NONFICTION WRITING MONTH

November is nonfiction writing month--a response to NANoWriMo where writers can sign up to write a novel first draft in one month. I did sign up for the nonfiction writing challenge and had the idea to do a first draft of the memoir. But since I will be taking a 6 month memoir course starting in January I had a different idea for this November challenge.

I've always wanted to write a book for teachers to help them through their first year in the classroom. I targeted preschool special education teachers since that has been my field for over 20 years. It seemed a daunting task but this might be a good way to begin.

It doesn't have to be a long, in depth look at a first year teacher, but rather a simple book with some time tested strategies to make things go easily and to make teaching as effective as it can be. Perhaps ten chapters, one for each month, with suggestions. I have to take this opportunity to try it out. And if it goes well I will put together a proposal and start sending it out.

I'll keep you posted on my progress. I'll also look into Nina Amir's strategies on how to "Blog A Book" and maybe create a blog for preschool teachers.

When November is over I'll let you know how far I got. And in January I will blog my journey of writing the memoir. It's taken a long time for me to commit to writing the memoir but it's time and when the online course came up I had to take the chance. The same way I did with Lorraine Mejia's poetry course. I have now finished the poetry manuscript and will do final edits. It really pays to take advantage of courses online that just happen to appear right when I need them.

This weekend I am revising some flash fiction stories to put in a chapbook that will be entered in the Rose Metal Press Chapbook Contest. It pays to take advantage of those contests that fit right in with work I've done already and that I feel should be out in the world.

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