NaNoWriMo

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ah, its that time of year again. National Novel Writing Month is November! 50,000 words in one month.

I intend to participate this year, which I tried once before but not any year of late. Visit the website at http://www.nanowrimo.org/ to get all signed up to participate! I just did, and my screenname is Lilaena (http://www.nanowrimo.org/user/218220) (surprise!).

Add me as a buddy, and starting Nov 1 we can track our progress together! :eee


THE RULES:
What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.
Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.
Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.
When: Sign-ups begin October 1, 2007. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

And for inspiration, Neil Gaiman's blog (http://www.neilgaiman.com/journal/2007/10/why-write.html) was a source of something fairly profound the other day.


The best thing about writing fiction is that moment where the story catches fire and comes to life on the page, and suddenly it all makes sense and you know what it's about and why you're doing it and what these people are saying and doing, and you get to feel like both the creator and the audience. Everything is suddenly both obvious and surprising ("but of course that's why he was doing that, and that means that...") and it's magic and wonderful and strange.

You don't live there always when you write. Mostly it's a long hard walk. Sometimes it's a trudge through fog and you're scared you've lost your way and can't remember why you set out in the first place.

But sometimes you fly, and that pays for everything.

[Dasquian Belargic]

I don't think I will be doing Nano this year. I've tried this last 2 years and failed... and since I'm even more busy this year, it's just not going to happen :(

[Doc Milo]

I've joined. Hopefully I can find the time to do this. Should be fun.

I've been tossing around an idea for a story in my head. Here's as good a place to write it as any, I guess...

Here's my link if you'd like to add me as a buddy. My user name is drmilo.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/218413

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Das - I've noticed how busy you are these days :cry

Doc: fantastic! I love the title you've picked. :D And I added you to my buddies. :)

[Wyl Staedtler]

Added you both. :)

ETA: holy crap, that's like 1660 words a day. >_<

[Khendon Sevon]

...

The new novel that I've been working on since summer only has 40,000 words... If I had an outline 100% done for this, yeah, it'd be possible. Seat of the pants? That never results in anything fruitful.

If I only had the time... (breaks out in song)

[Kale]

Hmm... gonna think about this. I've got a lot up in the air in November, but I might just give it a shot.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Khendon - the point isn't for the novel to be great, its for the accomplishment of it. :p

[Khendon Sevon]

Ah...

*looks around*

Mmhmm...

I'm going rock climbing. Bye. ;) (okay, maybe not this second... but, tomorrow morning).

[Doc Milo]

Das - I've noticed how busy you are these days :cry



Doc: fantastic! I love the title you've picked. :D And I added you to my buddies. :)

Just a question since I've never done this before -- how does this work? Do we write in a text box on the site, write off line and submit the text to them? Do others get to read what we write? I'll admit, I'm lazy and haven't researched the site for my answers yet...

[Kale]

6) Starting November 1 you can go to your Edit Profile--->Author Info page to post excerpts of your work for others to read, and update your escalating word count.

From http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/hownanoworks

Oh, and I'm Kale (http://www.nanowrimo.org/user/221263). Pleased to make you my writing buddy. :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

You write it in a word processor of your choice on your computer. On the last day of November you upload at .txt file of your novel to the site and it'll independently confirm your number of words.

You can upload the .txt file every day if you want for an official count on the site to keep track of your word count or you can use the counter on your word processor and update your count manually on your profile.

edit: Awesome, I convinced my dad to take part as well! He's going for an adventure/mystery. :D

edit edit: http://www.live365.com/stations/scifi1972 free internet radio of all movie soundtrack music. :eee

[Peter McCoy]

http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/223106

Add me! Still not sure what I'm going to write :-P

[Dasquian Belargic]

I think my mum is going to take part :lol

I'm tempted to have a go at turning my 'Myth' concept into a book...

[Kale]

Hehe, I was actually considering doing that, too, focusing on Ankaa and Nusakar and the underworld... But I'm planning on starting a project I was already hoping to write anyway. Not horribly optimistic about hitting 50K, but even if I can manage 20-25K, that'll be a huge start. :)

EDIT: Hey, there are tons of threads on the NaNoWriMo forums for discussing plot ideas, but they're impossible to sift through if you're looking for someone specific - so how about us Fans peoples post our ideas here! This is what I mocked up for a dust jacket synopsis of my plot:

The Foundling

SOME PEOPLE ARE BORN WITH SECRETS.

The Perseus Cluster is home to dozens of sentient species who co-exist in a great Community under the watchful eyes of the highly-advanced Aesir. They build ships, forge alliances, trade their goods, and marvel at the inscrutible and ancient Jotun starships which eternally wander the cosmos.

Among all the races of the cluster, it is the agrarian, cat-like Fyrokkians who were given the care of an orphaned girl named Onika from a distant alien planet known as Earth. But at the age of eleven, Onika's peaceful life is shattered when she finds herself pursued by agents from other worlds, and the Fyrokkians are no longer able to protect her. Knowing nothing of her origin or her native race, she flees into the interstellar unknown along with her Fyrokkian sister Tayadhara and human star pilot Tasha Bonaventure to discover the secrets behind her past - a mystery which interests not only the alien governments but the enigmatic Jotuns themselves, and which threatens to bring war to the Perseus Cluster for the first time in millennia.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

My seed of an idea for a fantasy novel is summarized in one sentance. The affect of an industrial revolution on a group of adventurers.

I'm still setting up characters and fleshing out to see if I can possibly stretch a coherent story from this. :D

[Kale]

That's a fragment, not a sentence. :mneh

:)

[Dasquian Belargic]

I caved in and signed up anew: http://www.nanowrimo.org/user/225320 :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

That's a fragment, not a sentence. :mneh

:)

Touche!

Ok how about this: What would be the effects of an industrial revolution on a group of ne'er-do-well adventurers?

One day the Guild of Alchemists renames itself the Guild of Science and all is forever changed!

[Kale]

Um, if any of y'all would like to help me out on some background brainstorming...

What kind of culture shock would you experience if you'd been raised by giant kitties? (http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/1023309)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Communal grooming. :D

[Rev Solomon]

Eh... I'm wondering why it seems the NaNoWriMo forums always run fine EXCEPT when I'm logged in. Then they move like tectonic drift.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Yes, I noticed the same thing. :\

One more day to plan and then ... we start! :eek

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Okay I've knocked out a passable outline for the first 1/3rd of my book. Hope its enough to keep me going!

How's everyone else doing? Ready to start tomorrow? :D

[Kale]

Heh, I JUST finished another nearly month-long creative blitz. I've neglected my outlining so far, though I have several yet-unordered ideas.

[Wyl Staedtler]

Mmmmmmno idea what to write about. Ditched previous outline in a last minute panic.

Muses inquire within immédiatement, s'il te plait.

[Doc Milo]

I never work from an outline. I like to excavate as I go. Of course, excavating 50,000 words in a month might be quite difficult.

I did get started today and wrote a few hundred words. Then I had to get to work. Hopefully some writing tonight before bed....

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I wrote 68 words today on my lunch break. :uhoh getting started again now, with a computer this time. :D

[Doc Milo]

I wrote 68 words today on my lunch break. :uhoh getting started again now, with a computer this time. :D

I put up as an excerpt what I wrote so far ... 489 words!

And I'm already stuck ... don't know where I'm going yet ...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

1,796 and stopping for dinner. :)

[Wyl Staedtler]

Way to go!

Wrote a bit in my notebook at work, but it's too late to type it up now. Sleeeeeep calls.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Well, I fell terribly behind this weekend as I spent most of my time chasing nieces and nephews around and sleeping.

So. I'm being shown up by my dad, who's right on track. Of course, I feel slightly better because none of you peoples have even written a word! :mneh

[Doc Milo]

Well, I fell terribly behind this weekend as I spent most of my time chasing nieces and nephews around and sleeping.

So. I'm being shown up by my dad, who's right on track. Of course, I feel slightly better because none of you peoples have even written a word! :mneh

I'm stuck on 1335, but like you this weekend was lost. A wedding on Sunday for a friend. Working 12 hour shifts... Looked at the WP today, at the last sentence I wrote, and rubbed my eyes and just didn't have the drive today. Will try a bit later....

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Ok Doc, you got some writing done too, but the rest of them... :shakefist

;)

I'm up to 4193 now. I'm going to try to write more every day this week to try to catch up to where I should be. And I'll be updating the excerpt in my profile every day with what I've written that day, should anyone want to read it. :)

[Wyl Staedtler]

Terribly behind, but otherwise enjoying writing. However, this upcoming weekend and next week are going to be terrifically busy and full of travels, so I don't know how much I'll accomplish. ^_^;

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Only 1000 words today so far. I need a nap. :x

[Dasquian Belargic]

I can't do it... I don't have the power :(

[Lilaena De'Ville]

:(

I got my daily 1667 or so words in today, but none extra. :uhoh

[Doc Milo]

:(

I got my daily 1667 or so words in today, but none extra. :uhoh

I hit a wall on what I had intended to write for this . . . but I started writing a different story yesterday (wrote 2600 words) and this one is coming quickly! Am I allowed to change course and begin writing something different?


Well ... I did change course. New story is Fantasy, called "Beyond Rainbow's End" First chapter is up. Still writing right now ... have 2900 words posted in excerpt. Might have some more to add in soon.

[Doc Milo]

Time to rest my eyes a bit. I've been on a writing marathon the last two days! After starting this story yesterday, it has taken on a life and will of its own. Which is why I decided to change what I was writing for Nano.

Mine eyes is burning!

(my fingers aren't doing too well either!)

Anyway, 6700 words in two days. I might even write a bit more later.

This weekend, the wife and kids are gone, visiting her sister... I'm left alone... after a shift at work (where i might be able to pen some stuff long-hand, depending on how busy it is) I plan on a writing marathon.

Should be able to catch up to "pace" by Sunday night, if not go ahead of "pace" ....

Of course, there are always those brick walls I tend to hit to contend with...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Sweet! Good luck with the new story Doc, I'm going to check out your excerpt in a minute. :D

[Doc Milo]

Sweet! Good luck with the new story Doc, I'm going to check out your excerpt in a minute. :D

OMG! This has to be the most I've written in a single day since I was in college!

I started at about 7am this morning, stopping only to eat for about ten minutes. I just finished. I wrote 7000 words!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

7000 more words? That's great! :D

^_^; *is put to shame* :o

[Doc Milo]

7000 more words? That's great! :D

^_^; *is put to shame* :o

I had absolutely NO distractions yesterday. The wife and kids are out of town. I had nothing to do. If I wasn't writing, I was going to spend the day playing video games! I forced myself to concentrate on writing. (Those dang video games can be quite tempting though!)

I used to be able to write like this a lot when I was in college. I was an English Major with a writing concentration, so I always had some writing assignments to take care of. I remember in one creative writing class, I wrote an entire 6500 word short story in one day. Of course, that was beginning, middle, and end. It's a lot differnt writing so many words when you know there is so much more to write before the tale is finished...

But yesterday, after about an hour, the story really took off on its own. As of now, it seems that there is going to be a mini-story weaved inside the larger tale. I didn't think this portion of the story would be so lengthy. I haven't even gotten to the meat of the main plot; I have little clues scattered here and there on people who will play a prominent role in the larger tale, but otherwise, what I've written so far is almost like a 'backstory' to the real tale. Today is the last day of 'no distractions.' I hope to write a lot again. But after today, who knows...

[Dasquian Belargic]

Wow, great update on your progress Doc. I'm so envious of everyone being able to take part! Here's hoping that next year, once I'm finally done and out of school, I'll be able to join in, in earnest. If only they would do it in some other month than November! :rolleyes

Now, I think I'm going to take a look at everyones excerpts :)

EDIT: Just a quick edit to say that I really enjoyed reading LD and the Doc's stuff. LD, your Hunter character is rather intriguing, and Doc, I really liked your idea of the dragon darkening the forest. Seems like both you have some nice characters and settings. I hope you stick with them to the end! :D

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Oh I plan on finishing mine, FINGERS CROSSED by the end of the month. :uhoh

Thanks for the comments! If you want to read as I go I can add you as a viewer to my google docs file. :)

edit: And I've broken the 10,000 word barrier! Hooray!

[Dasquian Belargic]

I'd love to read as you go... though I don't know how Google docs works ^_^;

Congrats on the big milestone!

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Thanks! I'll send an invite to your gmail account, I think you have one...

[Dasquian Belargic]

Yup, I got the invite - and I'm all caught up! Intriguing stuff :)

[Doc Milo]

About to update with three days worth of work (approx 1500 per day.) Was able to write while at work long hand. Finally typed it into WP this morning and wrote a bit for today.

Thanks for the kind words, DB. But, the story is about to take a weird turn, and I'm hoping that it works.....

[Doc Milo]

Okay, I'm at the point in this thing where I know I will reach 50,000 words, barring any unforseen event that keeps me from writing. (I've written everyday during this month, since starting this story, even if I haven't been able to post the word count everyday... (I had a week there where the internet from my home computer (where the story is located) was down...

My problem, however, is that I may just reach 50,000 words but my story will be far from finished.... Does just reaching the 50,000 word plateau count, or does the story have to be finished? I will reach 50,000 words barring any unforeseen event, but finishing the story by the end of the month, depending on where I am when I hit the 50,000 word count may be difficult...

[Lilaena De'Ville]

I think as long as you pound out 50,000 words you're a winner, and there's nothing to stop you from continuing to write the same story into December. :)

I did not win. But congrats to you Doc, for staying the course and getting it done! :D Great job! My dad made it too, making me look bad. All I did was type over 10,000 words and incubate a baby while working full time. :p

[Liam Jinn]

All I did was type over 10,000 words and incubate a baby while working full time. :p

Pffft, lazy :p

[Mu Satach]

hmmm... I wonder how many words are currently in my screenplay...

*checks*

10,018

Interesting.

Kudo's to all who wrote something. :)