Nanowrimo spotlight: M.L. Millard on Nano Light

Good morning everybody! I have a familiar face coming back for our first spotlight interview of the season: M.L. Millard, who was also in the spotlight back in 2014. M.L. is participating in Nano for the fifth time this year, and this time she’s a rebel… Welcome back, M.L!

What are you writing about this year?
This year I’m finishing my Littlefoot series. Well, really part three of one book. I put the first part on Kindle, but when I’m finished with this last part I’ll put them all together on CreateSpace. I loved writing part one so much, but now I feel like I’m having to force it. I hope it’s funny anyway! Littlefoot finds herself in all kinds of mixed up fairy tale situations. In part one she was a Rapunzel with normal-length hair, a Cinderella who didn’t want to go to the ball, and more. Part three involves Jack and Jill, Camelot, and a Grimm’s fairy tale that you probably haven’t heard of but would give away my ending if you looked it up. I’m a rebel this year, only aiming for about 12,000. But I really want to finish Littlefoot!

Where are your backup files, and why?
Funny you should ask. Did you have the same Windows problem I had earlier in the year? I lost everything. Luckily I had emailed myself my fiction, but I lost, among other things, my Littlefoot Part Three notes and my list of which agents and publishers I’d already sent queries to for two of my non nano books. I really need to get one of those automatic backup plans.

Nanowrimo Spotlight: M.L. Millard

Good evening, friends and followers! After that slightly weird glitch with my What’s up Wednesday post coming out a day late yesterday, it’s high time to get back to the Nanowrimo spotlight posts with Marie, who can be found on the Nanowrimo site as bitterwarrior and blogs at http://mlmillard.wordpress.com/ . Here’s what Marie has to say about her history with Nanowrimo:

This is my third nano. My most memorable moment from the first year was when I read what I’d written (I made it to 25,000 words) and realized that it was just as good as the book I’d been working on for over a year. Nano is addictive.

What are you writing this year?
This year I’m writing a Cinderella comedy in which “Cinderella” (called Littlefoot in my story) doesn’t want to go to the ball, but her kind stepsisters want her to. I wrote a short story version a few months ago and fell in love with the characters.

What is your favorite book?
I don’t think we can ever replace our first favorite. Mine was Watership Down.

What advice would you give to fellow Wrimos?
1. Outline 2. Don’t worry if you veer from your outline 3. Don’t quit if you get behind. I’ve only made it to 25,000 each time, but that’s still pretty good! I’m glad I didn’t quit when I started falling behind.

Are you organized or messy?
MESSY

After nanowrimo, if you still love writing, I highly suggest getting into a critique group. I belong to my local branch of the California Writers Club, and I have learned so much from their seminars and my little weekly critique group. They gave me the confidence to publish last year’s nanowrimo book even though it’s only 114 pages. Who cares? It’s a great story! I imagined what would happen if the storytelling contest from The Canterbury Tales happened with high school seniors on a bus to Disneyland. If you want to know more about my book or talk writing with me, please visit my blog, mlmillard.wordpress.com.
Happy Writing!

Thanks, Jess. Good luck beating 25k this year!