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NaNoWriMo 2014

It's October already, so I thought I'd mention that November is National Novel Writing Month. If you don't know what that is, it's a fun non-competition where people all over the world attempt to write a 50,000+ word novel in one month. Its more about sharing the experiences of writing, and giving yourself attainable goals than it is about sharing the writing itself. I've participated 4 times, finished twice and loved every day of it.

Is anyone else participating this year?
Are you interested in trying it?
I thought this could be a topic where we nanowrimo-ers could connect, help each other and congratulate one another as we cross the finish line.

For more info about the event check out nanowrimo.org
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Comments

  • I have THREE novels in my head, competing for which one I will do this year.

    I'll probably decide the night before it starts because I'm crazy like that.
  • TorchsongTorchsong Posts: 2,794
    I say I'm gonna do it every year. I never do.

    This year I'm going to say I'm NOT gonna do it. And do it. :)
  • I have THREE novels in my head, competing for which one I will do this year.

    I'll probably decide the night before it starts because I'm crazy like that.

    The first year I finished I didn't decide what I was going to do until the 3rd lol.
  • John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    working on my memoirs....daily.
  • luke52luke52 Posts: 1,392
    I really want to do this one year. But I always end up saying next year I'll find the time.
  • Day one word total? 4500. I'm working an overnight, so I think I'm gonna go until I break 5K for the night. So far, I like the story...it's noir.

    REAL noir, not some detective story that hits all of the cliches. It's the story of a decent man who makes one decision to go for the quick money...and all of the horrible things that come from that. And, now that's I've started watching Breaking Bad, I have to do everything in my power to avoid any of the plot points they hit on.

    Hardest part of a noir?

    Not saving the protagonist from himself.

    They NEVER have a happy ending.
  • I'm currently at 212, but the first 2 days are always slow for me. Mine is a Kaiju monster, mad science gone terribly wrong story.
  • KrescanKrescan Posts: 623

    And, now that's I've started watching Breaking Bad, I have to do everything in my power to avoid any of the plot points they hit on.



    Make your meth green, no one will notice any similarities :)

  • I decided to join in, as well. I'm late, but I still think that once I'm in full swing, I will be able to generate the word count I need to hit that 50,000 mark by the end of the month.

    My day one is at 411 already, and I hope to add to it later!
  • I decided to join in, as well. I'm late, but I still think that once I'm in full swing, I will be able to generate the word count I need to hit that 50,000 mark by the end of the month.

    My day one is at 411 already, and I hope to add to it later!

    Its ok, I'm at a little over 6000, which puts me about 4000 behind schedule and I'm not worried. Plus, if you don't make it, you still wrote a lot everyday for a whole month, and you can always keep going.
  • Just passed 15000 words, there are TWO big concerns for my protagonist and the ending to the novel showed up in my head yesterday. Things are moving along fine. As for the rest of you trying it, KEEP AT IT! Just a couple thousand words a day will help you catch up.

    There was one year I was behind by 10,000 words, my job had become a time sucking nightmare, I had the flu and I was about ready to throw in the towel...but I called in sick (I was) sat down at the computer and typed the day away, making it JUST an hour before the deadline.

    It can be done!

    What is everyone's novel about?
  • Okay, I had my day 2, during which time I got 0 words written because work kinda imploded and for a while I was pretty sure three firings were a guarantee, two of which being 2/3 of the management team (of which I am the third). It was an un-fun day.

    Today, my day 3, was a little better, I had enough time this evening to do 800+ words, bringing me up to just over 1250 words.

    I have more productive days ahead, I swear!

    What is my novel about? I'm doing a sequel to Frankenstein. I had an idea a while back, about an avenue to take the story that I told a friend about, and they actually dared me to try it for NaNoWriMo. So, I'm trying it!
  • Now THAT sounds like a fun book. My crime/noir novel is about to take a VERY dark turn tonight. I'm spending a chapter on a supporting character because the protagonist is going to kill her and I want that death to have some real impact.
  • I think the world is conspiring to keep me from writing. The day after I started, things started to implode at work, and it resulted in me having to fire two people today, which means that I'm scrambling to cover various shifts as well as interview and train new people.

    BUT YOU WON'T STOP ME, YOU HEAR ME, WORLD?!? I WON'T QUIT!!!
  • As of around 4 a.m. Saturday night, I wrote the second most wonderful words in the world:

    The End.

    50000 and change, and the novel wrapped up quite well. It has some structural problems I will have to clean up in the rewrite, but still, the skeleton is solid and I'm happy with it.

    Oh, and the most wonderful words in the world? "Check" and "Enclosed"
  • I ended up pulling the chute.

    I thought I'd be able to keep going, but it just became impossible as frustration and training and hours started stacking up.

    But... I am not going quietly into that good night...

    Things are finally settling down, and my schedule will actually return to normal next week, so I am announcing...

    MyNoWriMo!

    Yes, *MY* Novel Writing Month! I am going to take the month of December and take a proper stab at this. I have already set up accountability with a friend for this, and I will actually try to keep updating this thread.

    I know, it is a terrible cheat, but I want to end 2013 on a high note, so I want to give myself a real opportunity at success.

    So, despite the holidays and all that entails, I'm going to produce 50,000 words between December 1 and December 31.


    (And, then, I will let myself wear the NaNoWriMo shirt I bought because I was *sure* I was going to be able to do this!)
  • I ended up pulling the chute.

    I thought I'd be able to keep going, but it just became impossible as frustration and training and hours started stacking up.

    But... I am not going quietly into that good night...

    Things are finally settling down, and my schedule will actually return to normal next week, so I am announcing...

    MyNoWriMo!

    Yes, *MY* Novel Writing Month! I am going to take the month of December and take a proper stab at this. I have already set up accountability with a friend for this, and I will actually try to keep updating this thread.

    I know, it is a terrible cheat, but I want to end 2013 on a high note, so I want to give myself a real opportunity at success.

    So, despite the holidays and all that entails, I'm going to produce 50,000 words between December 1 and December 31.


    (And, then, I will let myself wear the NaNoWriMo shirt I bought because I was *sure* I was going to be able to do this!)

    You and me both! Turns out working 2 jobs 7 days a week, taking care of the multitude of homeowner type stuff I've never had to do before and getting into a car accident (no one was hurt, just super inconvenient) made November a bust for me.
  • random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    I know the idea behind NONOWRIMO is to vomit on the page to get to the 50,000 word count and then tidy it up later through revision but my question is a bit more...outliny. first off. i hate outlines. hate. but a novel, by definition is not intended to be read in a sitting and consequently cannot be held in the noggin all at once. so, and here is the point, How do you writer types go about charting your novels? tent-pole? these 6 things Have to happen and the fill in the connections. Chapters? Act 1, 2 & 3? start at the end and work backwards? index cards? stream of consciousness? What do you find works well? and i know this is all subjective and nobody is going to have the exact same process but i'm still curious.
  • I have done all sorts of systems when writing a novel. I have outlined in detail chapter by chapter, I have started with an idea of where I am going and filled in the blanks as I was on my way, and I've started with a premise to see where it leads hoping and ending comes to me as I go along.

    All are valid, all can work and there is no "one way" to write a novel.

    This year, I started with a premise, an idea of the acts, but the actual ending didn't show up in my head until I'd written a while. I think when you write THAT FAST, you start to rely on your character's decisions for where the story will go, and the characters come to life as you write them.

    The first hard boiled mystery I wrote was one where I plotted out in detail where things would go, simply so that I didn't write myself into a corner. The story deviated in places, but I hit everything on the outline. I like that one, but to be honest, it was nearly as fun to write as the ones where I said "OK, here are my 5 characters, they are in this world and this thing happens...what then?"
  • random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    interesting. any of you cats ever written any fan-fic. i never have but given the amount of creative types we have around here i'm surprised there isn't a thread for that.
  • John_SteedJohn_Steed Posts: 2,087
    fan-fic usually happens in my mind only ;)
  • I always think about it, had a Shocker fan fic in my brain that was awesome until Superior Foes came out and kinda made it pointless.
  • random73 said:

    interesting. any of you cats ever written any fan-fic. i never have but given the amount of creative types we have around here i'm surprised there isn't a thread for that.

    WAY back on GEnie (an on-line national BBS) I wrote an on-going series called the On-Line Avengers, which used members of the comics forum as d-list heroes in the Marvel Universe...and the one storyline I remember was their battle against the "League of Forgotten Foes", a bunch of villains who had appeared one time and one time only in early Marvel comics.

    It was more for fun, but writing fan-fic is a great way to learn how to put together stories and get a feel for writing, IMHO.

  • random73random73 Posts: 2,318
    Anybody participating in NANOWRIMO 2014?

    look me up under Random73 I could maybe use a writing buddy.
  • Ack! I totally forgot!
  • I'm doing it...writing a horror/humor novel that plays off of the "Beach Party" movies...what if Frankie and Annette and their crew were still out on the beach....because they are vampires?
  • mwhitt80mwhitt80 Posts: 4,641
    edited November 2014

    I'm doing it...writing a horror/humor novel that plays off of the "Beach Party" movies...what if Frankie and Annette and their crew were still out on the beach....because they are vampires?

    Sweet Judas. Send me a draft.
    I love the Beach Party "series"; they are some of my favorite movies. I'll even, on a rare blue moon, watch Back to the Beach (which is terrible).
  • random73random73 Posts: 2,318

    I'm doing it...writing a horror/humor novel that plays off of the "Beach Party" movies...what if Frankie and Annette and their crew were still out on the beach....because they are vampires?

    I'm doing a straight crime thriller. whats your tag over there?
  • random73random73 Posts: 2,318

    Ack! I totally forgot!

    Its not too late get on in there! I started a smidge late myself. I just hit my 5,000 word goal. next milestone 10k words.
  • After not being able to write from Wednesday to Saturday due to work stuff, I jumped back on the horse today. 11656 words according to the Word Validator they have (about 150 more according to open office, guess I need to take that into account). I'll add people on the NaNo site, but I really don't do much there any more. Same name as here: Solitaire Rose

    But, if people are interested in reading the book, shoot me an IM. I have it up on Google Drive and am letting people read it as I write.
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