NaNoWriMo begins in four days.
Are you ready?
Do you have a plot?
Are your characters chomping at the bit?
Do you have a strategy for "winning"?
I have a basic plot and my first sentence. I'm sure it might warp and change before November ends. Even with the prep, I don't think I'm ready. I'm starting to get butterflies in the pit of my stomach.
My strategy this year is to write as much as I can during the first few weeks because I always seem to run out of steam after I hit the 30K mark. My region is planning to have two write-ins a week with inspirational word wars. My writing group is having a NaNoWriMo retreat where we spend the weekend holed up in a mountain cabin writing. (I can't wait)
Please feel free to share your fears or strategies for surviving November. :)
Good Luck everyone and Happy Writing!
----------
Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/
71,335 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 06 28
I have a plot, but it's in summary form. I need to sit down and outline it. I'm hoping to do that today after I work on some feedbacks for my students.
I don't know about my characters, but I'm sure chomping at the bit! LOL!
My only strategy is to write as many words as I can each day that I write. I'm planning on taking Saturdays off, plus Thanksgiving. That leaves me 25 days to write my novel, and it works out to 2,000 words per day (or if I shoot for 75K, it would be 3,000 words per day). Because of my work, I'm expecting some days to fall short and other days to be a bit higher. I'll also be participating in 10K Day around the 12th. If I can reach my mark on that day, that'll give me a nice word count boost too.
I'm almost completely rewriting a novel I've already written two separate drafts for (one full and one partial), but I haven't cared for either. This time, I analyzed the story, kept the two or three absolutely essential parts and scrapped the rest. I'll be rewriting the parts I'm keeping, but the story will be very, very different.
To keep myself excited about the story and the characters, I keep character journals for my main characters. This helps me get to know them and their story, while keeping me interested.
In spite of still needing to write my outline, November 1st can't come soon enough for me! :D
----------Lois Eighmy
http://lmeighmy.livejournal.com
http://lmeighmy.blogspot.com
19,024 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 07 43
I have a four page outline, a first for me. Of course it is very derivative, and I am changing it almost constantly. I've don't know if it will help my ADD, but here's hoping. Now to keep my restless fingers waiting until Sunday.
51,098 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 08 40
I am nervous, but in a tingly, surprise-party sort of way.
I had 2 or 3 good ideas, but the one I actually chose was not s/t I had intended to write. One day I was brainstorming about nano and tossed out several ideas: a fanfic, a return to my Junior/Gammy characters, a take on Beauty and the Beast, etc. But on a whim I started writing stuff I remember about my college days and the late 70's-early 80's. Stuff FLOWED out into the keyboard, memories, fads, movies, music ... and the idea kept coming back.
So, although I had *planned* to outline and do the wadoogie for each chapter (start each one with note to self: what does MC want, what prevents it, what is the cliffhanger), I am left not even KNOWING where to start as there are ideas of what might happen (relationships, etc) but no clue how they come about or affect each other. I did write out character names and a few details (plus the 3 or 4 people on whom each one is based), and am *hoping* this will get me jump-started. From past experience I know I'm not a linear writer; I can hop in and write a scene and then an unrelated one and eventually quilt them all together. Usually. :-)
Fun times ahead.
To start it all off, I guess I'll pick one of the scenes that stands out (either them going to "Rocky Horror" or to the drive-in to see "Star Wars" again) and hope the characters come to life. Whew, wish me luck!
----------^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Reality is for people who can't handle writing fiction.
"It is perfectly okay to write garbage -- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C. J. Cherryh, quoted in _The I Love To Write Book_ by Mary-Lane Kamberg
832 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 16 33
I am super excited!
I've got my synopsis and I've also been working on my character profiles. I plan on doing an outline right at the last moment so that it will still be fresh.
Then I am just gonna write till the words won't come out anymore!!! Which I am hoping will be after I plod out 50K!
----------I write to inhabit. This pen an extension
of my thoughts. This paper the solidity
of my words. Lasting spots on the surface
of this life. Not sure of what is
only what will be. ~ Me
21,432 / 50,000
Okt 28, 2009 - 21 29
I have very definite characters, and a looser idea for a plot. (A formula I'm hoping will help me keep momentum). This is my first year attempting Nano, but I've got a bet going with my "sponsor" down in Austin that I simply cannot afford to lose, which I think should be plenty motivational .
And I completely agree with Lloyd. The hardest thing about the last two weeks before Nano are keeping yourself from writing!
I'm also trying something new out this year: I'm using Liquid Storybinder. I wish I was an apple-girl so I could use Scrivener, which sounds and looks lovely, but as things stand, I think Liquid SB is going to be my best bet. It has simply amazing features for organizing and drafting longer stories! I have Dossiers for each of my main characters (with pictures integrated), a full storyboard and timeline, and it correlates and organizes your chapters and all of the aforementioned stuff into one project file. It's too early to tell if it's going to be a keeper for me, but for anyone having trouble with organization or preplanning, it certainly can't hurt! I can tell you this much: my initial impression is very favorable, and my pre-Nano productivity has certainly been more effective than it would have been without it.
On another note: I'm kinda bummed that those of us in Little Rock don't have a more active chapter. I've been semi-officially adopted by my sponsor's chapter in Austin, so I'll survive, but I was very surprised that we didn't already have one.
Oh well.
50,000 or Bust, Guys! Let's do this!
----------~duskweaver
"Writing is an acceptable form of Schizophrenia." ~E. L. Doctorow
17,715 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 09 30
I'm using Liquid Story Binder too! :) I
haven't had a chance to play with it much. I created a couple of dossiers and added a few songs. I might try to get a simple time line drawn up and a bare bones outline before November starts.
----------Co-ML Fort Smith and Surrounding Areas
http://shay-writes.livejournal.com/
51,002 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 09 30
I'm ready! I have no outline and no particular plot, but I DO have characters and a setting, which is more than I usually have. So, on with the swashnoveling!
----------I'm not the droid I'm looking for.
NaNo 2007: Heart of a Hero. (Finished!)
NaNo 2008: No Place In The Story (Finished!)
NaNo 2009: Cold Hands (Tentative)
http://groups.google.com/group/ne-arkansas-nano
71,335 / 50,000
Okt 29, 2009 - 11 31
Swashnoveling! I love it! :D
----------Lois Eighmy
http://lmeighmy.livejournal.com
http://lmeighmy.blogspot.com
4,149 / 50,000
Okt 31, 2009 - 09 55
Hey folks, this is my first time on NaNoWriMo and I'm really excited. I'm from Searcy but I don't live there anymore. I wish I could visit some of the write-in's but alas, its not meant to be. I won't even be in the country for the month of November.
As to the question at hand...I'm afraid that my job has limited the amount of outlining I can do so I'm pretty much going to be winging it. I liked the comment that said "swashnoveling." Thats a wonderful way to put it. Good luck to you all!
----------'But I don't want to go among mad people,' said Alice. 'Oh, you can't help that,' said the cat. 'We're all mad here.'
Lewis Carroll
51,098 / 50,000
Okt 31, 2009 - 10 35
Response to duskweaver:
Yes, I'm sorry that we don't have an ML in LR. Not many people showed up at our last-minute write-ins last year, so this year I started calling around in June, but since I'm not a "people person" and don't get out a whole lot, wasn't sure where to call or what times were good for everyone.
Maybe some can show up on the Thursday nights or suggest other times and locations. Or we can make a new thread in this Elsewhere Forum, call it something like "Impromptu Write-Ins," and tell everyone where and when you'll be at, say Java Roasting Co. or your church lounge. Then others could respond if they might try to join in.
I had tentatively scheduled a "Thank God It's Over" meeting for the night of Wed, Dec 2nd, but it'll depend on who wants to come and if the library still has it open.
In regard to the actual topic , I have taken my notes and put 'em on a CD-RW disc so I can repair to the relative quiet of the den and work on the novel there if Hubby wants to use the main computer. I have about 4 or 5 scenes which I'm pretty sure will get me started seeing how the characters relate.
Swashnovelling. YESSSS!!! {pumps fist}
----------^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Reality is for people who can't handle writing fiction.
"It is perfectly okay to write garbage -- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C. J. Cherryh, quoted in _The I Love To Write Book_ by Mary-Lane Kamberg
34,257 / 50,000
Okt 31, 2009 - 11 45
I have a plot and it's starting to bounce around in my head, the characters are starting to take shape and babble. I am excited. And I'm nervous. Last year disaster struck not even half way through the month and completely threw me off. So my fingers, toes, eyes, etc are all crossed that it's smoother sailing this year. Calm waters would be fantastic for a change!
My strategy is to write like a mad woman at the beginning of the month. I tend to flounder once I hit the 30-35k mark so I'm hoping that if it happens again this year, I'll have gotten there early and left myself enough time to get over that hump and back on track to finish out with a strong 50k by the 30th. I'm also employing the use of a partner in crime to help me stay focused.
Cheers,
----------Senedra
----
"I stood Among them, but not of them; in a shroud of thoughts which were not their thoughts" -Lord Byron
http://senedrawrites.blogspot.com
51,098 / 50,000
Okt 31, 2009 - 14 50
Oh, yes, everyone has a point at which the WIP splutters and the doubts set in. That's why nanoBuddies are so precious.
And I DO hope you can make it to a write-in.
----------^o^ ^o^ ^o^
Reality is for people who can't handle writing fiction.
"It is perfectly okay to write garbage -- as long as you edit brilliantly." ~ C. J. Cherryh, quoted in _The I Love To Write Book_ by Mary-Lane Kamberg