What I have learned from NANOWRIMO http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210 brimcrob Sometimes it was fun, other times it was slog. I managed somehow to write over 50k in mone month....Here is waht I have learned.. 1 I am not writer, perhaps with wee bit of practice I might write something that someone where might enjoy. 2 I am not planner. I just wrote and wrote and wrote. I think I am one of those types who actually loved going back and editing stuff. Perhaps I am budding book editor. Mind you I will have to learn how to spell, understand grammar, learn about bloody "rules". 3 I enjoyed being inside my head. Sir Terry Pratchett was right wrting is the best fun you can have on your own. 4 I loved all my characters, even the nasty motherf!#$!#s 5 two hours a day and writing nearly 1800 words is possible.Even with the wife rolling her eyes... 6 moving characters about from point A to poin b is bloody hard, they keep wanting to go the pub and get off with each other. 7 I wrote over 50,000 words. It felt like an intro to the real story that I wanted to write! 8 never be afraid of your imagination. 9You do no realise how much a limited vocab you have till you start writing. 10 Google maps and Wikipedia. I shall say no more Overall I have enjoyed the experience, some where in the mountain of rubbish that I typed out is story, that in the right hands, could actually be quite a good read. My sister in law who is published crime writer tells me that it takes her 7-8 drafts to be actually readable. I shall now continue to leisurely write the rest of it and see what happens. Back next year? Mmm we shall see…. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:55:39 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887080 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887080 UCF612 Yay! Congrats on finishing and learning so much! Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:04:16 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887147 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887147 missypoo1974 Oh my do I agree 1000000000% with #9. I have become good friends with thesaurus.com :) Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:24:12 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887319 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887319 Soolkiki Yeah, I would have to agree with you there! This is my first time ever, writing this much, but I have enjoyed it so much. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 08:27:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887348 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_887348 Muslimah.98 11) Contractions (can't, isn't, won't) are death in NaNo. They should be avoided like they are some super advanced from of plague. 12) Rooms get very messy if they have not been cleaned for a month. 13) Tea. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:38:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_891927 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_891927 flopart I've learned what my GF will feel like when she's writing her dissertation next year and I'm whining for attention. I had to stop and remember to take her out on a few.. uh... dates this month. 1.) Friends are not ideas. 2.) Ideas are not friends. 3.) Both need nurturing, but in different ways. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:58:18 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_892920 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_892920 Eilorae Learned: 1)Plots involving future is hard to stay futuristic. 2) Parent's that are "supportive" do nothing at all. 3)I'm good at focusing at one thing. 4) I'm a bad procrastinator. 5) I have a really bad attention span especially when it comes to internet. As seen by my word count. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:44:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893406 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893406 bubl 12 and 13 x100 for me :) Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:07:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893661 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893661 R.Watson #s 4 and 10 for sure. A couple of minor characters will end up in a short story at some point. 21. I CAN write without constantly self-editing. 22. Next year, re-read only back far enough to remember what you were writing. 23. I'm doing this again next year. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:29:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893906 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893906 Senna25 #10, definitely. I've used street view so much this month, I feel like a stalker :) Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:33:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893974 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_893974 maggiep Oh I completly agree with #12. The vacuum and laundry and dishes, etc....were becoming my enemies. So thus, my room is trashed. But I can just do it next week :) Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:40:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_894858 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_894858 maggiep Very much like #1, 8, and 9. I have been learning some cool words. Some land in my story, some don't. But I love looking. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:43:53 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_894899 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_894899 maggiep What I have learned- 1-I am loving the writing world more and more, even with not much sleep because I have to write the next scene, just one more scene.... 2-My stories don't get to 50,000 words, which I have to remedy by next November. 3-Having a word count chart is a blessing. And a curse. 4-Even if you don't get to 50k, seeing that you made it to your own personal goal, and beyond, is such a happy feeling. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:51:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_895016 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_895016 JuniorFrenzySista 1. Writing isn't hard. It's writing consistently and writing the boring bits that are hard. 2. The novel has t oend somewhere. You can't just write on forever. If you want to do that, start another book. 3. Do NOT ask friends for an idea to get you writing. Their characters take over. 4. You don't have to write start to finish with the middle inbetween. It is perfectly alright to write all the events in the middle. Just remember you have to fill it in eventually. 5. Work out how you are going to get your characters somewhere before you get them there. Otherwise it's hard fiddly stuff trying to explain why they're there. 6. Ninjas do exist. 7. Sleep deprivation, in moderation, is an excellent help. It makes it easier to write a lot. Just, don't edit it yourself the next morning... Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:29:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_896954 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_896954 heathmama I learned that I love having a concrete writing goal each day and that once I've done it, I end the day feeling accomplished even if everything I wrote that day was crap. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:37:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897035 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897035 ohwellspotted - writing fiction at the same time as writing scholarly research article reviews is not fun - novel wins over term paper every time - professors don't take well to the excuse "but I'm writing this novel you see," well, one of them did and that term paper is due on Thursday - it is more fun to get caught up in your own novel than someone else's (although Harry Potter > my novel any day) - my characters wrote my novel for me Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:47:58 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897116 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897116 Pi314159266 Oh my gosh #9 is soooo true! I kept repeating just, really, pretty, kinda, confused, and partying. Haha just and really are probably the worst though because I say those all the time in everyday conversation. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:52:24 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897165 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_897165 robotosaur - I AM a planner. Plots don't make themselves--at least, not for me. - Writing is exhausting. - It is perfectly possible to sit still for three hours and write. I just tell myself it's not because I don't feel like doing that. - Everything is more fun when you're doing it to procrastinate. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:23:35 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_901995 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_901995 arachni42 I learned that writing a fictional scholarly research article review is not fun (my characters are students -- thankfully only high school so it can be written at a very unprofessional level; still tricky and weird since the research is imaginary). Also: 1. I don't have to "feel like" writing to write, I can plow on 2. It sucks to have lots of ideas about how the plot should go but not know how to actually write them 3. #1 caused me to at least accidentally write some of those scenes (I wouldn't know it at first, but then I'd realize and say, "Ahh, so that's how that progresses") 4. I can turn down my internal editor to "Low," at which point it will often cause me to delete words/sentences but replace them with much more verbose things that ultimately help my word count 5. If I've got a particular image for a scene in my head, it's more productive to start with that, then tack stuff onto the beginning to set it up, rather than not writing because I don't know how to begin the scene. 6. It doesn't take a huge time commitment to write 1,667 words per day if everything's flowing well, but it takes a commitment to work through the times when I feel stuck Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:43:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_902973 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_902973 RobertLent Don't get bogged down on little details. Don't stop because you can't think of a name right away, just put in a placeholder and move on. Don't rush to the ending. Your characters probably should have some difficulty in reaching their objectives, or else it wouldn't have been a story. If Frodo had taken the express subway to Mordor and gotten off at the Mount Doom station, the story would have reached its end quickly, and not been interesting. Description brings up the word count, but isn't fluff. Description is important. Look in your story for "hooks", opportunities to expand on ideas later. Just keep writing, you get more ideas the more you write. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:29:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904406 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904406 J.E.Blackworth This here. A thousand times. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:35:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904521 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904521 J.E.Blackworth 1. Write, that's how the plot develops. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:35:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904527 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904527 clayholio I learned that slow and steady will get you to the goal. Contractions are fine. Otherwise you end up sounding like Peggy Hill (who does not use contractions, because of her mother). And you'll have needlessly created a really annoying, pervasive problem you'll have to fix in your editing, which is a time bomb waiting to complicate your editing process. Plus, it's easier (and more productive) just to write a new section than go through and have to turn contractions into two separate words. Also, it seems that I spent the month choosing to write instead of going to the gym. Time to figure out how to get those activities to play nice with one another. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:41:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904615 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904615 AnonymousChild I learned how to write. Now I'm learning how to edit. My other books have been stalled because before this, every time I sat down to write, I (over-)edited what I had already written. With nano, there's no time for that nonsense! Also, I learned what 'tools' and 'writing habits' work best for me (and how much coffee might be too much - I never thought there WAS such a thing!). It's like being in crisis mode - all the priorities bubble to the top, and the rest is just fluff you don't need. Everyone works differently, and I needed to find what worked best for me. NaNoWriMo has been great, and I can't wait to do it again next year! Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:43:26 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904651 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_904651 JuniorFrenzySista - my characters wrote my novel for me You know, I told someone who made me base a character on them off because said character was taking over the novel. It just got me a weird look. People do not understand, you cannot control these characters. I think my crazy reputation just got reaffirmed. Again. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:38:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_908465 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_908465 flopart *wizard voice* One does not simply... take the express train to the end of the novel... Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:55:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915539 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915539 flopart I've learned that I will finish anything if my family knows about it, because at the end of the day, even as a grown up, I still love to compete with my brothers for mom's attention. :P Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:57:45 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915555 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915555 Rubyfruit I have learned... 1) Not to flip out if I go off my outline even a little bit. 2) I really, really hate fight scenes. 3) Slow and steady IS the best way for a romantic development...especially if one of your characters is the villain that your other character is after. 4) Research papers just get in the way. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:40:26 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915907 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_915907 HaDavar What I learned on my November vacation [from reality]: 1. I can reach a goal I set for myself. 2. Stories should go Somewhere and have Things happening in them. 3. Narrative glosses and montages are acceptable as a means of fast-forwarding the story to a space-time point where Something Actually Happens. 4. Narrative glosses and montages are unacceptable as a means of skipping past space-time points where Something Actually Happens to a further space-time point where Something Even More Interesting Actually Happens. I probably ought to address the Interesting But Not Quite As Interesting As That Other Thing Thing, even if said earlier Thing is indeed less interesting than said later Thing. 5. I'm apparently so terrified of writing horrible female characters that I instead write paper-thin female characters. 6. Just do it. Seriously. Just sit down and write. Yes, I know I want to take a nap after a long day at work. Yes, I know I just bought Skyrim. Yes, I know the SWtOR beta is this weekend. Yes, I know the wife will take umbrage at the dirty dishes. Yes, I know that today is our weekly bouldering day. It doesn't matter. WRITE first. Other things afterwards. 7. Fifty thousand words seem like a burden when split across thirty days of work. 8. Fifty thousand words seem insufficient when compiled at the end of the month. Even when I use #3, above. 9. Yes, it really was just an hour to complete that day's quota. It just seemed like an eternity because I wasn't into it. 9. Yes, it really was three hours of work to boost myself ahead by several thousand words. It just seemed like five minutes because I was having so much fun. And the most important thing I've learned from NaNoWriMo: 10. November 2012 is going to be awesome. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 10:15:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_916199 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_916199 Elluna Hellen #10 is true. SO F-ING TRUE! Sat, 03 Dec 2011 17:50:26 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_929777 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_929777 lilly32261 Never, EVER leave your internet browser up and unattended with family around, especially if you're in the middle of research. (That got me a talk about my 'suicidal tendencies' and my 'depression,' along with being assured that 'cutting yourself is not the best option.' XP No, dear parents, I am not the suicidal one. It's my character, I swear! No, I'm not getting drunk either; just don't ask.) Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:10:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_940207 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_940207 ig_nobleigh I learned that the number one area I need to work on is characters and making them interesting rather than bland and vaguely wooden (and they should also not be like me!). I learned the second area I need to work on is length. Plan out enough that the thing will actually go PAST 50K, not have the climax at 42K and then have to stretch the wrap-up and add an epilogue to make 50K. So basically, learn how to do sub-plots better. Nanowrimo 2012 will hopefully help improve these things. Also: vacuuming and cleaning the bathroom is much less work when done regularly! Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:42:06 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_965664 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_965664 MariahBurkett 1) Characters Must have Names 2) I have different plot ideas that would never work in the thing that I am writing 3) Music is a Must 4) I can write super fast 5) It is possible to write 1000 words in 25 minutes 6) I love WoD 7) I can somehow juggle school 8) I am so doing it again 9) The Forums are time wasters and addictive 10) I love to write Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:23:08 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1083950 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1083950 RebeccaMolloy I learned: 1) I must stick to a regular routine of writing every morning at the dining room table. Otherwise I get sidetracked and then struggle to meet the daily quota. 2) It is beneficial to have music on, but not too loudly. 3) It is essential to have at least a rough outline prepared before I begin writing. I may deviate from it, but I do need to know where the story is going, otherwise I'll just get bogged down in the middle. 4) My writing is not as bad as I sometimes think it is. Sun, 26 Feb 2012 05:18:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1171634 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1171634 Cheesypriestess Once, I figured out that a character was an elvish cat psychologist just because he was holding a cat that everyone was afraid of. That story still hasn't done much yet, seeing as all the characters want to do is travel through the mysterious forest very, very slowly and meet lots of people...But maybe they'll pick up the pace soon. Do not underestimate your characters. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:05:18 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1177247 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1177247 Cheesypriestess Fight scenes are really hard to write. I don't really like them either. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:08:53 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1177255 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1177255 Cheesypriestess I lolled at this, though it probably wasn't funny. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:10:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1177263 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1177263 Cheesypriestess 1 and 10, I definitely agree with. And if there was a number that said your avatar is awesome, I'd agree with that one too. Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:12:06 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1177266 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1177266 Generalist 1. I need that NaNoWriMo style deadline to encourage getting to the word count on a timely basis. 2. Phase Outlines help me have a beginning and an ending to the fun parts of the story. I used to just right the fun parts. 3. I can hit 76K words in a month. (And I'm doing it hand written.) That count could go higher if I didn't slack off at the end of the month. I can also hit 52K words in a month where three out of four weekends are very busy. 4. In order to finish something in a month, I have to make it a 'short' story. I was able to do that during last year's July/August Camp NaNoWriMo by having a set of 'short' Phase Outlines for a series. Wed, 16 May 2012 14:14:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1374193 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/45210?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1374193