Episode 74: Why it’s okay to say no to NaNo

Before we even get started, let’s just say up front: if you’re doing National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo), we are totally rooting for you!

But NaNo isn’t for us, and this is something we’ve been coming to terms with over the past couple of years – if you don’t believe us, check out our previous episodes on this topic.

For us, focusing just on one month, when we (as writers with day jobs and other responsibilities) have so much going on, isn’t very sustainable and can make us really anxious/stressed/feel bad.

So this episode is about saying “no” in a gracious way – including how to set goals for your project that are longer-term, and also dealing with your feelings when so many other people are talking about NaNo.

You can listen right here on this page, or get Marginally on iTunesStitcherGoogle Play, or wherever get your podcasts (including Spotify).

As always, we’d love for you to take a minute to rate and review us in your podcast app, as this helps other listeners find the show. 

Find us on Instagram @marginallypodcast. Meghan’s occasionally on Twitter @meghanembee, and Olivia’s @roamingolivia

Theme music is “It’s Time” by Scaricá Ricascá. 

Have a question you’d like us to try to answer, or a topic you’d love to have us cover? Interested in being a guest? Contact us here. Thanks for listening, and get to work!

In this episode:

NaNoWriMo

Pep Talk 10 with Ashley Maynor on touching your work daily

#amwriting Episode 175 on how to use a burn chart

Writer’s Process Planner and free bonus gift of goal-setting worksheet (NB Writer’s Process Planner sponsored this episode but we are also fans!)

Rachel Aaron’s 2,000 to 10,000 book

And:

If you like Marginally, you should check out #amwriting, with Jess and KJ, where two much more experienced writers talk through their processes with each other and celebrated guests.

You can listen right here on this page, or get Marginally on iTunesStitcherGoogle Play, or wherever get your podcasts (including Spotify).

As always, we’d love for you to take a minute to rate and review us in your podcast app, as this helps other listeners find the show. 

Find us on Instagram @marginallypodcast. Meghan’s occasionally on Twitter @meghanembee, and Olivia’s @roamingolivia

Theme music is “It’s Time” by Scaricá Ricascá. 

Have a question you’d like us to try to answer, or a topic you’d love to have us cover? Interested in being a guest? Contact us here. Thanks for listening, and get to work!

In this episode:

Happier in Hollywood podcast

House of Pies

Dar Williams

Zadie Smith’s Swing Time

Caroline Calloway and her ghostwriter friend Natalie

Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion

The scene in Romy & Michele where they argue about who’s the Mary

Elena Ferrante’s Neopolitan quartet (starting with My Brilliant Friend)

Golden Girls

Mary McCarthy’s The Group

Meg Wolitzer’s The Interestings

Hanya Yanagihara’s A Little Life

Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends

Rumaan Alam’s Rich & Pretty

Care and Feeding column, which Rumaan Alam co-writes with Nicole Cliffe and two other authors

Big Little Lies (HBO series and book by Liane Moriarty)

Meghan’s syllabus

Elizabeth Gaskill’s Cranford

Mean Girls

Clueless

Jane Austen’s Emma

Lisa See

Toni Morrison’s Sula

And:

If you like Marginally, you should check out #amwriting, with Jess and KJ, where two much more experienced writers talk through their processes with each other and celebrated guests.