Thank You, NaNo graph designer!

Really? I can't stand this new graph, the daily goal bars are really distracting and kind of off-putting. The graph was one of my main sources of motivation last year (sad but true...), but I can't help feeling that it's just going to annoy me more than motivate me this year... I feel this way, you can't really celebrate how much you've written - it's overpowered by how much you have to write the next day, and the next, and the next... which some people might find fun or exciting, but it kind of detracts from your success thus far I think.

Is there any way we could make it optional? Or at least change what we want our daily word count goals to be? (this way I guess those of us who don't want it could change it to 0 or just 1 word every day and it would pose less of a distraction, since it'd be hardly noticeable that way at least).

I imagine it must be quite annoying for those aiming for say, 100k or 25k or any other goals, since it's not tuned to their daily word count aims (of which I am not one of, but it really gets on my wick anyway).

Wasn't sure whether to make this a thread in itself, since it so drastically opposes your view and might be ignored as a result (though I imagine it won't make much of an impact anyway, I just wanted to complain about it and live in the vague hope that maybe it would :P), or to leave it in this one since you've addressed the topic already.

(tl;dr: the new graph sucks)

No problem MissEricaCourt. I can absolutely see it from your view. I think it would be cool to be able to remove the goals too, so that you could just track your progress without being bothered by how much you ought to be writing :) Maybe next year, if any of the designers are reading this board!

The graphs are very motivating both ways!!

I am another one who really, really hates the new graph. Sorry. I used to be incredibly motivated by the other one, from previous years: ironically the one we have no is NOT spurring me on to write. The opposite, if anything. I just find it so controlling and stifling: I want the words I write to be the only thing that makes the graph fill up, you know what I mean? It's a really mighty feeling :)

Please, please - if there is any possibility of making the new graph optional or having one without a 'goal' amount of words alongside, could that be made reality this November? I'm sure some will love it but - I'm not one of those people.
Okay, rant over :)

Ja, i personally preferred the old graph, too. ;;; I liked seeing the random little gradation upwards, even though i never reached 50k. Maybe giving an option would work, so that people could choose the graph they like to use best? :)

Heather Dudley
Forums Moderator
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A Dragon Writes

Having it be optional would be great. On one hand, it is motivating because I see how much more I need to write. But I also mourn the loss of seeing the graph fill up with a new bar each day, and watching it grow. It made me really proud, where are this graph just feels like a prodding device. I would love to have the old graphs back!

I'm glad I'm not the only one who really doesn't like it... *breathes sigh of relief* I wonder if any of the site team have seen this?

Haha, yeah I thought I was the only one who hated it too... It's relieving that people share my pain! (in the nicest way :P)

The optional idea is the best one, I think - that or being able to set your own word count goals for the day, which could be less annoying (but ideally I'd go for having it as being totally optional).

It's unfortunate that our rants are hidden under the name of this topic; they might not check it just because it seems to be praising them and so not an issue :/

NaNo 2006(win): "Children of the Stars"
NaNo 2007(win): "Darkness Falls"
NaNo 2008(win): "Dark Storm Rising"

I like the graph, though I can see why it can be found distracting. If actual word counts are below the goals, it's hard to see.

Maybe if the color of the goal bars was a lighter color than the actual count bars. Maybe a real light blue instead of dark. Would it be easy to just change the color? Maybe it just involves a different color code someplace. Then those that don't like it can pretty much ignore it.

I'm not a programmer of any sort, I'm just making suggestions.

I do like the graphs, though.

2006 (Won): I Can't See Myself!--SciFi/Fan--Invisibility
2007 (Won): The Amber Pendant--SciFi/Fan--Time Travel Murder Mystery
2008 (Won): The Conspiracy Class--Mainstream/Thriller--Conspiracy
2009 (Pending):Gap Year (Working Title) Suspense-Thriller

I love the idea of the daily goal, but could it be made into a line graph instead? WIth two sets of bar graphs it just seems too busy and cluttered. Also it would be great if it was optional. Thank you!

We have to keep in mind that this is a huge website and if they change them it's going to be applied to thousands of graphs. I imagine that would be pretty difficult, especially now that it's November and everyone's graph is different than everyone else s. So as great as all these options would be, don't expect it right away.

I agree with a checkbox option. I found it quite distracting and make my own word count seem so small and unimportant because it's overwhelmed by the bars.

Thanks for looking into this for those of us who'd like to opt out of the "Daily Goal"

I write in leaps and bounds! Having the daily goal staring me in the face makes it feel like this is a "1,667 words each day for 30 days" contest... and I am losing at a spectacular rate! :D

As a first timer, I've not experienced the old graph. But I like the one we have, probably because I am managing, to my immense surprise, to keep up! I can see how it would be demotivating if I wasn't though. So I hope it will be optional toswitch between two views or something, as I do enjoy seeing my word count sticking up just a bit over what I'm supposed to be at! I just hope I can keep it up all month, no words yet today... why am I here? I should be novelling, not forumming! Argh!

Yes the pic is a stavechurch, in case anyone wondered!

I hate to be the one to point it out, but I think we'd have more hope of getting more things added to the site if there were more donations... we're hardly raising enough money as it is to keep the site running.

So, to be blunt, if you'd like to see more things please consider making a donation, or using GoodSearch instead of Google. Please see here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/donatingwhenbroke

I agree that it would be handy if the poll was able to be toggled on or off though :)

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· Katharine
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