Down and Dirty Tricks for reaching word count http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914 angeliclizard I know you have them, what are your down and dirty tricks (without cheating) to reach 50k. Last year I wrote out the full names for EVERYTHING. A persons name. Instead of Dr. Pascal, It would be Doctor Pascal Jonathan Himes +3 words I had a company named Shilo but the full name was Shilo Helping Hands Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Facility. Ridiculous to write each time, but I did. +7 words It got annoying but my main character worked in the hospital so the name was mentioned oftened and he ran into a TON of people so it was + two or three words all the time. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:39:57 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_2120 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_2120 NaNo_Bot <strong>Do not use contractions</strong> Ever. It takes a bit of getting used to, and it sounds a little strange, but it is not as hard as you think. You would be surprised how much it can add to your word count. (contractions = isn't, don't, can't, wouldn't, etc.) <strong>Chapter names &amp; Descriptions</strong> Chapter 10 - A Glimpse of Dark Twilight In which we discover several things about several people that may or may not be important to the plit but you have to read them anyway just in case. Mua ha ha ha ha <strong>Sing a song or recite a poem</strong> Find a song/poem you think the character would sing/recite and add it in in its entirety. DBP if the the song is "This is the song that irritates people" and continues on and off for pages on end. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 00:18:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_2590 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_2590 deasoline I didn't really use any other tricks than loooong conversations in my nano, but in my gothno 2010 I had a character named Felicity Isobel Turquoise Antheia Lourdes Egypt who insisted on being called exactly that + lyrics from songs as chapter titles. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4333 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4333 Callista_Hogan Dream sequences. Sex scenes. You can add thousands of words to your count by inserting just one of these scenes. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:20:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4476 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4476 nmaha Omg! you are a genius. I haven't even started writing (this is my first time) and I can already see the value of these. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:54:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4798 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4798 buhbyebirdie Add a date and location to each chapter. Sacramento, California, USA August 14, 1972 +6 words! Also it builds atmosphere. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:18:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4992 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4992 Launisch Make a dash like this: [ - ] rather than this: [--]. It counts as its own word. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:31:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5129 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5129 Printzen Let your characters write a letter, an email or something like that once in a while and it will boost your wordcount. Last year a friend of mine's MC had a pen pal, and it worked quite well for her. ;) Answering machines! "Hi *insert your MC's name*, it is *insert one of your MC's friends name*. I am stuck in *insert location*, and my phone is dead, but you can call me at his number: *insert random number*. I was on my way home and then *insert your long explanation here*, but please call me back quickly! BYE." Loooooots of words. I have never used any of these before, but my MC will have a nice, old school answering machine this year. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:33:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5156 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5156 coolcorbin Have a character talk in a foreign language and have some have to translate it. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:06:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5483 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5483 Tom M. Surname In addition to the obligatory singing drunk (who, at one point, attracted a city guard with his caterwauling; I got an entire scene out of her attempts to shut him up, criticism of his quaintly counterrevolutionary folk songs, and resignation as she joined in), I had rants. Behold: Villain, with the tact expected from a military officer (and a military officer of not entirely not inconsiderable rank, a phrase that will make no sense to the author upon rereading this pile of [censored], but which will be invaluable in getting the word count up to acceptable levels so that she can concentrate on salvaging her grades and on writing a charming little fairy tale for her beleaguered gentleman friend’s upcoming birthday. In place of “not entirely not inconsiderable,” please read “low” and leave it at that), kicked the ragged waif smoothly under the table. I also had random crypto-smut, 200-word chapter titles, entertainingly eccentric multi-word profanity, and gratuitous history. The year before that, my main character was a freshman in high school. I was also a freshman in high school. Conveniently, we were taking the same classes. Coincidentally (of course), her paper on Tang-dynasty bureaucratic reforms played a major role in the plot... Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:09:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6218 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6218 Mikki I heard flashbacks and dragged out fight scenes help a great deal. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:17:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6305 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6305 Callista_Hogan Have a deaf character. "Do you want to go to the store?" "What?" "Do you want to go to the store?" "Do I want to show the core? The core of what?" "No, do you want to GO to the STORE?" "Why would I want to mow a store?" Etc., etc., etc. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:36:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6592 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6592 larelmian "Why are you repeating everything you say three or four times?" "It will help up the word count! It will help up the word count It will help up the word count!" Of course, everyone accepted this response. Okay, that was in a comedy about NaNoWriMo, so it fit. I had so much repetition in that story. The characters wrote stories and then read them to each other, so not only did we read the stories the first time, but then we got to see everyone's reactions to the story. When I redid the story for Screnzy, I didn't make it as repetitive. I made it a musical. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:49:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6798 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6798 Jackdaw Place names. Why set a novel in London when it could be in Newcastle Upon Tyne? Two extra words every time it's mentioned. And always write out full titles. Not Chapter 24, but Chapter Twenty Four: Insert Long-Winded Chapter Title Here. I gained lots of extra words my first NaNo by using a direct quote, a line from that chapter as chapter headings. Or go the real quaint route: Chapter Twenty Four: In Which Character X Meets Character Y and There is an Argument Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:14:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_7180 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_7180 angeliclizard Yea I had like a 5 page horribly inappropriate semi OOC sex scene because I felt behind. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:36:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_7548 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_7548 glynes The Chinese Restaurant Menu A group of characters goes out to a Chinese restaurant. They read the entire menu aloud to each other. Sometimes the waiter translates things for them. Everybody orders something different. Then they compare their food to the description on the menu. There are always lots of fortune cookies after, which must be read aloud and discussed at great length. This has worked in all my novels, including the far-future sci-fi series, when an archaeological dig on ancient earth unearthed remains of a Chinese restaurant, including miraculously-preserved menu, and one colony took it on to recreate all the dishes and become the premier stop on intergalactic trips for a Chinese dinner! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:44:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_8634 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_8634 dolphin12345 Never delete words. If you started wrong, highlight it to tell yourself that, and start below that. I did that last year, It got me an extra 3,000 words. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:03:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9866 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_9866 M_London Hey... what about Quotes at the beginning of the chapters? Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:24:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10269 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10269 Mushzoom Detail- Description is one of the main keys to adding words. When the main character enters a new room, pay special attention to what's hanging on the walls, what's sitting on the tables, what it smells like. Write in things like the time of day, the weather, cloud formations-- little things we notice on a day-to-day basis but don't really think about. Phobias- Adding a character who has a fear of animals, shadows, spiders etc. can add words as well. If the character is afraid of dogs, there's a bunch of scenes just waiting to be written with encountering canines and the havoc that follows. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:33:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10449 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10449 rainbowmaker Pardon? Tue, 11 Oct 2011 11:36:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10492 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10492 RedRen i did the song thing for any of you who are aware of the girl/boy scout/camp song "Found A Peanut", i used this and created my own verses also. +900 words including my MC groaning, gripping, and threatening the singer throughout. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:57:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_11968 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_11968 bilingual-insanity Make your character bake a very complicated cake and describe everything down to the finest details!^^ Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:15:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12282 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12282 ArborlonElf On the 2009 forums we had a very long way of writing out the dates and times. Unfortunately, that was lost to a wipe. I'll recreate what I can from memory, however. "On the twenty seventh day of the eleventh month of the year of our Lord two thousand and eleven by the Gregorian calendar, as the sun rose above the [insert landscape of choice here] in the morning at twenty five minutes past six o'clock..." Or something like that. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:27:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12506 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12506 Arlequin Something I utilized a lot last year was newspaper articles. Whenever I didn't know how to start a scene and on top of it all needed some extra words, I would have a character read the newspaper and write out two or three sentences about some completely irrelevant news item. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:41:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12773 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12773 Rinnie Long, drawn out examinations of my MC's inner feelings. Document how EVERYTHING makes him feel. Antagonist gave him a mean look? Two paragraphs detailing how hurt he is. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:42:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12813 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12813 Elementalpixie Its very helpful to have characters who naturally swear. Well behaved polite character:- "Are you joking?" My characters:- "Are you ******* joking?" Really adds up over the course of a novel! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:42:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12816 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12816 Jackdaw I have used the year of our Lord trick before. But as it was set in a Moby-Dick era New England Quaker setting, this worked. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:45:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12871 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12871 Silenia One of the oldest tricks: Have a character that stutters. Have a rather long-winded character. Make one of your characters keep a diary and write in it a lot. Have a character with a hard-to-pronounce name, and have them correct the other characters on the pronunciation of their name often. Have a clumsy or forgetful character - every part where you describe them tripping over something, forgetting something or worrying they might have forgotten something brings you words you would otherwise not have had. Or, the opposite, a "control-freak" as character (not meant as an insult to anyone), who runs checklists, mental or the paper version, out loud whenever they need to pack stuff, buy stuff, etc. Give some of your characters titles, preferably consisting of two or more words. As has been said, call characters by their full name, or if that is over-the-top for you, have a character that uses people's full names, including middle names, whenever they are angry at or frustrated with them. Have one of them sing "the song that never ends" whenever they're bored. Have one character that interrupts the others a lot, especially during stories, causing things such as "Where was I again? Ah, right, as I said before, we were walking down the stairs when...", giving you legitimate reasons for repeating whole sentences. For some quick things if you're just behind word-count, have them count out things, such the money when they pay for something, rather than just mentioning the amount. Have the characters play a game of truth-or-dare, spin the bottle or some other game like that. Especially useful for some word-padding if one of the characters involved in the game does not know how it works (thus explanation needed) or needs some real convincing to join in. Have two or more characters reminiscence about something they did together, or some major event in the past, and have them remember things differently. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:47:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12903 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_12903 pltgrl Yep, you can add a ton of words with sex. My motto is when I don't know what to write someone is getting some sex. Doesn't matter if you are good at writing sex or not because it can always be cut out in the edit. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:49:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12926 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12926 aerosimmy I first win I was writing the chapters as "Chapter the 1st" and "Chapter the 2nd," etc. until the end. I also tried the "picture is worth 1000 words" thing (didn't quite get that many, but it helped) and had one character explain to the other how to play Uno!, only to have taken so long in explaining it that they didn't play it because they were tired (and by they were tired I mean I was tired). Then last year's win I wrote descriptions of what was going to happen in the chapter titles (The Chapter where So-And-So gets a job; etc.) and I'm almost certain that at least half of the novel is my character cooking, eating or crocheting, so much filler! But it also got me securely over the 50k mark by the 23rd without writing on weekends. And as far as the elaborate chapter names, my English 4 teacher told me the last time that I saw him, when I was showing him my proof copy of my first win, that it was very Dickonian (though he meant Dickensian), then explained that he meant that Dickens used to do stuff like that since he was getting paid per word. So what we're doing is a rich literary tradition, just without the monetary payout at the end. :) Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:06:49 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_13288 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_13288 Callista_Hogan You know, a character who can't hear or, when he does hear, he hears incorrectly. I.e., hears "mow" instead of "go," creating confusion. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:20:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_13546 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_13546 ororo I get a lot of mileage out of the weather. Sunsets are also very good, you can paint a picture using a ton of different colors. Food. My novels take place in New Orleans and there are *tons* of restaurants with online menus that provide me with words. And my personal favorite: godammit=God damn it. Ororo Agatha Christie has given more pleasure in bed than any other woman.--Nancy Banks Smith Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:37:23 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_13852 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_13852 SophieWofy I had a character last year called Freya May - deliberately unhyphenated so it counts as two words. I also invented a band that the MCs were a fan of, so they had a discussion about their favourite songs, all of which had stupidly long titles like I Don't Know How Far It Is To Memphis But I'll Walk It Anyway - coming up with crazy titles was quite fun. If I was stuck for word count, I'd just throw in a row between FMC and her brother/mum/dad - domestics are good for getting 1000 or so words if you can't just throw in a sex scene as a count booster. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:52:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_14101 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_14101 outolumo Scheme a plot you just cant stop writing. Make it too long for 50 000 words and still reach it. Make your characters to swear in no less that three paragraphs. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:13:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_14458 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_14458 FamilyFriendlyComedy Surprised nobody's mentioned children here yet - they ask so many questions and can realistically keep asking "why" for a long time. Although I guess you sort of have that with the camp song. The hard of hearing person helps, too; especially since I'm doing a comedy that might help things. My mom recently misheard that someone who was in a car from Texas (with Texas plates) was instead in a Lexus, so it could be god. CAn a pest end up helping your situatin and provide a small subplot? What I was thought was a 2-3 time telemarketer gag where the recipient plays jokes on them is growing in my mind. Good point on the dash thing. Which reminds me, what about sllipsis? The quesiton must have been int he wrong place as I don't see it. Does "San marinoans...Marininians...Mariners..." count as 4 words or two? How would I best represent this? Commas, maybe? Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:00:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_15339 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_15339 Molly B Heh -- I was thinking today when I picked up my messages from voicemail how useful that could be. On mine, the saved messages start at the beginning, so if I saved something recently and want to hear it, I have to cycle through the previous ones. "Hi, this is Mr. Smith --" Beep "Message saved for forty days. Next message." "Hey, there, it's me, just wanted --" Beep "Message saved for forty days. Next message." And that's before I get to the actual message I want! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:03:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_15379 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_15379 RAveN-838 Over complicate everything: "And he did then, with much gusto, verily grip his fingers around the weisswurst, a german sausage made from the meat of veal, otherwise known as baby cows or calves." (This isn't mine, but a firend of mine's) Complain: "I hate so and so. She ticks me off so much. She's always telling me that I have to edit instead of rewriting everthing. I don't want to edit. I want to rewrite it. And who is she to tell me to edit? She's not an editor." Flower language: make a character that sort of rambles on and on "Her hair was every color imaginable--blue, purple, red, green, black, brown et cetera (always two words--it's proper and boosts your word count), et cetera, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, amen." Voss Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:08:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_15464 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_15464 MissFluffy There is supposed to be a space between a series of ellipses and the word after. I suppose the best thing about my novel this year -- it's all jumping about and memories, so if I don't have enough words, add another scene! 'Cause there's no plot really. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:45:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_16154 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_16154 FamilyFriendlyComedy Okay, thanks; always looked like there wasn't one but I am legally blind so it's certainly nothing new. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:45:05 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17297 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17297 PrayForAidan That's kinda hard to do when you are writing YA Fiction. Just sayin' ... Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:54:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17487 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17487 minstrelwarlock Missedthejoke.jpg Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:55:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17504 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17504 PrayForAidan Create an expository back story and make it the prologue. I plan to do this and I know it will be worth at least 1-2 days worth of writing. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:00:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17608 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17608 FamilyFriendlyComedy One idea I have that can stretch it to 50K, or help do so, is have a line or two from a real show like ESPNRadio. Now, you can use real people if they're public figures, and you don't defame them or anything, but I'm wondering, has anyone ever done this? About the only thing that would happen in my novel that would involve one would be Dan Marino being asked a question after this confusion occurs between "The Republic of San Marino" and "The Republic of Dan Marino." (His reaction to the fictional reporter would be to wonder if a former teammate put him up to that as a prank.) And, possibly an ESPN Radio report on rumors that it was the Minnesota Vikings - possibly wearing period costumes - in San marino. Although come to think of it, that can just be a generic host or spokesman for the NFL, so i guess that's not even a problem. Which means the news report is even more likely as a good method for other people to use. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:01:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17626 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_17626 amino Thankfully I haven't needed this up to now... and trust me people, I've TRIED doing all of these things... but in the end it's usually easier for me to not use tricks like dream or sex scenes. However, I HAVE used the repeating character: he said something three times, in different ways each time. He was very entertaining. And a squirrel. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:33:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18259 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18259 BrandonD Great idea! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:39:57 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18379 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18379 BrandonD Have lots of Word Wars against your friends. This can force you to write if you really want to beat them. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:43:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18441 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18441 thecandiedmango Nah, just use clever (or not so clever) censorship. See this delightful link for a clear example: http://writebadlywell.blogspot.com/2010/09/romance-week-4-convey-sensuality.html Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:44:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18465 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_18465 leolewis The best place to find words? In a book of words: The Dictionary! (Or Thesaurus. I usually prefer the Thesaurus.) Choose ten words you've never heard of before and work them into your story. Not only will you sound smart and high-brow, you will gain ten extra words, plus all the words you used in trying to build a place for those ten words to go. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:08:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18977 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_18977 Amethyst Star One of my favorite tactics has been a story-within-the story where a character or two are watching a movie. It's a nice diversion from the rest of your novel to come up with what's going on in a movie (writing the ends of cheesy romance movies are my favorite) and can get you LOTS of extra words. And one I plan to employ in another story which may or may not be written: Do two characters hate each other? Practice your creative insults by having them verbally slug it out! "You pompous, egotistical, lying sack of horse crap!" "That's rich coming from a lazy, self-centered, hard-hearted, back-stabbing, no-good blah blah blah!" ...Plus, if you can't think of anything to write, start up a chapter which won't make it in the final cut of the book (if ever finished/published), but is enjoyable and allows you to play with your characters a bit. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:42:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_19664 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_19664 eaglewings51 OK, here's mine. --Songs. I inserted Beyonce's "Halo" and Destiny's Child's "Independent Woman" in their entirety into last year's NaNo. It wasn't entirely word padding though. It really did fit! "Halo" was actually inserted into the novel twice! --Think. I got stuck in a couple spots and so I would just have my MC think. It was thinking about a guy (the girl was in an abusive relationship) so I basically had this for several paragraphs: "He is a wonderful guy. He can be so nice some of the time. Goodness, why can't he just care about some of the things I care about? Or at least not act like their stupid? I try to pay attention to what he likes but he just doesn't care. No, he does care. He can be so nice when he wants to be. Why can't he just want to be more often?" And then later: "This life is going crazy. We could get really hurt! How can we go on like this? This is just plain crazy. Why are we doing this? We’ve just got to get Dad more votes. This whole town will go to pot if we don’t do something. It’s already going down the tubes. We’ve got to turn this around. If Vance gets re-elected, who knows what could happen. Look at what he’s already done in just three years. He’s already got at least one other council member corrupted. He’ll get the rest of them in three years! We’ve got to change this. 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.' It applies to women too. We can’t let evil triumph. Even if it means we get hurt in the process. Thank God I’ve got Kyle. I don’t know what I’d do without him. He’s been my strength for the last few weeks. He’s amazing. I can’t believe he’s helping with all this. He’s … … he’s great. He’s really cute and hot too- no!! I won’t fall for him. He’s great, yea, but it’s too soon. What if he turns out like Sam? I … I can’t risk that. He’s helping Dad. I doubt he likes me in return. He just doesn’t want Vance to win. I guess when you really believe in a cause, you have to fight for it, even when it seems like you’re losing the fight. We can’t lose this one. We have to keep going. I … I … I have to help Dad. I can’t let this fight be lost. It can’t all be for nothing, can it? I don’t know. I’m so confused." :p It really helps boost your word count. --Write a sequel and call it "part 2". :p I'm not sure if I'll be able to stretch the plot I have into 50k words but, I have a great idea for a sequel to it. So, if I can't stretch the first plot into 50k, I'll write the sequel as "part 2" of the novel. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:32:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_20653 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_20653 IsBreaLiomCaife I refuse to pad my word count. The reason for this is that I like doing as little editing as possible later, and if I wanted to write 50,000 words I won't use, I could do it in less than a week. So here are some tricks for those of you who hope to keep most of what you're writing: -If I'm going to include a song or prayer, I determine whether I would add it if I weren't doing NaNoWriMo. I actually put more of these things in during the rest of the year than I do during WriMo. -I write description in a very formal style anyhow. I don't use contractions or abbreviations. This is what I was taught in school as a child when dealing with research writing, and I just like novel writing in a formal style. It works for me. I do this year-round, not just during NaNoWriMo. This also sometimes does include a more formal style of dates, though I'm usually pretty vague about the actual number day unless it's an important birthday or holiday. -I know they say "don't edit until December," but that's them. When I edit, I end up adding more words than I take away because I tend to find places that aren't entirely clear when I read through. If you're like me, you can edit to your heart's content. The one thing I'm somewhat nervous about is Open Office. I've always used Works in the past, and works generally underestimates your word count compared to the WriMo counter. I guess I'll just have to do a little extra to compensate in case OO doesn't do me that favor. *sigh* Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:41:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_20842 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_20842 saluk Dialog. Last nano I was stuck with 10k words to go and only a day or two to do it in. I ended the month with 2 of my characters having a 10,000 word conversation. Wasn't hard at all. Just let your characters ramble! Write your scenes multiple times. If you aren't totally happy with a scene, and are a bit stuck with what will come next, take the scene you just wrote and "edit" it. But instead of erasing the words, or tweaking it here or there, start over and rewrite the thing in a new way. You may end up with a better version of the scene, but keep the words from the first version. This slightly goes against the idea of not editing, but it does double your wordcount, so its a fair trade I say :) Similar to the above: rewrite an existing scene from another characters perspective. This is a dirty trick that can sometimes be used as an actually cool effect rather than a trick. And it keeps you from having to worry about what will happen later in the plot. Change perspectives to either a new character or a character you never meant to be a POV. You can always find someone interesting in your world to write about. If they actually tie in to the story at hand, that's a bonus. But it's certainly not a requirement! Have someone act out of character, or do something that's bad for the plot. I had one of my characters just start going insane. Fun to write, but had to cut it later. But to keep it from derailing my story, when I went out of "need more words" mode, I just kept writing the story as if that hadn't happened. And I added a paragraph of about 200 or 300 words explaining to myself how that section of the story didn't really happen and I had just added it there because I was trying to write a lot of words, similar to this run on sentence that I am writing here to explain to you guys how I was able to add a lot of words by writing a scene and making my characters start going insane.... you get the picture. That said, I am going to try NOT to use any dirty tricks this year. I really don't think they are required, unless your idea is not actually big enough for a whole story. In which case you should add something to your idea to make it big enough. I ended up with 50,000 words alright, but didn't even get to the plot. And I actually DID have an idea what the plot was going to be! And due to the dirty tricks I had to cut at least 10,000 words. So I ended up with 38,000 ish workable words, and no story. I would much rather end up with 50,000 words that, even if it's not the whole story, at least makes some progress. Something that I feel good about editing and expanding later, rather than last years story, where "editing" would basically amount to writing an entire book. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:59:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_21179 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_21179 Petey1214 When I was a student, I would try to work in papers I was writing for class into my story. That way I could double dip with class and NaNo! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:24:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_21604 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_21604 GELane Definitely a good idea. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:53:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_22705 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_22705 eaglewings51 Yea, I also try not to do too many dirty tricks. Like when I put songs in, it's because I actually want my characters to be thinking/singing that song. Or when my character thinks for several paragraphs it's because I want my readers (if I ever have any :p ) to get inside her head. No contractions - that's not really a big deal but seriously, if you ever publish it, I garuntee you will change it to a contraction just so it sounds smoother. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:34:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23105 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23105 nonight Descriptions can add a lot to the word count. Try and research before writing about certain objects or situations. The more you know about something, the more you can describe it. For example have one character need to describe a government system to some lengths to the MC or explain how to use a type of weapon the character hasn't encountered. This can also work for introducing new characters. Having a current character know about the new one and having to explain about them. Also wriing small bits of information about the character throughout the story to unravel a mystery about their personality or actions. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 23:50:44 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23263 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23263 TJDumplin I don't have a plot yet and may do some genre hopping this year. It just occurred to me that I need 100 topics of interest. If I write 500 words on each topic (only 2 pages) -- I will reach 50k. I can imagine having characters discuss something of interest to them, or disguss characters' strange quirks. Pirates or pirate reinactors are good for word count. Also, have a character ask what flavors of pancake syrup are available at a restaurant. This would work with candle or incense fragrances and any number of things. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:35:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23592 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_23592 Stasisesque Sex! I can't quite believe I've completely forgotten about sex. Thank you for saving my characters' libidos. :D Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:30:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_25099 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_25099 FamilyFriendlyComedy I agree about not trying to do too many and wanting it all to fit. I really think my comedy idea could be easier for me to get to 50K than if I'd used my baseball in an alternate universe one. Instead of lots of description of games, and character's love of it even as the 25th man, etc., there's only so many words you can use to describe a beautiful spring day, sliding on wet outfield grass, etc. - especially with me being legally blind and so not catching as much as some people do. But, with comedy, you can do Abbott and Costello routines and have so many misunderstandings - combine a sbubborn boss who wont' listen to his subordinates when they try to explain, and you can actually have someone ordered to question a Lexus instead of someone named Alexis during a robbery investigation. Then you can do the looks and reactions of everyone involved, and insert some jokes about arresting a car. Such things may appear out of place if you're trying to be totally serious, but when you think of all the misunderstandings that can occur in real life, Wed, 12 Oct 2011 05:44:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_25619 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_25619 stephensdemise Little kids! They're always full of questions. When you answer one, twenty more follow. And of course, there's always the opportunity for a tantrum. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:42:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_32630 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_32630 SilverSlippers I'm thinking of having my main character be a history nut; that way I can go off into tangents about the history of the fantasy world that I created and have my character narrate it and it can still be in character. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 14:57:57 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_32863 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_32863 Merdyff I'm planning on inserting a medical student that is busy writing her thesis. She would be completely irrelevant to the story, besides the fact that while writing, she would be wondering from time to time what happened to the MC, who had to go into hiding. And of course, really coincidentally, her thesis would have the same subject as mine. I won't really do it to boost my wordcount, as the past two years, I had no trouble reaching 50k with my stories, I'll do it because I know myself well enough to know that I wouldn't do any writing on my thesis otherwise in November. A little tricks I used last year: - Just write down whatever you think of. Can't find the right word? Write down your own thought process on finding it. 'She was watching him with a look on her face that was... Well, how would he describe it? It was as if she knew something he did not. Mysterious? No, that was not really the word he was looking for. [Other word.] No no, that was not it either. Amused, that was the word he was looking for. How stupid he could not come up with it sooner.' In the edit, that became: 'She was watching him with an amused look on her face, that made him wonder if she knew something he didn't.' (I really couldn't find the word, but just went on writing.) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:39:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_33445 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_33445 saluk Here's one trick I used last year that I WASN'T upset I had used when I was trying to polish the story later. It's called "aaaand scene!" When stuck, just end the scene however you want and start a new one. If you think of how to properly write the scene later, you can come back and pick up those words. Or just fix in post :) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 15:58:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_33759 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_33759 Maddie Hydde I'm pretty sure this one's been said, but make up a bunch of long titles for songs that your characters might like. But also this one: make one of your main characters have a long and detailed dream, or be a sleep walker and do some crazy things while their unconscious. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:22:05 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_35066 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_35066 Tyler.C.P. XD Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:35:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_35275 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_35275 ElementalBlood Have music be VERY integral to the plot. Having your characters constantly listening to music and writing out the lyrics upped my wordcount by about 5k to 6k. Plus it gives you the best chance to de-stress and sing along while you're doing it. :) Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:57:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_35634 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_35634 spottedleaf1995 Breaks in chapters :) in Microsoft word, you can fit 89 ...'s on one line. You can't do them frequently, but one or two a chapter go a long way. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 18:55:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_36533 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_36533 GabrielleLaRue I'm not really one to use tricks. I keep a spreadsheet and the cell turns red if I haven't hit 1667, which makes me sad. xP I am repetitive a lot in my writing, but that's genuinely on style, not trying to be longer. Even when I write in NaNo off-season I do that. Word wars. All. The time. Even with myself. Seriously. Set a timer and keep a spreadsheet with how many words you got in 10 min and try to beat yourself. I really aim to have a workable novel at the end, so filling with BS isn't an option and defeats the point for me, haha. Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:22:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_38602 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_38602 nycelle Have a character have a crisis about what to wear. I like this one because it doesn't need to be pure padding (depending on your character, obviously!). Last year I had my character enlist her roommate's help in trying to find the right outfit for a work event, and when I went back to edit it, I left it in and ended up adding to it because it did show how much she'd neglected both her roommate and her appearance in the previous few years. It did also mean she could talk for a few sentences about what kind of event it was going to be, what she thought of the people there, what she was afraid they would think of her, and so on. I stopped just short of describing her entire wardrobe but I also got a few words out of describing the outfit she finally went for. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:44:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_41983 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_41983 teninches Oh my god, this is what I did all the time last year. It's really good, because it makes you continue to write instead of getting stuck. The bad thing for me, though, is that I forgot to delete it at one place while editing... Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:13:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_45405 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_45405 teninches This is my favourite thread. My god I love it. What I did last year was to write a lot of dreams. It can turn out very well and they can really contribute to the plot sometimes. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 11:15:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_45423 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_45423 moonmomma Have the characters listen to, watch, or read a news report about something going on in the story. I've also gotten a lot of mileage out of characters explaining what's going on to other characters who have just come on the scene. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:29:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_46339 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_46339 Wolfme Threaten my characters with the Hunger Games :D Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:18:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47019 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47019 Wolfme You read any YA Fiction recently :D Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:23:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47078 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47078 WholeHeart I tried the dream sequence thing once last year.... The dream turned into a nightmare, which woke the character up, which made him realize that he had to go to the bathroom, which made him go out in the woods alone in the middle of the night (camping sort of situation), which made him hear a strange noise, which made him investigate the noise and meet two new characters, one of which was planned to come in later and one of which wasn't originally planned to exist at all. And those characters brought in another couple of characters later, too. So, yeah, that dream scene helped my word count and my plot immensely. A potentially useful variation on the dream scene is the character-talking-in-his-sleep scene. I used this once last year and it caused a revelation that turned a minor character into a major character. Of course, somebody should be listening, so you have to write in an explanation for why one character in the room is asleep and the other isn't, and then what the second character thinks about what the first one is saying, and maybe a confrontation between the two later involving what the one said while he was asleep. This one is from my husband--give a character a habit of quoting passages from the Bible; use the Amplified version. I personally think it would be more useful to use the King James Version, if you can make the passages fit in well, since the King James is in the public domain. Fewer added words, but not as certain to be edited out. I've done the song thing a few times. One time I made some characters who were part of a club adopt a theme song (not anything new; I like old songs that nobody knows who wrote them for this purpose) and sing it nearly every time they got together. Another time I made one character on a hiking trip sing a whole bunch of songs just to annoy another character (word count boost from both the songs and the other character's sarcastic comments). And another time I had a character sing a really long ballad that I just made up off the top of my head in response to another character's singing a folk song, because they were from different cultures and of course the first thing they would do on meeting would be to share some songs from their own cultures, right? I think I was just a bit short on actual plot-driving ideas that day. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:30:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47167 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47167 soretudaaa I do most of these things, and in addition, I just make my characters sneeze (yes, sneeze) a lot. It sounds weird but, hey, you get a bunch of words! See: Character A sneezed, (add random description). "Bless you" Character B said, (random description). "Thank you", ChA replied (something something). ChB smiled. "You're welcome!" (something something more). It's incredibly useless and dumb, but it works everytime. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:02:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47591 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47591 Wolfme i personally feel that to put a whole song in just to pad the words out to be counter-creative. The song lyrics are not my own work, no matter how much they fit what I want to say anyway. Instead it would suit me better to take the message and feeling of the song and try to rewrite it in my own words, this could end up with more words than the lyrics of the song. I do want to seriously consider getting published, though. Having that extra extra chapter sounds like a brilliant idea and may inadvertently create information about your story and take you in directions you never would have normally. All that being said, with this being my first Nano/writing this much full stop, I might find myself in a few contradictions. :) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:17:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_47788 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_47788 N. Wolfe Not sure if trolling or just brilliant. :|a Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:26:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47886 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_47886 Wolfme Where's Rupert Giles when you need him? :D Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:30:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47923 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_47923 Kaister_Azira Okay, have to ask: Whats a word war and how does it work? Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:35:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_51704 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_51704 PelicanGoddess I love books with chapters that have "In which..." Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:07:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_52812 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_52812 AsYouKnowBob My diploma from my university says, "To all to whom these letters shall come, greetings:.." I love long-winded formal royal announcements and greetings and decrees, etc. Running gags. Have someone get ticked off at another person's habit, phobia, tic, etc. and the other responds in a certain way. This can be another running gag, or just something that happens often. If you write programs, write out a program. If you compose, compose a verse or song. This is just as well, because songs that others have written have meaning only to the one writing, and only the person writing can hear the music. I never could get the same experience as the writer intended when they copied a song they believe is popular. So writing your own song (whether there is music or not) will work as well as or better than using someone else's. And you don't have to worry about copyright problems! Food: describe fixing a meal, eating a meal, the arguments or macinations about meals and eating; daily stuff. have a character take a drink of coffee at a regular interval. Or something similar. This can also be used to build tension. If a character is doing something over and over again, it builds tension. Kind of like the music for the movie _Jaws_ (du-duh.....du-duh...du-duh....du-duh....dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da-dun-da--DA-DA-DAAA!!) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:46:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_53179 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_53179 Kiyene An epigraph? That's actually a really good idea. You don't even have to actually write it. Just copy and paste, yet it's still completely legitimate. However, although it might work for NaNoWriMo, I don't think it would be counted in literature. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 22:33:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_53556 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_53556 gardenswing This really is a dirty trick, but when I'm stuck, I write fanfiction of my work. So I write an entire scene that recounts the time they inhaled magical pollen which made them act high all the time. It's fun, but by the time it's done, I'm quite ready to get back to the real story. :) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:35:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_54330 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_54330 .Interrobang. This is a good idea! Thanks for the suggestion. I need to force myself to do that instead of revising as I go. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:49:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_56741 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_56741 Rie Ooh good tip, I'm planning on doing something like this if I ever get stuck. Might get my muse back. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:11:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_56937 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_56937 AniRemi NEVER fade to black. Is your MC sleeping? Eating a routine meal? Having sex? Walking home? Staring at the wall? Tying a shoe? Write ALL about it. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:37:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_57177 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_57177 Nardaviel Related: The NaNo word-count program counts hyphenated words as just one word, so put a space after the hyphen (e.g. word- count instead of word-count) for an extra word. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 10:36:21 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58330 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58330 ScreamingWaffles LOL that made my morning tyvm 8'D Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:04:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58618 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58618 boysloveboys I... I never thought of that. .__.; Especially since mine has potential to be music fanfiction about a band, I could even extend the initial quotes into full-blown lyrics. AW YEAH. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:17:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58763 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58763 boysloveboys I was running out of steam on my novel last year. I decided to stop the main story where it was and write a bonus sex scene. It turned out to be nearly ten thousand words, and I wrote it in no time at all (because I write smut all the time ahaha), so I was able to pull past 50k in time. I highly suggest this method. Especially when the main characters just need to DO IT already (aaahhh built-up tension) and aren't going to get there any time soon. It's a nice NaNo stress releaser. XD Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:21:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58805 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58805 boysloveboys I do this as well, but mostly for longer passages. It's also nice during non-NaNo noveling, because you can always look back and take things from cut scenes to use later. :D I think it's a method most writers need to seriously consider. We don't realize just how much of our thought process is lost forever due to a single press of a button. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:24:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58846 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_58846 boysloveboys Seconding the <strong>NEVER DELETE ANYTHING</strong> method. NaNo is about writing 50k words, but why don't many people count those long passages they've deleted? You wrote them! Just put them in a different color or brackets to set them apart from your main text. Not only do they help word count, you may want to use parts of them later—which I definitely did with last year's novel. It's a habit I keep outside NaNo as well. Another one: if you feel you're losing steam, switch gears and write something different. It can still be related to the story, but no one says you have to write the story in sequential order, if you're one of those types. I wrote a bonus scene last year, and was even considering doing background short stories for some of the characters but never got around to them. They help to keep your enthusiasm up. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 11:34:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_58954 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_58954 mercgirl Oh that's good....=P Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:12:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_59404 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_59404 Revolutionaren Don't really know much about a particular topic? Don't really want to research it in fear of being trapped by Wikipedia? I make it up and then make the writing a different colour, so I'll know to come back to it and replace it with accurate information in the edit. By making it all up, you can ramble on and worry about it later :) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 12:43:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_59755 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_59755 Yorkgal create profiles about as many characters as you can, include everything possible, from appearence to personality, talents and pet peeves, put in everything you can, not only does it give the reader background info to help with characterisation, it increases your word count by tons- particularly if you add it at the begining of every chapter!! Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:12:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_60175 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_60175 Leprechaun Basically, people race against each other to either write the biggest number of words in a set amount of time, or write a set amount of words in the shortest time possible. The Word Wars, Prompts and Sprints board is full of them, and last year, a lot of people hosted them on NaNoWriMo's twitter. :) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:16:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_60222 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_60222 cdyard My main character is a retired secretary and an unpublished writer. So I plan to have her write the first chapter of her new book, right at the start. Plus, usually I avoid description but now I'm going to write TONS of description. Oh, and the backstory will be part of the story itself. That's not cheating, it's just boring... :-) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 13:46:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_60674 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_60674 IsBreaLiomCaife It is entirely possible to win NaNoWriMo without caffeine or word padding. I've done it twice. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:30:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_61255 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_61255 Wolfme Okay I've succumbed to thinking of a dirty trick to pad out your word score and it can be fun yet a little bit sad if you do well in it. Have your characters play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Essentially you're testing your movie knowledge but writing down every step of the way. A lot more padding if the a character doesn't remember Bruce Willis' name and in trying to describe what film he was in, the other character(s) name random people. Unfortunately, the film isn't even a Bruce Willis film! Rules to the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon (the less geeky version) 1) Name an actor who isn't in a Kevin Bacon film (Bruce Willis) 2) Using actors and films/TV shows connect the two together. Bruce Willis/Matthew Perry (The Whole Nine Yards) - Matthew Perry/Danny Devito (Friends) - Danny Divito/Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) - Jack Nicholson/Kevin Bacon (A Few Good Men) Admittedly you could cheat and use IMDB but where's the fun in that. The more 'intense' version is for people who know a huge amount about the film industry and entertainment as a whole and can use real life relationships and such. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:53:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62135 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62135 Wolfme Actually, that's a really cool idea, for editing purposes. Unfortunately, changing colour of text doesn't usually add to your word count but does make your manuscript pretty :) I might actually borrow that idea. You can have it back when I've finished with it :) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:01:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62234 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62234 Wolfme Try procrastinating with words instead. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:05:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62279 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62279 BabbityRabbity Do you mean to tell me that there is, somewhere, a NaNo musical?!?! Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:45:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_62765 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_62765 writethewrong I plan on using the book idea. And it's even easier as my character is a terrible writer, so I can write badly! Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:52:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62857 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_62857 animeHrmIne Have a ton of secondary characters that are always referred to with two or more names. I know quite a few people like this IRL, so it's completely realistic. It's especially common with very common names (Aaron B, Aaron C, Sara M, Sara F, Sara T, etc.), and for gender neutral names (Girl Chris or Boy Chris, Girl Erin or Boy Aaron, Girl Mica or Boy Mica, Girl Dakota or Boy Dakota). It's also common when the student has siblings, from what I've seen. And refer to them long-windedly, if you can: "Chris Tucker's sister Kate, not Chad's girlfriend Kate." Also, have a lot of random arguments that lead into what your scene is actually for. Have your characters walk into the room discussing the political situation in Turkey in the 1970s, then swing them around into the topic that you need them to discuss. It's how actual conversations work, and unlike in the publishing world where they cut all of that annoying blether, we can use it to our advantage. Actually, that's a good idea -- look up a bunch of guides about how to write, and then do the opposite of anything that makes writing more concise. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 17:49:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_63501 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_63501 BBWolf Last year I had: 1. Really long chapter titles, which either mimicked the title's format ("The XXX of The Main Character") or started with "In Which..." 2. A shy, stuttering, scatterbrained, overly polite character who took forever to say anything 3. A verbose, sarcastic, faux-serious narrator who was a bit like Lemony Snicket 4. Long, largely pointless but amusing conversations 5. Cameos by Doctor Who characters and pop culture references 6. An entire chapter that mimicked the "She's a witch!" scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and had little bearing on the plot at large Fri, 14 Oct 2011 18:28:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_63917 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_63917 minstrelwarlock I second the stutter. Scrivener reports that in the 5500 words I have so far for my most recent project, I've used the word "um" 39 times. And that's a character with not a whole lot of dialogue, AND the impediment isn't too prominent, so it's not too ridiculous to think that if I have a stutterer in my NaNo that in 50,000 words a full 1000 of it might just be the word "um." AWESOME!! lol Fri, 14 Oct 2011 21:08:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_65687 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_65687 LOTR_junkie6 Huh. What a coincidence. I was writing also writing a lengthy paper for school last November, which was a large part of my grade. Strangely, one of my character's names happened to be an introduction into methods used by the U.S. government to assimilate Native American children, and yes, the character always went by his full name. I wonder where that came from... Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:02:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66204 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66204 LOTR_junkie6 The musical needs to be on Broadway immediately. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:03:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66217 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_66217 lennyathena What I did last year was I'd include a "quote" from a "famous published work" at the beginning of each chapter, which was supposed to be relevant to what happened but was basically an excuse for me to write cryptic pseudo-symbolic stuff. I made them as long or as short as I wanted them to be, but usually they were pretty long... ;) Then at the very end of the book when I was gasping for word count I had the "great idea" of making an appendix. So I alphabetically listed all the "famous published works" I had "cited," along with all the quotes I'd written for them. That alone added about 2,000. Now I feel kind of bad for doing that, but in case any of you wanted to... you know... draw inspiration... ^_^ Fri, 14 Oct 2011 22:45:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_66584 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_66584 The_Seventh_Sage Last year when I figured out "don't use contractions" it was SO hard NOT to write them. I had to go back and split up the words and when I typed them, I had to remember how not to contract :P. That one is one that I applaud and encourage deeply and greatly :D. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:33:05 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_67299 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_67299 The_Seventh_Sage Love you :D. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:40:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_67326 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_67326 The_Seventh_Sage LOVE this idea. I love dictionaries and thesauruses. I will definitely do this one :D. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:46:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_67359 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_67359 The_Seventh_Sage I did it last year. Well, I don't drink coffee (it makes me tired), and I'm not really into word padding because it's cheating (to me). Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:50:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_67373 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_67373 Rattraveller Put everything you can into the 50,000 words. The point of NaNo is not to write a novel but a first draft of a novel. After NaNo is when you edit and try to figure out why you put all that stuff in there. Of my previous three after editing and rewrites one ended up at less than 35,000 words, one ended at 62,000 and well I am still rewriting last year's. Point is sit down and start typing, scribbling, scratching, fingerpainting or whatever and get at least 50,000 in 30 days. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 03:19:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_67867 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_67867 bethieboops I like this idea. Because I want my 50k words to be worthwhile words, even if it isn't a complete finished novel at the end. So ending scenes and starting new ones because I am stuck will probably be par for the course this November. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 05:47:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_68424 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_68424 Inachis Well, my character's a musician, so she writes songs and composes music and constantly edits them. From there you get exceptionally good monologues. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:41:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_69146 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_69146 writethewrong I like that idea. I could make a musician secondary character. Hmmm... Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:08:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_69853 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_69853 marielaurent_2223 Write and never quit writing with thinking up more plots, ideas, and scenes with characters for my novels is what i do for me of course while listening to music or watching movies while writing. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:49:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_70254 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_70254 ElaineG This is what I tell everyone I know all the time all throughout November. Many don't believe me. It's a rare author (and I've heard of only one in my lifetime) that sits down and writes a first draft that's a finished publishable novel. And, omg folks, it's about having FUN! I write best when I'm amusing myself. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 09:53:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_70295 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_70295 ros77uk An ancient prophecy which has to be read or quoted by every single character. Then of course it looks as though you are really clever, because the prophecy foretells what is going to happen at the end of the novel (even though you only thought of the extra line on November 28th). Mine was 104 words long, so when I got writer's block I would have my FMC run it through her head and ponder on it. Hah! Last year I even put it on the title page. Ros Somerset, UK Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:57:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_71749 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_71749 marija daniilova And then in CAPS LOCK write why that was so horrible and you are refusing to erase it. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:01:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_73761 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_73761 Rohahnya Have your characters engage in small talk - do they go for coffee to discuss a specific plot-related topic? well, they have to order the coffee so they discuss what they want with the waitress and then have the discussion, getting up to leave they bump into someone they haven't seen in a while so they update each other on what has been happening lately. I don't really consider this as padding the wordcount because it helps to develop well-rounded personalities. Bracket an idea of what you want to portray when you hit a roadblock [this is where i want James to have a brush with death] This way you can always come back when you decide how you want the scene to play out Hit a roadblock and you can always go back and find places where you can further expand on your descriptions - I don't consider this editing since I'm not deleting and rewriting - I think of it as enhancing my story. I write with pen and paper on lunch at work - when I get home and start to type it up I always find extra descriptive words to add to what I already had written. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 15:46:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_74312 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_74312 HanaRama amazing. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:41:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_78146 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_78146 Dallas Laine I'm going to have to remember these. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 22:09:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_78388 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_78388 myviolettears Have really long chapter titles (eg. Chapter 1 - How to get kicked off a top secret mission in two thousand words.) Describe EVERYTHING. The smell in the air, the recently painted wall, the clouds in the sky. Sat, 15 Oct 2011 23:29:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_79011 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_79011 dancer_kirsten Well, you can always just use 'replace'. That's what I did: write all the contractions anyway (because it's easier) and then tell Word to replace the contractions with the proper full versions. Fast and easy &amp; made for a huge word boost at the end of NaNo when I badly needed it. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:54:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79548 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79548 dancer_kirsten This officially made my morning. I now want to send my characters on an intergalactic culinary trip. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:58:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79565 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_79565 dancer_kirsten I'm going to do that kids'-thing this year: my MCs' kids are just entering that 'why' stage as the novel starts. 150K, here I come! (And I'll probably end up driving my MMC nuts in the process, which is fine with me). Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:04:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_79588 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_79588 Aeiouna Last year I employed a few tricks that might be cheating, but I hope not. 1. Forum postings. There was a discussion involved, and parts of earlier posts were getting quoted. 2. Also, I had my characters play with an Ouija board, which caused words to he spelled out. MS Word (and maybe the NaNo site) counted each spelled out letter as a separate word. This year my MC is writing a novel, if I need a boost I'm including excerpts of the novel she's writing. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 04:57:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_80542 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_80542 Aeiouna Adding on to my second point, phonetic alphabets: "A, B, E." is three words where as "A as in Alpha, B as in Bravo, E as in Echo" is 12, quadrupling your word count. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:07:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_80605 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_80605 one25centpeice That's a splendid idea! I think I have that somewhere in my NaNoJournal. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:53:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82664 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82664 one25centpeice They should have a 'like' feature for the comments. However, they do not, and so here you go: one25centpeice likes this. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:54:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82671 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82671 one25centpeice word-count = 1 word word- count = 2 words word - count = 3 words The Impeccably Frustrating, Time Wasting, Stressful Event that Takes Up All Of Our Time: NaNoWrimo's, Horribly Accurate and Evil Word - Count Program = 23 words Sun, 16 Oct 2011 09:58:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82706 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82706 one25centpeice Ah, caps lock. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:02:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82739 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82739 shhbabe Works especially well with faulty technology. Can end with "This is ridiculous! Would you please upgrade your phone!" "You want me to do WHAT with a clown?" "Argh!" *Character* hangs up, resolving to never again do anything but text *OC* until he gets a smart phone. *something happens* *Character* finds himself dialing *OC* again. ...And we're off again! Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:07:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82786 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82786 shhbabe But get creative with it! Instead of "Smurf you!" make it "Smurf you and the smurfing horse you smurfing rode in on!" Oh yeah, I'm from New York Smufing City; you'll have to forgive the blue talk. (I groaned as I typed that.) Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:10:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_82807 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_82807 shhbabe To count everything as separate words for NaNo, you need the spaces. The spaces around ellipses differs based on what manual you're following. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:12:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_82827 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_82827 celiacprincess EPIC WIN, right there. (: Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:25:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82960 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_82960 natethegreat3508 Last year I literally popped into my story a few times to talk about how much trouble I was having with thinking of what to do next and then saying something like "Oooh that's a good idea" right before I ended my monologue of self pity. Occasionaly my MC would come in and tell me to pick up the pace which would then lead to us bickering and adding more words. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 10:31:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83025 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83025 SpottyRainbow Get your character to ask for directions and then the other person ask them to spell it out. "Do you know where westwood street is?" "Can you spell that?" "W - E - S - T - W - O - O -D S - T - R - E - E - T." "Sorry, I don't..." Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:11:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83432 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83432 Crashdistract Best thing to do is if you have a character that swears, but you don't want a lot of slang profanity is to use Shakespearean insults. http://www.mainstrike.com/mstservices/handy/insult.html Not only does it boost your word count, but it adds some ingenious creativity! Also, your characters can start using the insults back and forth :D Thou mangled knotty - pated flap - dragon! Talk about a word count boost (if you put the spaces between the dashes...or just forgo the dashes entirely). Especially useful if it's a medieval-type novel. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:55:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83894 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_83894 angel2161 This is my first year doing Nano Wrimo but whenever I would write books I: -do not use contractions. -have my characters bicker a lot -describe everything and anything -have a party -have FMC heartbroken and write about her and how depressed she is -and a lot of dreams Sun, 16 Oct 2011 11:57:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_83926 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_83926 OlenaRinaeBBB What saved me last year was breaking the fourth wall, a lot! The last day and I had about 7,000 words to go, so I just wrote what popped into my head. It wasn't pretty but it got the job done. The format was basically this: "Diana hopped on her bike and headed to the store to get ice cream for the pie that was waiting at home (Inner thoughts here such as : Oh my God I Freaking Love Pie! I wonder if she has blueberry pie)." Also, what helped was to not even think about names if you don't have one. On that last day I didn't have a name for the doctor, so I named him the first name that came to my mind, Which just happened to be Dr. Sweet Cheeks McGee. Which happened to be 4 more words. Anyway, good luck to you all. :) Sun, 16 Oct 2011 12:50:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_84544 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_84544 riddikulus-grin Have a character who is a deeply religious believer in Islam. Whenever Mohammed (PBAH) is mentioned, rather than an abbreviation or a star after it, write the full Peace Be Apon Him. Adds to the count! (Do not mean to offend anyone!) Sun, 16 Oct 2011 14:37:35 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_85946 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_85946 larelmian Yes, there is one right here on my laptop. Actually, it only has three musical numbers -- including some characters randomly dancing when their author (I believe that was Chris A.) got writer's block. Another was sung by the Traveling Shovel of Death. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:50:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_87534 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_87534 krazikrys I like to use the "strike" feature. This way, when December comes, I see it stricken, and I KNOW to delete it. Also, using another color doesn't hurt either! Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:00:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_90823 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_90823 natethegreat3508 Hooray for breaking the Fourth Wall. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 06:34:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_94399 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_94399 thefensk I was considering giving my MC a certain name, and then realized that it had some confusion associated with it, then just as quickly realized that the name will add to the word count because I can USE that confusion as the MC explains it again and again and again to every new character that crops up. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:59:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_95127 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_95127 thefensk I like this one ... I used to work in a convenience store and could get really involved in giving directions. Even better if there are a couple of other customers there who disagree with your directions and start giving alternate directions, then you argue with that ... I have actual life experiences here that I can bring into play. In real life I even had a guy who I got into a heated discussion with regarding the validity of his directions ... then he came in a couple of days later and apologized saying he had driven it my way and I was absolutely right. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:07:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_95218 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_95218 Blueocean Open Office is nice, but I hear that the Word Count in Open Office counts ending quotation marks as a word. So if your novel is heavy on dialogue, then you might find a larger discrepancy than if you're more focused on narrative. That being said, I use Open Office and love it, though I would be just as happy with Word. You'll be fine. It's still the same amount of words. The whole word count thing is psychological. You're not writing any less, it's just being counted differently. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:35:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95507 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95507 Blueocean I totally agree. I can't bring myself to "Word Pad" either. I refuse to write something that I KNOW I'll be editing out later. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:36:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95517 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95517 thefensk Oh, and weather ... don't forget about weather. In my last novel I had a very climatic scene that took place during a raging thunderstorm. Worked very well because it was part of the canvas upon which I painted my action. And it created quite a bit of extension. I read about that after the fact too ... perhaps in Chris Baty's book or maybe it was on the nanoedmo site. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:52:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_95670 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_95670 a_coocoobrain your characters could be fans of Panic! at the Disco. They have ridiculously long song titles, like" There's a good reason the tables are numbered, honey, you just haven't thought of it yet" Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:14:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95873 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_95873 RobertLent Never say in 5 words what you can say in 10. I put together a document with the word "banana" repeated 50,000 times. Took me about 2 minutes. I did it just to see what 50,000 words would look like. I'm willing to pad my writing, but banana 50,000 times over was a bit too much, so I deleted it. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:54:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_96350 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_96350 Kyra S-C I really try to use things that are relevant to the story, which does make it some what hard. But this year, I've found a way to do it - My MC is going to have a journal. Since the story is in a 3rd person limited narrator, the journal entries will allow the reader to see into what the MC is thinking. Plus, it allows for rants. I will also be including letters from the MC to different people in her life, and their responses, as sort of openers and closers for the chapters. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 13:29:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_98831 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_98831 Serendipitist Give your characters strange fashion habits. I have two Rivetheads, a Gothic Lolita, a character who dresses like Ophelia from Hamlet, and another that wears pretty much whatever I decide to describe. Including red organza tutus with silver sequins. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:20:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_102080 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_102080 Elycium that easily made my night right there. I'm still wiping away tears of laughter Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:21:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102094 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102094 Ichigogrimmjow Good idea and I LOVEE you profile picture! :DD Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:56:49 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102518 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_102518 albnutty Dr. Sweet Cheeks McGee is a *great* name. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:02:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_103402 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_103402 Rogue_Flower My characters are very much involved in the rave scene where there are plenty of people in crazy outfits. Actually I'm hoping to get a lot of words out of writing rave scenes; there are tons of opportunity for description in the music, the lightening/ambiance, the people. Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:31:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_104650 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_104650 zmonsterz I am entirely guilty of overusing the dream sequence idea. Last year when I was behind OR if I was getting bored with the scene and wasn't sure how to end it my MC had a dream sequence. My character subsequently had lots of vivid, bizarre dreams which left her going 'what the heck am I on?' Mon, 17 Oct 2011 21:06:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_105090 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_105090 BritannianAngels While I know that S. Morgenstern didn't actually write all -- *discreetly checks book* -- 105 pages of three years passing, it's a great trick. Don't just have a time skip when you can detail every second. :) Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:01:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_106695 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_106695 i_am_the_sarah_3 That's a pretty awesome motto. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:28:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_109199 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_109199 Tower_Keeper Include this story... <a href="http://joke.culture-world.org/Children/Pink-Ping-Pong-Balls-9909.html" rel="nofollow">Pink Ping Pong Ball Story</a> Include lyrics of songs like 99 Bottles of Beer on the wall, include all verses. Not only write out the full character's name each time but what job they have, where they work, and where they are from. For example... "Time to get home," said Dr. Winston Patrick Holmes, Chief surgeon of Thorasic Surgery of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Hospital located just north of exit twenty five in phoenix, Arizona...mind the beggar under the overpass. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:35:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_113922 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_113922 thatollie You want to know the very lowest, down and dirty, trick that I have ever pulled to increase the verbiage of my story and you want to know for free. Very well, I'll tell you but I'm not proud of it and I expect it go no further than this thread. I have been known to write excessively verbose passages of prose that add nothing to the content of the story. It's simple to do, this english language of ours is extremely versatile and you should have no problem expanding upon the basic information that is required for a paragraph to make sense. Embrace excessive verbosity, use all those adverbs and adjectives that those literary types in New York says kills the momentum of a story. Why use one sentence when you can use three? This is the advice and the example and my gift to you. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:19:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_146999 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_146999 a_coocoobrain Most of my characters are only about 13-14, so a sex scene is probably not the greatest plan Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:19:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148746 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148746 Notkieran Finally! Someone else who gets a wordcount boost on editing! I honestly don't see why so many people are down on it. Sometimes it sounds like a mind control chant-- you know, like a crowd of footie hooligans all going "No editing! No editing!" Thu, 20 Oct 2011 18:40:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_149952 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_149952 until_death Well when I was writing my book about assassins and I got really bored OR felt that the book was too short, I would send my pair out on a mission and explain in A LOT of detail how they killed them, what each victim felt, etc. I got rid of all that in the editing because it was waaaay too long, but it does add to word count. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:09:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_150353 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_150353 Dark_Stardust Well...guess who's gonna have a LOT of those sequences? 50k words in 5 days, here I come! Okay, I'm exaggerating, but still, a girl can dream, right? Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:22:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_151351 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_151351 Captain_Emily Fight scenes are one of my favorite ways to pad word count. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:14:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_159100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_159100 Pretentious I always use long dreams sequences, brilliant for letting creativity fly, and they don't even have to make a lot of sense. Songs, letters, poems - I do believe have all been mentioned. I concur. Thanks for the some of the posts in here guys, some great tips. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:20:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_159193 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_159193 Pretentious Never thought as weather as particularly good for adding to word count but it is, and the only reason I didn't think of it is because I do it without meaning too. Excessive description of weather is great for atmosphere and can be pulled off quite easily also. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:23:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_159226 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_159226 LadyKelien That was my go to song when I was pregnate. The nurses in the labor room always thought i was nuts cause I would sing found a peanut or make this little noise with my tounge to help me focus through the pain. It was great. I never thought a song about a peanut could get you through some of the worst pain in your life but it can. I don't really have any tricks. I just write. Well I guess I have one. I know I need a certain number of words each day to meet my goal and I know how many words need to go into each chapter. 6000 a day/ 11538.4 per chapter. So one chapter should take me about two days with a start on the next chapter on the second day. So... If I finish a chapter with less than the 11538.4 words then I go back and find places where I could have been more discriptive. But, Im only allowed to go back and edit to the point of hitting 11538.4 words. Once I hit that for a chapter I must stop playing with it and get on with the next chapter. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 12:26:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_159268 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_159268 thatollie Don't you love repitition? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtN1YnoL46Q&amp;feature=related Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:48:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_160269 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_160269 zombie.girl Ha, my narrator talks just like Lemony Snicket. It really helps. Thanks Sloane. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:59:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_160408 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_160408 zombie.girl Have characters who constantly get the lyrics to songs wrong. "SHAWTY WON'T YOU COME BACK HOME!" "Maya...it's Johnny won't you come back home..." (My Chemical Romance - Bulletproof Heart; in case your wondering...) Just have random sing-alongs. It's hilarious the word-count i get with it. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:03:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_160469 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_160469 writergypsie This can be used for lots of stuff. Set up a code for long names, such as JTM. Type the code instead of the name, then use Find/Replace to change it. That way you only have to type the long name one time and add lots of words. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:36:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_160924 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_160924 writergypsie "Hoo-ha" has to be the best euphemism ever. *dies* Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:39:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_160959 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_160959 G.B. Walker Doesn't this all rather defeat the purpose? The purpose isn't to satisfy some requirement; it is to produce something decent in a very short period of time. If I followed all these word-boosting suggestions, my writing would sorely suffer. Sorry, but this all seems rather silly to me. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:54:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_161856 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_161856 thatollie G.B.W: we understand what you're saying; but think about it like this, the only way to develop your skills is to write (a lot) and these tricks are a great way to do that. Becoming a better writer is (in my opinion) the main goal of nanowrimo anyway, and if there's a trick that'll get you there then you should use it. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:16:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_162126 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_162126 MelonyLouise My book has TONS of dream and sex scenes just from the nature of the story, I'M FUCKING SET! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:58:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_163330 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_163330 mertzenicha Definitely doing that this year. I'm using cake to start my NaNo novel... it will make for a delicious month, indeed! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:42:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_163843 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_163843 Syrina I think once I finish my outline (or shortly before midnight on the 31st, whichever comes first :P) I'm going to go back through it and note places where a sex scene might fit. I mean technically I could just put one anywhere, but I'm sure some scenes would be better than others! Then, when I run short on words (ha! like that's gonna happen, says the woman who started out writing a prologue and still isn't finished 20k words later....), I can just go back and add a sex scene where I noted it! Or, if I get *really* desperate: "Meanwhile, in a land far far away, which our characters will never visit, two people, who our characters have never met and who have nothing to add to the story, meet in a secluded glade...." and you get the idea. Bonus: very easy to cut when editing starts! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:01:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_164093 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_164093 SteveBremner OMG, the very mention of the word hoo-ha caused me to experience a brouhaha lasting more than 4 hours! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 19:47:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_164712 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_164712 Aunt_Dew This could work very well for my story, given the prevalence of letter writing at the time it was set. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:38:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166002 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_166002 bookclu4boys This is my first year, and my first attempt at writing but I always like little quotes at the intro of each chapter, songs, poems add character to a chapter and if you are desperate could even be a recipie. I read a series that had directions for crochetting different projects for each book. (whatever the project the main character was working on in that particular book.) I don't knit or crochet (sp?) But I thought it made the book all the more quaint. (I've been on bed rest four times (four pregnancies)... and have plowed through books... often limited to ones my mother-in-law brought or my mother. Some I would have never picked up on my own... ) Where were Kindles in those days?? Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:59:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167423 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167423 Linchy How do you actually do this? I've been searching for it but can't find it. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:05:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167456 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_167456 Linchy Haha, that's actually pretty funny, especially if they're really into Islam and get really offended when nobody says it in full. Or when in return to Assalamua'laikum, they respond with the full 'Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh' which is the full version, or vice versa. I have to use the full version when addressing my Islamic tutors xD Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:23:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167524 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167524 Linchy Have an extremely pessimistic character that always complains or moans excessively and drags on the details about how bad their life is, how things can go wrong and how bad they are in general. Something similar could be is when one of the MC's is sick and they are in a really bad mood and they explode into a rant about how bad their day was or something or start some stupid lecture they themselves have no idea about. xD I plan to use both. :P Sat, 22 Oct 2011 01:27:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167541 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_167541 Syrina I've only done it in MS Word, in the older versions, but if I remember correctly.... Go to either Options or Edit, and look for the autocorrect option. One of the tabs there will have a table with commonly misspelled words and what Word corrects them to. There should be a space for you to add your own. So, if your character is John Michael Jones Smith, the Fourth of his name by the Grace of God, you could set the autocorrect so that every time you type 'John Michael' or 'JMJS' (whatever you choose to shorten it to), it will automatically correct it to the whole name. I've only done this on Word 2003 and older, so I don't know how other programs do it. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 07:55:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169546 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_169546 Haute Ecriture I agree with G.B. COMPLETELY. While G.B. is wrong that the purpose of Nano is to "produce something decent," the purpose is to get your to write. Adding extra words simply for the purpose of adding extra words is NOT writing. I doubt quite seriously that writing a character's middle name every time, or adding in a list of colors when you've already said that something reflected a myriad of colors, etc., will actually provide a writer with any constructive experience. This is not National List-Making Month. And seriously, if this is all you're doing to make the word count to "win," then you may as well win by submitting a copy of a collection of old emails you wrote added on the end. Either way, you're not really developing a story, so why waste time with that sort of "trick"? My two cents. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:21:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171835 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171835 Haute Ecriture Better yet, have two characters argue over what the proper translation is! Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:31:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171973 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_171973 Haute Ecriture This is my favorite suggestion yet, since it's "cheating" in a way that is entirely constructive for the writing project, which is what this whole effort is all about. My one hesitation with this is that this is supposed to be a month for writing and not editing, so one should not be looking for passages to cut and rewrite, though of course I know myself and I know I am going to write somethign and think, "That was total crap. I'm going to write it better." And in this case, I'm going to hold fast to your rule: do not erase anythign. I like what is suggested below about either highlighting it (like in red) or using the strikethrough format, so you know those are "rewritten" passages. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:38:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172048 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172048 thatollie Okay, so some of the tricks won't provide any constructive experience but I think there are some tricks here that do provide it and those were the ones I was referring to. Dream sequences, stories from the lives of minor characters, excessive description, and random humour don't really add anything to the actual story but I would say that they are writing. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:42:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172087 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_172087 smith_cl smith_cl Likes this Reference to earlier post that I liked Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:45:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173518 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_173518 Lokiva I don't normally have many problems reaching word count goals because I write in a very descriptive fashion. On good days, I can write about 2k words in two hours or so just by describing everything in clearer detail than necessary. I find that if I describe everything clearly I can then go back to the novel at a later date and take out the detail that it doesn't need. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:21:57 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_176231 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_176231 S.Berry I'm surprised nobody's mentioned jokes or parables or fables or myths or legends. Have somebody hunting for Bigfoot or who claims to have seen him. Go into long, involved detail about who Bigfoot is, stories the characters have heard about what others have seen. Have somebody visit some local abandoned house or hospital or something that's rumored to be haunted and go through the whole story of the murdered nun or the sorority girl who commited suicide because her boyfriend dumped her the night before a big dance or whatever. Then have characters tell stories about what happened to various people they knew/heard about have told about going in there and what they've seen. If you're writing sci fi or fantasy, tell about the myths and legends of your world or one that a character is from/is visiting. Have a character who has to tell a parable or a fable about *everything*. Or a just plain long, pointless story that may or may not have anything to do with the price of apples. "That reminds me of the time my brother..." I hadn't thought to do that myself until just now, but I have used jokes. Have your characters sit around the table or at a bar or something drinking and trying to one up one another with jokes. I had a joke telling pirate my first nano. One character was on the ship not entirely by choice and got terribly seasick. So one of the pirates would stand with her at the railing and try to distract her with bad jokes. It perfectly fit the plot and it really boosted word count. Because of course, they also got into discussions about where he'd heard the joke, how stupid it was, etc, on top of the jokes themselves. You could also have somebody forget the punchline or set up and be trying to remember how it went, with other people breaking in to correct them or complain about them ruining the joke. Also, always write all numbers out. In most situations other than dates, it's actually proper. (Or so I was taught; it might have changed by now.) "Joe has 160,551 pencils." is four words; "Joe has one hundred sixty thousand, five hundred fifty one pencils." is eleven words. I do that as a matter of course year round. It looks better to me. Sat, 22 Oct 2011 17:47:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_176529 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_176529 ig_nobleigh There was a note somewhere on these forums pre-website change about how Open Office adds to your count, but you can make it stop doing that by going into the Autocorrect options, Localized Options tab and unchecking replacing quotes. Then the Open Office counter actually gave me three less words than the Camp Nanowrimo counter did! Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:18:00 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_178322 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_178322 Blimpofevil Have a character who can't speak. This means for every single "word" she "says" you can go into a detailed description of all the hand motions, with the other characters yelling out suggestions like in charades. So instead of: "I built a robot!" Marie cried! (Six words) There's this: Excited Marie pointed to herself. "You" said Goldie and Marie nodded. She placed one fist on top of the other, then repeated the geusture with the other fist. "Umm, umm built?" Golie guessed. Marie nodded long hair bobbing up and down like a buoy in the sea. She then started moving her hands and feet in a block-like, mechanical motion. Goldie though for a second. "Robot?" Marie jumped back nto normal position, smiling. "You built a robot!" 77 words. Boo-yah Sun, 23 Oct 2011 04:45:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_181600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_181600 Normana For NaNoing students, especially of the college/university variety: when you're stuck doing midterm papers and other such essays in November, have a character conveniently need to write that essay. I'll admit to doing this in the past, thanks to school making me fall behind. Once I had a character's printer break, and I was like "it said ALL THIS, [insert essay here] except the words were all blotchy and wavy and weird!" Hey, it's stuff you wrote in November, and if you can work it into the story, it still counts! Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:34:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_182661 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_182661 IzzieLostHerMind Include a character who, like, speaks like a total, like, valley girl, you know. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 10:29:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_184393 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_184393 Danielle Abigail Maxwell Perfect. I love this idea. Loki can say something in Russian and Phillip can go "What did he just say?" Shang will say "He just told you to kneel." Eugene "No, he just told you to kneel... *bleep*" "I just told ALL OF YOU TO KNEEL." PERFECT! Thank you all of you for implanting as many random and crazy ideas in my head for this year. I'm going to need it. And am going to thoroughly enjoy it. :D A random novel, HERE I COME! Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:45:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_209508 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_209508 Danielle Abigail Maxwell I remember NaNo counter last year was 13 words off my MS word. I can't remember which way, but I got to 49,998 words and was like "uh..." and I added "the end" and got 50,000 words exactly. :D Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:15:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_209915 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_209915 Danielle Abigail Maxwell My whole novel is about Disney Princesses and Loki and Thor from Norse Mythology *movie verse though, because I know nothing apart from that, but w/e. I like imagining Loki as Hiddles. lol* So, adding as much research of Norse mythology as I can should be fun. :D In fact, all ten official Disney Princesses are going to find themselves on seven of the nine realms *excludes the realm of Fire and Midgard, which they had already resided on* and that'll be entertaining for them to learn about the realms they got thrown into, and then of course, heated talks between Thor and Loki, Odin and Frigga in there too - the whole lot. :D Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:41:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_210239 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=5#forum_thread_comment_210239 Jennie Mars One of my characters is teaching herself how to read (post-apocalyptica, post-technology world). She has a pile of books that she reads aloud to herself when she's alone- S..so...the...there's... a...lo...lout?...a...lot...o...off...of...t-t-thiss... gouing...onn." Each letter counts as a 'word' ;) Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:53:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_210374 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_210374 tarynstanley I'm going to have to remember this since mine will cover a huge span of time and many locations. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:13:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_211590 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_211590 Umbellifera For some reason I write better when there is nearly nothing happening (which means, alas, I'm no good at action scenes) so this year I am going to try to only write scenes where people sit around talking to each other, think, build lots of tension, and everything moves slowly. Hopefully it won't be that bad but stuff HAPPENING just does not, ever, ever work for me so I'll try to go with writing stuff that I like. Slowing down is a good way of building word count. ... And my MC is going to read through job ads and commentate on them, which is something I could really stretch out.. ...someone with a passion for retail and customer service... She scribbled over the square of newsprint with her pen. 'If I was something other than a passionless cold blooded monster, even then I'd order stuff off ebay, hang stupid outdated twentieth century capitalistic retail. And customer service my foot. What, the customer's involved in service to what? Or is the service involved in servicing customers? Isn't drug trafficking and being a hitman customer service too? I have no idea. But I don't like it. Next one. Junior kitchen hand, Central Business District...' etc. But I probably won't get that desperate. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:05:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_212217 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_212217 writer-in-transience The tricks are for those times you can't think straight anymore. Instead of just sitting and staring at the page, you use a trick, write SOMETHING. You aren't going for "decent," you are going for continuous. Stream of thought. To quote Chris Baty quoting Hemingway, "sh*t." Not that there won't be passages of decent, but there's going to be sheer crap too. There always is. To use your mind, find a trick, play with words--that is useful in the long run, not so much in the short. You are training your brain to produce fiction, and that's good. Whether or not it belongs in the end product. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 02:57:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212525 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212525 Timaticus I love your dp. I haven't used a fight scene before, however I had a random race between two bus drivers while heading to school one day which took other 5000 words. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:37:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212785 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212785 Taosaur I'm partial to "howdy box" myself. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:01:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212953 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212953 Taosaur You need to get you some Google Voice! If you can check your email or go to websites on your phone, you can use Google Voice for voicemail and see all of your voicemails transcribed, and listen to them out of order. Of course, your characters don't have to know that ;) Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:07:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212997 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_212997 katalina OMG I should NOT have read that at work. And it gets funnier the longer you think about it - oh the imagery! Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:02:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219139 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219139 lovebites I had like ten of those. One thing that reaally help though is getting inspiration from either real things that happen, or real dreams you had. :) lol you'd be surprised. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:12:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219301 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219301 lovebites I wonder how you came up with that.. hmm. I'm going to ask a public bus driver is he's ever raced before.... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:15:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219347 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_219347 amino amino likes this. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:44:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_221742 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_221742 Armaita You could also create new types of swears. For example, in the story I'm thinking of doing for this year, one character mutters a phrase "low ground" and then has to go into a mental explanation for the reader...that sinc he is from a mountainous region, 'low ground' is the worst place you can be; it is indefensible, you are likely to get crushed by falling rocks, and spring thaws might carry you downriver and dash you against rocks or drown you outright. Word count for normal swearing, in this case "damn it!" = 2 words Word count for strange idiom/swear words = 27 words Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:43:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_222606 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_222606 hazelrose I looked for this feature in MS Word 2010 and it's right in the home tab on the far right, under Replace. Absolutely awesome, thanks for that great bit of advice. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:33:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_223291 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_223291 WittyandorIronic Sorry Syrina - That is the incredibly difficult way. LoL. A much simpler way (In Word) is to type CTRL + H (hit both keys at the same time, or go to your home ribbon on the far right and click "Replace", or in older versions go to the edit screen and click on "Replace"). This will cause the Replace window to appear. Type in the word you want replaced on the first line, and the word you want to replace it with on the second like. Click "Replace All". Ta-Da! Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:52:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_227322 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_227322 TJDumplin Character discusses all of the strange "e-hows" or makes up odd ones. Character writes detailed ettiquete column or book for zombies and other odd characters. "Do not eat brains when victim is doing calculus homework, however home ec. homework is acceptable and victim should have yummy brains." Character tries to decide what types of on-line classes to take -- search about.com, etc. for listings of classes. Make up strange courses..."2,000 Uses for Ketchup", "Becoming a Life Style Expert for ... Tibetan Monks, Finger Paint Artists, etc." Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:38:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_227571 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_227571 Gamma Orionis Insert a lot of inner monologue or dialogue. Either give your main character a really difficult decision that s/he has to make, or just have him/her be a really indecisive person. Have him/her go back and forth in his/her head over whether something's a good idea or not, repeating him/herself... and since it's all in his/her head, it can be as incoherent, meaningless or repetitive as you want it to be. Even after pages of mulling over a situation, things can stay exactly the same and you can just pick up the story and continue. It worked for Shakespeare when he was writing Hamlet, after all. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:17:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_227893 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_227893 oceansong99 Tack onto the end various scenes that don't actually happen yet but are floating around in your brain. I know I make alot of notes of potential scenes and conversations. Those DO count and help you in finishing the piece. I don't personally believe in BS tricks to get my word count up. That's only cheating myself. I don't look down on people who DO use them, but I don't. I do, however, allow myself to write crap that I know will get dropped in the rewrite.... like 4 000 words on a trip to a salon. I needed to write it to get it out of my head, but I don't think every detail is important to the overall flow of the story. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 07:37:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_229286 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_229286 ArtsyGal I did the whole Contractions thing my first year. I had finally gotten to the end of my novel after much stress and frustration. I ended it the way I wanted and I couldn't think of another single thing to put in . . . . . . . and my word count wasn't high enough. So I scrolled back through THE WHOLE THING! and undid ALL the contractions I had used!!! And I think it worked, in the end I think I only had to write a few more paragraphs to up my word count enough to finish :D Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:50:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233199 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_233199 tyburn_cross I have a short paragraph at the start of each chapter. Just something (usually either a monologue from one of the characters or an excerpt from their personal diaries.) It helps to flesh out the characters a little, and give some background or technical detail that would otherwise clutter up the main writing. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:08:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_233487 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_233487 SteveBremner Well, like, kudos, like, to, like IzzieLostHerMind (who obviously, like, didn't) for, like, beating me by 3 days with, like, "like," like. I used to have to listen to boring talks, and passed the time by calculating the average uses per minute of "like" or "y'know." Word count "enhancers" might wish to recreate my all time record holder, the character who sent the count through the roof by peppering his speech with the phrase "y'know, like, y'know." Let's not forget a first page which includes "FIFTY THOUSAND WORDS APPROX." and "- A NOVEL" which only leaves 49,994! And did I miss it, or has nobody yet mentioned this one, which I'm sure has been done by WriMos of yore: The auditorium held its breath as little Mary Sue, aged six, reached up to the microphone, pulled it down to her level, and confidently began: "Antidisestablishmentarianistically: A, N, T, I, D, ... " Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:29:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_234788 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_234788 WileJ When I need to catch up on word count I use absolutely no contractions. I extend out names as much as possible (which worked great with my sci-fi novel every time I needed to mention the various organisations or the character's authority codes. Probably added 150+ words just be doing that. Otherwise I overwrite on purpose. I tend to be really succinct when I write descriptions, so I would purposely start describing room layouts or the garden/weather in added detail which had the added benefit of helping me understand the geography better. Another example, if the story is in first person, I would pull a full Bella Swan and overexplain the emotions in my characters head (I'm only picking on Twilight because it is so terribly overwritten in the emotional aspect. Do I really need 100 pages of 'Edward's so beautiful. Why do I love him so much? Probably not.) Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:48:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235119 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235119 WileJ I have not done that one yet, but having a spelling bee is brilliant and such a word muncher, especially if you internalize the thought before you have the character voice it. It's like two for he price of one. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:50:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235151 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235151 Elluna Hellen You guys just made my day, and gave me a few ideas xD Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:55:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235249 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_235249 savvythewritergirl Ok, someone MIGHT have already said this, and this isn't exactly a "dirty trick", but I have learned recently that when I mouth the words I'm typing it makes things move a lot faster and it somehow turns off the internal editor in me. :) Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:59:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_239274 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_239274 Jedi_Shepp Detailed recurring dreams with a slight change in each that is not only noticed by the dreamer (or narrator) but heavily elaborated upon. When all else fails, a Groundhog Day series of events where only one MC or a handful of characters are conscious that events are repeating. I know I won't be using either, since it isn't conductive to my story. Though I do find the idea of writing out some dreams to be a benefit to the story as well as a word booster, since one of the MCs will have difficulty processing what's going on. Glad I popped my head in here. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:17:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_240520 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_240520 Jedi_Shepp Or, from one of my favorite scenes from Sam and Max: Hit the Road - swear in longhand. S&gt; "Percent sign, ampersand dollar sign." M&gt; "And colon semi-colon too." P&gt; "What are you two @#^$# doing?" S&gt; "Swearing in longhand, asterisk mouth." Wed, 26 Oct 2011 19:34:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_240786 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=4#forum_thread_comment_240786 Skenvoy Very long chapter titles. Like: Chapter One, in which we learn the origins of Messrs. Paul Montgomery Jones and Timothy Francis Blythe, and they begin their exploration into the Grecian hayfields before meeting one Mrs. Angelina Frederickson who continues to have an impact on their respective lives throughout her time on Earth. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:19:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_242346 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_242346 CyainePhoenix So far *knock on wood* I haven't come up short. Last year I started with a goal of 50k and hit that on the 8th. I think I finished at about 253k on the 30th. My characters were wordy. Then again, so am I.... The tricks I used, if anyone wants them... I just wrote... if I got to a point where I could not for the life of me figure out where to go next, I switched character perspective. Not just the MMC or FMC, but some of the support cast as well. Needed more drama? In comes another character to mess with everyone's happiness and safety. (and boy did he!) My characters were pretty well determined on how they wanted the story to end up (it was supposed to be a horror novel and turned into a love story) and I got a lot of detail and wording just form them fighting me on what came next. They were fairly good and making logical, wordy paragraphs that made point R go between points G and H, so that I couldn't take it out and put it back where it was supposed to be. Also, when I came back to the writing the next day, I took time to read the last four or five paragraphs I had written (or more if I needed) to get back into the flow of things. It put my mind back where it needed to be after so long away from it. Sometimes I would see where I had forgotten to talk about something, and I could jump in with adding it. Other times, I could see where I was leading up to something, and finish it. Sometimes I realized I had gone off on a tangent and I could correct the flow back to where it needed to be. Music, sets my mood and scenes. i had a play list last year for the novel, and I would set it to shuffle, and allow the music to help set what I was doing... this year it will be a little different because I have varied tones, so fight music during a romantic scene might not work well. (although, given the MMC, it might)... Find something that makes your brain take off in one direction along your novel and just write to it. Some people do well with worded songs, others need instrumental only. Find what words and what speaks to you and your characters. Build everyone a playlist if you need. (I do that when I RP) Word Wars... I did a few of these last year, and they really did help. I usually used them for doing that one scene that was eating at me because I hadn't gotten there yet. I know a lot of people will tell you not to write out of order, because it is hard to piece things together later, but when I did this for word wars, I found it got the scene out of my head, and cleared up the thinking to focus on what I was supposed to be doing. And piecing it in later didn't turn out to be as forced as I had thought. Find a writing buddy and have a friendly word war with them. Last year I picked someone at random and compared my word count to them, and kept trying to beat them. Some days I won, some days I lost, but in the end, we both had insane word counts (and she was none the wiser as to what I was doing.. ) Along those lines, go to write-ins. I made as many as I could, and it gave me the support and change of scene I needed to kick my brain into working. Plus, you have a bunch of people cheering you on, and you're less likely to skip writing when you have people who are going to ask you "what have you typed today?" One of my roomies last year couldn't have cared less what I was writing, but he knew it meant a lot to me, so every day started with "what was your word count last night?" and I got tsk'ed if I was under count. Know your story, or know where to find information on it. I find it is easier to pound out a lot of words when you know what you're talking about. This doesn't mean you have to be an expert on swords in the 10th century, and there are forums for that kind of info, as well as google. However, knowing you want to talk about how your character has a sword from the 10th century and what it means to them and why they have it on their wall, or under their bed, or in their car... that makes typing easier. I don't mesh well with outlines, but I tend to know the general flow of the story. Also, if you're typing and something comes up and you want to do research, set a time limit. I usually gave myself ten minutes to find the information I wanted, before I highlighted and went on without it. Don't knock your characters. What I mean is, if they want to go off for 800 words on why the sword is a fake, let them. Don't question it until later. If you go back and find out they knew more than you... woot?... If not, you can always add in (in the edit) why they are full of it, from another character who can point things out. Most of the time, I let my characters ramble on like they know everything. The less they shut up the more interesting it gets. (sometimes they ramble stuff I know isn't right and I can instant edit in a correction via another character). Get to know your characters. They can help you, or hurt you. I know it sounds a little mental and white hug-me jacket to say things like that, but honestly, the more you know your characters the easier time you have. I have found, trying to get a character to do something they wouldn't do, is the fastest way to shut down my creative flow. And then I have to figure out what went wrong, and fix it. I had one FC that shut down completely and had to have another FC talk to her and find out why... made for some interesting side story as well, but could have really lost me a few days if I hadn't made them talk, because there was no getting her to do what I needed her to do. Keep a notepad or a voice recorder with you, so you can make notes about your ideas when you are away from the computer/typing device of choice. No matter how much you think you will remember that idea from the bus ride to work/school come 5pm, you likely won't. Got great ideas while running on the tread mill at the gym? Probably will fade a bit when you get home. Wake up at 4am with a great idea you had in a dream? You realize how fast that will disappear when you brush your teeth in the morning? Notepad or recorder. Make use, my friend. My personal suggestion, look at your word count only once a day, once you are finished for the day. Like weighing yourself for a diet, the more you do it, the less you are focused on what you need to be doing, and the more stressed you can get. If you pop everything into the word count and find you are 500 words short.. work harder tomorrow. Once you are done, be done, or you will burn out. Get a ritual. I find this helps writing. Some people have writing hats, some have a cup of tea/coffee/soda/juice... Some people have a writing spot. Whatever it is, find a ritual and use it. Once that sets in your brain knows it is time to focus on writing. Me, I started with the same song every session and a glass of mt. dew white out. (this year I will be using Dr. Pepper 10) Do NOT Facebook during writing time. Thou shall not FB whilst thou should be writing! Trust me, it eats more than your soul. That's about it, that I can think of. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 23:54:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_243638 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_243638 yehwellwhatever Just remember that you need spaces after the punctation, or else it's all going to count as one word in the validation. Good idea, though :) Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:12:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244073 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244073 jenifar_kd There is one Mega Cheat which has been used in movies and television shows. The famous 'Groundhog Day' cheat. Yes, you stick your character in a timewarp and redo the same hour/event/day multiple times. This goes from a plot cheat to a Mega Cheat if you do it like this - 1 write the scene 2 copy 3 paste and edit 4 paste and edit 5 paste and edit ... 11 paste and edit... ... 135 paste and edit ... LOL I haven't used this cheat myself as it's just too naughty. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:26:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244144 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244144 imightdiethismonth Hoo-ha is what my 3 year old calls it lol Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:33:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_244191 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_244191 liliaevermore SIMILES, ADJECTIVES AND METAPHORS PEOPLE. If you're going to do description, do it right. She had long, blonde hair. - Moron: 5 words. The girl had long, tousled, gold - blonde hair. - Slightly less of a moron: 8 words. "The rosy - cheeked little girl with the twinkling, sapphire eyes was famous for her impossibly long, effortlessly tousled, sunshine - gold locks. She always kept them knotted up in a hairstyle uncannily similar to an angel's halo, and her gorgeous hair meant that little Rose Elly Mae was quite a celebrity in her small town, the people's princess, and even if her character was slightly sour compared to the sugary sweetness of her angelic appearance, nobody particularly cared. She made haircare business owners nearly have pulmonary embolisms from pure shocked joy at their discovered fortune; indeed, her hair's golden colour would bring in real gold for whoever harnessed its marketing power. However, this little story doesn't have a very happy ending ... The dysteria surrounding Rose Elly Mae's hypnotic locks was deemed out of control when Rapunzel's spokespeople announced that enduring the sight of Rose Elly Mae and her sunlight hair had started up her self - harming problem again. Little Rose Elly Mae was deemed a hazard to national security, and now lives in an undisclosed location, rumoured to be a Siberian cave, where the shining gold has apparently blinded several of the polar bears in the surrounding area. Oh well, such is life." "Al, are you sure you didn't just make that up?" "Freddy, I would never *hic* make things up just to *hic* give the listening public an enjoyable story whilst inebriated. Not that I am *hic* inebriated at all." "If you say so, Al man. By the way, whilst we're on the subject, what did they do to that little girl's hair?" "They shaved it off and sold it to make wigs for bald men." Ominous silence..."So a random, formerly bald man is walking around with that destructive power right now?" More ominous silence... "I would suggest not looking behind you, Freddy." "Don't be so stupid..." Freddy turns around to spite Al. "ARGH! MY EYES!" "I won't say I told you so...even though I did. Nyahhh." "I hate you, so much so that I would very much like to grill your nether regions and sell them to a grizzly bear." "Didn't you threaten that last week? And wouldn't that be vaguely impossible?" "Missing the point Al...missing the point... and nothing's impossible except you being likeable..." Travelling Shovel of Death suddenly appears. "Oh look, I've found out how to make you likeable." Al looks uneasy at Freddy's maniacal grin and burned - out eyes. "Another beer, Freddy? It's on me..." "DIE! DIE HORRIBLY AND CLICHÉDLY AT THE HANDS OF TRAVELLING SHOVEL OF DEATH!" Epilogue: Passersby idly noticed an extremely fat man sprinting as fast as his legs could carry him out of the bar he frequented, followed closely by a maniacally laughing man holding a slightly...familiar...shovel. But the passersby were used to Al and Freddy, so they just mildly ignored Freddy's smoking eye sockets and continued on to Wal-Mart to buy their electric heaters and Christmas decorations. Soon the streets were empty and the laughter diminished; only an innocent-looking shovel remained in the night - deserted town centre, leaning placidly against the red - brick wall of a house, a few red specks on its handle, but only if you were to look closely. And in Roseville, people have learnt not to look closely at things, lest your eye sockets start smoking. ~The End Of This Amazing But Nonsensical Story- AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE. *JAZZ HANDS* Thu, 27 Oct 2011 02:11:23 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244384 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_244384 Storysinger I agree, LOTR_junkie6, I would totally go see it! Heck, nevermind that, I want to be IN it! LOL! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:17:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_245051 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_245051 Storysinger I know that editing is the "great forbidden" during NaNoWriMo, but I (like you) can't resist doing it to some degree. If a section is choppy or poorly written or does not support the following sections, it negatively affects my writing, and slows me down. I will also edit sometimes if a plot point has gone in an unexpected direction, and the previous scenes have to be changed to support the new direction. Like you, I also tend to gain words during editing, not lose them, because 95% of the time I am editing for clarification, not for subtraction. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:32:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_245137 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_245137 Sakuraloli "clumsy and forgetful" along with "control-freak"--those two fit my main character's personalities PERFECTLY!! I'm sorry Shane, but you're not going to make lists all the time...and Avery, well, you were already forgetful--now you're even more forgetful!!! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 08:06:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_247186 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_247186 savvythewritergirl Genius! :D I was cracking up when the Traveling Shovel of Death made an appearance! Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:04:51 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248677 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248677 sarbonn I don't do anything to raise the word count. I write the novel as I would write a novel, wanting everything to be as presentable as possible. My goal is to be able to use it for future publication, and if I don't make 50,000 words, I'll live. But I'd rather have 45,000 words of good prose than 50,000 of sloppy work that needs to be completely revamped. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:11:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248770 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248770 ragdolltb It may have already been mentioned since I haven't read all 6 pages of posts, but many of my characters don't have names yet, so I may refer to them as "the whatever", then replace them later when I figure out their names. such as the evil mage, the alchemist, the noble knight. a small boost, but it'll help. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:11:44 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248780 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_248780 Syrina I didn't know there was a shorter way! I only discovered it by accident and figured I was pretty lucky to find that much! I pretty much stopped using Word (except when I needed the voice recognition in 2009) before I discovered keyboard shortcuts. Glad to know there's an easier way, though. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:30:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_272804 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_272804 bernie_noble I moved from Word 2003 to 2007 only a couple of months ago, and it's been driving me crazy. Anticipating Nano has been a good push to figure out some of the IMO glitches of the thing. (The Evil Empire fixed a lot of things that weren't broke) You can make 2007 produce AutoText in a way that feels familiar to 2003 by: At the very bottom of the drop-down menu click on "word options". In the word options box, click on "proofing" in the left hand column. Then click on "AutoCorrect Options". In *that* box, check the box half way down for "replace text as you type". Then type your abbreviation in the "replace:" box, and the full monty in the "with:" box and click "okay". Then when you type HRH and hit the space bar, Word will kindly insert "Her Royal Highness of Outer Ellis Island and All Its Channels. You could also use this if you have a long, hard to type place name or anything else. Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:44:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_274731 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_274731 bernie_noble I asked this in another forum, but will repeat myself here in case someone knows the answer -- How does that affect the word counter? Does it not count those, or does it count the strike through as one whole word since there are no spaces? TIA Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:03:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_275004 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_275004 bernie_noble domestics are good for getting 1000 or so words if you can't just throw in a sex scene as a count booster. ---------------------- Kill two birds with one stone.... sex scene *with* maid -- and the butler too, what? Fri, 28 Oct 2011 21:06:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_275067 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_275067 daisychains93 Actually, I think that would be a great idea anyway, just so you don't get confused and you can maybe do a quick outline of the chapter before you write it. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 00:17:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_277080 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_277080 apishcan23 I'm going to do a variation of this. My uncle asked me to write some feedback for him. So a character is going to ask my FMC (who is a writer) to help her write some feedback. There are going to mutliple drafts and lots of arguments along the way. Should help the word count and get my uncle's feedback written. hehe. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 09:06:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_281560 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_281560 TreeWhisperer When my character gets nervous, she likes to sing "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" for ten pages straight. P.S. She gets nervous a lot. Just kidding, heheheh. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:41:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_283053 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_283053 purplume I have a lot of knitting I want to do during Nano. My plan is to sit in my rocker knitting, while I speak my story, I'll pretend I am telling it to my grandchildren. I'll ramble around until it comes to me. I am a pantser, (seat of the pants writer) so, I'll say it into my phone after dialing my google voice telephone line. It transcribes what I say and e-mails it to me. Then I cut and paste the text into a word doc. In testing, I spoke 250 words in two minutes. Another convenient thing is, I can't stop speaking or the recording stops. Wish me luck. I'll be interested to see how speaking the story out loud works as opposed to thinking it in my head. XD Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:04:49 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_290748 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_290748 ivyflightislistening I agree. I don't care how much I write in the end, I just want to come away feeling like a grew as a writer. I know there's going to be a lot of garbage, but I can at least try to cut down on the potential garbage by making an effort rather than writing "Susie Jane Sharran the Third" every time I need to simply say "Susie." I will, however, throw out that I have a story I've been writing narrated by a faerie who isn't a native English-speaker. She always speaks-and narrates-with complete words: no conjunctions. Though I'm not trying to reach a wordcount with this policy, if I was, it would certainly be helpful. So there's a point of advice! If you still have no idea of what to do for your NaNo, make your main character an immigrant who is still learning the language. But yes, G.B., I totally agree. Thank you! Sat, 29 Oct 2011 21:21:51 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_291038 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_291038 SpaceMarine I spend extra details fleshing out my word. I've tried these tricks on my own for different writing projects, but my uncontrollable OCD for perfectionism makes me delete them for ruining the story. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 22:22:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_291902 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_291902 leighalove I just have to say: that is awesome. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 01:38:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_293600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_293600 mandiiminx Yeah it was a bit early in the thread to judge. This thread over the last few years has provided some awesome ideas that add to the plot. I was inspired to do dream sequences in my Nano novel a couple of years ago, inspired by this thread and it ended up being the central theme of my plot. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:13:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294214 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294214 mandiiminx That is really cool! Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:14:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294218 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294218 mandiiminx Yep, I do this. It isn't for word-padding, I just love epigraphs. I discovered them in Prozac Nation when I was 15 and now I use them a lot. I'm a serial-epigrapher lol Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:15:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294225 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294225 mandiiminx mandiiminx likes this. :D Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:16:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294234 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_294234 riddikulus-grin OH MY GOD THIS IS GENIUS! I have a mute character, so I can totally use this!! Sun, 30 Oct 2011 09:19:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_298296 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_298296 toucansamantha remember that a lot is two words http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/04/alot-is-better-than-you-at-everything.html Sun, 30 Oct 2011 10:33:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_299593 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_299593 MissJewell Must remember that. I've done that in years past, but always forget... Unrelated: I LOVE your profile picture. I went as the princess to a Halloween party last night. :) But paper bags are small and I wasn't able to sit down without ripping my costume. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 12:04:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_301148 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_301148 Meiveva Sirenice I think you can actually. I saw it in a book I'm reading. It's not at the beginning of every chapter, but rather at the beginning of each part. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:33:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_306827 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_306827 Meiveva Sirenice Nice. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:21:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309178 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309178 Meiveva Sirenice Ha, WIN! I love that blog. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:21:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309197 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309197 Meiveva Sirenice 1) Have a very OCD character who has to repeat certain phrases (e.g. "find a penny pick it up and all day you'll have good luck"--rhymes and such) thirty three times. They need certain words to be repeated back to them three times. No one understands this the first time around so there's always a lot of explaining to do. Naturally, this takes a while because it has to be repeated thirty three times, in the exact. It gets even better if they lose count. 2) Have a rambling character who basically says their stream-of-consciousness all day, every day. Everyone else wants to shut them up but can't. This leaves room for very creative death threats as well. Then make all of them extremely animated. Plenty of description in there. 3) Have a bickering couple that happens to walk by all the time. 4) The person next to the MC, whether a classmate or coworker or someone else, is constantly on the phone and dominates the conversation. 5) Have a character who is trying to write a love poem but can't find the right words, thus they have many rough drafts. Then of course, there's the person who digs through their trash and reads all the poems. It's even better if the character shreds the rough drafts then the scavenger/stalker person has to put the poems back together. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:28:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309368 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_309368 Meiveva Sirenice This is kind of, like, you know, brilliant. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:30:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_309439 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_309439 Meiveva Sirenice Genius. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:36:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_309579 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_309579 1i2like3cheese same here Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:50:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_309946 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_309946 purplume thank you Leighalove and Mandiminx, XD Sun, 30 Oct 2011 21:08:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_313295 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_313295 Borbonne-le-Bonne Hey, maybe I can do this NaNoWriMo thing after all! (lol) I've never tried this myself (first year, here), but it would also work to have your characters constantly misunderstanding each other, right? Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:49:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316184 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316184 Kate L I love doing this - especially to set the tone for the novel! I don't add it in superficially, but to actually bring the reader's attention to a theme or archetype. Plus, it forces me to stay on topic for that section of the novel. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 01:31:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316550 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316550 LondonBoyd My main characters are eight. I'm not writing shota. How would this work? ;D Mon, 31 Oct 2011 02:01:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316807 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_316807 cookie-xsawery I don't really like usin to many "cheats" because then 90% of what I write ends up being shit and I won't bother editing it. What I tend to do when I'm stuck is writing out a dream sequence. It doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the plot, but it's not useless. It's a really nice break if you really don't know what to do. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 04:04:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_318048 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_318048 riddikulus-grin Dream sequences are excellent! They are pretty much description-based, so they can take up a lot of words! Mon, 31 Oct 2011 07:59:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_321817 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_321817 Debbi I also found words in a Word Search book or a Crossword Puzzle book. I bought some at the dollar store one year because they seemed like a great idea to find ideas or prompts out of. It worked. Plus the dictionary and thesaurus you mentioned. I would open them up and just read the word lists in the Thesaurus, then choose a word to start writing with. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:07:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_331208 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_331208 Debbi Sometimes these down and dirty word tricks and keep me writing. It's a great jump start. Or free writing. Whatever you want to call it. Then I'll write something that will spark an idea to keep my novel going. Instead of sitting staring at a blank computer screen or the last word I typed, adding some words or even pages, helps get me going. Usually I try to stay within what I'm writing, but i see no reason to write out of the box. If you feel uncomfortable taking from someone else, do it yourself. Make up a group and write a song. Then have the character sing it over and over throughout the novel (stuck in the head type song). Maybe one verse at a time with the chorus. Until the character sings the entire song... And even if I think it's going to be edited out later, so what. There are things that sound pretty good that MAY be edited out later or may not be edited out later. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:12:32 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_331322 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_331322 Debbi Only if 90% of what you write is from this discussion. If 10% or even 20% is from this discussion then it won't be that bad and you will only have to edit a little bit of it. And you may find another side to a character you didn't know about. For example you may find that a character likes to sing "row row row your boat" and later is singing it and character-2 asks and the character says it's from his childhood and makes him feel better because his mom sang it to him when his dad was drunk and yelled. Because you were afriad of putting in a "cheat" you never leared that about that character or it came out different and your reader didn't connect with your character as much. Of course you may find that "row, row, row your boat" was stupid and eidt out that 10%. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:23:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_331598 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_331598 Tigers Eyes Have a journey. Where they have to ask directions many times.. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:11:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_332790 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_332790 maiden 243 word epigraph! At least I planned that bit. ;) Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:14:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_332886 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_332886 Vengeance Yes as said before never use contractions. Luckily I am expected to use formal writing rules when making essays/papers for school, which means I am not allowed to use contractions anyway. So I am used to it. But you would be surprised how many words it adds, and I think it looks more proffesional too. Probably because it is a formal writing style. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:42:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_333614 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_333614 marmar121 Here's a summary of what I got out of this thread that could be used as writing exercises and not just a dirty trick to fill a count. I think a lot of dirty tricks are good exercises and can be funny and lighten up, enliven a story. I'm posting the list so if anyone needs a quick idea in the wee morning hours and doesn't want to read, read, read- hut for this list on page 7/8- where ever it gets posted. Word Count Uppers Dream Sequence Sex Scenes Printouts- Newspapers, Menus, books Swearing Description, description, description Putting characters in the psych chair Have them watch a movie A good verbal fight with lots of insults Song lyrics Prayer Children asking questions Clothing/what to wear crisis Listen to news reports Character talks in his sleep Long winded announcements, titles and decrees Have them get high, drunk- something Give directions to a place have them get lost The weather Recipes Directions on a hobby (crocheting?) jokes or parables or fables or myths or legend Describe hand motions for a mute person Misunderstandings Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:41:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_343202 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_343202 marmar121 Sorry if I missed anyone in the list (I'm certain I did!)- I'm in the wee morning hours now and am calling it a night. Best of luck to everyone! Mon, 31 Oct 2011 22:44:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_343255 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_343255 shockvaluecola If I can't think of a word for something, I turn it into an exchange if at all possible. Example: It drew his eye, but he was careful not to look too long, to give equal time to her long legs, her hips, her truly fantastic breasts. /Apparently her hips don't get an adjective/, something in him snarked. /Her hips have hundreds/, he responded, /now shut the hell up before you make me say something stupid/. “Your hips have hundreds,” he declared. /Too late!/ Joy was giving him a weird look, and Alex saw no way out but through. “Adjectives,” he provided. She did not look less weirded out, so he tried smiling, pretty sure he just looked like a crazy person. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 01:33:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_346146 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_346146 tchaikovsky niiiiiiice xD Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:31:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_346904 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_346904 Debbi "Describe hand motions for a mute person" In a recent episode of The Big Bang Theory, they set this guy up with a deaf lady. He didn't know sign lanuage so his friend came along to sign for him. So close to the same idea. And the person signing didn't always sign exactly what the other guy said (which made it funny since it was a comedy). So now you have 3 things to write (repeat) Hearing Impaired person signing... their hand motions Hearing person saying what wa signed Second person replying Then repeat the opposite way Second person saying something hearing person signing ... their hand motions Hearing impaired person replying in sign lanuage... and describing their hand motions Tue, 01 Nov 2011 08:23:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_353912 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_353912 Arlette One very important thing you have to understand is that almost everything on this section of the forums is a joke. It's not meant to be taken seriously. Sometimes you have a bad writing day and you just need to be silly, and this forum is for that exact purpose. Sometimes it even gives you good serious ideas (I know I've had a few come from the dares). Besides, it's a first draft. It's going to suck no matter what you do. Having to edit out a little well-meaning nonsense never killed anyone, and it might give you a good laugh later on. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 10:05:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_356183 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_356183 Debbi Have your characters tweet each other with "followers" chiming in. Make up some celebrities the MC is following in Twitter and make up their tweets. Then describe this celebrity (great word count filler). Do this with each celebrity they're following. I suppose you could do the same with Facebook and Google+. Of course sometimes those you are following make great writing prompts (and not just the writing prompt actualy twitter names). Someone may say something about their kids... you could add that ot your novel, have one of your characters kids do the samething, then elaborate on that to add more words. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 12:55:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_360259 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_360259 LaylaWrites That's brilliant. I have a mighty urge to go tell someone their hips have hundreds, now. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:11:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_360870 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_360870 aquamarina2 Forcing yourself to vomit out words that you'll have to take out later is not a good way to write. Yes, you should write and keep on writing but writing out garbage is not the way to do that. When you first start out, trying to find words to write hard and you'll find a lot of time staring at a blank page and not knowing what should come out next. But putting out unnecessary garbage won't improve your writing skills. Not every words you put down should be a gem, but purposely putting down garbage is just wrong. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:21:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361283 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361283 JacenTheBard *snort* Oh lord, howdy box. That's fantastic. That may end up in my novel. Oh man. XD Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:21:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361288 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361288 johnnysteinbeck I agree. Not necessarily everything I write for my NaNo will be good, but I'm not going to intentionally put in garbage like that. It's just writing for writing's sake. 50.000 words doesn't mean much to me if I didn't reach it in an honest fashion. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:26:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361502 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361502 JacenTheBard GYAAAAH thank you for this! I actually had just posted something about hyphens and tricking Word into thinking "hastily-written" was two words, and wasn't thinking at all about the one that counts - NaNo's! But thank you so much! My two best friends are the hyphen and the comma... I suppose the easiest way will be to just write-as is, and then replace all the hyphens with spacehyphenspace before submitting it to the evil-o-tron word counter. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:29:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361638 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361638 rubywaves Describe everything as if it's crucial to the plot. I'm going to have my protagonist eat kielbasa sausage in the opening scene. Maybe I'll describe every bite in loving detail. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:31:02 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_361708 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_361708 JacenTheBard I just tried it out in Word 2007. It doesn't seem to affect word count at all, and treats it as if you were emboldening or italicizing your text. It probably works the same way for older versions of Word and Word 2010. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:37:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361933 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_361933 JacenTheBard This works for other languages as well. I'm setting my novel in a Dungeons and Dragons world, in which it's fairly common for a group of five adventurers to know nine separate languages between them, with only a few overlaps. For example, one might speak Draconic, but another might speak Supernal (the language of angels/demons and the like). If they run into a dragon, the one who speaks Draconic would be the "spokesperson" and translator, and may or may not say exactly what the rest of the party is suggesting in the common tongue. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:47:50 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_362251 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_362251 JacenTheBard Use asides. Humorous examples can be found in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (in deliberate breaks in the pace and scene to address/explain something to the reader) and Good Omens (in the form of footnotes that sometimes take up half a page). A more serious example would be The Gift by Patrick O'Leary. The novel is being narrated by a story teller, who is telling the story to entertain a crew of pirates getting restless at sea without wind. Periodically, one of the pirates interrupts him, and he tells a shorter, unrelated story (the shortest is three sentences, the longest is four or five pages) to illustrate some kind of point, and then resumes the narrative. If you don't want to break the fourth wall so deliberately, make one of your characters have some obscure reference, almost a la Family Guy ("Oh yeah. Just like that time..."), and then clue in the rest of your cast by having a mini flashback and describing the scene your character is referencing. I'm having my main character keep a journal, so periodically he will recap events that happened to him. Not a direct repetition, but there's more room for emotional ranting about how much X bothered him, even if X was not given much detail in the actual narrative. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 13:59:24 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_362655 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_362655 cheydancer You can always just do it then edit it later. I don't do the long names and things because the book I chose to do for NANO is the 2nd of a series that I'm trying to get published, so though I don't do my best writing I try to make the editing process easier on me. - Chey cheyennelynnae.com Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:08:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_365123 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_365123 Asuka Neko I don't know if anyone has already said this... but I do something that doesn't involve supreme wordiness or overly descriptive prose. I just have characters that do not shut up. Basically, make up a character who speaks incessantly, and another one who gets annoyed by said character's constant talking. And have them argue. A lot. This really does help; I did it my first year and I'm doing it again this year. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:23:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_365730 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_365730 Ithiliel Totally going to be doing this. My story takes place on board a generational colony ship called the Genesis, and I'm going to use verses from the book of Genesis in the Bible to start various sections, perhaps even chapters. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:53:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_366827 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_366827 WASampson My chances of having a workable story disappeared the moment I put pen to paper earlier today. I've already resorted to having Ethan, one of my better characters, being able to break down the fourth wall and talk to me. I don't know... It was a nice word padder though because after I spent a paragraph describing a certain character, Ethan just asked "wait a minute, that line she just said totally went against what you told us about her." I then started the next paragraph with "I lied," and went on to describe her true form. Although a plot bunny came that I want to follow, I wish it was under better circumstances. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 16:26:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_367932 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_367932 Angel15116 I'm planning on incorporating current events. This means the characters will discuss or argue about it, and perhaps attend protests. Also, one year I added a really vocal socialist character. He was always going on rants and arguing with people. He also brought in a lot of plot developments that wouldn't have been there without him. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:06:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_373603 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_373603 RenaTheArchmage My personal favorite is ninjas. Toss in ninjas (Or, for me, rabbit assassins), and explain later. A good example of how "boosting word count" doesn't have to mean crap. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:27:07 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_374254 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_374254 skai413 Using a trick purely for the fun of it? I refer to this one person as "council man" (two words) quite frequently, instead of "councilor", "councilman" (one word), or "he". That was...kind of by accident. I often refer to certain characters by rank (First Mate) instead of name (Fahd)...though that will change once I reach the editing phase, and not <em>just</em> because of the need for clarity. Apparently "First Mate" isn't the correct rank for him, depending on what resources you go by..... Also unintended. Avoid hyphenated words as much as possible. Fahd doesn't have "night-born eyes", he has "night born eyes". Avoid contractions. "Do not" instead of "don't". Which makes for some very weird phrases. Like this one, "Don't you be doing that" (etc). How the heck do I say <em>that</em> without a contraction and have it sound right? "Do not you be doing that"...? I think I had the character say "Do you not be doing that". Either way, it sounds like something one of last year's characters might say (she had a bizarre speech pattern), but for anybody else, it was strange. And if it gets annoying to type certain things over and over again, there is one bit of editing I would suggest even during NaNo: Find+ReplaceAll is your friend. --- As far as tricks that belong in the story? Well, there's the fact that I never named the councilor; he's part of the reason the plot happens, but somehow, he never managed to be important enough to the story to get a name. So referring to him as "the councilor" or anything similar is kind of necessary. And if my word count needs it (and even if it doesn't), I do have scenes told from other characters' points of view--fllashbacks from things that happened before the main story, or simply things the MC would not have been witness to--that I'd include. On the one hand, extra word count. On the other, I have something concrete down about what even happened at those times, and I can figure out how to allude to the events during the editing phase, and take out the other viewpoint scenes entirely. And it seems acceptable to occasionally refer, in the narrative, to a character by his rank or a similar non-name tag, rather than calling him by name all the time. As long as it's obvious who I'm talking about, so readers don't start getting confused.... And then there's working out the mechanics of how certain spells work. Even if I take it out later, it's there for <em>me</em> to understand what's going on. And when I get far enough in the story, I might let myself edit prematurely and start taking out some of the "fun" tricks. Give myself an extra challenge. I plan to start editing as soon as I reach 50,000 <em>and</em> finish the story, anyway, even if November isn't over yet...I'd just keep the 50,000 draft as a separate file, like I did last year. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:27:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_374273 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_374273 Syrina I had a character like that last year. He was so easy to write, too, because I would just get in character and write whatever came to me. I'd always be amazed to find I had 300 or 500 words and it felt like I'd only just started writing. Too bad he didn't show up more often! Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:16:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_375941 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_375941 LycanthropesUN Have an incredibly stupid character that needs someone to explain EVERYTHING to them. We all hate them but they up the word count with stupid. Plus you can kill the 4th wall by jumping in and yelling at them for being stupid. ;) Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:42:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_376890 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_376890 LycanthropesUN Also have a character procrastinate. We all do it and it adds words and realism~ we need an edit post button.... Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:47:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_377078 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_377078 RachelA I've been pushing myself by writing a few pages, then going back, rereading and thinking "hmmm can I rephrase this, make it a little more wordy and descriptive without seeming over the top and forced." I usually can get another 5+ words out of it. Granted it takes time, and isn't exactly a short cut it helps in the long run. :) Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:59:05 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_377472 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_377472 Arcade80 If any of your characters are taking new prescription medication that you made up yourself (great for novels that take place in the near future), have them read the info packet that comes with the meds, in its entirety. Mmmm, wordcount. Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:12:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_377921 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_377921 ArgentumHawker My character was going to eat some Cheerios. But I made him have Frosted Mini Wheats instead. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 01:27:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_382926 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_382926 Debbi Did you describe the taste of the cereal? Each bite he took? what he was thinking as he took each bite? What the area he was eatting in looked like? How he felt about it? Memories the cereal gave him? anyone there to talk to in addition to all this thinking? His plans for the day? His past exerperiences with cereal? His future plans? What he thought about what has happened so far in the novel? What he was wearing? The weather outside? The tempature inside? It all adds to word count... Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:46:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_394786 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_394786 ArborlonElf Have your character get arrested. Miranda warnings can really boost your word count, especially if the officer has to repeat it several times. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:54:45 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_395071 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_395071 HayAllTimeLow The point of NaNo is that you CAN write 50k words of pure shit. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:05:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_395398 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_395398 Chestergirl28 I have a chatty French woman who says "Yes" or "No" at the end of everything. Example: "Very nice weather, yes?" And she repeats everything as well. "Very nice, very nice. Such a pretty little girl you have here. Very pretty girl indeed." and it really adds to my word count. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:06:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_397269 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_397269 Debbi Here was another post on dirty tricks "Your Dirty Tricks?" http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/19654 Wed, 02 Nov 2011 12:27:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_397975 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_397975 thegreatescape2014 My character is currently trying to fall asleep. I added 64 words :) "Okay how to fall asleep? Counting? Let’s try that. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty one. Twenty two. Twenty three. Twenty four. Twenty five. Twenty six. Twenty seven. Twenty eight. Twenty nine. Thirty. Thirty one. Thirty two. Thirty three. Thirty four. Thirty six. Oh, shit, I forgot thirty five." Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:08:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_399393 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_399393 LittleMissAwesome Have a character who has a name that is refered to as being impossible to put down on paper. This leads to, "He said the name of the man who's (whose?) name cannot be written." This works especially well if you add in the reason why it can't be written each time. One word turns into twelve right there. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:13:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_399557 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_399557 viapurifico hahhshahhaha fabulous. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:33:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_400306 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_400306 Anke Make a separate file you can keep open on the side and write down all character names, and maybe 2-5 words about who they are, and place names and what they are. It helps during writing (easy to look up what that one character was named last chapter), and you can include it in your NaNo at the end as an appendix. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:57:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_401231 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_401231 skai413 I don't think the Miranda warning will exist in this year's novel for another hundred years or so. But this would be an appropriate trick if it did. Hmm, what law might be quoted chapter and verse at a pirate in the 1800's? Or in another world that is an attempted analog to the 1800's? Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:58:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_401250 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_401250 Debbi "When I used to teach creative writing, I would tell the students to make their characters want something right away even if it's only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time." Kurt Vonnegut Or whatever your character may want to drink. Describe it in detail. Write about the different flavors they drink (I use to drink flavored water a lot). Is it from the fridge? who bought it? where did they buy it from? What else do they drink? Just keep going on and on about drinking... Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:44:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_404777 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_404777 Debbi This is, of course, after you put it in your NaNo novel... we're taking dirty here... Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:45:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_404801 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_404801 streetcarnamedmaddie I did a lot of counting with my first novel. For this one, I'm putting in characters that practically have ADD, they change subjects so fast. It helps because then I throw in pointless banter and one kind soul asking to return to the original subject. I also have to describe character's names, as my main character is a girl named Stella, but I decided to make it Estella to have to explain why she dropped the 'E'. Really, it was just a ploy for my word count...and I think Stella and Estella are equally beautiful names. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:04:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_405495 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_405495 starbursted THIS IS THE SONG THAT DOESN'T END, YES IT GOES ON AND ON MY-*shot by multiple people* That's a very good idea though. One of my characters likes annoying her uptight dad, so singing that dreadful song will surely create some humorous scenes. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 16:08:18 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_405676 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=2#forum_thread_comment_405676 starbursted I'm learning the guitar, and so is one of my MC's, so I basically write down what I'm learning as I'm learning it to add in words. Basically if you know a lot about instruments or music or anything really, you could have a character learning about that. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:01:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_412134 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_412134 iamtheawkwardturtle HAHA right! Maybe one of mine will have a hearing problem? ;) Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:49:13 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_413763 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_413763 tatianaolivia Same here. I'm actually going to write a story instead of spew out random words so that I can get my 50,000 words. I want to be able to say that, yes, I wrote a novel in 30 days and yes, it is decent. I'm not saying it has to win a prize, but I want to be able to show it to people without being embarrassed about how one of my characters is describing the way they pee. I'm not going to make ridiculously long company names, I'm not going to have my characters address their teachers as "Mrs. Johnson Thompson Lawson Sue". It's just pointless. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:02:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_416256 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_416256 tatianaolivia I was thinking of having my character have a wet dream about her best friend (who is a guy) and it ties in perfectly with the story because one of the subplots is her conflicting emotions about him. Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:06:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_416402 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_416402 nerdoutloud Two words: Homeric similes Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:09:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_419508 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_419508 originalgradk [quote=G.B. Walker] Doesn't this all rather defeat the purpose? The purpose isn't to satisfy some requirement; it is to produce something decent in a very short period of time. If I followed all these word-boosting suggestions, my writing would sorely suffer. Sorry, but this all seems rather silly to me. [/quote] I agree. Surely learning how to write provides more than enough opportunity to generate books of normal size ie from 100k on wards. Would you not agree that it discredits Nanowrimo because it gets a reputation for crap rather than helping people access inner novelist /literary tatlent by producing a proper length first rough draft.? Thu, 03 Nov 2011 01:12:58 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_421244 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_421244 easdannsair "easdannsair likes this" Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:01:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_424956 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_424956 SSPost The point of Nano is that you're trying to actually FINISH something rather than start a thousand things and finish none of them. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:20:17 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_425328 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_425328 Anke Sure gets included in the word count. I checked, it's allowed. And I've seen an appendix like that in at least one fantasy series. It had pronunciation guides, an overview of the calendar, and translations of words and phrases in made up languages that came up in the text, too. :D Thu, 03 Nov 2011 06:57:31 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_426032 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_426032 Debbi [quote=originalgradk] [quote=G.B. Walker] Doesn't this all rather defeat the purpose? The purpose isn't to satisfy some requirement; it is to produce something decent in a very short period of time. If I followed all these word-boosting suggestions, my writing would sorely suffer. Sorry, but this all seems rather silly to me. [/quote] I agree. Surely learning how to write provides more than enough opportunity to generate books of normal size ie from 100k on wards. Would you not agree that it discredits Nanowrimo because it gets a reputation for crap rather than helping people access inner novelist /literary tatlent by producing a proper length first rough draft.? [/quote] Disagree. NaNoWriMo is to write. 50k works. No matter what. Writing a long discritption about applying lotion could be consider crap, but most first drafts have a lot of other crap that you that would be literary when you wrote it. If your concerned about a "proper length" first draft, most likely you're not going to do that during Nano, where only 50k is required, instead of 100k. You'll get half of it done. Which may inspire those who haven't even wrote 50k in their life, to continue on to 100k. Then edit the whole darn thing. Nano is to get you writing. Perfect or imperfect. Mostly like imperfect. Write about the way the sun rises and how it makes the MC feel and what memories they have of it and a whole bunch of other crap. Some may stay, some may go. You never know until you get to your second draft, after November. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:32:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428349 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428349 Debbi Agree. That's what happened with me and my first nano. Sure I only wrote 23k words, but I had barely wrote 5k words before that. And every nano since then (except last year) had been more then that. In fact 2 years ago I wrote over 70k and started my second novel (first finished at 53k). So add the blog your MC is writing, into your novel. Add the blogs of the blogs your MC is following. Add the facebook and twitter that your MC is following too. When you rewrite after November, then you decide what stays and goes. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:35:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428421 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_428421 Mstar As already mentioned chapter titles. Also, if you have a lot of characters, wouldn't a character guide at the back of your book be really useful to potential readers? As a fantasy writer, I actually fabricated an entire language for my story and will probably write out a glossary and language guide should I get stuck or fall behind. I like these sort of tricks because they're constructive and add quite a bit of padding. They aren't things that you'll have to go back and change later (like eliminating contractions, writing out full names, etc.). Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:50:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_428800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_428800 Debbi [quote=RobertLent] Never say in 5 words what you can say in 10. I put together a document with the word "banana" repeated 50,000 times. Took me about 2 minutes. I did it just to see what 50,000 words would look like. I'm willing to pad my writing, but banana 50,000 times over was a bit too much, so I deleted it. [/quote] Of course you could use the word "banana" in your novel several times. In one of the DVD's for Phsych they ask if you saw the pineapple several times. It's used as a prop over several seasons (I think the first 3 at least). They either have it on a desk or give it as gift or something like that. If not a piece of fruit, pick something ramdom that you can bring up in your novel. I suppose if you want to stay true to your novel something the character carries with them, a cell phone or sword. And just go on about that when you're stuck. But something totally radom would be fun. Especially if your stuck. I need to try that. I'm stuck. Oh! I have a flower pen at my desk here at work... my character could carry one in her purse... pull it out when I need some more words and have another character ask about it... or she remembers something about it... Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:59:33 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_429059 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_429059 Kathy B Most how-to-write books are about economies of words and including only what's relevant. HA! NaNo is Play Time! So here are some word count tricks I've actually used. Some of these may even help reveal things about your characters or generate new ideas. Throw in dream sequences for your characters. They don't affect your plot, and they can be as long and rambling and fanciful as you want. Put in long, boring conversations. Have the characters discuss laundry, Pop-Tarts vs Toaster Strudels, or the best directions to Olive Garden. We have these kinds of conversations every day, so this should be easy. Describe something in long, intricate, excrutiating detail. This is a great opportunity to really let loose and play with description: clothes, food, colors, rooms, cars, skies, faces, sounds, tastes, smells. Create lists, especially if you're feeling blocked. Lists of suspects, lists of groceries, lists of books your character wants from the library, places your character wants to go, bucket lists. Lists are quick and you can make lots of 'em. Rewrite a scene. Write it right after you just finished. Don't edit what you have, just add on. It's a way to try a new direction, improve on what you had, or just give yourself another choice if/when you decide to revise. Put in a current news story or opinion piece. Turn on the TV, open the paper, fire up Yahoo News. Your character is reading the paper or listening to the TV, and...? What's your character's reaction? And this one I save until the last day: Go through your novel and replace EVERY contraction. (They'll all sound like Jane Austin, but you'll be amazed how the word count jumps.) Now...for all the stuff you're putting in for word count that you don't want later during revision (dream sequences, random conversations, etc.,), separate them with -------------- or ************* or whatever makes them easy to find and remove. It's all writing and as Dean Koontz once said, you'll get some of your best ideas when you're writing other throw-away junk. (Or words to that effect.) Thu, 03 Nov 2011 09:19:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_429553 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_429553 Satyric You know, it's funny you should mention that. My NaNo is a retelling/extension of the Odyssey, and so one of my challenges -- and, it turns out, unexpected joys -- has been the epithets. I've been trying to use them in a way that sounds natural, and even adds to the scene, rather than just adding to the word count. An example, from a scene when Odysseus is lying awake in bed, remembering his first visit to Circe's house, after half his men have been turned into swine: [quote]Resourceful Odysseus wished he had a cup of wine with him now, or more, to help calm the fever in his brain. The memories of his men and their murder was bad enough, but the memory of gods filled him with fear and rage, both utterly impotent. On his way to Circe’s house, Odysseus was halted and hailed by Hermes, golden messenger of the dread gods. That one was beautiful as the freshest boy, but his words could be as deadly as the most ferocious attack of lion hearted Achilles, for his voice was the voice of the gods, bringing the will of Zeus to men. This time, however, his words were sweet, and he told Odysseus how to escape the witch Circe’s enchantments using the power of the moly root. His words were still sweet as honey as he told the sacker of cities how to keep from being unmanned by the dangerous sorceress, but there was a barb, of course...[/quote] I'm a wordy SOB, but I just can't bring myself to use words that don't serve my story. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 11:15:47 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_432694 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_432694 Debbi [quote=Kathy B] Most how-to-write books are about economies of words and including only what's relevant. HA! NaNo is Play Time! So here are some word count tricks I've actually used. Some of these may even help reveal things about your characters or generate new ideas. Throw in dream sequences for your characters. They don't affect your plot, and they can be as long and rambling and fanciful as you want. Put in long, boring conversations. Have the characters discuss laundry, Pop-Tarts vs Toaster Strudels, or the best directions to Olive Garden. We have these kinds of conversations every day, so this should be easy. Describe something in long, intricate, excrutiating detail. This is a great opportunity to really let loose and play with description: clothes, food, colors, rooms, cars, skies, faces, sounds, tastes, smells. Create lists, especially if you're feeling blocked. Lists of suspects, lists of groceries, lists of books your character wants from the library, places your character wants to go, bucket lists. Lists are quick and you can make lots of 'em. Rewrite a scene. Write it right after you just finished. Don't edit what you have, just add on. It's a way to try a new direction, improve on what you had, or just give yourself another choice if/when you decide to revise. Put in a current news story or opinion piece. Turn on the TV, open the paper, fire up Yahoo News. Your character is reading the paper or listening to the TV, and...? What's your character's reaction? And this one I save until the last day: Go through your novel and replace EVERY contraction. (They'll all sound like Jane Austin, but you'll be amazed how the word count jumps.) Now...for all the stuff you're putting in for word count that you don't want later during revision (dream sequences, random conversations, etc.,), separate them with -------------- or ************* or whatever makes them easy to find and remove. It's all writing and as Dean Koontz once said, you'll get some of your best ideas when you're writing other throw-away junk. (Or words to that effect.) [/quote] Yep, throw-away junk... free writing... brain storming... whatever you want to call it. Sometimes that's the best time to find an idea that will move your novel foreward. Another idea if you' know you'll take it out (or almost know) use brackets, or probably whatever is easiest to type on your keyboard, typewriter, tablet... But something noticible. Thanks for these ideas! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:28:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_434713 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_434713 G.B. Walker I would very much agree with that statement. At the same time, not getting to 50k is not so bad, providing that the 40k achieved is actual work. Stuffing everything is just silly, and not in the spirit of it all. Writing poorly is in the spirit, but not writing a bunch of feathers and polyester stuffing. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:36:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_434957 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_434957 G.B. Walker I have no problem with bad writing. I have a problem with writing out "John Jacob Jingle Heimer Schmidt" every time a simple "he" would suffice. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:38:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435030 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435030 G.B. Walker Quite incredible how much debate this comment has gotten! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:40:35 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435105 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435105 Misty_Karen [quote=writer-in-transience] [/quote] Exactly! I honestly don't care if I get to the word count or not, but I can't just stop writing, you know? If I take a long break when I'm in the middle of a scene, I never seem to get back to it, and tricks like these help a lot just to keep the juices flowing. They're sort of like fool-proof ways to stay out of writer's block ^^ Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:54:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435540 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435540 LozzT-In-Time I'm about to use something like this for my novel. You have now made my decision for me. YES! XD Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:54:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_435565 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_435565 G.B. Walker Hey, that is all fine, but I question the wisdom of not just trying to get past a block, but willfully stuffing a novel with nonsense - not sentences, not details, but full names perpetually, sex scenes that take up half the the word count, overly verbose repetitive sentences that could be replaced with a simple one that moves the plot efficiently along - when that simple one is in the the brain, but passed over for the word count of the massive one. So, I agree Writer-in. Something is better than nothing. But when genius and decency is dropped for the word count... Yeesh. I am glad to hear, mandiimix, that there is more to this thread than just stuffing techniques. However, that is all I saw. I was not commenting so much on the thread as a whole, as the recent pieces that were showing up. Something can start good and end bad. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:55:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435592 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435592 Misty_Karen I always have original poetry at the beginning of my chapters :) It boosts the word count and foreshadows into the chapter; plus, your reader gets to figure out how the poem relates to the chapter as they read and it makes the reader process a little more fun with a little more thought~ Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:01:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435777 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_435777 Misty_Karen Yeah, I have a lot of letters in my story. Half of the plot is about her secretly corresponding with a human who claims to know her past, but I hadn't thought of writing them in their intirety. That would help the count quite a bit. Thank you! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:09:09 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436034 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436034 Debbi Another writer may not like long lists, but someone else writing a list of their MC's favorite foods might spur on something else later in the novel. And you learn something about your MC. Making a list of your MC's movies you learn that they like comedy more then mystery and later that shows up in an important scene. Sometimes the down and dirty writing generates something big and interesting. Sometimes it's gets deleted hoping to never see the light of day every again in your mind or on paper. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:15:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436212 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436212 Misty_Karen This isn't just a trick ^^ There is such thing as over detail, but I find a decent amount of it is very pleasant to read. I like using a lot of detail, particularly at the beginning of the book when the reader doesn't quite have a "feel" for the setting yet. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:16:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436240 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436240 Debbi I don't have a problem with that. Later the writer may want to keep in some of those for literary sake. Or just for comedy. Or just because that's the way the novel is. Or just because. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:19:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436317 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436317 Debbi Barbara Cartland (a romance writer who passed away year ago) use to do this. Dictate to secretaries. At one time she was churning out 2 books a month... of course that was after decades of writing and learning her craft and not changing the books much. I may have to try something like this... I wonder if there's a thread over on the Technology section... My fingers aren't young anymore, even though I type fast. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:21:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436388 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_436388 Misty_Karen I love this idea! I'm writing a vampire novel. Unfortunately, a lot of the topics are rather confusing, and my spin off of vampires doesn't make much sense without explanation. I'm currently compling a list of the novel's vampire information as well as a character guide. There are already many characters once the other families come into play, and there are even more in the second book once the hunters join the game. I mean, the main family the story revolves around has five people and six servants; times that by six for each family and you can see how it gets very confusing. It will also include information on the different countries and some translations because only half the first book takes place in America and the vampires also have their own language, though they rarely use it. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:25:35 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_436507 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_436507 PdJ That is a really good one! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:47:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437229 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_437229 AshCat13 Sorry if this has been posted before... This is my first time doing NaNo, but my mother has done it in the past, and she tells me that you can simply cross out sections that were made obsolete by a later development or that you decided to replace rather than simply deleting them, thereby reducing your word count. So, my question is, can you simply cross out stuff you aren't using anymore, or do you have to delete it? Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:51:34 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_437398 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_437398 G.B. Walker What (great) literary work spells out every character's full name all the time? As for comedic purposes, that is not the purpose behind spelling out the whole names. Rather, it is to stuff a potentially good novel with unnecessary words to meet an arbitrary number of words in a month. Silly. Not funny. Dramatic scenes suddenly appear absurd and childish - when they might have been the gem of the novel... Yet, in the end, it is the decision of each author - for good or ill. I just think it is a bad practice and quite silly. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:17:30 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_440378 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_440378 streetcarnamedmaddie Another good one I'm using for this NaNo is the name of the high school my novel primarily takes place at. I decided to name it after a president, so I chose Polk. Originally it was just James Polk High School (and that's exactly what I typed, just to get an extra word or two ;P) but then I decided to add 'K'...it's just a letter, but my word processor counts it as a word...and to me, James K. Polk High School just sounds better than James Polk HS. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:37:01 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_446695 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_446695 SSPost Generally, yeah. As long as it's actually somehow connected to the story, it's applicable. Most of the crap listed above is trivial and a waste of time. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:39:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_446759 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_446759 AngesRadieux If you have a very religious character who believes in saying the rosary, have him or her pray the rosary and write out every single prayer and describe his thoughts in excruciating detail as he mediates on each of the mysteries. You'll get a ton of words that way. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 19:05:04 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_447554 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_447554 LycanthropesUN Nope :) I keep it and change the font color to red. That way, I know to cut it but it's still there for my word count. Same goes for sentences/scenes that aren't going anywhere. I literally write that XD then change the color :3 hope I helped!!! Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:14:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_449662 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_449662 drachenreider Write numbers in full..also, if your story is in first person narrative, launch into a long solilquoy somewhere Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:24:28 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_451657 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_451657 RhiannonG Thanks! I think this will help me keep going when I freeze up. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:36:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_451983 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_451983 BakaBunny Although, a character who described the way they pee could potentially be a really interesting character. I am so keeping that idea for some day. Not for my NaNo novel, but some character I have eventually could become a pee describer. Thu, 03 Nov 2011 21:39:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_452041 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_452041 patanalia There are tons of ways you can add to your word count/story atmosphere. My all time faces are: Prologue Epilogue Chapter names Index Dedications Note to the reader - I have millions of these peppering my novel Letters Emails Dream sequences Absolutely no contractions - this works quite well for me cos I'm currently writing historical fiction Descriptions galore - my characters are frighteningly verbose Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:02:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462354 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462354 ASBusinessMagnet I always keep separating dashes so "down-and-dirty" becomes "down - and - dirty" 4 WORD BONUS! Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:06:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462441 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462441 craftytexangirl I just wrote a part about how my MC is making a cook book for a Christmas present for a friend, and she talked about decorating the cover. This is 150 words. My GOD. "After I’d finished adding legitimate recipes to the book, I decided to decorate its covers. I drew various ingredients like milk, full and half sticks of salted margarine and butter, quart cartons of buttermilk, bags of sugar, bags of flour, packages of meat, bottles of salt, bottles of pepper, bags of confectioners’ sugar, bags of powdered sugar, bags of brown sugar, glass bottles of maple syrup, bottles of light and dark molasses, various cardboard bottles of spices and mixtures of spices like Tony’s, various types of cheese (including American, cheddar, provolone and mozzarella, among others), fifteen bags of beans be they red, black, pinto, and more, cartons of eggs by the dozen or two dozen both large, average, white and brown, bottles of extract (vanilla, peppermint, cinnamon, orange, lemon, watermelon and raspberry to name a few) and a myriad of more insane and desultory ingredients for every kind of dish." Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:07:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462470 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_462470 Debbi "Most of the crap listed above is trivial and a waste of time." Not necessarily. Like I said before. You may have a character singing "row row row your boat" and then later in the novel find out why the character did this and then it's not trivial. However, it may be and later you rewrite the entire "row row row your boat' sections or just take them out completely. And if writing 'row, row, row your baot' makes you write some more words, then that's even better! Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:14:38 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462664 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462664 Debbi But spelling out the characters long name COULD be funny. If written right. And yes every time. Or maybe that's the way the character wants to be addressed. Some characters have initials instead of long names. Same thing here with long drawn out names. And if it's just to boost word count, so what. This is suppose to be FUN. If writing out long names to get to 50k makes it fun for the writer, so be it. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:18:22 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462746 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462746 Debbi quote: G.B. Walker "Stuffing everything is just silly, and not in the spirit of it all" What is NaNoWriMo says to do that "Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes." http://nanowrimo.org/en/about/whatisnano Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:22:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462858 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_462858 SSPost See, that's different. Things like writing out every name long-hand are total crap. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:43:43 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_463337 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_463337 G.B. Walker I would simply contend that crap and mistakes are different than saying, "Hey, I don't want to write a few extra horrible pages so I think I'll just write out the full names of everything." That's a few bad pages not written and a few pages of writer growth not achieved. I have no problem with nonsense or sequences that seemed like they might end up a good idea but turn out to rambling pages of nothingness. That's first draft stuff. Writing out the full names of everything in order to achieve a word count though seems pretty silly and will result in more work in the end, editing all those names down to bite-sized pieces. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 09:45:15 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_463373 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_463373 Nederlandica I don't have chapter names (I use Roman numbers instead), but... each chapter starts with a quote related to the story of Little Red Riding Hood or other quotes who just fit. The quotes I had picked were all under 50 words, but now I just added a quote from 225 words for chapter four. I liked the whole version of the quote too much to leave certain parts out. This is the only dirty trick until now, actually. Also I regret writing this story in Dutch instead of English. Where Little Red Riding Hood has four words, the Dutch version (Roodkapje) only has one. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:36:05 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_465885 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_465885 Debbi I got this tweet today from writingprompt Write every day even if it's rubbish. Bad writing can be improved but a blank page will always be a blank page. https://twitter.com/#!/writingprompt/status/132458684302364673 Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:00:36 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_466525 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_466525 Debbi Oh I thought that was good for this dicussion because some are worried about bad writing and just filling in with anything. I'm the opposite. I figure write something. Everything can be edited later (or just the rubbish). Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:04:03 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_466614 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_466614 Debbi Find and replace. Easy to fix those, if you decide to. Again you may find several instances in your novel to keep full name. I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:06:25 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466678 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466678 Debbi No it's the same thing. Someone may write "row row row your boat" and have a character sing it and it's total crap. It may NOT end up being something wonderulf that changes the novel. But you don't know until you write it. Writing out names may be crap to begin with but turn out beautiful in the end. Unless you've ploted every single paragraph, you don't know where your novel will take you (or that could just be me). So I'll add long thoughts of a character. That may not may not have to do with the current scene. I'll have a character write a poem when I'm stuck. I'll have a character recall a totally random dream. Describe in full eating a meal taking several pages. After I'm done writing: edit. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:10:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466771 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_466771 cursereversed You can try and have a character analyze things they've said. For example, “I'm sorry about what I said today.” It was quick, blunt, and to the point of the matter, but that sentence, that phrase, I'm sorry about what I said, was one of the most humbling things that James had ever had to admit. You can also refer to a character as, "The person in question..." instead of using a character's name every once in awhile. I find this works best with third person, where you can be talking about a person from the narrator's point of view and then cut to a character's actions or dialouge, opening with, :"The son/daughter/neighbor/boy/girl etc. in question Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:02:39 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_471835 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_471835 The Hollow King Two big ones I'm using this year: Character names include titles. So I've got LORD Coppersworth, DOCTOR Grey, LADY Elizabeth, etc. Footnotes! Some are short, only 20 words, but they add up, and it's a fun way to interject some side notes or humor into the story. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:44:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_473096 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_473096 Misty_Karen NEW AND SPECTACULAR TRICK. Use a lot of Panic! At The Disco song titles, like "There's A Good Reason These Tables Are Numbered, Honey, You Just Haven't Thought Of It Yet" and "Lying Is The Best Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" and have your characters repeat the titles several times in a conversation. +16, +14, et cetera. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:49:41 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_473253 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_473253 Binary Dragon This year I'm buffing my word count with long names. All the main characters in my story are professors, so they simply have to be referred to with at least two words like "Dr. Newport" or by their field, "the physicist." Sometimes they give their full name "Dr. Allswo Newport, Professor of English, Emeritus." If you will have really really wanted a dirty trick to up your word count though, you would have done will to have written everything in future perfect tense. Every sentence you will have written will have contained at least one verb, and you will have added at least two words every time a verb will have had come up. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:52:11 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473331 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473331 skynite confession technically, I'm at 12200 words, but don't aplaud, because 10,053 of those words were written before november. I'm really in this more as a motivator. Even if I get to 50,000 words, I'll only be halfway done. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:53:12 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473359 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473359 Misty_Karen I second that. I'm at 13500 words, but 4-5k of those were from things I wrote in October. Either way, once everything is typed out, I'm going to add about 10k worth of editting so I guess it'll balance out in the end. And, yeah, 50k words isn't much for a novel. I'm done with four chapters at 13500 words and there are at least 25 chapters per book in the series I'm writing. I'm probably not going to be done until I hit the 100-150k mark, and I don't doubt that it'll be about 180k after editting and rewriting &gt;&lt; Still, it is really motivational to do the NaNoWriMo. You can set a higher goal as well, you know. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 15:57:46 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473488 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473488 skynite I've written six chapters 2200 words each. (My chapters are really short) and I'm aiming to write a trilogy. I don't think that i'll adjust my goal any higher, as I'll be impressed with myself if I find time for 25,000. speaking of which, I'd better get back to writing soon. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:00:54 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473579 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473579 Binary Dragon I also just stumbled across another one. I'm having one of my characters make an oath, by repeating after another character. Do I get basically double word count for as long as the oath is. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:01:29 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473596 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473596 Misty_Karen I don't have a set length for my chapters; I just write what comes to me, so some are really short and others are really long. They're all at least three pages, though, because I don't want them to be shorter than the introduction XD Good luck! I think I'm going to actually sleep tonight since I got a lot done... Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:10:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473842 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_473842 G.B. Walker Yes, we shall. Fascinating topic though. Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:49:52 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_476242 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_476242 icemice22 I'm buffing my word count by having my characters repeat things over and over, and giving ordinary things longer descriptive names. I'm also trying to refer to characters with two words (i.e. "The Mayor" "_'s parents" "The Taxi driver") Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:48:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_479228 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_479228 tarotfox That is why its taken so long to write any novel before this! I edit and edit. But I have something I'm not afraid to show to people. I agree that writing helps it come out, and I wouldn't do some of the silly things listed above. Maybe on a separate sheet of paper to get the juices flowing but not in my story. I agree its not about putting down 50,000 random words. Its about pushing yourself to finally write the story! You know the one you want to publish and have millions of fans for? Still you can't get there by staring at that blinking cursor...Tis why I'm so conflicted :( Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:30:37 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480565 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480565 tarotfox dwarves did the bearded ladies ;) Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:36:40 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480734 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_480734 sarah_hart [quote]Rewrite a scene. Write it right after you just finished. Don't edit what you have, just add on. It's a way to try a new direction, improve on what you had, or just give yourself another choice if/when you decide to revise.[/quote] I just did this for a scene, and I ended up with not only something much better, but something that allowed me to expand my character further than the original would have. Double score! :) Fri, 04 Nov 2011 23:21:42 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_484545 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_484545 mermaidpotato I don't know if you still need an answer, but most of the replies have been needlessly complicated. Open up your novel in whatever word processor you have. Ctrl+f (on the keyboard) The dialogue box that pops up should say "Find" or "Find and Replace," and in many older versions of Word there's a separate tab for Replace. You type the contraction (can't, won't, shan't, didn't, shouldn't, etc.) into the search box and the separate words (can not, will not, shall not, did not, should not, etc.) into the replace box. Do this for every contraction you can think of... though, grammatically, 'cannot' should really be one word so it's not much use with that. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 08:22:55 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491038 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491038 J-A-D I'm surprised it took this long to come to that conclusion. For the record, I'd personally agree with Walker on most of the points. For this year, I'd rather end up not meeting the word count but nailing the actual story, even if some of it is filler. There'll probably be other years when I fully embrace the "Throw anything at the wall and see what happens" technique. And I MORE than understand people treating this as a challenge to get to fifty K or more, nothing more nothing less. Okay, so they might not end up with a perfectly edited novel.. or more story than could fit into a paragraph. They won't end up with any story at all playing video games or watching television. But hey, maybe they'll end up enjoying it, right? Personally, I don't think either of you are wrong - you just represent different ways of looking at the experience. "The point of NaNo is..." "The point of padding words is.." "The point of using the full names each and every time is..." Up to the individual user. Period. If NaNo itself embraced either idea, you know it'd limit the amount of people who participated in it. Just my take on it. J Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:01:20 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491806 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491806 J-A-D Your premise is that everyone here is going for a first draft. What about those that simply want to try it? What about those that like getting the rewards honestly or, maybe in our eyes, semi honestly? Writing out the full names might get them that. Who says they have to go edit? :) Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:03:14 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491829 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491829 J-A-D What about "If rewriting the first 10 pages makes it more fun for the writer," then? Do you support that? Or editing every paragraph at the end? Would you tell them, "Good, as long as you're enjoying it?" Or do you think you'd be tempted to say, "No, stop it, you're doing it wrong?" After all, research comes into play in a good deal of novels, yet copying an entire wikipedia article is pretty much universally agreed to be cheating, right? I would think you're more likely to use the research in a story than you are to use "Lt. Sgt. Jack Jameson "Jimmy Jack" Word-filler McFillsky the third, and Lady Doctor Susan "Sue" Stephanie "Just call me Sue, dammit" Si-Si-Si ran up the hill." If the question is, "Where do you draw the line between honest writing and cheating?" I would hope the answer is "Wherever you feel comfortable drawing it," rather than "Where I feel you should." Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:07:56 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491927 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_491927 J-A-D Am I the only one that, when I see a challenge that says "Always do it this way / Never do this," I always, always, always drop the "Always," and never listen to the "never." Contraction, to me, means more natural speech for most of my characters, although I do tend to favor using characters that don't like to.. er.. that do not like to make use of them. This one one of those extremely subjective rules, I think. Your feelings for this one rule probably make the best test for how you look at word padding in general. Either you find it useful or you find it a bad practice. Neither view if explicitly right. The chapter name, I'm not doing this year much, but I have done in the past. I'm not even using "Chapter one," "chapter two." I'm behind, so take that for what you will. I always mean to use a song or poem, or make one up, but I don't end up using that one. My trick for this year? <strong>Exposition and commentary.</strong> I've been struggling with a story in my mind, basically a kid's basketball story. (Well, teens.) It's about a lot more than that, but even so, it comes out so dishwasher dull when I write it down, because I don't want to resort to "Kids Next Door" storytelling for it. Soo, I've been tossing in lots of comments, especially when I get stuck. It's somewhat word padding, like the other tricks here. I justify it to myself because I think it helps me build up a natural voice for the story, whereas dropping contradictions wouldn't. Give it a flavorful 'author' / orator who's telling the story and will rant when appropriate. To anyone that sees that as hypocrisy, I'd justify it by saying.. no wait. I'd explain I don't need to justify anything to those people. Just as they don't need to justify their views to me. That occasionally gets forgotten. (I do think asking someone about their views, or saying why you disagree is another matter, as long as you're not taking the "I'm right, you're wrong, stop disagreeing" tone.) That said, this <strong>is</strong> one of my favorite yearly threads, mostly because I figured out early on not to take it seriously. At all. I'd humbly suggest no one takes it too seriously, and I hope I don't sound like I am. Man, I am rambling today. I need to get to working on the NaNo soon. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:20:26 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_492191 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_492191 OcarinaCharm Two essays written for school will soon find their way into my novel... And account for a whole day of missed writing! Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:25:08 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_492286 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_492286 Gamma Orionis I just added about a hundred words by having my main character read down a list of names of men killed in battles. There were ten or twelve of them, and each of them had a name and a brief description of how they died. When in doubt, add lists of character names to the story. (a roll call at a school would be another good way of doing this, I think) Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:35:59 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_492509 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_492509 Witaly I think I just added about a hundred words by just making everything pluperfect. (that one "had" before every single verb does a lot of difference. o.o). Also using Write or Die... xD Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:07:49 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_496222 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_496222 purplume I'm amazed how much faster I dictate than type. For me leaving phone messages is more like doing a word war. I push it for the duration. I think surprising thoughts come out when you do either. XD Sat, 05 Nov 2011 12:21:53 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_496586 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_496586 ruperfarnsworth I actually find that my dirtiest trick to getting a high word count is to keep myself interested in what Im writing. The story remains a mystery to me until I get to the next point, and I go piece by piece through the plot. Odds are, if I dont know whats coming, I will surprise myself when I figure it out, and this keeps things interesting and makes me want to write just to see what I come up with. If I continually keep myself entertained while doing it, the rest of it just comes with the territory. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:57:27 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_499124 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_499124 articzombie Well I have two incredibly talkative characters, one of which is a dramatic vampire who laments and quotes plays all the time(being the owner of a theater does this to one). Another set of characters really hate each other and argue over the littlest things, and when they argue I'm sure to make it last a while. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 14:07:16 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_499377 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_499377 ceribobs "One hundred green bottles, sitting on the wall, if one fell down then there would be ninety nine green bottles." I repeated this one hundred times without copy and pasting anything. Drunk karaoke night. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:03:57 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_504558 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_504558 aslightapocalypse This only really works if there are a lot of numbers in your novel, but I have a college student who's a math major in my NaNo. Basically, write out ALL THE NUMBERS. Don't even use 352483 when you could write three hundred fifty two thousand four hundred eighty three. Nine words right there. And when you have a math major, like I do, and you write a scene where she's sitting in class... It can add a few hundred words in just one scene. Annoying to type, but it works. Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:05:10 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_506259 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_506259 perfect tea I've been over describing the scenery, but part of that makes sense for the character. MC has synthesia the music and grapheme color kind. Color and stuff has quite a lot to do with the story, so maybe it's not so down and dirty! I am also using adverbs like crazy. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 00:58:19 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_515824 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_515824 JollyJolly I'm having my MC account for his entire love life up to present day. Along with a long description of each girl (their appearance, their first kiss, why it ended, ect.). I'm only on the first one and I've written 700... Anything goes right? Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:16:06 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_516031 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_516031 SSPost Not to be rude, but "DUH". These are all totally fine. These are all the characters actually taking action, and you're actually writing. The crap described above (I'm specifically going to target like a hawk the whole "Write out every name in full for no reason other than word count" shenanigan) does nothing for the plot, only extended the word count by a couple words each time something is named and in no way contributing to writing ability, literacy, or the story. It's a big fat waste of time that's only serving to pad one's word count and help "win" a contest which is really only a skinner box anyway. For the non-psych people in the room, a skinner box is a device where you have a pigeon or hamster or whatever hitting a button. The button only provides rewards of food at random, and thus the animal is driven to hit the button for rewards whether or not they need the reward. Humans do this too- slot machines and World Of Warcraft are prime examples. So how is NaNoWriMo a skinner box? Simple: We won't be super-productive every single day, but forcing ourselves to create for the sake of hitting a daily par of 1667 is enough of a reward for the creative breed that we bash our heads against those little shiny symbol-pocked buttons until we're not even producing anything worth the light of day. We stop actually creating and get so caught up in the rat race and the idea of victory that we stop TRYING. So no, spelling out names in full is crap, and it's absolutely not the same as having a character scribble a lame poem, and it's not the same as having the character recall a dream. It's absolutely not the same as a complex and time-consuming meal being eaten for several pages. To suggest that one is like the other is an insult upon my capacity to so much as read. Done. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:44:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_519540 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_519540 Elluna Hellen Soon, very soon, I'll have my characters tell each other stories... xD And I'll have them get nervous and rant. A lot. xD Sun, 06 Nov 2011 05:54:12 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_519685 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_519685 supersinger473 As part of the tests my FMC is going trough one of the scientists needs to study how she reacts when read blatant lies, i just stuck in a fairy tale Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:19:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_524973 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_524973 RubyMarlin My MC tells stories. The shortest one is about 1,000 words and it's completely relevant. Whoot! Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:21:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_526544 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_526544 katiebear1233 Here's an idea. If your story is based with animals, add a cell phone somehow! It's going to take up a few pages trying to have your MC figure out how it works. You could use this tip also for if your story is based in a time with out high tech stuff. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:25:14 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_526655 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_526655 Neffectual I cheat by using footnotes. Now, you may say, that's the same as writing, surely, but I use it for all the little asides that I want, all the breaking the fourth wall which I could never do otherwise, and it makes up a fair amount. So far, counting the year's efforts and last year's part of this novel, I have 61,929 words - but without footnotes, that becomes 53,893. That's a whole extra 8k from asides and talking directly to the reader, which otherwise I wouldn't have. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 11:38:24 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_527043 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_527043 strawberrydarhling In my novel I have a chapter where my characters are taking a long car journey and to pass the time are asking each other questions about each other, getting to know each other. I knick the questions from the 'Answer As Your Characters' thread. That adds on a few hundred words for each questions, sometimes even more if each character answers the question and they answer it in depth. And at the end if my word count isn't high enough I'll just add more questions to the chapter. Another thing I have find really boosts my boosts my word counting is dreams and letters. I have a whole little mini letter plot going on about her best friend who is cruising around the world, and she happens to ramble a lot so that really boosts up the word count. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:09:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_527873 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_527873 MaryJeddoreBlakney The only tricks I've used so far: Fail to hyphenate. Before November, I came up with a novel concept that would take a lot of words to tell. So I have a lot of leeway to play with. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:27:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_528393 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_528393 WonderfulPistachio I had to do a discussion post today (due at 11:59 tonight) on TurnItIn for my English class. It was a really interesting topic, since we're reading Dante's Inferno currently, and the prompt dealt with that. I wrote my response, and then it hit me: I COULD COPY AND PASTE THIS INTO MY NOVEL. I changed some names around a bit in there, but it worked. I got my homework done on time, AND I got 700 words out of it. I feel more awesome about this than I should right now. 8] Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:20:27 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_529865 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=9#forum_thread_comment_529865 MelonyLouise I just discovered an awesome word count boost. My MC became aroused by a situation that made her uncomfortable and, presently unable to deal with what circumstances made her so, began trying to think of ANYTHING to de-horny herself. Not only is this a word count boost, but writer gets an excuse to get all the random nonsense out of their system. Like, "I pondered, what the fuck is a sousaphone?" Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:07:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_531211 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_531211 starsaphire Don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but if you're doing a mystery of any flavor, the Miranda Warning is over 50 words all by itself. Add in the full, legal names of your vic and your killer, and you're close to 70! Check it out: "Jane Elizabeth Doe, you are under arrest for the murder of Mr. John Richard Doe. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be held against you in a court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?" = 72 words. A few descriptive phrases about the cold, steely click of the handcuffs and the cold, steely gaze of the cop, and presto! 100 words, giftwrapped for you courtesy of the U.S. justice system. :) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:13:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536240 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536240 Kiwikarma7 One of my characters applied for a job, and I just got questions from the old Aperture Science website. ;) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:22:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536456 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536456 Andy Webster Surely if you're writting just to make up the word count it's gonna be fundamentally crap? Mine's pure quality hi ;) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:26:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536578 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_536578 Babie-Dollie I had a part in my story where my MC had to type in a password (Truman Brothers) so I put in "T R U M A N B R O T H E R S" as she typed it. 14 extra words! Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:52:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_537318 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_537318 Echokind No, your character did not eat a sandwich. He ate a double-decker ham and cheese sandwich with a little bit of mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomatoes. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 18:35:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_538466 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_538466 Ambrele Ramble and personify EVERYTHING. For example. The lamps dull flickering sent of small shadows that hung the room like long ago ghosts, they seemed to always watching sending a small slight of unease through her already over tense body. +33 instead of; The lights dim shadows sent shivers up her spine. Lets say you have a rock, well you can personify that rock and create to separate paragraphs with a back story simply about a rock that the MC found on the side of the road. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:37:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_540148 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_540148 QuillMage Ooh excellent idea with the phobias, one of my characters was trapped in a burning library when she was young and one of the members of my pantheon of cruel and embittered deities is Fire and he does so love to mess with people.... I feel kinda bad for subjecting poor Estella to Fire but in the end I'm sure Prometheus will be his usual secretly self-sacrificing self....if Fire allows him to be. Oh dear... Hey, if I make Prometheus afraid of deities in general they can a field day and so can I! Yay word count!!! *throws confetti* Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:59:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_540724 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_540724 Fiona W I don't know if this has been said yet, but I've taken up writing while watching movies, then inserting bits of dialogue from the movies into my writing. They even seem to make sense in context! See the excerpt posted on my Novel Info page for an example. =evil grin= Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:28:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_541415 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_541415 Zazzamarandabo Dunno if anybody else has said this, but I just got almost 200 words by making my character explain to someone else everything that already happened in my novel &gt;:D I feel accomplished. Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:06:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_542295 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_542295 WELTY69 take a scene and then write it in a different way. my assassin stepped out of a closet. choice A was he went left and killed the guy. B he went right to kill the guy but ran into a little bit of a problem on the way, but then he was able to kill him. C someone saw him and they have to be taken out... so on and so forth. this way you have many divfferent things that can be used later one and count as words... Sun, 06 Nov 2011 21:24:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_542735 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_542735 vollmond I didn't even do this to consciously pad my word count, but ... just narrated a game of Duck Duck Goose where the world's most annoying kid is "it." (eg "DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK DUCK" ad nauseum) Sun, 06 Nov 2011 22:07:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_543643 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_543643 Solarstar My big bad nasty has a bit of a long name. His full name is: Hotondo hadaka no haruyasumi no partiers no kokoro o seigyo suru biggu warui monsutā Translated it means (translation has not appeared yet): Big bad monster who controls minds of almost naked spring break partiers I also have a character mention that the name seems like an attempt to boost a word count. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:58:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_545977 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_545977 allyraej I totally just started doing the thing with Chapter titles before I started browsing here. Win. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 02:25:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_546191 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_546191 Debbi LOL. Or were you serious? Because very few, if any, writers write a perfect first draft. These "tricks" help boost word count, sure, and may be used for such, however they can help with the novel. They help me discover characters and what's going on in my story since I started with nothing on November 1 (except a genre). Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:21:14 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549572 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549572 Debbi I was using Twitter and NaNoWordSprints to help me write more this weekend. They came up wtih some ideas that were just dirty. Add a bunny. Add someone being thrown out the window (didn't do that one, wasn't writing but remember it and the repllies were funny). characters mururering introduce a love interest Have a character explain their favorite number and why include a reference to someone in your region. Or throw some sushi at a dragon in a lab, and have it make a "fshk" choking sound. include a cantalope with a belly button have characters running.... now they need new shoes... have them loose those shoes (or something like that, I just added that my characters regular shoes were falling apart and needed to buy new shoes) Most I didn't use or didn't get to use during the sprint, but I did use the bunny and shoes one and I thought another one, but can't remember... Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:25:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549638 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549638 AshHadAns This thread has been cracking me up! Thanks for all the ideas! My problem is that I only want to write the 'fun' scenes and get bored writing the filler. So one of my friends told me to just write all the scenes I want and skip the filler for right now, I can always go back later and add to it. And it worked, I really enjoy writing on it and don't have to drag myself over to the computer to write. I started on my favorite scene yesterday and it's already at about 8,000 words and still going strong. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:53:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549970 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_549970 Debbi I've done that. I hate discription. I have no idea what most of my characters look like or the office their working in. So I write lots of dialogue. Doing NaNo over the years has helped (as well as trying to write a little in between NaNo's). So all that discription is filler for me. I can add it later, if needed. I do some things that have been mentioned here simply because it's "fun" at time and later may be edited out or changed or left as is. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 09:33:29 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_551331 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_551331 MaskyPie I think I can use a couple of these tricks... Some actually would work in context, since at the base of things (before I pile on generous amounts of horror) this is a basic story about a girl in her first year of college, not in her hometown. Lots of asking for directions and drivellous college conversations. XD Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:15:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552114 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552114 ditzyleopard I just found myself in a car with my teens...arguing about the possibilities of the impact of the school bell changes. Then I found myself in my main character's head ranting about how everyone always gets her name wrong....I'm taking an element or two from when I used to free write and am making internal conversations flow...maybe they will evolve into something useful later on, right? haha...She thought as she noticed the show playing on the silent television in the corner of the stuffy doctor's office was playing on a loop....must. catch. word count. up! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:25:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_552306 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_552306 RobertLent One of the most annoying things is for people to tell me the story they would LIKE to write. I've known people who tell me the same story for years. I tell them "write it up" but they never do. If people have to use a lot of filler to get a draft finished, at least they now HAVE a first draft. Most of these novels aren't going to be read by many people, I don't know if anyone will read mine. But at least it will be written. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:50:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552858 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552858 RobertLent And how did the sandwich taste? That can add some words. Did he eat it with gusto, or was he so wrapped up in other events that he merely ingested it, barely noticing it. That's not necessarily filler. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:52:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552899 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552899 RobertLent Add a pompous character who says in 20 words what most people say in 5. And then you can have a lot of words with people being annoyed by him. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 10:54:11 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552939 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_552939 hijinx_ensue A rogue troupe of actors performing Shakespeare drops in and out of my novel. For anyone interested, the "Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" speech from "Hamlet" is 456 words. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:39:20 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_555440 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_555440 jewelinkenya I've just done somthing similar. The menu is written in Swahili and has an English translation alongside. Both have detailed descriptions. Characters discuss the menu and argue over translation, sometimes down to ingredients. Plenty of comparison of cooking methods. Multiple courses of food are served. Sometimes, characters insist on speaking both languages. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:18:11 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_558000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_558000 Debbi So true. On both counts. I was reading Write Good or Die which was free on the Kindle (app) and the first chapter was about a writer who was told all these good ideas that would make novels. But they didn't want to do the work. And I know I have a lot of filler because I had nothing to start with. So I've added a lot of character development for as many characters as I can, even minor ones. I've added some discription (still not good at it). Added some filler. And who knows? At the end I'll have it written, no one will ever read this first draft, but it will be written! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:43:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_558624 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_558624 theubiquitousgirl Actually, I think the point of NaNoWriMo IS to write as much as you can in a short period of time. It's allowed to be awful, as long as you fulfill the requirement. I imagine it as a way for people to write the novel they've always dreamed of, without spending years of work on it, and if they like it enough they can go back and improve it when the month is over. But that's just my view of it. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:45:05 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_558653 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_558653 Debbi Lots of little subplots keep stories going. More characters help too. Then the MC has other people to talk to and other things to do (such as visiting relatives). Holidays. Throw in a holiday. Celebration. throw in a celebration. graduating from school. Birthday. Retirement. Funeral. Can be sad but would help with word count Tension. What could someone else do, even unintenionally, to cause tension. A drama queen character. Someone who cries all the time. Complains. Has to be the center of attention. Gossip. Okay I killed mine off, but these peole keep conversations going. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 14:52:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_558828 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_558828 Pephredo Hemingway said, "The first draft of anything is s**t." I take that as creative license to do whatever gets the story out. I mean, if Hemingway says that, then I certainly have the right to write crappy on my first draft. LOL! Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:05:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561972 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_561972 archercat [quote=NaNo_Bot] <strong>Do not use contractions</strong> Ever. It takes a bit of getting used to, and it sounds a little strange, but it is not as hard as you think. You would be surprised how much it can add to your word count. (contractions = isn't, don't, can't, wouldn't, etc.) <strong>Chapter names &amp; Descriptions</strong> Chapter 10 - A Glimpse of Dark Twilight In which we discover several things about several people that may or may not be important to the plit but you have to read them anyway just in case. Mua ha ha ha ha <strong>Sing a song or recite a poem</strong> Find a song/poem you think the character would sing/recite and add it in in its entirety. DBP if the the song is "This is the song that irritates people" and continues on and off for pages on end. [/quote] This is what I've been doing. Forcing myself to spell out ALL contractions- contractions are NOT your friend here- and going into rambling descriptions of all my characters, even their animals. It may not eventually fit in that part, but I'm sure it will fit in somewhere. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:36:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_564322 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_564322 Caramella Barlow Now I feel way less guity for writing crap. I WILL CONTINUE! :D Mon, 07 Nov 2011 18:49:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_564650 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_564650 kcrisman I have 500 words about a guy making a sandwich. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:08:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_565165 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_565165 kcrisman But the sandwich making was integral to my story. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:10:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_565200 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_565200 kcrisman I also had a character with a sever stammer and stutter that had many monologues. Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:13:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_565297 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_565297 naboblautner13 You could always have one of your characters emitted into the hospital for something. Then have the doctors list their problems, and name random medications. That is what I am currently doing with mine. And using full names for some things xD You could have some random character pop-up into the climax of the story, and have them distract the MC for a bit. You could insert a heavy argument between 2 or more characters. You could put in song lyrics, quotes, poems, and even previous conversations between other characters. Hope those help ! &lt;3 Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:00:07 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_566540 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_566540 juse Or Serge A. Storms? Mon, 07 Nov 2011 21:23:11 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_568236 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_568236 RamblingArtistNina Speaking of Aperture Science, you could always have Cave Johnson's Lawyer and Hair - Dresser write the employer a very lengthy Cease - and - Desist letter. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:26:45 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570934 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570934 RamblingArtistNina Great name, though it's a bit long to fit onto a check, isn't it? XD Maybe you should add in a lengthy title and make it even longer. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:29:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570951 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570951 RamblingArtistNina A particularly angsty or whiny character can say how much his life sucks, and the complete opposite can happen to others about why their life is so awesome and shiny and wonderful. Adding in lots of adjectives helps too. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 01:31:53 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570971 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=10#forum_thread_comment_570971 Zavana That depends on who you are and how you write. Some people are able to get inspiration that way. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:52:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_571553 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_571553 alexharris I have a character who speaks in five sentence phrases. He also has withdrawals which cause him to stutter. It's really not hard to create phrases for him, so y'all might want to try this character. His name is Luke (go ahead and change the name if you want.) He works at IHOP if that helps anyone. Example: “O-okay I’ll tell you. I h-had this dream. In this d-dream I was trapped in a room. It seemed so r-real. Oh Tash, why did i-it seem so real?!?” Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:23:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_575509 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_575509 H. And yet the first rule of writing is 'Omit needless words'. XD My trick is listing to the Inceptions/Transformers/Batman/Bourne/TRON/X-MEN First Class/Pirates of the Caribbean soundtracks on pandora. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:40:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_575806 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_575806 golfgal08 I feel sort of dirty doing this, but it's also sort of legitimate dialogue. One of my characters attends a military college, and as such, there are very precise ways she's expected to talk and certain routines that are repetitive and wordy. It's the kind of thing that I would normally skim over with "And then they all said goodnight to each other", but in this particular instance, since I'm floundering with other scenes, I'm writing out the whole routine that goes something like this: <em>"Good night, freshmen!" Staff Sergeant Walters said. "Staff Sergeant Walters, good night, Staff Sergeant Walters!" everyone recited back.</em> Lather, rinse, repeat for eight or nine people saying goodnight. In some ways, it's "showing" instead of "telling"; in other ways, it's definitely just padding. But I'm also not really writing a cohesive plot of any kind this year.... Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:01:04 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_577279 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_577279 ElizabethCostello NEWS STORY!!!! Thank you!!! I have been trying to figure out how my characters get into shitloads of trouble without getting killed and I never even thought to have them see their own crime (very minor, just to the wrong person) on the news... that'll be a HUGE scene. AND it'll fit in!!! :D AND it continues my plot in a spot that I was having a hard time with! THANK YOU! Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:25:05 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_581641 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=3#forum_thread_comment_581641 Calista.Artemis [quote=Wolfme] Threaten my characters with the Hunger Games :D [/quote] That's freaking amazing. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:34:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583311 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583311 music-and-books I'm not sure if this is against the rules of NaNo or not or if someone else has already posted this, but I do it a lot. Every once in a while, I'll be writing along and I’ll realize that a scene I wrote earlier doesn’t work with what I want now. My most recent example was an issue with timing. I realized that I didn’t really want my character to spend a week in an enemy’s military camp, I only wanted her to spend a day there. That meant that I would have to rewrite three different scenes (so far) during later editing to get it right. I didn’t want to just leave the scenes there and keep writing as though she had only been in the camp for a day, because I am slightly OCD and my brain would keep saying “but she was there for a week!” So, I decided to rewrite the scenes, but leave the original scenes there, so they still count for words. Thanks to Scrivener (which I love!) I can just make a new document inside the same chapter folder and put everything in the order that I want to make it easier for me to edit things in January. This way, I’m not deleting anything, so the crap scene is still there and my inner editor is still mostly dead because it’s not that the scene sucked, it’s just that it no longer works within the dimensions of the story. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:50:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_583617 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_583617 ungraceful grace haha that is soooo funny!!!! ninjas make everything better! I wish i could use it but sadly I cannot. My novel takes place in regency era England... ninjas dont fit so well in that time, unfortunately. I will definitely use it next year though! Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:04:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583920 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_583920 Debbi not against the rules. In the "How NaNoWriMo works" section it says •Write a 50,000-word (or longer!) novel, between November 1 and November 30. •Write more than one word repeated 50,000 times. So you're doing fine. I know I've done a few character discriptions where I've said the same thing, but in different ways so in my head I can connect all the pieces. I started with only a genre on October 31, so this is kind of a must have for me. Of course that 50k novel doesn't have to be "finished". But if it is that works too. And if writing "more then one word repeated" as often as needed, then that's fine too. It gets you were you want to go, a finished novel first draft. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:26:17 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584412 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584412 Debbi Opps, let me give you link if you're intersted in reading more http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/about/hownanoworks Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:26:39 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584420 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584420 Debbi Oh! Something peole wonder about "though outlines, character sketches, and research are all fine, as are citations from other people’s works" http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/about/hownanoworks So go ahead and cite other people's work. Especially if it helps you keep writing your novel! If your character loves to quote Sherlock Holmes, then go for it. If they like to read passages from Sherlock Holmes, then go for it. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:29:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584483 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584483 As.Is If you EVER get hung up on writing a scene, just turn to a new page and start somewhere else, JUST KEEP WRITING. That was my biggest mistake last year, I was stuck on one scene for way too long. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 15:30:04 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584508 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_584508 wingch My characters are often bombarded by visits from "Captain Irrelivant" - who jumps down from the sky, and shouts out random facts. Only trouble is, it's hard to incorporate that into a 19th century novel... Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:12:58 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_585383 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_585383 Gamma Orionis Have one character who comes from a completely different background than the one your story is set in. Have him/her ask a lot of questions about what's going on. Bonus points if he/she doesn't speak the language and needs to keep asking for translations as well. Double bonus points if the person he/she asks the questions to goes off on a lot of long tangents that aren't really relevant to the story. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:47:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_589944 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_589944 WithKeyLymes All the whining in this thread makes me sad. Advice is how its interpreted; some people will spill garbage onto a page, and some will manage to turn a useless sequence of words into a poetic interpretation that they never believed could come from something so simple. Thanks for what of the advice there was beyond the flamewars. &gt;&lt;;; Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:57:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_591269 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_591269 WithKeyLymes Though I don't know if it's been said (crawling through here at a snail's pace, man), one of the major word-count boosts that I had the joy of experiencing: MONOLOGUING. More specifically, backstory and character-purpose monologuing. My main just spent three chapters explaining to my female main why he cared about her in the most convoluted backstory rant I have ever written. It was awesome. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:17:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_593977 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_593977 patanalia i just realized something while typing out my index today--BULLET POINTS! I've got a medium-long index here, so that adds about 25 words. Not much, but it every little bit helps :) Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:01:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595505 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595505 Anke Considering Spring-heeled Jack, the "random person jumping from the sky"-bit doesn't seem like a problem to me, more the bit where I'd have to research period-appropriate random facts. XD Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:21:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595675 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595675 Anke That IS the basic idea for my novel this year. It was to explore the characters (particularly the fish-out-of-water one) and setting, and because I just have fun with language weirdness, though, not just a ploy to inflate wordcount. XD Wed, 09 Nov 2011 04:24:05 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595693 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_595693 OoperScoop I kind of agree. What's the point of writing a novel if it's all going to be garbage that no one wants to read? And in response to thatollie, fulfillilng some arbitrary word count isn't going to make you a better writer. I think you need to strike a balance between output and quality. Getting to the finish line IS the main goal, but what is there going to be to celebrate if you haven't produced anything worthwhile or put any serious thought into it? Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:56:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_596527 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_596527 OoperScoop This is one of the better ideas I've heard. It improves word count but can actually be a great way to set the mood or perspective for the reader. I might try it! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:58:02 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_596535 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_596535 karebearforChrist This is my favorite trick! Two out of five of my female characters talk like this! Thankfully, it fits their personalities. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 06:11:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_596693 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=6#forum_thread_comment_596693 Debbi could he jump out of corners? or from behind corners would sound better. Maybe make it someone the characters see often and they give out random facts. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:50:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_597962 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_597962 Debbi I have not heard any whining. Just people having fun with their novels. Coming up with unusal ideas to keep writing. Perhaps you're jealous because you didn't come up with any of these ideas or something? I don't know what made you think that. Yes some people will spill garbage onto a page. Ever read Twilight... And it was published! I've read other books (or tried to) that were also garbage in my humble opion, but that's just me. So guess what? Write what YOU want and I'll write what *I* want. Thank you very much. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:55:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598029 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598029 Debbi Oh there's something. Make 2 people have a flamewar over their own personal opinion. Someone saying something that was inapprorpirate and wrong and someone coming back to them with the correct response of what is being said on that message board. LOTS of words there... just keep them flaming each other. Because we know, as human beings, we can't leave it alone... we have to be right, everyone else is wrong. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 07:57:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598042 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598042 DrMarat Divide up compound words. I'm not sure if saying "self same" is grammatically correct, but I'm desperate. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 08:34:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598592 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_598592 originalgradk I am writing dialogue from the TV to help refresh the text!! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:04:35 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_600209 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_600209 Debbi Not a bad idea! I usually have the news on for my morning writing so I can catch the weather. and I could probably use one of those news stories to create a subplot... since I really don't have one... Maybe I could do that for night time writing (hardest time for me to write) to keep me going or start me writing. Thanks for the idea. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:08:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_600305 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_600305 Debbi Diaglogue with people interrupting asking questions about someone's trip or travel experience. I was listening to a Harry Potter audio book on my drive in to work and there was this long drawn out passage. Ask questions. Details about the trip. Listerns qustions interrupting. Day to day happenings (can be short, but each day is spelled out). More questions or comments from the listeners (the more the better). Also have something else going on in the room to interrupt the dialogue and add more words. Pets. Kids. TV. Radio. And have the diaglogue interrupted. Phone. Knock on door. Maybe even photo or vidoe after or during. Stop the video for the traveler to talk about it or the guests to ask questions. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:15:23 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_600400 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_600400 Debbi "Write out every name in full for no reason other than word count" shenanigan) does nothing for the plot, only extended the word count by a couple words each time something is named and in no way contributing to writing ability, literacy, or the story." It's not YOUR story, so you can't say that's true. Someone else may have a story where the character insists on being called Queen Victoria of Eden instead of just Vikki. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:28:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_606146 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_606146 JacenTheBard I started adding footnotes with editorial comments/color commentary, after a character snuck in who is quite bonkers and is currently losing an argument with a stick. Yes. I put [Editorial Note: Just WHAT. I don't even. Turnips? Oh my god. I don't even.] right there in the line of text, but it was bothering me the way it looked, so I made it a footnote instead. Footnotes apparently are included in word count in Word, so I'm going back to other WTF moments I've head and actually making those notes. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:43:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_606485 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_606485 eaglewings51 This isn't a dirty trick but it works wonders! Have someone get kidnapped. I did that last year and the kidnapping, the MC's time in captivity, and her escape added almost 7k! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:54:39 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_607954 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_607954 regularfury I had this idea to simultaneously torment my main character and up my word count, by making her fall asleep in one place and then wake up in another, forcing a descriptive scene change and lots of additional words. Also, when I got frustrated with my plot, I made her pass out, and wake up on a boat in the middle of nowhere. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 19:12:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_610620 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_610620 Superlightbulb I totally just use a lot of descriptive words, and can not, will not, would not etc. instead of can't, won't etc. :) that's all I have got. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:05:27 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_612589 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_612589 AlwaysInADream You can tell I'm a fan of MS Paint Adventures, because every chapter I get a blatant author insert to recap what just happened. When Andrew Hussie did it, it was necessary, because it covered several months worth of updates. I'm doing it nearly every day. And it always starts with words to the effect of "I clearly don't need to do this, the chapter can't have been more than three pages long, but maybe if I do it enough it'll be funny or something." Free words, though! Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:18:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_613775 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_613775 Saspirilla Last year, when trying to show that my main female character is capable of looking after horse, I spent 1500 words explaining how to groom the animal from taking off the coat all the way to braiding the tail and mane. Then I spent another 1500 words describing the tack and how she put everything together. Then I described her whole hour of riding, from how she jumped up to dismounting - another 1500 words. 4500 words done in one night. Easy. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 03:12:04 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_616181 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_616181 Laice_P_S_Enoon I have put in a couple of random dream sequences so far, but now they are actually going to become more important in the future of my MC ... at first they were going to just be for the word count. Now I also have an excuse to put in more random dream sequences!!! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:47:18 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_616840 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_616840 Laice_P_S_Enoon awesome!!! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:00:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_616941 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_616941 Feathers A down and dirty trick for reaching word count. Guaranteed to add the last few thousands of words to your document in seconds on the last day: Find: the Replace with: the down and dirty Example: The duck swam across the pond. BECOMES: The down and dirty duck swam across the down and dirty pond. Yes, folks, that six word sentence just doubled in length. And just look at all the down and dirty new imagery! - But if you want a cleaner trick, have a character tell a story. It's a great way to boost count and it's always possible to tie it in somehow later. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:29:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_617872 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_617872 Debbi This could work with anyone showing their capable. A job applicatant A babysitter A parent to the judge A crafter, like a knitter or crocheter A writer (how do you write dialogue... or discriptions... ) A chef A swordsman A dog walker Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:31:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_619513 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_619513 Debbi Telling a story is a great idea. Even retelling a story. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:32:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_619536 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_619536 ditzyleopard Love that quote. I need to put it on my monitor... I think we all know the odds of writing a literary "gem" in a month is pretty rare. So let's be supportive of the means of getting there. As a newbie...I know I'm struggling, so if I need to give my brain a break every few paragraphs to write out a full name-then so be it. I'm not saying it is what I would do, personally-but we all are in this thing together. And while it sounds tempting to gain a few "free" words, I choose not to. Fine, whatever. But I'm sure some of my other "methods" would be criticized by someone out there. As far as I'm concerned...words on a page are still words. And I need to get more on mine. So ta ta for now. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:24:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_621350 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_621350 Kathy B [quote=G.B. Walker] Doesn't this all rather defeat the purpose? The purpose isn't to satisfy some requirement; it is to produce something decent in a very short period of time. If I followed all these word-boosting suggestions, my writing would sorely suffer. Sorry, but this all seems rather silly to me. [/quote] The bottom line is that at the end of NaNo, the ONLY factor that determines whether you 'win' is the word count, not the grammar, nor the spelling, nor the quality of the writing. I've won 5 NaNos, and it's been my experience that too much emphasis on quality gets in the way of getting to the word count. I've also published short fiction, so I get what you're saying, but NaNo's not the place for that. If you want that purple bar at the end, it's best to go for word count now and fix everything in revision later. Nothing says you can't revise, but that takes time, so it's best saved as a post-NaNo activity. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:43:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_625131 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_625131 Elluna Hellen I know right, I'm having my characters tell and discuss stories. Oh yeah, and doing NaNo. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:53:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_625336 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_625336 Keasby I was watching 'Wonder Boys' the other day. Great film, worth watching on December 1st when you've all collapsed from 50k+ words. Two characters there play a game of inventing a back story for random people in a bar. So a guy with a quiff and a purple suit becomes 'Vernon, president of the James Brown fan club' and lots more beside. Sooooo, my character does this to nearly everyone he sees. Good practice for writing characters I feel, at least that's how I justify it! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 13:54:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625351 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625351 Debbi [quote] G.B. Walker wrote: Doesn't this all rather defeat the purpose? The purpose isn't to satisfy some requirement; it is to produce something decent in a very short period of time. If I followed all these word-boosting suggestions, my writing would sorely suffer. Sorry, but this all seems rather silly to me. [/quote] The purpose is to write 50,000 words of a novel in November. Quality was never a requriement. So go ahead and discribe in detail every person your character passes on the street. Describe every detail of the MC's living area. Every room. Plus their work area. Play area. Family's living area. Friends living area. Throw in a game your characters play. Add a love interest (and if you don't want to, don't add sex, just do a long drawn out date where nothing happens in the end... then each person describes it to their friends). Add a quote before each chapter. Write a poem before each chapter Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:00:45 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_625467 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_625467 Pavlowsdog The Rashomon effect or simple - Recycling. I just had two of my characters having a 2, 3 pages long heated argument. And then I reused the whole, okay not the whole conversation, but significant parts of the dialogue in the next scene, told from the perspective of one of the other characters who was secretly listening in on them and let him zone out somewhere in the middle of the conversation to reveal about one more page from his background story. The recycled dialogue was at least about 200-300 easy added words. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:10:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625679 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625679 Zaylinda Instead of just saying 'character' did this, then 'character' did that - I tend to spice it up by sometimes referring to them by descriptors 'the small maid' or 'the stocky man'. In addition to being less boring, it adds two words per time over referring to them by name! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 14:11:52 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625709 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_625709 a_coocoobrain This only works for songs from "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out"... You can also have the characters talking about how "Camisado" must feel like such a loner (only one - word title from "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:08:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_626836 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_626836 Red Mosquito Menus and recipes work really well. I may have posted this before - my brain is kind of fried these days. But today I'm writing about someone planning a dinner party and it's all about - maybe I should make this particular appetizer, salmon and chives and sour cream. Or homemade salsa. And what's the main course? And the dessert? Should it be pudding or a fruit tart? What kind of cocktails? Wine or beer? And then, why not a trip to the market? Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:15:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_626973 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_626973 Laice_P_S_Enoon One I just thought of (and it may have been mentioned before but I'm not reading through all 12 pages to find out) is using a glossary of terms for the back of the novel ... especially good for the fantasy and sci-fi writier who are coming up with new species or worlds or other sich things. Also have your characters realise things ... mine keeps mentioning how things shes doing as a spirit feels like certain things she does when she has a physical form but since she isnt physically there she isnt actually doing it eg. "She smiled, well sort of we were souls and since souls have no true physical being we couldn’t smile, but I couldn’t really drink tea either, so it was like smiling. The tea felt like drinking tea, but physically I wasn’t, my soul was drinking tea that had no physical being. It only just dawned on me that it was all without physically being, I knew the feelings so well I didn’t need a physical presence to smile, talk or do other such things." and theres always a dedication, contents, and other such 'formal' things Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:29:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_629321 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_629321 Laice_P_S_Enoon I like the bickering couple ... that would fit in nicely with my story! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:32:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_629382 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_629382 Xbc Have chats between the character and inanimate objects or animals in their head. GPS? Nope, it's a Global Positioning System. Don't use abbreviations like NJ if it would be two words, try writing out the full name! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 17:46:06 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_629626 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_629626 acover4422 I'm throwing in a sex scene. I wanted them to do it anyway, but now midnight is drawing near; I'm almost 1000 words behind today's target (I've been ahead for days, too, so it's a double bummer); and I want to get something done before midnight. So, screw it, they're sleeping together now. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:23:03 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_632351 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_632351 timestep Have you ever read Nicholson Baker's The Mezzanine? He uses this technique throughout very effectively. The footnotes start out very short and get longer until the whole page is a footnote. It's hysterical. So I think this is an excellent idea! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:50:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_632828 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=11#forum_thread_comment_632828 rainbowmissy I disappoint my characters. When something happens, however minor, they get VERY emotional, going on rants, and whining like little girls. I just closed down their favorite coffee shop, where they had their first date. Tomorrow I'm killing my main character's cat. Emotional rants are helpful, accounting for a lot of words. Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:58:19 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_632929 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_632929 DistinctDottiness Dream sequence! That's genius! Why the hell didn't I think of that? Perfect, That's another 2,000 easy! Thu, 10 Nov 2011 21:10:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_633135 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_633135 Debbi With the new iPhone having Siri or even other phones with some voice commands (Android has had some but not quite like Siri, although I read they now have Iris [Siri spelled backwards} that competes with Siri)... Anyway, characters can use their smart phones to talk to them and the phone talks back. More dialgue! More words! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:30:17 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_639515 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_639515 Debbi This isn't completely down and dirty, but since you're not going to leave all of it in your novel, this might give you some ideas on what you write when you're stuck. I found this in the Word Wars-Sprints-Prompts board 101 Questions about your main character. http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/word-wars-prompts-sprints/threads/15527 Post 1 and 3 have links you can use. If you really want to get down and dirty do this with minor characters (hey this may give you an idea for another book) Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:33:29 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_646944 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_646944 Debbi Sorry, I meant to say, this could be considered down and dirty because you're not going to keep it all in the finished novel. Actually it probably should be done before november If you did do it before November rewrite them to work in the novel now. No matter where you're at you can get to know your characters better. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:41:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_647078 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_647078 Will64 lowest Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:02 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647222 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647222 Will64 well Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647225 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647225 Will64 now Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647228 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647228 Will64 it Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:20 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647230 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647230 Will64 is Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647233 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647233 Will64 liwest Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647237 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647237 Will64 /lowest Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:48:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647240 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647240 Will64 Add an endpiece of forums like this that helped you through- + 8,000 words Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:49:23 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_647250 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_647250 faeriestones I have kind of used a dream sequence. My MC woke up in the morning believing she had had a dream, then later, finds something in her pocket and begins to wonder if it was a dream after all! In my 2009 nano, I had a midwife giving instructions on the whole process of preparing a baby's bottle, how to measure the formula correctly to the right amount of water, what the temperature should be, etc! I like the idea of rewriting a scene! I will try that! Thanks for the tips. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:00:13 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647455 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_647455 hoperoseeve Food! Food is important because werewolves have to eat a lot. I pretty much had a very nice long scene that was how to make the dinner that they were going to have. I went into great detail to describe all the flavors and how yummy it was. I made myself hungry, but got a chuck of my word count down. I felt like I was a cooking show. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 16:48:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_648277 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_648277 Andy Webster I've got a great one! How about throwing in a couple of alternative endings to your novel? Could make it more interesting! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:17:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_648822 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_648822 Writing in my Free Time Make a character intermittently switch between accents. I'm currently writing a conversation in which the main guy decides to switch back and forth between American and British. More words to specify the shifts, and more words because the main girl is wondering why the heck he's randomly decided to be British :-P Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:59:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_652059 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_652059 MCR_dynamite I have a character called Ethan de Luca. People tend to use his full name a lot. Not only does it add an extra word every time someone says it (hey - every word counts!), but I also love the sound of the name =D I'm quite proud to admit that I'm not actually using that many tricks this year. Then again, that's probably why I'm only at 11.4K &gt;.&lt; Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:47:23 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662671 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662671 Yuustinoodle Well, the one trick I've just noticed myself using without even realising it, is writing "and" - A LOT. I know that I'll probably have to get rid of like 60% of those when I edit, but right now I just can't be bothered - that's how my thoughts come to me and my inner editor (or rather my inner person who has to think through every word beforehand) is off, so there's no stopping those "and"s from pouring. Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:55:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662808 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662808 behinddacamera i just added four verses of Amazing Grace to my novel, yes it is important, i was wondering if i could still add them to my word count or not? Sat, 12 Nov 2011 13:55:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662817 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_662817 rubywaves This is quite possibly a very dirty trick. But I'm using it. And you can, too! When I absolutely cannot write any more prose for whatever reason--burned out, just don't feel like being descriptive, etc.--I start writing notes to myself. I can be as casual and dumb as I please, too. For example: [prose] Fear gripped him like an icy vice. There was no way out of the tomb. [notes] But he will notice something to help him out. Maybe it's a loose rock or an ancient knife found lying in the ribcage of a skeleton. In any case, he'll struggle to reach it. Fingers scrapping across the rock, getting scratched and dirty, that kind of stuff. Then he'll get his tool and use it. Maybe he'll think of his friends at this point, wonder where they are and if they're okay. If they're even still alive. He'll get a chance to find out eventually. So then he gets free and runs out of the tomb. Maybe there's a torch sitting on a sconce thingy or whatever it's called outside the door, being the only illumination in the dark woods. [prose] He fell to his knees, sucking in the fresh air of outside. The free and wide outside. It pushes me through difficult scenes that I don't want to deal with right away. Someone once said that he or she views the NaNoWriMo as more of an outline with dialogue than an actual first draft, so why not run with that idea? The goal is 50K words, not 50K QUALITY words. And technically, it's still part of the story. AND we'll end up stripping about 75% of the original NaNo to get at the real story waiting to be mined out of the rough. Why not make that 75% a bunch of notes that may or may not resemble prose? (Now that I remember, there's a mystery writer who kind of writes like this. She'll pound out a first draft with all the dialogue in longhand and the vague description in ALL CAPS. On the second run through, she'll replace the CAPS with details.) Sat, 12 Nov 2011 15:46:52 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_664796 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_664796 AnAgelessTime I say things longer than they should have to be said for those things to be said succinctly. Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:25:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_670481 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_670481 Dawnheart those lucky people. Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:55:02 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_670876 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_670876 Sapphire Tigress In LibreOffice 3, a dash (this - ) counts as a word. So. Happy. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 04:54:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_674031 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_674031 ElectricSanity Right now I'm having my characters discuss what they want to do when they grow up. They are still strangers, stuck together by some weird circumstances, and they're both self centered, so getting them to talk about themselves is really good. I'm going to have an epic dream sequence really soon. Hoping it will reach about 700 words. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:27:28 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_678744 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_678744 ElectricSanity I forgot, I also make the MCs speak like me, with a lot of "um"s and "you know"s and "like"s Sun, 13 Nov 2011 13:31:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_678817 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_678817 Lady Riss Did you not read the title of the forum? It's "Down and dirty tricks." What did you expect? Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:08:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_687624 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_687624 ThraeElddim I adore you. For the mundane thing you devoted five hundred words to, and your pic. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:14:21 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_687690 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_687690 ThraeElddim And they go swimming with hairy little women as well. :D Or at least Gimli did. Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:21:17 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_688322 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_688322 ladyhadhafang I use a lot of rambling, stream of consciousness sentences for my novel. Let's say that I have a bit of a talent for going off on tangents for no reason (the parentheses and the asterisks are becoming close friends of mine, to say the least. XD) -- and having a lot of flashbacks, and overanalyzing the setting, and yadda yadda yadda. Plus, conversation. Mostly in terms of debate, bickering, battle banter, etc. And flashbacks. Lots of flashbacks. Not to mention my novels are very thought-heavy and introspective, so that ups the word count as well. Not sure if it's as good as the other tips in the thread, but still... :) Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:42:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_690659 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_690659 Debbi If it's important and part of the story, yes you can. Even if it's not you can. You can write the same word 50k times if you want. In the end it's YOUR story, you write it however you want and edit it however you want after November. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 07:29:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_691562 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=12#forum_thread_comment_691562 Debbi [quote=AnAgelessTime] I say things longer than they should have to be said for those things to be said succinctly. [/quote] I do that because sometimes I'm not sure how to say it. Or I type it another way. I haven't done it a lot, but it does occur. Since we DO NOT want to backspace, this works out the same way. Later I can decide how to say something and which way I want to say it. For example, "She picked up her purse... she grabbed her purse... she took her purse off her desk." Editing, I'll decide which sounds better. Since I didn't outline, I don't know what's coming next. She may have grabbed her purse to run into the house because she saw something... or she just picked it up... or I want to be more detailed and say where he picked up her purse from. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:01:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_691922 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_691922 RobertLent Not all filler is just filler. Here's a story with no filler at all: Boy meets girl. Boy marries girl. They live happily ever after. That's not a very interesting story, is it? Don't be afraid of filler, the filler is what makes it a story. I have a dream sequence in my novel, but it isn't empty, it lets me show the reader something about my character. I also use a story within a story, with one of the characters telling the other a story. But as I was writing it, I could see how I could tie this in with the main story. One way of putting in quality filler is character downtime. People aren't go-go-go all the time. At times they need to rest, get a drink, just sit down, or whatever. You can have characters talk with each other, it's a great excuse to pass information to the reader about who these characters are and what their motivations are. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:04:07 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_692609 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_692609 James203 [quote=OoperScoop] What's the point of writing a novel if it's all going to be garbage that no one wants to read? [/quote] The thing that gives NaNo a bad name is people who mail their novel off to a publisher on December 1st. And I half agree with: [quote=OoperScoop] Getting to the finish line IS the main goal, but what is there going to be to celebrate if you haven't produced anything worthwhile or put any serious thought into it? [/quote] because you make a good point, but writing 50,000 words of ANYTHING is a great accomplishment. Even if it's 50,000 words of crap, you get bragging rights, and you can always go back and make it better. Or delete most of it. The point of NaNoWriMo is to lay the foundation for a novel. And all novels start out as crap. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:51:28 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_695551 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_695551 Debbi [great big smile] :0) for that comment Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:18:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_695991 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_695991 theordinarywings I started using the full names for everything approach at the start of my novel just for some extra words and a bit of formalization. Well, lo and behold, turns out my "Samantha" actually wants to be called "Samantha Jane" ALL THE TIME. And that shows up every few sentences. So, while some of this might seem like, well not cheating, but fudging with the rules, it actually built my character up. And I love flowery language, it's what I want to read and it's fun to write. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 20:46:26 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_703287 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_703287 astrophrenia My novel is rife with plot-relevant dream sequences and philosophical discussions, as well as the characters questioning themselves and arguing with each other. All of these things are highly reccommended for the word seeker. Also, never just have someone say something. Add more description to your dialogue! It helps! And makes it more interesting to read. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:10:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706015 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706015 astrophrenia Oh, and formality! I have one character who is always referred to in text as either Mr. Enitan or his full name, Roderick Enitan. In turn, he addresses every character in the novel with an honourific. Considering how much he talks to her, it really does add to wordcount that he calls my MCs Miss Peregrine and Master Callahan instead of just Peregrine and Casper. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:16:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706038 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706038 Coffeetailor Give yourself an old, prim and proper character and a rude kid and make them do something together. Watch the lectures happen. Also have the old character reminisce, even if just in their head, about the 'old days.' Tue, 15 Nov 2011 02:30:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706098 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_706098 Debbi Isn't it always The Good Old Days? Or maybe the walking 10 miles uphill to school and 10 miles uphill home. In snow. With only canvas/fabric tennis shoes. Below freezing. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:05:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_713860 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_713860 Debbi [quote=oceansong99] Tack onto the end various scenes that don't actually happen yet but are floating around in your brain. I know I make alot of notes of potential scenes and conversations. Those DO count and help you in finishing the piece. I don't personally believe in BS tricks to get my word count up. That's only cheating myself. I don't look down on people who DO use them, but I don't. I do, however, allow myself to write crap that I know will get dropped in the rewrite.... like 4 000 words on a trip to a salon. I needed to write it to get it out of my head, but I don't think every detail is important to the overall flow of the story. [/quote] I also write things that I'm 98% positive will get dropped in the rewrite. A lot of character development. Making notes of potential scenes is a great idea. Then I won't forget what I want to write next. Sometimes I just don't want to break the flow of my writing to jot down an idea or note. I suppose adding a marking like *** before the paragraph and after would help me find it.. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:09:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_713915 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_713915 Debbi I was just thinking about songs used and it came to me the song in the movie Ghost that Patrick Swayze sings. "Henery the Eighth I Am". In the movie they say he sung it all night long... but shorted it for the movie... so in your first draft he could sing it all night long then in the edit, just one or two times. This might also help keep straight in your head that he sang it all night long (it would me). And yes I do see the title "All Night Long" by Lionel Ritchie... Now that's playing in my head... ugh... Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:22:19 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_714158 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_714158 The Iron Ferret When you have a hyphenated name or word, like Cherry-Belle, she's my main character, word counts it as one word. But, if you put a space on either side of the hyphen, like Cherry - Belle, it becomes three words. The downside is that it looks weird. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:56:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_714782 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_714782 G.B. Walker Correct, Ubiquitous. That's why I'm doing it, because I have a tendency to spend forever revising stuff I've written before I finish. But there be a difference, in my opinion, between writing badly to get words on the page and move a story along and writing badly because one doesn't want to write a few extra thousand words that one has to actually think about. So yes, your analysis is correct in my opinion. Tue, 15 Nov 2011 15:32:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_715367 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_715367 Gemma Knott You can always give one of your charactes a stutter, and repeat every other word. Also, my character's name is "Clara May Thomson" but of course, her first name isn't just Clara, its Clara May. She is always adressed as Clara May, unless someone wrongly assumes that May is her middle name. That scenario is even better because then I get to write several sentences about them being corrected. Neither you would notice as, "oh, they must have just done that to up their wordcount" but are quite effective. In the foreign cluture where my character ends up, a lot of native characters to there have the tendency to use more words than neccesary to explain things. Not detail. Just more words - how convinient, hey? Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:55:21 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721176 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721176 RamonaFlowers Certain elements of your plot might require more backstory than you realize. I've had 3 flashbacks so far to explain why two characters act a certain way around each other, why the leaders are in charge, etc, etc, etc. Imagine that someone will be reading this, and they have no prior knowledge WHAT-SO-EVER about your plot/topic. Add explanatory details! (A trick I learned for my school essays, heh heh heh.) Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:13:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721312 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721312 Anke Write it as normal. Save your work for the day. Run a search and replace that turns all instances of "-" into " - ". Get the thus-inflated wordcount, don't save the change. (Works better in programs that don't do frequent auto-saving...) Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:31:49 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721440 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_721440 Andy Webster My charachters smoke a lot, so every now-and-then I have to write "...whilst she casually took a puff on her cigar" etc. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:12:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_724364 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_724364 DreZhakari Write a descriptive and dynamic fight scene. WHEEE. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 07:21:04 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_724455 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_724455 Debbi Drunk dialing. I saw a news story (it really wasn't "news") about a man who called 911 because his iPhone wasn't working. He called 5 times. He did sound drunk, said he wasn't just stupid. Yea sure. Maybe. Possible. But doubtful. This morning I wrote about the MC in the Super Store and browsing. So don't forget, that MC's can browse stores and think about what they're buying. Men: gun shops... computer stores... car part stores... or any store really. Women: clothing stores... craft stores... or any store really Super stores are great because they can browse just about every department thinking about each item they want to buy. the items they will buy. Etc. And when the men and women shop together... LOTS of words there. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:11:54 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_725020 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_725020 larelmian I've been adding quotes at the start of each chapter -- the latest one came from my 2007 NaNo. So, I make them up myself and use them to set the mood and tone or perhaps theme . . . I had no idea just how appropriate my latest quote would become. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:50:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725452 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725452 larelmian One of my characters is trying to tick off another one by repeating everything he says back to him. Hey, it might work, and annoying him is actually necessary for the plot. XP Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:50:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_725457 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_725457 RobertLent Amen to that. Too many people think description is a "trick", so they don't write descriptions. But description is vital. The description of a room tells you a lot about the people. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:53:05 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725484 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_725484 Debbi That happens a lot in life, so not even really a "down and dirty trick". Great idea! Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:06:32 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_726379 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_726379 britthatsit One and the same, I'd say. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:54:22 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_730523 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_730523 the.mockingjay.pumpkin Tell ghost stories. It definitely works, since I just got about five hundred words out of a single story. Slumber parties are great :) Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:15:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_730898 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_730898 SSPost Sorry. I suppose I had some hope that others had ~pride~ in their craft. I suppose I was mistaken. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:08:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_733323 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_733323 Patricia_Shirra On the young writers page there was a dare about adding a celebrity sighting and having your characters react to it, so I took the dare. I got 500 words out of one of my characters seeing Johnny Nitro (aka John Morrison) and Melina Perez--WWE wrestlers--going into "Carlito's Italian House of Pizza" or some equally long-named restaurant, and then telling her friends about it. It was great because her friends had no idea she was a wrestling buff and she got to explain at great length how wrestling match outcomes are predetermined, but the matches themselves are not choreographed and how wrestlers do get hurt. Feel free to use it if you'd like only I'd prefer you use other wrestlers. :^D Thu, 17 Nov 2011 00:49:45 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_737370 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_737370 Patricia_Shirra I just got 1000 words from a first time introduction of two roommates and a description of their new 450 square foot studio apartment. The description was very detailed and gave an indication of how the two young TV/movie stars would live in their West Hollywood apartment. It really helped to have a floor plan to look at (Googled it) so I wouldn't have to create then describe the image, just describe it. :^D Thu, 17 Nov 2011 01:32:55 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_737555 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_737555 Debbi We do. We like what we write. We enjoy what we wright. We're letting go fo our inner editor, what nano is about. We're letting go of perfection for this one brief 30 day of abadonment. Pride and Perfection are two different things. We can have pride in our work today. We can perfect it tomorrow (meaning December). Just because we add "99 Bottle of Beer On the Wall" to our novel, doesn't mean we don't have pride in what we write. Just because we add 1000 words of discription to an apartment (someone just did that) doesn't mean we don't ahve pride in our writing. We do. November is about letting our wrriting run free. Exploring something new. Doing things we may not have done before so we can get better at writing. So we will add dream sequences, and repeat them as often as necessary. We will add a new plot twist. We will have our MC talk in detail about their craft or hobby. That's ok. It's November. NaNoWriMo. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:28:15 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740460 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740460 troutrd2011 What's that? Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:30:38 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740494 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740494 Debbi It's a book, I believe. I never read it but it's very popular. From amazon.com "send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV" I suppose you could make up your own reality TV show... lots of word count there... how about a door to door sales type game.. remodel old museums or libraries... pie eatting contest each week and the winner each weeks wait suntil 13 weeks and then 12 contensts go ageast each other Top Actor (like top model) drag racing etc... Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:37:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740563 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740563 troutrd2011 I once saw in a movie a small group of boys, maybe 4 or 5, who were having a pee contest to see how could pee the farthest. It was kind of cute in the way we, as women or girls, see what boys do as a group. Always, with girls, we see them at pajama parties, that is so boring and sterotypical. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:55:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740754 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_740754 maddymadkin Where's the like button on this? Thu, 17 Nov 2011 09:50:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_741308 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_741308 Debbi Ravelry member too? :) For those who dont' know, it's a knit and crochet forum type site. One day I plan on doing that. Using a forum in my novel to up the word count... hmmm, I wonder if my MC needs to find out something on the internet and needs to ask a forum... you know, there is a character that has gone missing... Oh Hey! there are missing persons forums! Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:40:08 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_742758 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_742758 Debbi A coworker was kind of lous on the phone. And I thought this would be a great way to add word count that may or may not be kept after November... Talk to someone your MC knew as a child. The MC gives them their life story... since they last knew each other of course... Thu, 17 Nov 2011 12:59:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_743706 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_743706 Debbi More ideas from the discussion "my ways of cheating..." http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/34710 Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:02:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_743743 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_743743 Freedom13 Edit / revise / change using strikethrough (if I missed this above, sorrysorrysorry) -- I admit I started doing this just for word-count, and learned something -- this is a really good method. Had previously gotten rid of the "bad" word, replaced it with the "good" word ... and now find that having both words visible helps my brain! As often said above, write at exhaustive length, in as much detail as you crave -- such a nice change from trying to write a "taut" sentence straight out of the box. Can't tell you how much time I've spent striving for "taut." Cramping my brain. Now my brain runs free (u c wat i did thr?) and it's sweet! Also, as often said above, I'm constantly finding really important stuff that I've already written out for myself. Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:33:21 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_749900 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_749900 fyca I'm totally stealing this. I worked in poems one desperate nano, but this nano just won't take them. So, singing! Lots and lots of singing! Thu, 17 Nov 2011 21:57:16 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_750139 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_750139 Debbi I found this for another post and thought it would work here. If you really want to play dirty, then use all of these for your MC... or at least start from #1 and work your way down... instead of a "journal" your MC thinks these in her head. Or even any secondary character... 258 Journal Ideas http://homepage.mac.com/mseffie/handouts/258journal.html I just googled 101 journal prompts... usually 101 of anything works... ;) Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:14:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_756837 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_756837 Debbi Of course your character could start a journal. Maybe he's shopping and see's some nice black notebooks and wishes his great grandpa had wrote down his life story (then write about the grandpa's story) so he buys one for himself. Then he starts his journal... Fri, 18 Nov 2011 13:15:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_756856 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_756856 theordinarywings Just got 1.2k out of a dream sequence! Who ever suggested that one was a genius :D Sat, 19 Nov 2011 15:24:13 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_771054 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_771054 Pruechelan I wish I could you that, it's genuis unfortunately the 50's had no internet. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:02:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_771556 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_771556 goldengreaser 1. Do not delete, change font color or use strike through. 2. Talk about what your character’s are wearing 3. Add flashbacks a dreams 4. Write the grittiest, most emotional , passionate or violent scenes first instead of going in order 5. Have a great deal of dialogue Sat, 19 Nov 2011 17:47:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_772784 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_772784 kcrisman Mundane is my specialty. You can read about it here http://www.unpublishedguy.com/WritingandPublishingFiction/1200/the-most-disappointing-sandwich The graphic is William Blake. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 18:28:16 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_773250 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_773250 bernie_noble If your character is a gardener, of any stripe, you can get a lot of mileage from that... Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:01:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775149 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775149 bernie_noble I find that, at the end of the day / writing session, when my brain is shot and my fingers are full of typos, that to scroll through what I've written already, while characters are still milling around, I can add stuff -- a sentence here and there. I don't consider it wasting time editing; I'm past the point of coherent scenestering. I'm just reviewing and taking a look at where the day's writing has taken my story, and popping in the odd bit as it occurs to me. It's probably not more than 100-200 words, but it's easy words. F'rinstance, I just this evening realised that one of my characters is a pipe-smoker. So I've scrolled through and added references to that. Bernie Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:17:52 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775304 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775304 Arlequin Two words: <em>homoerotic subtext</em>. Seriously, I started writing at light-speed once the gay storyline came into play in my novel. Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:50:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775649 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775649 Miritiel12 I keep changing pieces of the plot but leaving the scenes referring to the old plot in the word count. I've got 4 or 5 different versions of what the villainess is plotting and how she carries it out; all of them are completely different and only one will make it into the final version of the story, but they're all included in the word count. ....Is that cheating, do you think? Sat, 19 Nov 2011 21:55:44 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775697 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_775697 Caramella Barlow No, it's not. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:36:21 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_777134 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_777134 Caramella Barlow I burst out loling when I saw that XD Sun, 20 Nov 2011 01:37:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_777141 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=8#forum_thread_comment_777141 JacksAnnie I've done something similar a few times to. I'll come up with new details about characters and have to go back and add it, maybe to the first time the character is mentioned and any other point where it might be worth mentioning. It's not much, but it gives a few extra words a day, and it's also a good way to get to know the characters better. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:18:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778015 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778015 JacksAnnie No, I don't think it is. Maybe you could even expand on it, by going back and making all the scenarios a part of the thought process as she makes her plans? And then go through them all, as her, and add the weaknesses to each version and maybe that way you'll even end up deciding which version she will actually use. I think that could be a good way to get to know the character as well, even if you don't keep it for the final version. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 04:22:54 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778039 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778039 JacksAnnie Have your characters take a trip, and describe the whole process of getting there, descriptions of trains, airplanes, other people they happen to be annoyed by (there's always someone). And then you can also add a lot of words when they unpack and you describe what they brought with them, which is also a nice way for yourself to add some details about the characters, whether it stays in the final version or not it's still an interesting way to figure them out for yourself. What would they bring? What would they forget? Do they even bother to unpack or just live out of their bags/suitcase? Would they put everything away neatly or just throw it into the drawers/closet? Would they bother hanging up their clothes? If they did put everything away neatly, would it be that way throughout their stay? If not, how quickly would their attempts at being organised turn into a mess? I just added over 2,000 words on a trip that I hadn't originally planned. And with the two characters on the trip being so different from each other, I'm having a lot of fun adding lots of details to how they do things and how they are already beginning to annoy each other. Another tip: Have one character use slang words and expressions that another character doesn't understand, and they have to explain it. maybe even add a misunderstanding or two because of it (like one person thinks the other said something mean when that's now what they meant at all). Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:09:11 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778296 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_778296 Gemma Knott My two main characters are compltely different from each other, and then to top it off, they are complete foreigners to the setting of my novel. Or, 7/8 of it, any ways. Also, if you have started into a new scene with some sort of hook that then goes right into the action, split it up. Put a detailed account of the setting right after the first sentence and then go back to whatever happens next. And I think the avoiding contractions thing has leaked into the rest of my life ;( Happy writing, any ways! Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:12:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_779804 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_779804 ReadySetWrite Write out you numbers. Therefore: $35 become thirty-five dollars, 1,687 become one thousand, six hundred eighty-seven, 1.56 become one point five six. Way more words... Sun, 20 Nov 2011 09:35:47 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_780013 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_780013 kat716 I have no idea if these have been mentioned because I'm too busy (lazy!) to go through all 14 pages. - Drinking games! - Sooooo many words in a game of Truth of Dare or I Never, plus the opportunity to sneak in lots of little tidbits about your characters that would otherwise be hard to mention. - International Talk Like A Pirate Day - No, I'm not kidding. It's Septemer 19th. Google it. Just imagine, you have a character who starts talking like a pirate and telling pirate jokes (jokes = word count) and then he has to explain why... - Parties - Parties always give the opportunity to describe what people are wearing, what food is being served, what an idiot John is when he's drunk, etc. - Riddles/Jokes - Not a big pile at once, probably, unless you're doing a road trip, but if you have a character who's fond of them you can stick them everywhere. They're particularly fun if they're stupid and/or have to be explained. Q: Why does a seagull fly by the sea? A: Because if it flew by the bay, it would be a bagel!! Hahahaha! Get it? Bay-gull? A: Knock knock B; Who's there? A: I'mpatient Cow B: Impatint Cow Wh- A: MOO! A: Hahaha! See, I interrupted you, 'cause I was impatient! B: Yeah, I got it. Okay, anyway... that's it for now, I guess. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 10:32:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_780551 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_780551 SoulchildSecret Thank you so much for the tricks. I know these will come in handy. I'm about to try some of them now. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:28:02 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_781092 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_781092 Arlequin Have your characters debate the news of the day. As a writer of historical fiction I get to play with this a lot, and I recently had my characters debating the Parliament Act of 1911 <em>and</em> Home Rule for Ireland. Jolly old time. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 11:32:27 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_781138 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_781138 Alias Cyborg How can you not have read The Hunger Games?!? The Hunger Games is epic! Amazing! How can you not have read it?!? (sorry for the rant. I love the hunger games) Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:06:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_782338 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_782338 Alias Cyborg wish i could use that but I can't because my characters are in this fantasy realm where they don't even have nwspapers. :'( Sun, 20 Nov 2011 13:27:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_782596 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_782596 perfect tea Men can shop at clothing and craft stores too, and visa versa. ;-) Sun, 20 Nov 2011 22:20:53 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_789084 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_789084 Patricia_Shirra This is an awesome suggestion. I have a character who's fixated-obsessed-with the main character and she's become a bit of a stalker but she meets someone, another guy, who she's growing interested in so she goes through these scenarios in her head about what life would be like with Ethan-who's she's known since childhood but are now estranged, and the new guy, Christopher, who she's just met at college. I could have her fantasize about being with Ethan and then with Christopher only to snap to it and realize she's in class and is being called on by the instructor. Thanks! I think I can get 1500-2000 words out of that . [quote=JacksAnnie] No, I don't think it is. Maybe you could even expand on it, by going back and making all the scenarios a part of the thought process as she makes her plans? And then go through them all, as her, and add the weaknesses to each version and maybe that way you'll even end up deciding which version she will actually use. I think that could be a good way to get to know the character as well, even if you don't keep it for the final version. [/quote] Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:54:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_790427 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_790427 Patricia_Shirra My WIP novel is a young adult novel and my characters are high school seniors who are taking the next steps in life. I've gotten almost 3000 words from three characters meeting their new roommate and describing their dorm room and/or apartment. One of the roommates talks incessantly. Another roommate is extremely attractive so in addition to describing his good looks, perfect teeth, flawless skin and ripped body I talk about how insecure the protagonist feels to be around him. (They end up best friends.). The third roommate is the daughter of a foreign diplomat. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:05:06 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_790469 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_790469 preposterone Two words: Pluperfect tense. My book is full of it. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 05:58:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_791199 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_791199 elennare One of my main characters has nightmares as an established trait, so I'm planning on writing a couple more of those! Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:13:57 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_794461 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_794461 elennare Also, they're just the sort of thing to write using WriteOrDie! Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:14:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_794466 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_794466 JacksAnnie Glad to be of assistance. :D Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:11:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_795865 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_795865 Debbi Strike through: That seems like it would take extra time. I usually just use periods ... and then retype what I wanted. This way it doesn't stop me from my writing. Strike through you need to stop, highlight words, find strikethrough, put my curser back where I need it, and start typing. So just put a space and three periods. Those three periods will count as a word too. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:46:07 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796269 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796269 Debbi Political debate. Either politics themselves (character watching the debate) or the characters themself. Or actually any debate. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:48:28 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796304 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796304 Debbi Another post with some more ideas Things that always boost your word count http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/39235 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 14:59:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796429 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796429 Debbi Everything you type into your file you call "novel" in November counts. This means: Includable Title Epilogues Prologues Dedications Introductions Forewords Afterwords Epigraphs Prefaces Author's Notes Endnotes Footnotes Appendices Glossaries Chapter titles The actual prose From: What Counts In the Word Count http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forum_comments/1107 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:06:56 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796512 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796512 Debbi She also adds "If it's not something that you would consider a part of a novel, then it's best to leave it out." however, IMHO you may not know for sure until you edit... You may add lots of jokes that you may remove when you edit, or keep in. Or weird or odd songs or tunes. Or characters reciting Shakespear while they debate if he really wrote it (aparently there's a movie coming out about that). Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:08:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796534 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796534 Debbi I think my favorite Author's Notes Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:18:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796669 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_796669 The Madlib Hatter My protagonist had a miscarriage. She won't shut up about it. She also stabbed me after I accidentally wrote myself into the story. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:55:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_797104 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_797104 The Madlib Hatter Or no shoes at all. Every day. So you better be thankful for what you have. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:33:36 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_797517 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=13#forum_thread_comment_797517 kcrisman How about having characters write stories a out characters writing stories? Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:50:23 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_797699 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_797699 skinnybee Repetition. I use it a lot anyway and have been trying to cut down on it, but for this I figure, why the hell not, why the hell not, why the hell not? Three asterisks between scenes. * * * If I hate a scene I've written, I leave it in. Highlight it up in grey and make a note underneath: REWRITE THIS LATER. So far, this is everything. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:28:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_799474 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_799474 BrOnTePeReZ i thinks its a great way to wright, it gets you better at editing and jest getting your ideas flowing, and whos to say that what they wright is garbage there will always be someone out there who will think what you wright is stupid but there will always be someone els who thinks it's brilleant. i think if they want to purposly put down garbage thats what they want, if you dont like it dont read it, read your own wrighting and know that your fine with the way your wrighting and there fine with the way there wrighting. i think telling someone that what there doing is "purposly putting down garbage" is wrong, and hurtful. if you dont like there tricks fine thats ok, but dont kick them in the face when there jest trying to help others. i alway thought the perpouse of nanowrimo was to jest write anything and everything as long as your doing it, if the wrighting is garbage fine, but at least you toulk the time out of your day to write your own garbage. im sorry i dont mean to be rude or souned brutle but wrighting is wrighting weather ist garbage or not is up to the author. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:31:26 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_799507 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_799507 BrOnTePeReZ p.s this is jest my opinion and sorry for the bad spelling Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:32:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_799531 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_799531 WASampson My MC broke down the fourth wall on day one to correct a little detail. I got to rewrite an entire description about a charcacter, one that I really liked. He also went back into time, so I got to rewrite certain scenes with a slightly different viewpoint. Hey I was stuck and needed to do something, and it got the plot back. His fourth wall interactions also included a fun scene involving Tom Swifties. He ended up using them to explain some pseudo-calculus/pseudoscience. It was really fun to write, and I've never really done Swifties before. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:57:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_799868 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_799868 sovay I'll write a scene, decide I don't like it, turn it to white, and rewrite the entire scene again. Then, I'm getting more words, especially when I'm stuck in a rut, and I know that when November's over I can pick through both versions and figure out something I like. Sometimes I've rewritten a scene more than two times because I don't want to move on until I've hit all the right notes - it's kind of the way my inner editor gets revenge on me! (: Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:23:52 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_800235 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_800235 Thomas09 For me, the best way is not to throw anthing out, including miscellaneous musings which suddenly appear during the act of writing, convoluted character sketches, long descriptive passages, multiple dialogues, recurring dream sequences, and rambling thoughts (often incoherent) of my main characters. Also, I like writing off on tangents about anything which interests me (if it interests me in this context, it must be part of my novel). Humor is a good one, too. Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:24:53 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_800962 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_800962 PygmyAlpaca Oh my god! I had an entire chapter devoted to this! Mon, 21 Nov 2011 21:52:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_801237 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_801237 Andy Webster Yea, what about writing alternative chapters? Like chapter 3 has alternatives 3a, 3b, 3c etc. so depending which chapters you read you end up with a different story line! Is there a technical name for that?? Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:27:16 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_804081 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_804081 ...2amBer... OH! I've done that a ton before. i rewrote one scene/ chapter and then it affected the rest of my plot so Ihad to rewrite that to Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:12:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_804423 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_804423 goldengreaser If the character is learning a skill display it in depth. For example my mfc is learning swordmanship. Her teacher explains the parts of the sword, their use and how to use them. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 10:38:00 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_805764 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_805764 daisymaebelle One of the exercises I use is to draw/paint a picture of a character including clothing/costume, setting/background. I then have to describe it in exquisite detail. We are running out of time now, but you can paint the same picture in your imagination. Just think how many details there are about a person's eyes - not just color, but shape, lines, lashes, brows, how they are set in the face.....are there scars, piercings, tattoos, etc. Oh wait, that should be et cetera. :) Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:26:41 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_806275 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_806275 Bethane Wow - lots of great ideas here! On rewriting scenes - I have some scenes in both dialogue format and non-dialogue format. On names - yes, I use the full names as well during NANOWRIMO - no John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidts but a Millicent Marianna Freedman - Millie for short - for example. Dream sequences or flashbacks are great too - and easy to edit out later.. Plot bunnies are another one - let your story go off on a tangent and then come back to center - you might find out something deeper about your characters. I know this has probably already been shared (i only browsed through page one of the posts here on break) - however, it bears repeating...thanks! Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:34:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_807122 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_807122 CB_Young I've got a trick for the other Rebels who are writing scripts instead of novels: write out the descriptions of the character's actions in complete sentences. My word count started jumping ahead by leaps and bounds as soon as I figured out this increasingly obvious, but some how alien to me, trick. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:10:10 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_809709 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_809709 Thomas09 Oh, that's another good one, thanks, I'll try it. Very visual, for scripts, but would be good for a novel too. Another one I like to use is detailed descriptions of food being served, taking care to involve all five senses. I have a scene of a group barbecue, and by the time I do detailed descriptions of the characters and all the food there, I have a novella! Tue, 22 Nov 2011 16:37:34 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_810003 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_810003 Will64 Im lowerr Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:05:46 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810319 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810319 LuLiLa I have two tricks that I use for my NaNo. First of all, there is this one character who turns almost every thing she says or thinks by adding something like "don't you?" or "aren't you?" to the end of it, she's a pretty major character in mine and I originally didn't intend to do this for the word count values but simply since it fit her character but now I realize how many words it has added to my NaNo! Also, I heard someone talking about making long chapter titles and got the idea since I like poetry to write at poem at the beginning of each chapter! That also adds a few hundred words onto my word count. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:16:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_810434 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_810434 LuLiLa I do this too with all my characters, my story would be only about 10,000 words if I didn't XD. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:18:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810465 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_810465 QuixoticCraftstina Yay for Ravelry! It has made my knitting needles come to life. Tue, 22 Nov 2011 18:41:59 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_811551 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_811551 Seeing Stars I've been adding random sex scenes throughout. This has all sorts of benefits: it reminds me to be playful in my approach; it lets me avoid the difficult scenes that I really don't want to write; it pads my word count; and it keeps my boyfriend genuinely interested in my writing! Tue, 22 Nov 2011 19:29:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_812172 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_812172 LycanthropesUN Reallllly long chapter names :) and at the end of the chapter write the full name out again. Chapter 8 where I want to punch my main character because she us being a complete idiot. End Chapter 8 where I want to punch my main character because she us being a complete idiot. I have actually had chapter titles that were two or three sentences XD Tue, 22 Nov 2011 21:57:25 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_814230 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_814230 solitaira My whole story is this! and I get even more words because every time she writes a segment (included in the novel, of course, which gives a nice escape from the main story) she has another couple hundred words of agonising over her word choice... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 02:15:05 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_815923 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_815923 stargirlofthesea When in doubt, 2 words.....zombie bunnies! The insanity is the only thing getting my book written amidst having 2 jobs. Both of which I will be working on Friday. Wooo! Wed, 23 Nov 2011 07:09:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_817665 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_817665 Kelvin I made a major supporting character non-english speaking. So instead of "Draw me a house, please." we now have "He beckoned for her to sit down on the chair, and then he shoved the pen into her hands. She knew she had to draw something, that was the easy part - the difficulty was figuring out what exactly. Using exaggerated motions with his hands, he illustrated a roof over his head, a bed to sleep on, a table where he ate..." You get the idea. If I'm desperate enough she can misunderstand, draw a bed and listen (watch) him mime a complaint. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:05:27 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_818674 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_818674 Sprakit I....undid all the contractions in my dialogue.... :-P It got me an extra 200 words, just enough to make me feel like I had a boost without feeling like I flat out cheated. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:50:35 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_819115 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_819115 Aggie80 I'm too lazy to go back and look up names of the stations and planets and even some of the characters. So I routinely will use a string of four letters that can be replaced later. Lieutenant xxxx went back to his stateroom thinking about the visit to station xxxx xxxx xxxx (All my designations are three words long!) Later I can do a search and replace with Lieutenant Keathley and Alpha Tau Seven. Much faster typing and the validation module really doesn't care whether you use xxxxx or Alpha. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:09:12 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_821530 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_821530 Sierra Mist I'm 90% certain that all my characters have hearing problems because "What?" must be the most common word in my novel. That and "Yeah" Whenever someone says something that's more than a few sentences long, another character will ask "What?" and he/she will have to repeat whatever was said. Also, teenager talk. Like yeah. So we were, like, going to the party, and we, like, had a problem staring up a car... so yeah. Becomes hilarious if it's an older character saying it. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 14:23:50 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_822434 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_822434 Druidblue My story has "time travel" involved in it, in a specific form- one in one location (a space ship). As the story is moving on, the characters on board first realize it's from the future. Then they realize its moving forward in time again. They they realize they were wrong and it's stretching through time both ways at the same time. What's helping word count wise, is every time they learn something, I have the MC- the Commander- ask the squad if they have any explanations. So I have someone give a theory as to what might be happening regarding the time travel. Then someone gives a counter argument about why X isn't also Y. In other words, every time they realize something is happening with time, they get into a long conversation about the paradoxes of time travel, which as we know from our own real world discussions on the topic is an infinite loop of arguing. Technically, i could stall out the rest of the novel with them debating the paradoxes for 25,000 more words. BUT... I won't. &gt;_&lt; Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:08:31 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_822981 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_822981 Druidblue Shoot! Forgot to comment on my cheat from two years ago. I was doing sci fi that year too, and needed to name several planets and ships, but never did. So, as has been suggested, the names were respectively, "The Planet that the Druids Live on That Has An Incredible Name That Has Yet To Be Revealed In All Its Wisdom And Glory to All Who Would Seek To Know in the Universe But Don't Worry Because They Talked About it At the Last Druid Council And They Are Going To Tell You All The Name Soon." Imagine that, for several planets, and the same concept for two spaceships. *ca-ching wordcount* Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:12:42 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_823043 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_823043 Yomandude I was going to do 360 words <em>about</em> a sandwich, but you've got me beat here. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:20:30 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_823721 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_823721 Druidblue Wow. Can't believe I'm still the last person to comment on this. Anyways, it's weeks later, and due to how bad things are in my life right now- I literally can't focus on anything due to my near-suicidal level of depression and hopelessness. So, I simply don't have any interest right now in writing meaning I was averaging 1000k a day at best. Combined with the fact that my personality requires me to win or I will not be able to participate in NaNo again, I had to resort to the same trick I did two years ago I mentioned above. But, uh... excessively. I don't like it, but at least winning will let me return next year. Because after all- no matter how insane or silly the outcome, the words didn't exist before I wrote them, meaning I did in fact write 50,000+ words and validly won. I just had to do things like this: “Oh, sorry, sir. I made my way to Room where the crew would do scientific type experiments and other science based stuff like recording how many times someone might statistically pin the tail on the donkey during a science party, but there’s two rooms like this so this would be Science 2 after leaving the Medical bay. Nothing was of note there. But, I headed upstairs to Room where the crew would do scientific type experiments and other science based stuff like recording how many times someone might statistically pin the tail on the donkey during a science party, but there’s two rooms like this so this would be Science 1 and… well, there’s a device here. And it’s active.” And, my MC, Commander Adin Ryniker, suddenly became "Super Important Person By The Rank of Commanding Commander of the Commanded via Rank of Commander Adin Ryniker". Repeat these concepts for most characters and rooms, and I finished in ultra-silly fashion. I'll leave you on the new phrase for "Engine Room": "the room with big gigantic scary engines that make vrr - oo - oo - oo - oom noises and have lots of bits and pieces and parts laying about and has the things that make the ship move, so maybe a good name would be the Engine Room" Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:15:37 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_845521 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_845521 Moonhawk You have not read the Hunger games?!? It's the most amazing book out there at this possible moment in time! I recommend whole-heartedly that you read it. Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:33:11 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_846825 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_846825 Tesla.Ana A fight scene between a Harlem showgirl and a Soviet officer just gave me 1k worth of material. It's amazing how much you can describe when one is wielding a microphone and the other an AK47. Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:41:33 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_848246 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_848246 bookworm88 I know this is old but I was scanning through and saw this. This is exactly what I need. I have a little girl trying to block out her parents arguing, and aside from asking them to stop over and over to herself I can add a rhyme. Thanks for the inspiration :) 2008: Just Another Christmas Day - Win! 2009: Sincerely, Mr Nobody - Win! 2010: In Any Kind of Weather - Win! 2011: Through Silent Eyes - ?? Sat, 26 Nov 2011 03:53:09 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_850290 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=7#forum_thread_comment_850290 The Madlib Hatter [quote=skinnybee]Three asterisks between scenes. * * * [/quote] I do the same with these things: ~ ~ ~ Also, I added stuff like dedications and signed all of them with my full initials, like so: - - - - M. P. P. Sat, 26 Nov 2011 09:00:01 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_851885 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=14#forum_thread_comment_851885 perfect tea This is what I do, too. :) Sat, 26 Nov 2011 14:19:40 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_854724 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_854724 j.dextra Ooh, I just thought of this, but I'm not sure if someone else already has before me. Give one of your characters the hiccups and add in each of them. "I just, hic, need, hic, a glass of water, hic, and I'll, hic, be fine!" she said, boosting the author's word count. Muhaha... Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:01:48 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_882018 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_882018 Caroline11278 [quote=Wolfme] Threaten my characters with the Hunger Games :D [/quote] HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I might just have to do that (my MC is, like me, a big fan of dystopian books, so there will be LOTS of referances. Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:46:51 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1045402 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1045402 keyon 02The assembled <a href="http://www.sacramentoescortasian.com" rel="nofollow">Sacramento Escort</a> prices are WAAAY <a href="http://www.sacramentoescortasian.com" rel="nofollow">Sacramento Escorts</a> below MAP, and because <a href="http://www.sacramentoescortasian.com" rel="nofollow">Sacramento Asian Escort</a> of that, you need to email us and we will send you a list of items, or if you have a specific head you'd like <a href="http://www.sacramentoescortasian.com" rel="nofollow">Sacramento Asian Escorts</a> affixed to an OKato, let us know and we will shoot you out pricing Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:42:43 -0800 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_1193640 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=15#forum_thread_comment_1193640 CaledoniaRecuerdame Organically cloned chickens. Enough said. Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:24:48 -0700 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1322820 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/reaching-50-000/threads/914?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1322820