AMRA PAJALIC
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60 NaNoWriMo Writing Tips in a Single Post

2/11/2012

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Saw this link with 60 NanoWriMo Writing Tips in a Single Post in Mediabistro's GalleyCat newsletter. Check it out for some tips that might be useful to you. 
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Nano day 2

2/11/2012

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Had a very busy day today working from home on my various projects. Started Nano at 3 pm. Did not feel like it at all. Had written notes last night about what I wanted to write and so was able to sit down and very quickly get back into it. Already was much easier writing today. Was more in the zone and not flicking onto the internet every few minutes.

The best part is that this process really works for me. I had an idea of what this chapter was going to be about, but just throwing down words without thinking too much means that now I have much greater and depth about what to do with it. Have a clearer idea of how to structure it and what needs to be in and what needs to be out.

Total words: 1,647
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writing advice from zadie smith

1/11/2012

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Read this on Gabrielle Wang's FB status feed and thought it had to be shared. I love that last sentence. I can so relate because I feel it each and every day.

One of my favourite 10 Rules of Writing comes from Zadie Smith. 

1. When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. 
Spend more time doing this than anything else.

2. When an adult, try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.

3. Don’t romanticise your ‘vocation’. You can either write good sentences or you can’t. There is no ‘writer’s lifestyle’. 
All that matters is what you leave on the page.

4. Avoid your weaknesses. But do this without telling yourself that the things you can’t do aren’t worth doing. 

5. Don’t mask self-doubt with contempt.

6. Leave a decent space of time between writing something and editing it.

7. Avoid cliques, gangs, groups. The presence of a crowd won’t make your writing any better than it is.

8.Work on a computer that is disconnected from the ­internet.

9. Protect the time and space in which you write. Keep everybody away from it, even the people who are most important to you.

10. Don’t confuse honours with achievement.
Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand — but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never ­being satisfied.


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nano day 1-part 2

1/11/2012

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I went to my friends house for a write-in, but she had computer troubles so we had a wonderful gas bag instead. I was really motivated to achieve my wordcount so have just spent an hour sitting on the coach next to my daughter as I punch in my words. 

Total wordcount: 2,016 words
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Nano: Day 1

1/11/2012

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First day of Nano and I'm kicking off to a good start. Due to the rain I didn't have my usual morning walk in taking my daughter to childcare, so I wrote. I reached 1,000 words. It's horrible writing, but at this point the goal is to get the words down and get into a regular writing routine. 

Found it really hard writing for a sustained period and every 200 words kept flicking onto Facebook or The Age to read stuff, so just building up my stamina will be good.

Now I'm off to my friends Renee's house. We are pairing up to do Nano and having our first write in. Planning on doing another 1,000 words to really start my first day on a high. Will report back later today.

Total words today: 1016
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    Author

    Amra Pajalić is an award-winning author, an editor and teacher who draws on her Bosnian cultural heritage to write own voices stories for young people, who like her, are searching to mediate their identity and take pride in their diverse culture. She writes memoir, young adult and romance under the pen name Mae Archer.

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  • Home
    • Blog
    • About Me >
      • My Newsletter
      • Press Kit >
        • Alma's Loyalty Media Kit
        • Sabiha's Dilemma Media Kit
        • The Climb Media Kit
        • The Cuckoo's Song Media Kit
      • Articles
      • Book Me >
        • Aspiring writers >
          • Six things writers should do
          • Young Adult Books
          • Writing tips for young people
      • News & Events
      • Za Bosance
    • My Books >
      • Young Adult >
        • Cuckoos Song
        • Sassy Saints Series >
          • Sabiha's Dilemma >
            • The Good Daughter
          • Alma's Loyalty
          • Jesse's Triumph
        • The Climb
      • Memoir >
        • Things Nobody Knows But Me
        • Growing up Muslim in Australia
        • Meet Me at the Intersection
        • Rebellious Daughters
      • Romance >
        • Return to Me
        • Hollywood Dreams
      • Dark Fiction Horror >
        • WomanOnTheEdgeShortStory
    • Contact
    • Pishukin Press
    • Grant Writing Course