Generic store-brand November Writing Challenge begins in 2 days! Listen for words of encouragement and an update on the ways your hosts Kristina and Liz will be tackling the challenge in this most unprecedented year. Most importantly: we've chosen our tracking tool for the year and have a LEADERBOARD you can join! Best of luck this November, fam—we're all in this together.

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Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

How do you make your side characters feel like real people? Do you need side characters? How many should you have? There's so much to consider when developing your cast of characters!

In today's episode, hosts Kristina and Liz dive into the wonderful world of character development. We discuss how many characters is too many characters, how to build flawed & complex people, and how to make sure every choice serves your plot. 

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Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

This is something we hear a lot when people are considering what to write in November: does fanfiction count? is it allowed? can I write it?

In today's episode, hosts Kristina and Liz discuss why their answer is an incredibly enthusiastic yes, including the many merits of fanfiction writing and a bit about why it sometimes has a bad reputation.

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

This year, it's the wild west for novelists who still want to participate in some kind of November writing challenge. Where do we track our words? Will it feel the same? How do we find our commmunity? Will winning still "count"? 

In today's episode, hosts Kristina and Liz discuss options for how to still write in November without supporting NaNoWriMo, and whether we even need an official organization at all if we've still got each other. 

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

Even if you're a true pantser, there are some decisions that must be made before you can start writing. Choosing a point of view to write from is necessary, as is deciding on a tense. But how do you know which one is right for you? What are your options, and what's the difference?

In today's episode, hosts Liz and Kristina discuss the different use cases for past, present and future tense, and weigh the pros and cons of the many various POV options out there.

Links referenced in the episode:
Different verb tenses
Second person point of view
Third person narrator POV

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Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

What if you've taken a break from writing and find you've forgotten how to do it? Is noveling like riding a bike? How exactly do we rebuild the habit we may have lost?

In today's episode, hosts Kristina and Liz discuss the various reasons we might stop writing at points in our lives, and how to get it back. Thanks to lovelycastellan for the question!

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

Welcome to Season 6! You might have noticed we've done a bit of a rebrand... this podcast (formerly known as How To Win NaNo) is now called "Write Your Damn Novel"! In the first episode of our new season, hosts Kristina and Liz talk a bit about what's been going on with the NaNoWriMo organization and why we felt the need to distance ourselves from it.

Things wont change too much around here otherwise, as we still plan to write 50,000 words in November. It might just look a little different from now on.

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

Do you want to make your future self the happiest writer in the world? Then leave yourself a note at the end of NaNoWriMo! Because listen, we get it. November is over and you've earned a break. But now is the best time to set your future self up for success. 

In this final episode of the season, hosts Kristina and Liz give tips for the best things to do to make sure you can hit the ground running next time you pick up your writing project. 

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

It's the LAST DAY of NaNoWriMo, which means... well, either you're already celebrating your win or you're still still furiously writing. Either way, we all know the best part of succeeding at NaNoWriMo (aside from the feeling of a job well done) is the WINNER GOODIES!

In today's episode, your hosts Kristina & Liz take it a bit easy, discussing their favorite winner goodies as well as the best NaNo merch over the years. 

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Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)

The end November approaches... and for some, that could mean getting to the end of your novel! But... what does that mean? How do you finish such a huge project?

In today's episode, your hosts Kristina and Liz discuss some tips and strategies for ending strong, from resolution to twists to cliffhangers. 

Send us a text

Support the show

Enjoy the show? Like this episode, give a thumbs up, or better yet - leave a review!

Follow us on:
Instagram: @writeyourdamnnovel
Threads: @writeyourdamnnovel
Join our Discord server to hang out with a community of writers: https://discord.gg/u92vfhgAYm
Become a Patron and help keep the podcast ad-free: https://www.patreon.com/writeyourdamnnovel

We write books! Check out our anthologies:
Boys, Book Clubs, and Other Bad Ideas
The Mistletoe Paradox
What Happened to Annabell?
(All published by Kristina's publishing company: @84thStreetPress)