NaNoWriMo 2023
It might be just the beginning of August, but for me, it is time to start thinking about and planning for NaNoWriMo 2023. I have attempted both NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNo for the past two years, but have never gotten back my writing mojo that I had pre-Covid lockdown. You can check out some of my past NaNoWriMo blog posts, here. This year is a little different. I can feel a little more creative juices flowing this year, so I am jumping in again this year with both feet.
For the past several years, I have gone back and forth between two projects – A Deadly Melody (the music mystery novel that I’ve been working on for over five years) and an untitled Southern mystery/adventure/romance that is completely different than anything I’ve attempted to write in the past. And while I am really excited about project #2, it requires a TON of research. Too much so, that I just don’t think I’ll have it all done by the time NaNo rolls around in a few months. So, because I have a solid foundation set for project #1, and because I really want to publish a novel before my 50th birthday next August, I am switching gears and heading back to my original novel idea, A Deadly Melody.
A Deadly Melody
I haven’t thought about this project in over two years, but from what I remember, I have a pretty good handle on the plot, characters, and setting. I am going to have to tweak it a bit since I am moving away from a series, at least for now. That still might come into play at some point, but for now, I’ll be writing this as a stand-alone novel. I will add a few things just in case I do decide to make it a series at some point. I also have a slight change to one of my main characters, but that is why it is good for me to start thinking about these things now instead of waiting until November.
Music is a HUGE factor in my creative process with all of my projects, but especially with, A Deadly Melody. While I have a great playlist that I started a few years ago, you can check it out, here, I’ll be making a new 2023 A Deadly Melody playlist just for NaNoWriMo 2023. It should be ready to go sometime in October so stay tuned for that.
Latest Projects
If you follow me on Instagram, you probably have seen my Countdown to 50 posts. I turned 49 a few days ago, and I decided to celebrate the last year of my 40s by posting a song a day over on my Instagram account. All 365 songs hold some sort of special meaning to me, whether it is being associated with a special memory in my life, helping me through a tough time, or just making me get up and dance. You can find the entire list, here, and I will also post a weekly recap on the blog.
The Rest of 2023
NaNoWriMo, trying to finish the first draft of A Deadly Melody, blogging updates, and the Countdown to 50 daily posts will keep me pretty busy for the rest of the year. But, I do have a few other blog post ideas in my head, including a fun one for October and Halloween and a few NaNo prep ones, so stay tuned for those.
Thank you all for following along with me and my writing journey! I can’t wait to see what the rest of 2023 and 2024 has in store.
