Newbies - How's it going?

It's been pretty good so far, haven't hit any immediate stumbling blocks like I thought I might. Still a bit worried that I won't be able to keep up with my target word count on days that aren't Sundays though ;).

Its been pretty good so far...I'm close to reaching today's target and I havent even done any writing today! But that's probably because I did so much of it yesterday. Its something different to keep my mind occupied - i'm thinking of it as training for my later author career! I've wanted to be an author since I was 7 (im 15 now) and NaNo will be good practice for me.

It's ok, i'm currently in a Uni Reading Week (no lectures) at the moment though so it's fairly easy-going. It'll get harder when i have to start conforming to a timetable again.
I got just about above my daily word-count yesterday and i intend to do the same today, hopefully that'll reduce the stress later on... today seems trickier than yesterday but i'm determined to make it!

Is it terrible that I didn't write anything yesterday? I am a newbie and... well, I just was post-Halloween blahness so I just couldn't get into it but tonight I am determined! I keep changing my mind on the format that I should write it in.

Diary entries vs normal writing.

I'm doing passably. I'm aiming to get up to 8,000 by the end of the night... but I've hit a short term wordblock

I've had to completely adapt my original idea. Really don't think I'll make it to the 50,000 :-(

Yesterday fairly easy considering I had no plot until 10 minutes beforehand. Tonight may be a different matter...but it's fun!

I'm doing NaNo for the first time this year, and though I did OK yesterday (2,000 words), I still woke up this morning wondering what the hell I had let myself in for. But so far, I love it. Even though I only have a vague idea of plot and I only really started to picture the main character this morning. Here's to the rest of November!

I think I might just be a total technophobe but I'm having more trouble with the website than I am writing the actual thing! Can anyone help?

I'm guessing you have to upload the whole thing every day in order for the word count to stay, which means the top-right hand box really isnt for anything right?

I also have a problem whereby in my word processor, the wordcount comes to 3439 but when I put it into the uploader it turns to 3419. Is there a reason for this? Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

As I understand it you only need to use the validator for the final count (you can use it before then for testing purposes though), so to just update your count it's probably quicker to simply get the word count from your word processor and type it in to the box at the top.

The difference in numbers is probably just in slight differences in the definition of words between the two counters, e.g. the nano one might count hyphenated words as a single word whereas your word processor might count them as two (or something to that effect).

Doing well here, despite only getting back from the Whitby Goth weekend late on Sunday, and having a wife with a foul cold, I have managed to churn out 4k + words, and it all seems to be falling into place without my brain apparently having any influence over what I'm typing half of the time. The goth weekender did inspire me somewhat. I am finding my self having to make a conscious effort not to go back and start rearranging paragraphs when i read back what my brain has spewed out though.

With a crew of drunken pilots
We’re the only airship pirates
We’re full of hot air and we’re starting to rise
We’re the terror of the skies, but a danger to ourselves.

"airship pirate" Abney Park.

I've not exactly got a whole lot written so far, although I'm still enjoying scribbling all over big spider diagrams and the like.

Reading week next week and a day off tomorrow in which I hope to make a proper good start.

Enjoying it!

Really enjoying! Seeing as my character came from a short Role Playing stint, i think it's working out. Hammering on chapter by chapter, am loving it :D

Thanks Mike! :)

Going ok so far. Have written just over 3000 words. Finding it a bit difficult fitting it around work but have a week off next week so will get down to some serius writing then!

a large block, maybe it will begin to flow as pressure builds i predict a few all-nighters and vast quantities of coffee and pot-noodle.

Having a set deadline and quote for each day seems to be really helping so far.

It's a challenge. A hard one. But it's enjoyable.

Nano induced cups of coffee: 4
Freakouts over lack of coffee in house: 1
Because some things just require coffee.

^_^ I was slow starting, and still am a bit, but I will definately make the 50k mark by the end of the month, no problem.
Well, maybe... I just ordered a massive amount of books on amazon, and I don't think I'd be able to keep them waiting... ^_^' Which will deduct from my writing time massively... Hehe, but they may inspire me, who knows?
Good luck, people!

well just hit 5000 words after not writing for 2 days so already behind- the story of my life. gonna try to do another couple of thousand today and get up to at least 10000 by sunday night if all goes well. what with kids off poorly and then hubby on holiday next week may have to sneak out and work in the library.

have not told anyone i am doing this so they cant keep helpfully asking me how it is going! to be honest i would be pleased with getting 10000 words out so anything above that is gonna be fine with me. think i am just focussing on 5,000 words at a time and see how i go from there. would definately have more words if i didnt have to keep going back and retyping spelling errors/ typo's - joys of dsylexic writing

rambling now, could have used these words in my word count!!

big hugs xxx

Struggling a bit with the direction of my story, as I still have no real direction in which it's heading. Still, I'm hoping something will eventually come out as I keep forcing myself to write.

I'm not sure I'll be able to reach the 10k milestone for today, aiming a bit lower at about 9k or so though!

Going well despite a distinct lack of spare time and not writing on day one due to being best man at a wedding. I have absolutely no idea where this story is going and only a (very) basic plot but hey I'm enjoying it and that's the main thing.

If i could offer some newbie advice. Don't edit yet. Seriously some of my scenes are of the bare bones 'he said this, she said that then this happened' variety. Get the words out of the way. Editing is for December :P If it aint flowing struggle through it until it flows again. Editing and existing scene is easier then creating a new one.

Good luck to everyone and grats for trying ^^

Democracy is non-negotiable

I've got a very strong feeling that the way I am writing, I will finish the story before I hit 50 000 words.

Nano induced cups of coffee: 4
Freakouts over lack of coffee in house: 1
Because some things just require coffee.

After reading your two-word synopsis I can understand :P perhaps if you extended it to three words?

Magic. Hoboes. Buskers

There's another 10K words in that at least ;)

Some books seem to hit their objective half-way through but then carry on. I like them, you're thinking "Well they've almost done it but there's still half the book left!" maybe you could think about what happens after the ending....whatever that may be.

Good luck ^^

Democracy is non-negotiable

Much to my shock, I have managed 18,321 words as of five minutes ago.

The plot has exploded into a life of its very own, and is careering down paths I never imagined. I have no idea what will happen next.
I am having so much fun :-)

I cannot see how I can stretch all this up to 50,000 words, though........my hero is currently in hospital battling for his life, surrounded by his family. There is a madman still on the loose, trying to kidnap his wife and/or grandson........
Gulp.

Sounds great, Snakebelly.

If you're running out of plot twists - I usually go for killing someone else. Keeps the rest of my characters on their toes, too. ;-)

Keep up the great wordcount!

2008 The Second Time: Milk and Honey - 202,246
2007 The Second Time: The First Year - 195,966
2006 The Second Time - 145,943
2005 In the Middle - 51,998
2004 Ape-x - 52,288

I think I'm going to take it a bit easier from here on in. I've hit 10 000 words, which was my original target so anything from here on in is a resounding success for me (I won't bore you with why).

I haven't had a decent night's sleep in a week, thanks to Nano :p

Buggrit-- how does "Magic Hoboes who banish evil with the power of FUNK" sound?

Nano induced cups of coffee: 4
Freakouts over lack of coffee in house: 1
Because some things just require coffee.

Like the Gods themselves are singing Welshcakes my friend, like the Gods are singing.

And congrats Snakebelly! I'm going to his 15K by Sunday night. I have taken a pledge (which for some reason involved an Ewok with a cutlas) so I've got to live up to it now.

Hope everyone's experiencing luck with theirs :P

Democracy is non-negotiable

Oh dear, minor disaster here I'm afraid. Seven days in I'm 1331 words behind, think my novel is boring and have absolutely NO idea where my characters are going. I'm also dealing with guilt in relation to:
a) the novel that I've been chipping away at for three years that I really SHOULD be working on and that I'm actually proud of as opposed to this one, which is frankly a bit rubbish
b) my flat which I am meant to be getting ready to put on the market in January and is currently in a complete tip because all the jobs I'm meant to be doing aren't getting done.

I can see myself reaching about 12,000 words and giving up at this point - but that'll be 12,000 more words than I've written in a long time, so not time completely wasted.

Ah.. I guess it's going okay, seeing as I am a full-time college student with a vlog that needs updating often on the side.
But however I find it difficult to write in English ;S

If you sparkle in the sun you are not a vampire, your just a bloodsucking disco ball.
True love is unconditional. Imprinting is a condition.

Because nothing says "forbidden love" like a guy who sparkles and a Mary Sue.

Well done Snakebelly, 18thou is fantastic and it's great to hear you're enjoying it.

Depending on what's intended for your MC how about a dream sequence? To put a slight twist on it, your MC and a member of the family have exactly the same dream. If it doesn't work it's still words.

Keep up the good workxxx

A well composed book is a magic carpet on which we are wafted to a world that we cannot enter any other way.

Caroline Gordon (1895-1981)