Monday NaNo Interview

Today's interview is with the beautiful and talented Abby Minard at Above Water! She is participating this year, but has dubbed it NaNoFinMo as her aim is to finish her current novel. I wanted to feature an interview with her because I know several of you are also using NaNo to drive you to finish your current work or to finish those rewrites!







Is this your first NaNo?
This is my 2nd! Last year was my first, but I didn't write anything new- I'm doing the same this year- I'm just trying to finish my current novel!


How did you prepare?
Mostly by talking about it with crit partners and bloggers. We'll see if it's all talk or not ;p


Are you pantsing or plotting?
I'm usually sort of both. I kinda have a plot outlined in my head, and then a couple sheets of ideas like names, a rough summary, characters and what they're like and any random thoughts I have on it. But then I just write and don't have too much of a structure. Right now, I have a really rough outline for the end of my book- my head is a little jumbled with the climax and how I'm mapping things out, so I had to write a little of it out.


Can you give us a brief synop of your story idea?
(okay so this synopsis needs a lot of work, but here is the gist) In a land named Tartha, four novice Mages who are blessed with the Elements of Ice, Earth, Wind and Fire must defeat an evil Earth Mage who has figured out how to acquire all four Elements, enabling him to have power over anyone. They must figure out how to master and merge their own Elements- not one with four, but four with one. Only then can they defeat the evil Mage and restore order to their land.


How soon before NaNo did you get your idea?
I've been working on it for about a year now (I started a year and half ago, but took a 6 month break when we bought our first house- it was stressfull!)


Where have you been writing?
Either on my bed or the couch


What has been your favorite snack?
I love eating gobstoppers while writing.


Coffee, tea, soda, energy drink?
None- caffeine doesn't agree with me ;p Naps seem to do the trick though!


Laptop or desktop?
Laptop

What is your word count?
79,000 words. I have about 15-20k left.


What is your post-it count?
Haha, I have about a million scraps of paper. I do have a drawer that I keep them in.


Any parting words of wisdom, encouragement or insane babbling?
Don't forget your notes and a pen when you get all snuggly in your bed or couch ready to write- or train your dog to get them for you. If mine could get the stuff I forget, I'd have so much more written right now!


Are you rewarding yourself for finishing? And if you are, what with?
A new printer/scanner/faxer all-around-kick-butt machine!

Now hop on over to check out Abby's fabulous blog! She's got an interview with ME.

Oh, wait, before you go - tell me, how is the writing going? Word counts? Revision pages? Shiny new ideas?