It's officially NaNoWriMo time. Since 2018, I've been taking on the challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November pretty consistently. I even won for three years in a row (2018-2020). It's fun and admittedly quite tiring. While I am proud of the writing that I have done in the past several Novembers, I am not sure that binge writing is the best way to accomplish my long-term goals. But one has to start somewhere, right? 

The website for NaNoWriMo (which stands for National Novel Writing Month), awards badges throughout month as you unlock achievements. You also have the option to award some to yourself. One that I like to choose each year describes what sort of prep work I have done. There are three options: planner, pantser, or plantser. According to NaNoWriMo.org, these are the definitions of each:

1. Planner: You believe in rigorous preparation. On November 1, you'll have an outline--or at least lots of helpful notes.
2. Pantser: You believe in hardcore spontaneity. On November 1, you'll have a blank document and your imagination. 
3. Plantser: You believe in the best of both worlds. On November 1, you'll start with a comfortable mix of improvisation and loose structure.

I have never considered myself a pantser, at least not for novels. If I don't have a road map or at least some semblance of an outline, my blank screen becomes a daunting and I become paralyzed with indecision.

For certain projects, I am definitely a planner. I was more of a planner when I was younger and would spend countless hours dreaming up character names, drawing character maps, describing character traits, designing world maps, and writing detailed outlines. However, the more comfortable I came with letting my imagination run a little free while writing (and once I realized I would never finish a book if I didn't start writing at some point), I learned to jump in with less planning done ahead of time. 

I am more often than not a self-declared plantser. I need to have a rough outline of the story I want to write, along with a few main characters ready to be explored, but then I let myself discover the story as I write. I have found that I can start writing a first draft with a pretty rough outline and idea of a story, but when it comes to a second draft, or even starting over without completing my first full draft, that is when I head back to the drawing board and really dive into the story and spend time creating more detailed plot synopses, character profiles, and build my world more completely.

That's not to say that I do not do plenty of thinking and research ahead of time to provide myself with inspiration and knowledge to pull from as I write. Especially when it comes to writing about nature. I make notes of the things that I find fascinating and pull from those as needed while I write. When it comes to prepping for NaNoWriMo specifically, I find joy in creating a word count tracker, designing a cover for my project, and maybe even creating a character mood board or two. Examples of some of these designs are shown below.

Overall, I truly am a plantser. The more I delve into my drafts, the more I refine my story notes and world building, but when it comes to getting started, all I need is a bit of imagination and a sketched out map on a coffee-stained napkin.

After reflecting on the books I read in 2021, I decided that in 2022 I would only read books that I truly wanted to (in addition to any book club picks). and if I didn't like a book, I told myself it was okay to set it aside. While my reviews were pretty meh in 2021 and I struggled to really find a favorite, I found it truly difficult to narrow down my favorite books to the top ten for my read list of 2022. I know that some books that are lower on my list may have been more well-written, and I debated about what I was taking into account to my my decision. Ultimately, my top choices came down to how much I enjoyed the book overall. Soon it will be time for my top reads of 2023 (where does the time really go?!), but I love taking a look back at a year's worth of reading and rank my reads, even if it's nine months too late. So, without further ado, here is a very belated recap of the books I read in 2022, ranked from least liked to my favorite book of the year.

(10) Sistersong is a retelling of an old folk song. It is a pretty flawless story and was a book I read early in the year that helped firmly pull me back to fantasy.

(9) Cloud Cuckoo Land is written by Anthony Doerr, the same author as one of my all-time favorite books, All the Light We Cannot See. Doerr's prose is always beautiful, and I will give anything of his a chance. This book was a delayed favorite; I had to take some time to reflect on the ending before I could rate it, but it ultimately belongs in my top ten for it's ability to seamlessly weave multiple time and story lines together with seemingly effortless writing.

(8) I don't know that I would have picked up The Humans on my own, but I am super happy that it was chosen for a book club I'm in. There were so many quotes about many of the wild things that make humans "human" that resonated with me. I think I also laughed out loud, and that is a rare occurrence while reading. 

(3) The City of Brass was an impulse buy when I was trying to use up a gift card at a local bookstore. The series was on display and the covers were so very eye catching. I nearly bought the entire trilogy, but told myself I should just get one and wait on the others until I finished the first book. When I went back a few days later to buy the other books in the series, they were gone. I am interested in giving almost any fantasy story a try if it's not your typical Eurocentric, castles and dragons tale. (Don't get me wrong; I love that stuff, too.) So, when I saw a fantasy set in the Middle East about magical djinns, it was an easy choice. The first half of The City of Brass was a little slow, but once the story truly took off, I was hooked and couldn't wait to read the next book...

(2) ...Which brings me to my second favorite book of the year. It's rare to find a second book in a series that is more enjoyable than the first, but I found that in The Kingdom of Copper. While the series overall has an epic scope, The Kingdom of Copper is filled with political intrigue and familial tension that involves a relatively small cast of characters, as far as fantasies go. It was like a Game of Thrones on a much (much, much) smaller scale, and I loved it. I would reread this book without needing to reread book one beforehand. 

One of the main reasons I was so excited to move into a house was the chance to create a creative space for myself. While I enjoy writing, I also find joy in making art. I quickly filled the built-in closet of my cape cod office with art supplies. But this post isn't about art, this is about the elements of my writing space, although it is more generally my creative corner.  Today I'd like to share with you the important elements of my special space that help me focus and enjoy whatever project my hands and imagination are building together.

CHAIR: While I do enjoy sitting on the floor when I craft or write, a comfy chair is just as important as an open floor. My sister, who is one of the most important people in my life and who has always been my biggest fan, gave me this chair. So, every time I sit in it, it's like having her with me, cheering me on. The other great thing about this chair is that it I can sit in it like a regular office chair, and it's also wide enough for me to comfortably sit cross-legged. Sometimes, even my cat can squeeze on it with me, too.

STOOL: The stool next to my chair was a gift from another important person in my life: my godmother and aunt who has also become a very dear friend and confidant in adulthood. She brought it back with her from Peru. We have traveled to Costa Rica together, and it reminds me of our shared love of traveling and learning Spanish. It is perfect for setting my computer on when I need to get up or watch a video as I sit on the floor. And of course, it works like any side table to hold research materials or a hot cup of coffee. 

CANDLES: I learned in a writing class once to find a scent that calms you and place it in your writing space so that it can help you associate the smell with writing. A candle is the perfect way to do that. While I do have some favorite scents, really any candle helps me focus on writing. I love the light that candles give off and the flickering flame reminds me of sitting around a campfire. The candles pictured here are special because one has a wooden wick which adds not just a smell to the air, but the sound of wood burning. At times, I can get lost thinking about where my writing should go next and the sputtering crackles of the burning wood help me focus completely on my mental brainstorms. The white candle was a gift from a coworker and friend that she made herself as a Swedish housewarming gift, for the light to bless our home. Now, I have it blessing my writing space as a reminder that I have so many supportive people in my life.

SPEAKER: A good writing session is not complete without a way to play some soothing or motivating music. I rarely write in science, so the speakers are a must have for a productive writing space.

WALLS: When my husband and I moved into our house, we (and friends and family) spent the first week painting almost every single wall of the house. The light green creates a serene room for me to work in, but most importantly, the room was painted by two of my best friends. Every time I take time to gaze at the wall, I'm reminded of them.

DECOR: If it isn't apparent already, I like to surround myself with items that remind me of things that I love. Displayed on the open shelf are my watercolor materials, a new medium that I've been exploring and using to unwind and create without pressure or expectations. The small candle is a memento from a friend's wedding. And while it's hard to see, there is a memento from my own wedding. A name card holder made from polymer clay and stamped with our names and wedding date stands to display the covers of books I'm reading that will be added to my book journal. Since taking this picture, book shelves have been added to my writing alcove and Wisconsin Badger decorations can be found throughout the room.

SUNLIGHT: Last but not least, light is super important. While the little lamp creates a warm glow around the chair at night, the best light shines through the window all day long. Having the sun shine on a notebook or on my arm while I type is one of the most calming components of my writing corner.