We’re coming to the end of November, National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo), where fiction authors attempt to write a 50K word first draft of a novel! If you’re participating, you’re in the home stretch!

My best tip on writing fast (because writing *well* comes after, during revisions — this is just about getting the basic story down!) is to set a timer for 20 minutes and GO.

Don’t stop for distractions, don’t stop to think, don’t stop to find the perfect word, or to research something. Write imperfectly now, and perfect it in revisions later.

Do books written fast ever sell? You bet! I once wrote a 75k-word first draft during NaNoWriMo that turned into a 6-book deal with Simon & Schuster’s Pocket Books. Another year, I wrote three 20k novellas in a trilogy totaling 60k words during NaNo, and self-published a quick-release launch, one after the other.

Happy writing, and, from Rob in NY, Shoshanna (that’s me!) in Idaho, and all of us at SPBC, Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Native American Heritage Day!

ProLiteracy Changes Lives for the Better

ProLiteracy is the leading resource and champion for adult education worldwide, providing awareness and advocacy, innovative research, professional development, and education materials to the adult literacy field in order to change lives.

ProLiteracy has recently released its annual report, which details the impact made on adult literacy over the past year. The report details how ProLiteracy has navigated the challenges presented by COVID-19 and the lack of in-person instruction.

To learn about ProLiteracy, its mission, and the services they provide, please visit https://www.proliteracy.org/. If you wish to help learners in need at this time, the Literacy Relief Fund ensures learners have the resources they require to continue their education.