Get Your Write On - The NaNoWriMo Thread

[JustSkipIt]

Well, I don't plan to do it this year. But I will say that since I started the Tara Maclay affair to now, I've written about 34,000 words and that includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, editing, etc. So that's pretty unusual for me. I'm about to write some more but at this pace, I'll have done my NaNoWriMo just at the wrong time.

[kisstheviolets]

I haven't written in years, but I've had some stories kicking around in my head that I always threaten to write sometime. Maybe this is the perfect time to do it. I signed up on the site and have started jotting down a rough outline, but I'm still kind of chicken about doing it.

For those of you who've done it before, what's the time-committment in your experience? I'm assuming you all have jobs or school you've got to share your time with?

[maudmac]

Wow, yeah, it is almost NaNo time again.

I am definitely doing it. This will be my 4th NaNo and my 3rd year being an ML.

No plot yet, of course. I never have one at this point. I am thinking about doing something different this year. I usually do some kind of weird literary fiction/magical realism thing. I am thinking about doing horror this year.

ktv, it's hard to say about the time commitment, because it depends on several things. Are you a fast typist? How much time will you spend editing as you write? Can you just keep writing anyway when you've hit a wall? Do you have a lot of things going on that take up most of your free time as it is right now? If so, can you cut back on any of that for one month? (And probably other questions I can't think of right now.)

For me, I've found the time commitment to be easily manageable. For the first two years I did NaNo, I was working. Last year I was in school, and I am in school this year as well. While I have always been involved in some things besides work/school, I don't have tons of other things that demand my time - I don't have kids or other family-related obligations, I am not super-heavily involved in some group/club/organization/volunteering that takes a lot of time, etc.

The 50,000 words a month comes out to about 1600-1700 words a day, if you stay on schedule. Seems like most people can do that in about an hour or so. Maybe you could do a test now and see how long it takes you to write 1667 words? However long that is, if you think you can spare that much X 30 next month, I think you should go for it. NaNo is really awesome and I don't think you'd ever regret doing it.

[watty]

I was almost tempted not to nano this year since I'm still smarting at the loss of almost 1/3rd of my last year's story due my flashdrive dying in December. But it's becoming part of my life and hard to resist. I've told everyone I'm nano-ing, even though most greet my whiny declaration with a roll of their eyes and indulgent sigh.

My work commitment is heavier this year, so it'll be the toughest year so far. I aim at 5,000 words a day, and I always try to finish early. Setting a target this high also means I have some leeway if I fall behind. I basicaly get down to it as soon as I get home and have had a bite for dinner. From past experience, it's actually harder during the weekends because of other commitments.

One thing I was very grateful for last year, was the encouragement from the kitten wrimos, through this thread and elsewhere. I hope we can stick together again this year, support each other and have fun.
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[MochaVamp]

I'm on the fence. I've been wanting to do this for a while, but most Novembers have not been an option for me. I'm going to be moving this November, and I don't know if this will be a stress reliever. When I write scripts, I spend too much time editing while writing. So this exercise would be great for me.

[DameSansMerci]

oh god, now y'all actually have me considering writing something....evil people! *sighs* knowing me, i'll prolly be all perfectionistic about it...but hell, maybe having a whole bunch of people trying NOT to be perfectionistic will help...oh yeah, and the deadline! that should help too...hmm...now to figure out something to write...*runs off with notebook and pen in hand, cackling maniacally*

Dame

[JustSkipIt]

Well, I don't plan to do it this year. But I will say that since I started the Tara Maclay affair to now, I've written about 34,000 words and that includes spelling, punctuation, grammar, editing, etc. So that's pretty unusual for me. I'm about to write some more but at this pace, I'll have done my NaNoWriMo just at the wrong time.

Ok. I'm still not plannin to NaNoWriMo this year but here's where I ended up my impromptu month. (9/20 - 10/20):

Tara Maclay Affair - 9129 words. Written, edited, edited, edited, edited, posted.

Waiting for Dani - 36853 words. About 12000 written, edited, edited, edited, posted.

Miscellaneous feedback and replies - About 3500 words.

That's 49K +. I feel pretty good about that given that I have actually edited and reedited most of it and still like what I've written. I'm giving myself a gold star for the 30 days anyway...

[kisstheviolets]

That's 49K +. I feel pretty good about that given that I have actually edited and reedited most of it and still like what I've written. I'm giving myself a gold star for the 30 days anyway...

wow. that's awesome debra.

i'm not going to be doing NaNoWriMo this year either like i'd hoped to. i have way too much studying to do for the bar exam. so, i'm recognizing my extraordinary ability to prioritize things horribly and am just saying "no."

i'll definitely be following this thread though to see how all of you brave souls are doing. best of luck!

[watty]

First day! This is the thread for kitten wrimos to share your thoughts (and word count) about this crazy endeavour that we have inflicted upon ourselves this month. It'll be so much fun.

My Day 1 is almost over and even though there's a couple of hours till bedtime, I'm calling it a day. One of the aims this year is to take care of my left hand, which gets very painful when I type a lot. Oh, my word count for the day -- 6,031 words.
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[MagicPancakes]

I really wanted to try it this year but it turns out I'm probably not going to be able to. Besides the fact that I don't have a computer, I just don't have the time between all my work hours and housework and stuff. But there's always next November...

[watty]

sorry to hear that, MagicPancakes. but like you said, there's always next november.

well, it seems like we don't have many kitten wrimos this year, at least those (um, none) who are posting on this thread. *shrug* oh well.

I'm at 32,000 words. I think I'm doing okay [/trying not to gloat].
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[Candleshoe]

You should gloat away, watty. I think that's a stupendous acheivement!

[watty]

Why thanks, Ms Shoe. Oh look, I got to 50k.


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[db]

Way to go Watty!!

[maudmac]

Daaaaaaang, watty, you are a NaNoSuperHero! Congrats!

So is it finished or are you going to keep going?

How's everyone else doing? I was sucking so much the last few days, but I'm almost caught up now. I'm just over 18,000. School and NaNo aren't mixing as well this year as they did last year. Doesn't help to be hitting that Week Two Slump, which afflicts most wrimos who are not watty.

Happy noveling to everyone doing NaNo this year!

[JustSkipIt]

Wow, Watty! You rock and roll.

[watty]

Thanks db, Holley and Debra. Wow, I'm a

NaNoSuperHero!

So is it finished or are you going to keep going?

You're not doing too badly yourself, Holley, there's still plenty of time and a lot of wrimos pick up their pace in the second half of the month. I wrapped it up quickly, and it's destined to sit in my flashdrive and not see the light of day again. And yes, I'm crazy, because I'm going to make a start on a second 50k. It is in the interest of Kittens to send me much encouragement because ... it's my next long fic.
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[kisstheviolets]

It is in the interest of Kittens to send me much encouragement because ... it's my next long fic.
[br]

in that case, go watty go!!

and as for the rest of you, keep it up! you're half-way there!


sending good writing vibes out to the kittenworld....
brandy

[DameSansMerci]

hey, watty! woowoo! congrats! as for myself...i forgot about Nanowrimo for awhile...so um...i have like 630 words written and 3 days left to write...umm...14,370ish? * sighs* so i'm probably not gonna finish before the deadline...but maybe by Christmas! i plan to keep at it, and it's a W/T fic (my first one), so I'm stoked! If you get writing another story and wanna commiserate, look me up! lol

[watty]

I'm resurrecting this thread in anticipation of this year's nanowrimo. For those new to this, nanowrimo is an honor-system writing exercise where participants aim to write a novel of at least 50,000 words during the month of November.

As before, it'd be nice to have a small kitten community taking part and supporting each other. Post your thoughts, word counts, questions here.

For those who baulk at the thought of writing 50k words, there's nablopomo -- national blog posting month -- where the only requirement is one blog post per day during November. Sounds fun.
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[Alcy]

Deb suggested I give it a go since I seem to be able to churn out relatively long chapters in a short space of time, maybe I should do it with my next fic, I've got a plot outline so that's always a start right!?

I'm just concerned at the extent to which it will consume my life and earn the subsequent wrath of Mrs Alcy who will no doubt feel neglected!!

[maudmac]

NaNo always sneaks up on me. I never feel prepared for it.

What am I gonna write this year? Someone tell me. Suggest something. Anything. Please!

[bytrsuite]

Holley, you should write about a zombie platypus who collects used glowsitcks as a hobby. Of course, something will happen, and the platypus will have to save the world with the thousands of glowsticks. Or something like that.

[maudmac]

Zombie...platypus...

Glowsticks? Saving the world with glowsticks? And used ones, too, so they aren't glowy anymore.



*ponders

You know what? Honestly, I think that could work. I swear, I have NO ideas this year, not even about which genre to write in. (Last year I knew at least that I wanted to try horror.) This year, nothing. I wasn't even thinking about NaNo, since I was totally focused on worrying about applying to grad school and all that crap. But after totally choking and bombing my first attempt at the GRE (which is required for grad school) I have moved my plans back a year, which frees me up. Fuck, applying to schools could be a full-time job. I'm glad I don't have to worry about it now. I'll be graduating in the spring, so I will be done with school when it's time to apply again. It's really better for me, I think, but.....wait....where am I? Oh, yeah, the NaNo thread. Right. Okay.

Anyway, yes, zombie platypus glowstick thing. Why, it's crazy enough that it just might work!

I feel like writing something fucked up and ridiculous that makes no sense. I am not feeling the sense-making-ness of life lately. That's just something we try to impose upon life. Perhaps I will enjoy a respite from trying to force life to make sense. It's draining. And pointless. And always, always in VAIN.

I feel like rambling. Obviously. Life is very unsatisfying and I have lots of things to say about it. How better than through the experiences of a zombie platypus glowstick collector? It's perfect.

Kathy, I love you. I know we don't talk much anymore, but I care about you and I appreciate your reply here and the suggestion.

Please, to anyone else, if you have some suggestions, feel free to offer them. In a NaNo-novel, all things are possible, so I can work it in, no matter what it is.

To anyone considering trying NaNo, I say this - Do it. You will not regret it.

[bytrsuite]

Psst, Holley, I love you, too.

Maybe the platypus can just collect glowsticks, full stop, that way there are used and unused ones. "Tis the season, after all.

Man, I think about doing this a lot. It's not that I don't have the time, because I probably do. I think I'm just horribly lazy, which is a sad, sad excuse. I always feel like I need one thing to just spark my interest and I'll be able to go from there. Problem is, I've been feeling like that for years, so, that's obviously not working. I think I need an outline. I remember looking up basic outlines, too, just never got into it.

I'll try to figure a way to jumpstart my stupid head this year. Hmm. Maybe horror is the way to go.

[watty]

a zombie platypus who collects used glowsitcks as a hobby. Of course, something will happen, and the platypus will have to save the world with the thousands of glowsticks.

I love the idea, Kathy. I'd be in full support if Holley writes that. Got me thinking:

• a chapter in which the zombie platypus journeys to a remote planet in search of purple-specked glowsticks. How better to description of his/her/its troubles at the security checkpoint when the TSA-like agents mistaken him/her/it for an unregistered pumpkin. In that universe, all pumpkins must be registered because of their propensity for SIE (spontaneous innards explosion) and because their innards are so sticky ... I digress.
• another chapter in which said zombie platypus ponders on why purple-specked glowsticks are endangered.
• flashback to zombie platypus' childhood because there's always a flashback to childhood sequence
• here's an idea from the dares: "once more, with pirates"
• zombie platypus meets zombie mermaid. the obligatory smut chapter
• another cliché chapter -- the dream sequence, in which Mother Witch Glowstick tells zombie platypus that the universe is in peril unless glowsticks are returned to their place of origin
• glowsticks are very slippery, and need pumpkin innard glue to hold them together
• something happens yeah, and they have to collect all the glowsticks in the world and save the universe

I think I got totally off-track there, sorry. And I'm veering dangerously towards a clichéd comic-slapstick-horror-scifi story that may or may not be your cup of tea. The best of luck, whatever you decide to write.

Oh, btw. I may have to sit out nano this year after all because of work. I may do a 30-day, 50k word personal challenge next year when things calm down a bit.
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[maudmac]

watty, you are a genius. You and Kathy have practically written the thing for me!!!

I'm doing it! Zombie platypus glowstick collector saves the universe!!!

Thanks so much to you both!

watty, I'm sorry work might be too heavy for NaNo this year, but I know you'll have no trouble with the challenge at some other time.

Kathy, DO IT!!! DO IT!!! I'm gonna pester you until you say for sure that you're doing it.

[maudmac]

KATHY IT IS FIFTEEN MINUTES TO NANO IN THE CENTRAL TIME ZONE!!!

YOU BETTER BE DOING THIS!!!!!! OMG!!!!!!

[Thianne]

Hey maudmac....if you really do write the whole glowing sticks story...would it be possible to read it?

[Katharyn]

Oh yes, the Inward Eye awaits!

Katharyn