Far be it from me to advise the literati of our fair forum on how to go about their craft. Rather, I presume to start a thread on more practical matters, namely, "How to go about going about your craft." The collected wit and folk wisdom I foresee may make for a fine publication in itself. Alternatively, it's just another thread for me to check incessantly for new posts.
Although I don't imagine these pearls of wisdom will all be so serious, let me assure you that my first contribution is dead serious. Really. Read this slowly so as to get the full effect of my literary devices:
1.) B A C K U P Y O U R W O R K
2.) N O W
I hope you find my words needless, but since I had a brief scare tonight I didn't want it on my conscience should a similar fate actually befall one of you.
Deskdude
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33,670 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 21 56
Very wise words. :)
I would go as far as to say back up your work on several different devices. I actually have my NaNo on my personal laptop, a flash drive, and in my email. Just cause I'm paranoid like that.
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Nov 2, 2009 - 22 29
I'll go with:
"Perfection is the enemy," by Gustave Flaubert.
To accept that nothing we write here will be published - in its current form. That it may bear a very slight resemblance to the final product, say 10% or so.
However, if it's 10% to achieving the Dream, then it's a journey worth walking.
Note: If you're the kind of individual who will, in fact, publish their novel in its current form - like a goddamn Buddy Jesus superninja virtuouso with a pen, we hate you and you don't need advice anyway.
36,361 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 21 55
When going to a write-in, it counts as a good deed to bring a power strip. :)