of you who may be feeling overwhelmed by the 50,000 word limit of NaNoWriMo, I have a couple of other options. How's 600 words sound to you? Lulu is sponsoring a short-story contest just for you. It costs you nothing (except giving up your publication rights, but honestly, how much do you really think you'll make from one short story? If Neil Gaiman or Stephen King is reading this, the previous statement does not apply.) And here are the prizes!

First place:

$500 cash
Barnes & Noble NOOK
Feature in Lulu Staff Picks and Lulu Blog
Free mentions in upcoming Lulu publicity
Professional review of your work

Second place:

Barnes & Noble NOOK

Third place:

$100 gift card to Barnes and Noble

All participants:

20% off coupon for next purchase on Lulu.com

You only have until Dec. 1st to submit so get crackin'! You can find the full details right here. 600 words still too much for you? How's 100 sound?

The only catch here is that your 100 words need to come together to tell a tale of horror so unspeakable...so unimaginable...so...
If you want to enter, check out details over at Cruentus Libri Press. The good news here is that you have until the end of the calendar year! That's only 1.72 words per day, vs NaNoWriMo, which is now 1,785.7 words per day...I should get back to work!

~VK

PS: Even if you haven't asked, yes, I will probably try to do each of the above contests because I'm stupid.