writing buddy required!!

Hi Sara. I am adding you to my buddy list, I hope you do the same. I'm a newbie too, and the non-editing drives me crazy, but so far I am trying my best, and just forging ahead with the writing. Good luck to you!

Barbara/Myth Maker
http://www.roadsidegems.blogspot.com

Hi, Sara... I'm a veteran NaNoer, and I'd be glad to help in any way that I can.

Okay, for starters, I'd like to point out that the whole point of NaNoWriMo is to turn off that editor and just write down the words. Your plot doesn't have to be airtight; your dialogue doesn't have to be on par with Quentin Tarrantino (I love that man's dialogue!); and your setting doesn't have to be as lavish as Las Vegas or New York City.

You just need to write down the words. I've added you to my buddy list. Feel free to reciprocate! :-)

2004: Daniel In The Lion's Den (mystery/suspense)
2005: Two Women And A Girl: EGG, MAT, and MSG (mystery/suspense)
2007: Finding Emma Jane (fictionalized memoir)
2009: Foreplay (mystery/suspense)

Hi Sara,

Welcome to NaNoWriMo! This will be the third year I've done NaNoWriMo and I can tell you it's very difficult to NOT edit, but that's not what November is for; November is for writing...a lot! In December and beyond you can edit everything. I think if you stick to it you'll see what I mean. Good luck!

I'm and live in California and I would be proud to have you as my buddy!

Best,

Kathleen

P.S. My sister lives in Bristol

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

Hi, Sara. Just think how happy your inner editor will be when you present her with a whole manuscript to work with IN DECEMBER. I make mine that promise on October 31 and pack her off to someplace wonderful. Every time she tries to interject, I remind her that Creative Self and I are making something nice and big and messy for her to sink her teeth into, but that she can't peek or she'll spoil the surprise.

You're not NOT editing. You're just not editing YET.

Hang in there.

Hi Sara, and everyone else here too,

I'm a newbie here too, and despite having bucketloads of time (at the mo) during November I'm not at all sure I'll make the 50K. Going to give a darn good try though. I have no clue how the buddy thing works, but I could do with some nano writing buddies too. Maybe if we band together we'll all get past the finishing post. I'm going to have a go at adding you to my buddy list and hope you do the same :)

Deb - hoping for some nano buddies.

Hello. I have been trying to figure out where to post my question. When I stumbled upon this thread, I thought: Okay, that's what I need. A buddy! So, dear buddies, please give me some perspective here, if you will. I am sorely tempted to show my writing to someone, specifically my closest pals who like what I have to say and who generally listen to me, or at least pretend they are listening. I have this thought that if I show one or two people exactly what I have written, that this will somehow inspire me or help me to continue, ... you know, to keep up the momentum. On the other hand, a little voice inside is saying resist the urge to show because it will kill the work. Is this a rational voice or just some saboteur who wants to order me around? I finished NaNoWriMo two years ago and have every intention of finishing again this year. But I am afraid ... yes, that is the word: fear. I fear if I show n' tell too much that I will lose the desire to write, that it will cease to matter and my muses will find somewhere else to go, someone else to inspire.

Jenny in TX (age 50)

I added you Sarah.

Well, when I read the book by Chris Baty, he strongly urged people not to show their work to others during this period simply because it tends to reawaken that Inner Editor and make people question the quality of their writing and as we all know, that can really put the brakes on writing! I prefer not to show my writing in progress to anyone precisely because of that reason (that's even before I read Baty's book). But who knows, maybe it would be different for you!

Another reason NOT to show your writing to others or to tell others too much about the story before you have finished writing it is that once you say it to others, the story has already been told. So then when you try to write it, it will seem stale and twice told. Sometimes it's tempting to tell others though, because of a wish for encouragement and a little confidence boost. Sadly, I have found that friends and family, however dear and well-meaning, often comment in ways that are less than helpful. Maybe it's just that my writer's ego is oversensitive! But, in any case, I prefer not to show or tell...

http://gideonsockpuppet.blogspot.com/

Hi Sara,

I tried to do this the year before last, but ended up moving into my apartment instead. It was a good trade-off. This year...it's different! I'll add you to my buddy list and hope you do the same. I'm not really sure how nanowrimo stuff works (do I click here or here), but I do know that every writer needs to share with others. After all we really work in a vacuum.

However, I do agree with the comment that for this month, this mighty month of November, we need to turn off the inner (and outer) editor(s) and just get the words out. (but if you have any questions on your stuff, I'll be happy to listen/read).

I'll be 56 next month and live in San Francisco.

Julia

Julia

Hi Sara,
I live in Vancouver Canada and am of your vintage! :) This is my first time at NaNo but I did write a novel last year following the NO Plot No problem book. I did manage the 50k but it took me two months. I too really don't like the non editing part of this challenge but I do like the free form feeling not editing gives me. I love the way just when I am feeling very discouraged a new character or plot twist will show up. I haven't a clue. yet where my story is going but I have over 6000 words as of today! I'm adding you to my buddy list. Please feel free to do likewise.
Cheers
Pegi aka margaret

First off, thank you for adding me as a buddy! When I first came to the forum, I added everyone who had posted in this thread. Now, it looks like there are a few more so I will find time soon to add more buddies.

Tonight I just wanted to give a brief update on the show n' tell issue. I did end up "showing" but told nothing. I also have read Chris's book and am going through it again this year. I remember that advice to keep it under wraps. I have heard this same advice from others as well. But the year I finished a 50k+-word novel, 2007, I shared the whole thing, as I wrote it, with a group of buddies. It worked fine; but I thought this year I might be able to improve the quality of the story by keeping it completely to myself. But here is what happened: At the end of a recent phone conversation with a writing buddy, I popped the question! "Would you like to read...." Sure enough, the answer was yes and it felt right (I trust the person to treat it as the growing embryo it is), so I sent it off in e-mail this morning. I don't regret it and yet I wonder how "differently" my story might turn out now that I made this decision. Already, it has taken an unexpectedly sinister twist, but maybe that would have happened anyway.

Thanks to everyone who has shared on this topic. There are probably as many ways to look at it as there are people.

Happy NaNo-ing to us all! I have been writing in the early morning.

Jenny

Hi Deb,
I will add you to my buddy list. I live in Vancouver Canada and am 50 ish.... I am already starting to bog down with my plot. I didn't have a clue what I was going to write about and didn't get started until Nov. 2nd. But I just started putting down whatever came into my head and voila! now I am at 6900 words! not great words of course and I still don't know where the story is going but I am counting on my muse and the characters and my nano buddies for guidance. Best of luck and keep tapping out your novel. Cheers
Margaret

Hey Jenny -
you are a big chicken just like me! I live in fear someone will say the wrong word about my work and you are right, I am afraid that will kill it. But don't ask for editors - just ask for friends who will encourage you to keep going - no criticism, just tell you what they like and that will encourage you where to go.....I asked one person to do just that and it really helps to keep me going. I am an artist too - pastels - and the same thiing applies there too....I work fiendishly over something I love and it really hurts if you get even simple criticism too early. Anyway - keep going - if you write the way you post - you must be doing something right!

best Patricia (54 )and coming up on 55 on New Year's Eve.....

Hellopdoc : )

I just added you as a buddy.

You and are are tackling a similar topic - me from the middle reader/young adult side. This is also my first Nano and I'm having a horrid time turning off my inner editor. (Yes one of my "days off" this week was actually editing)

Feel free to ping me if you ever need some encouragement or someone with whom you may commiserate (I was trying to be a bit posh for you since you're in England and I"m in Boston :) ).

Pika

"I can juggle verbs, adverbs and nouns, I can make them dance 'till they all fall down." - Jimmy Buffett

Hello buddies, it's the big chicken here! About to get started writing and just wanted to shout out some encouragement. Am going to try to keep it real today. Have been reading an article called "Why Stories Fail" and the main reason (according to one literary magazine editor) seems to be fakery. Seems odd since that is what fiction is by nature. Will just share one tidbit then keep going.

"So what matters, finally, isn't whether the events of writers' accounts are real, but whether those events 'happen' for their readers."

Jenny

Rough drafting is all about getting it all down. No editing whatsoever allowed. You start to edit and you'll really start thinking you suck like an Electrolux and you'll not only lose your momentum but you'll lose your spirit, too.

Just let the words pour onto the page. The time to pick and pull and cut is on December 1 and not before. Also -- not the best idea to let anyone be reading your draft now. There are exceptions and I believe I have one. My Ideal Reader is my significant other, Keith. He's a reader and he knows story from a reader's point of view. He is reading my daily work and I've told him comments ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT ALLOWED. He is to take notes and make comments as he reads my Mss but he's not to give those to me until December 1.

I've told him already that he's going to find plot hole and inconsistencies big enough to drive his 18 wheeler through. I know that and now he does too. Rough drafting is NOT the time to edit.

I can't say this enough.
Give your voice its head and let it have free reign. You will find yourself putting valuable stuff down that you can use later. If you are too critical -- you could lose something or worse throw something out that turns out to be of monumental importance.

Okay. Enough of my pontificating.
Keep up the great work.
Get in there and write your butts off.
And no more editing. . . .

Best of luck to you all.
jj

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

Fiction is NOT fakery! Fakery will destroy your fiction.

You need to take a story that;'s by nature NOT TRUE and use that vehicle to TELL THE TRUTH. Anything less is a total sham and waste of time.

What that amounts to is if you have a tendency to write while having The Moral Decency Committee peeking over your shoulder and you don't want to offend someone by having a construction worker shout, "Oh F****!" after whacking his thumb a good one with a sledge hammer and instead put down that he shouted: "Oh peas and carrots," instead -- you have just told a huge lie.

Now all this goes without considering the type of fiction you're writing but I think you can get the message. Construction workers generally don't talk like Sunday School teachers. And while Sunday School teachers tend to not use naughty words, even the most most straight-laced of church goers under the right circumstances might say, "Oh, Sh*t" if the situation warranted it.

That's what is meant by "fakery" in fiction and yes -- it will kill your story before it even gets started if you're not willing to tell the truth about your characters. The other corollary is that in order to write TRUE to your characters -- you gotta know 'em.

Do you homework and work on character development AND backstory especially if you find yourself stuck.

Hope this helps.
jj

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

"Fiction is NOT fakery!" Of course it is not. That was my point and I obviously failed to make it. What I meant was fiction is "fake" in the sense that it is fiction. That is all. Happy noveling and thanks for your comments.

Jenny

Hi, Patricia. I have tried adding you as a buddy but it is not working for some reason.

It is exciting to watch the story as it develops! I am still sort of "behind" in my word count but am moving forward nonetheless.

Jenny

Nah, Jenny -- It was me who didn't make herself clear here. I got you loud and clear the first time. I was attempting to elucidate for those who maybe weren't getting it. I might be pretty good when it comes to writing but as a teacher, I kind of suck the big one at times.

Sorry about that.
I understood you loud and clear.

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

jj

Herein lies the power of fiction -- You know the magic is there when your main character wakes up one day and takes that first faltering and raspy breath on her own and then announces that she has a much better idea than you did. -- JeH

No problem, JJ. Thank you for helping me to look at my communication and see where it fails, really. The word "fakery" actually did not appear anywhere in that article I referenced, at least not that I can remember. I just pulled it out of my hat and it seemed to fit the overall gist of what that particular author was trying to get across about why stories fail. Real people telling real stories about made-up people who seem as real as the people writing about them. That is what I want to see happen on my page.

Jenny

Hi, Sara ~

I'd like to be your writing buddy. I, too, am a newbie. If you think it's difficult to convince yourself just to write and to turn off the "inner" editor, try explaining NaNo to a parent! I'm using NaNo with my 9th Honors English class, and an unhappy father wanted to know what I could possibly hope to accomplish by having the children write without regard to editing? Thankfully, I'd printed out all the NaNo info about the Young Writers Program beforehand in anticipation of such. When he'd left my room, he had "seen the light."

Wishing you good writing.

MJ

Hi Sara,
I am also in the UK. This is my second time with NaNo, and I know what you mean, about not editing. I find it really hard, and I have to keep reminding myself not to do it.
I have added you as a buddy!

Sandie

Hey. So how is it going? I'm in Alaska and have several buddies..saw you had gotten a few, but we can always use more so I'm popping you in. I did this last year and finished, and after 9 monthds of editing, it went off to a publisher..don't know if this year's attempt will do the same, but it surely is fun!!! i'm 68 and determined to do what I planned all those years I worked way too many hours..to be the writer I always intended. So welcome to this awesome group of crazy fools..we are legion!! Isn't it cool that so many people in the world aere all doing this together? bless Chris's heart!!

I everyones' numbers are climbing higher and higher. This is my second real attempt at Nano. I tried last year, and made the gravest of errors. I reread what I'd written, panic mode set in, and then I tried to continue writing but all I kept hearing in my head was this is all crap--delete, delete, delete. This year, so far, I haven't reread anything, and to keep from rereading the last sentence or two from where I left off, I jot those down on a sticky note before I close out for the day or night, depending on when I'm writing. I have a full-time job, too, so it's a lot of juggling.

Anyway, I am much farther along than I ever thought I would be, and this freedom to write crap feels great! I do feel like I have some gems in my writing though, but I'm not editing until after the first of the year.

Add me if you like, I'm on twitter as carmenrenee.

Happy writing!

Hi fellow nanoers,

It's my first time this year and I'm really pleased so far that I have managed to keep up and I am really enjoying letting my imagination run riot with my story.

I'm 56, work full time and am President of my local WI (Women's Institute) so am mostly typing at night just before I go to sleep. Sometimes I wonder why I took it on! I reckon it would be a good idea if I got some writing buddies now to keep me going to the end of the month. Would anyone like to add me as a buddy, please? I'm not sure how it works.

Thanks anyway and good luck to everyone - see you all at the finish line
Suze
x x

I added you as a buddy, Suze, and sent you nano-mail.

Barbara/Myth Maker
http://www.roadsidegems.blogspot.com

I'm a 54 year old from the Wisconsin and I just looked at the mentor forum. These folks were really young. Call be biased but I don't want to hear from a 19 year old. I'm both behind and ahead. In other words, I'm ahead of my expectations but afraid I won't finish. Anyone want to mentor a middled age woman writing a fictionalized memoir?

I'll have to turn on my NaNo mail. Then I'll have 4 e-mail accounts to check .

Jay DeBar