Novel Writing Month

[blonde madonna]

This is a challenge for aspiring writers.
Yes, I'm going to give it a go, does anyone want to join me?
Post or PM me (I need all the support I can get).

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

[Young dick c.]

This is a challenge for aspiring writers.
Yes, I'm going to give it a go, does anyone want to join me?
Post or PM me (I need all the support I can get).

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

Personally, I think "nanowrite" is a questionable endeavor; regardless, you may find this site helpful (as far as support goes), as for a few years or so they have had a forum devoted to (what I affectionately call) "nano-junk."
http://www.everyauthor.com/forum/
On the down side, you may very well have to interact w/ egos as large as dick cheney's (from members & mods), but I suppose that is to be expected. One mod from the UK appears to be still fighting the revolutionary war, but since I remember you being from Oz, I don't see that being a source of conflict.

Regardless, if you do visit said site, for your own good, don't tell 'em Ydc sent you.
Yours truly, Ydc.

on edit: you will need to register to the site to be able to view that particular forum which I previously alluded to.

[blonde madonna]

Thanks Ydc
I checked out the site you mentioned and that also lead me to the parent 'poetry free-for-all' site.
Yes, this is part of the problem, too easily distracted.
However, reservations aside, these things may help or hinder and I will no doubt find out for myself.

Now, on a more personal note, before you run away,
I knew Mary had written a book but you, you continue to suprise me.

[Young dick c.]

Now, on a more personal note, before you run away,
I knew Mary had written a book but you, you continue to suprise me.

Well hey, Madonna, that got a smile out of me.
Actually, there is also a Mary on "everyauthor.com" that I believe may have a novel or two under her belt. I'm not absolutely positive what her publishing credits are as of now, but I do know that I am a babe among giants when compared to her.

Abandoning the caustic Ydc sarcasm for a moment, I probably shouldn't have been so disparaging re. the nano-write thing. You know what they say about opinions; my opinion is that to pump out such a product in a month (is it 50,000?) quality ceases to be a consideration. I recall that most of the stuff I perused in the "nano-dump" forum of "every-author" was rather horrid, but that last typed & looking at it from a different view-point, committing to something of that nature may very well force one to adopt a productive work ethic, & Lord knows, I certainly lack that. I don’t think that I’ve ever put together more than 5,000 cohesive (& that may be using the term loosely) words; where I do believe that if one was to take on 2,000 a day or thereabouts, one would have to spew out some pure shit, one might develop the framework to go on & then attempt something of a serious nature; that’s the other way to view nano-write.

As for the PFFA, again, everyone has & is entitled to their opinions. I make no bones about being metaphorically challenged--ergo, I never really could get the hang of poetry. My lack of competence with the genre aside, if I mentioned something about ego on “every-author,” well it is miniscule when juxtaposed with some of what what you will encounter on the PFFA--serious delusions of grandeur & compensations for inferiority complexes. I prefaced this paragraph with a disclaimer regarding opinions, so check the place out; there are plenty of users of the site who don’t agree with me, & the site might work well for you.

Okay then, I’ll be pulling for you. Why don’t you, every so often, post an update to your thread here concerning your word count progress?

Good luck/Ydc

[blonde madonna]

Thanks again Ydc.
Telling others makes this more of a commitment.
Your support means a lot to me.
I will let you know how I go and post if I write something worth reading.

I will, of course, need to write far more verbosely than the above if I have any hope of making 50,000 words.

I made you smile? Well that can only be good for the old ticker, right?

[Sebby]

I've been doing Nanowrimo since 2003. I find it, if nothing else, a great way to get BIC (bum in chair) time. I try to attain that 50,000 word goal...only made it once. But that's the only up side for me, actually dedicating myself to getting a lot done in November. I don't think I will be doing it this November. I'm kind of burnt out at the moment. I took part in a 2 day novel writing marathon in July. I was told at the beginning of October that I won Best Novel...and then told that I had until November 5th to polish it to the best of my ability before the organizers send it off to the Thomas Allen agency. Needless to say, I've been editing non-stop for a month...to the point that I absolutely hate this manuscript. I never want to look at it again. Once the 5th comes, I'm shutting down and avoiding writing until at least the new year. But, then again, I did update my user info at the Nano site just in case?



I wish you the best of luck with Nano...and, hey...don't beat yourself up if you don't reach your goal. The main thing is that you get more writing done than you normally do. And don't look back until the month is over. Get as much down as you can and go back and edit after Nano is completed. BIC...that's what it's all about. GOOD LUCK!

[blonde madonna]

Thanks Sebby

Congrats to you on being so close to having your novel published!
I'd love to know more about it, but don't want to distract you from that editing.

[Young dick c.]

I will, of course, need to write far more verbosely than the above if I have any hope of making 50,000 words.

Verbosity will be your friend. Stay focused; I am pulling for you & I think you can do it. Starting Nov 1, set a time aside where nothing else matters except getting 2,000 words "saved." I retract what I typed earlier: don't sweat quality--just have one of your character's doing something, or something happening to one of your characters, & if remotely possible have these happenstances at least remotely affecting your plot. A piece of advice someone once gave me that I always liked was: "a good story should start at the moment of change [in a situation, character's life, ectetera.]" And that "moment of change" could eat up 2000 write from the get-go. Don't sweat the editing or the proofing--just type, type, type. Character development? If it was I doing this (&, of course, it's not I), I wouldn't ponder it for very long at all--I'd just keep typing, trying to get that 2000 in, & if it (character development & theme & etcetera) happens, far out--if not, worry about it when the 50000 smoke clears. I think the two prerequisites that you will absolutely need before you plop your ass down in front of that key board for the 1st dreaded time is a)some rough semblance of a plot, & b)at least one semi-developed character. My advice would be: use the Steven King theory & let everything else develop as it develops.

I'd also like to retract that advice I gave you about going to every-author (for the time being), keep the distractions to a minimum; don't worry about what anyone else is writing. Time & quanity are the two factors that need to be 1st & foremost for this particular endeavor.

The main thing is that you get more writing done than you normally do. And don't look back until the month is over. Get as much down as you can and go back and edit after Nano is completed. BIC...that's what it's all about. GOOD LUCK!

I'm pretty much retracting my 1st post & 1/2; I believe Sebby is hitting the nail on the head with these above 4 sentences. As far as support? Every so often when you finish off your daily quota & wipe the sweat & blood from your forehead, drop by your thread here & let us know how your feeling & what you've accomplished & ectetera. I'll make a special point to watch your thread & offer intelligent & not so intelligent comments. No Ydc chloric shit, unless someone throws in some ignorant imperialist neo-con bs .

Okay, do you have some idea at all where your plot is going to start from? Do you have at least the shadow of one character in your thoughts?

Again, & in rare Ydc sincerity: good luck.

[damellon]

Have signed up for this as well - really to get me focussed - wasn't going to advertise it, but I suppose that's one of the benefits - shame myself into completing it. BM - we can buddy-up.

[blonde madonna]

Yay! I have a buddy as well. I love this place.

[lizzytysh]

Hi Madonna and Damellon ~

Hmmm... your names look like you oughta be a writing pair. When your month is up, will we be able to go and read your results [the text themselves, I mean]? Good luck to each and both of you.


~ Lizzy

[damellon]

Thanks for your good wishes, Lizzy. I have no plot, no characters, no geographical setting, no dialogue, no idea when it's set......is this a realistic ambition? We shall see. BM is 11hours ahead of me, so she'll be the trail blazer! To post a sample-in-progress or at the end of the month - I doubt it. Who would welcome the scrutiny meted out to the poetry posters? Someone stronger than I am, I think.

[Martine]

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[damellon]

Hi Martine
As you can see, I have no plan.
Nor do I have an itch.
It's not looking good for me.
I do have heaps of optimism which I'm hoping will carry me through the first week.
By that time I'll be so astounded by whatever I have managed to write that euphoria will energise me for the second week.
Then I may realise that I'm not really able for this so I may spend the third week in the Doldrums.
I will probably start drinking again in the fourth week.
Drunk or sober I will report back here on 31 November.
Best of luck.

[Martine]

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