NOVEL WRITING CHALLENGE   This isn’t a contest, but it is a challenge to wake up that dozing author inside of you and make your dreams come true. Let’s get some writing going on now!   Here’s the challenge (You may copy and print this so you can refer to it later).     Write 30 pages of a novel. ONLY when the first 30 pages are complete, e-mail Chris Goebel at Editor@humdingerzine.com and request a novel writing partner and give permission for us to share your e-mail with another author. Once a partner’s available, we’ll provide you with one another’s e-mails.   What do you do after you get their e-mail? DO briefly talk about your novels, but remain brief. DON’T let him or her read your novel—yet! DO encourage one another. DON’T feed your partner negativity. Even if you don’t read their type of novel, the important part here is completing the novel! DO keep regularly in touch with your writing partner. DON’T get too personal with your partner while writing because this will interfere with your goal of making progress! DO encourage your partner to write at least ten pages a week. DON’T put down or make fun of a partner who’s reached a rut. Encourage your partner all the way to the bookstores!   You may be the only person who cares about your partner’s book—in the beginning—and he or she will likewise inspire you to bring your dreams to life!   After the first 100 pages you BOTH complete, contact Chris Goebel again, this time to have your names placed here. For many of you, this is a halfway point, but for some of you, it may be a quarter or an eighth of the final work.   As you write your novels, keep this in mind. Use a word processor and not a typewriter. This allows you to make more corrections. Save your book on a floppy diskette or burn it on a CD every day you work on it. Little hurts worse than losing hours or days of work!   When your novels are complete, then you have several choices. Read one another’s novels, proofreading for your partner. This we recommend in print and you may wish to print out your book and send a copy to your partner for editing. Proofreading is Expensive, so you’ll save one another money. You can also take your novel to a writing workshop, but ONLY AFTER IT”S COMPLETE. This will keep anyone from dampening your inspiration.   Finally, you can submit your novels with me for proofreading if you want a tough proofreader/editor. I’ll mark your manuscript up, but you’ll be happy with the final product! Fees will be determined between us beforehand and will be based on the length of your manuscript and the amount of editing/proofreading necessary, but will never exceed $200, which is what I paid for 70 pages of text to be edited by another author ten years ago! Keep in mind, writing groups are free, but I’m providing another option. Some of you know me and wouldn’t trust your novel to another person besides me or your writing partner. If that’s the case, we can work together.   Hiring me to edit your work is not required. We are here to help, not keep you from progressing! Do what’s right for you and you’ll know when the time comes. This process can be completed without spending a penny.   Editing and proofreading is the final step before determining how you wish to go about getting published. Whatever you do, and no matter how perfectly you write, have your final manuscript proofread and edited. This process is to make sure that what you’ve written looks great and makes sense to another reader.   Whether you decide to self-publish, seek an agent, or try your hand with the publishers themselves, we will support one another and create a network of writing friends to support and give you the lift you need to make your most fantastic hopes and dreams come to life!   I, Humdinger staff and all participating authors will help you find a market for your book, based upon your aspirations. What a great thought, to know that other writers will be working with you and for you to help even after you've completed your book. Why go alone when you can have writing friends along the way?   Join a novel writing Powerhouse. Start today. Start tomorrow, but stop giving excuses not to write! Don’t take no for an answer. Say YES!   ANY questions you have are SUPER important and can be placed on the website as a FAQ for other writers to consult (and save us the time taken to answer the same question ten times).   Need ideas for your book? Thought you’d never ask! Click here to link to our Novel Writing Ideas or click here to use our Resources for Writers page.   Publication and editing links will be placed here as writers progress.   Oh, and who’s gonna be MY partner? You’ve gotta have those 30 pages first!   Oh, the last part of the challenge? Of course, your book will be complete before Christmas. Your present to yourself! You CAN do it!   Pen to Paper~ Chris Goebel Editor of Humdinger Literary E-zine and Jack of Genre: Newsletter for Writers