"Whoa, dude, that's deep." Unexpected themes popping up in your novel. http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998 Ailuridae I had to start over on my novel, from scratch, due to a computer problem, so day 24, I had 0 words, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me; I am LOVING the new story, whereas, the old one would have been much more effective as a short story, and was dragging like you would not believe. Anyway, as I was writing, I noticed that there were motifs and themes cropping up in my new story; gender roles were being explored, tradition and morality questioned, even a running theme about thoughts on what exactly is so "wrong" about nudity and how it represents humanity's divorce from nature. In short, things I had absolutely not expected happening in a novel I was trying to vomit out in under a week, and I am so excited for the editing phase, where I can articulate these points and bring them a little closer to the surface of the narrative. Anyone else have random themes and such popping up that they hadn't expected at all? Sun, 27 Nov 2011 11:50:18 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_861268 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_861268 Geesafaire Started writing about time travel, ended up writing about fate vs. free will, abortion, religion, bullying, and love. I can assure you, I wanted no allegories or themes at all, and even though my characters seem to be taking an anti-religious slant (they even claim that Joan of Arc's saintly visions were holograms from the future), the whole thing could be read as an allegory about the afterlife and making deals with the devil. I should include a disclaimer: "Attention schoolkids reading this for class. Your teacher wants you to read this with themes and symbolism and stuff. Don’t. Just read it as a time travel adventure story and move on with your life." Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:28:18 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_861906 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_861906 H My characters kept talking about society and changing the world... so I kept it and expanded on it and my story feels like there's something deeper behind it. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 16:40:20 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_862666 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_862666 Iago Grey My story was supposed to be about three guys staying in Wales and having a bit of a comic time. Instead it became a psychological thriller, with special emphasis on the effects of isolation from wider society, including paranoia, change of relationships and possible psychosis. It's not such a funny story anymore. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:59:36 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863278 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863278 streamergurl One of my princess' brothers turned out to be abusing his family. I totally did not see that coming, but was able to address it in a way that it moved the plot forward. Beyond that, there was a bigger theme of making time for family and what's most important in life than I first expected. It's totally awesome, of course, but I didn't see that coming. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:48:15 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863780 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863780 Another Anonymous Person My story was supposed to be about getting over grief, and then it was about trust, and then it was about finding yourself, and now it's about getting over grief again.... It's a roller coaster, but I think I've got it under control =) Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:02:46 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863925 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863925 Mayreau Huh. This is where mine is going in a nutshell right now. 'Specially the grief. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:08:26 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863986 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_863986 jblanc I've had a few pop up, the deepest of which is "What is free choice?" It's become crucial to my conclusion, but otherwise pretty obtrusive. I wanted to write a sci-fantasy lark, not a deep philosophical essay. Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:22:07 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_867014 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_867014 BenCrome This happens a lot when I try and write something funny. The thing is, I tend to decide to write a very light hearted and silly thing about a serious subject - like the world ending in three days and the fact that everyone is definitely, inescapably going to die, or people trapped in a building surrounded by a horde of flesh eating zombies. Then, as I write, the situation starts to actually makes itself clear, and then a few weeks later I'm bored and have a big hole without enough plot to cover it in the third act, and I inevitably decide to kill off whichever character I like the most there, and it all becomes a great big messy black comedy. Basically, the premise goes from serious to light hearted to serious, and it comes out very odd as a result. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 01:32:54 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_868586 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_868586 writerchick37 I have, and I'm really excited about it! The two big themes that have emerged are self-sacrifice, and the corrupting influences of power. I'm also discovering lots of real world parallels that I hadn't planned on. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 06:08:21 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_871654 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_871654 Dani Marchand I meant to do a pretty straightforward good vs evil fantasy novel, but I ended up not coming close. My chief antagonist is sympathetic and sweet, if delusional and needy. His partners on the side of "evil" include two who are purely dedicated to doing the right thing, several powerless and basically nice characters, and one whose main fault is excessive logic. My group of protagonists includes two murderers (one who does it out of pure jealousy), one double agent who betrays both sides, and one who switches allegiances whenever it suits her whims. I don't know whose side I'm on anymore, but it sure gives the reader a lot to think about, especially when I get into the motivations behind everyone's actions. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:05:27 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_875786 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_875786 Burnt Sushi Men become Zombies. And then, it started becoming a commentary on sexism and morality. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 19:12:06 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_876403 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_876403 TGWild Mine was always going to have 'deep' themes, but the themes in question have been mutating and transforming as they go, becoming something more coherent. With any luck, by the end, it will be an exploration of trust and manipulation (what's the difference between mind control and just lying to someone 'for their own good'?) with a side salad of the morality of killing enemies and the difference between execution and murder. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:18:06 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_877089 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_877089 Saffers Family sort of ended up being a recurring theme in my story. A lot of my main characters' choices and intentions can be tied back to the relationships they have with their families. A sort of "friends as family" theme has come up a couple times too. So I guess the underlying message is that your life is shaped by the people you care about most. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:39:57 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_877998 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_877998 Belledandy How about an epic urban fantasy that morphs into a lighhearted fractured fairy tale? Now I've got all these dead bodies I have to do something with. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 22:12:26 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_878334 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_878334 bloodonmytypewriterkeys I thought it would be a commentary on society and the way the world is slowly condensing into just a few superpowers. Instead, it's about how much people can be willing to forgive, and the power of forgiveness to change both the forgiven and the forgiving. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:33:48 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_886523 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_886523 MarcyT I wrote a light adventure novel. Somehow, a subplot involving abortion and PAS ended up in it. The two parts of the story kind of clash. :) Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:49:30 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_886643 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_886643 MyLifeIs_Music I was intending my MC's boyfriend to have angelic parents, but it turns out that his dad abuses both of them, and as a result, the mother is over emotional. My MC doesnt care as much as i thought she would when people die, but she gets over tese things fast. Also, the sweet blind old lady dies suddenly of a heart attack. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:52:30 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_888081 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_888081 mrbowlerhat My novel ended up with racism as a main theme. Surprising in a post apocalyptic world, really, I suppose. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:07:30 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_888205 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_888205 mixolydian320 Mine suddenly took on themes I'm writing about for a paper right now, including retaining humanity in the face of horrible situations and accepting one's own mortality. Basically, that there are things worse than death, and that how you live your life is often more important than staying alive at any cost. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:35:26 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_890379 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_890379 ms.mercy Mine has accidentally turned into a complete morality- trip about what's wrong with the youth of today, and why it isn't actually wrong at all. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:58:56 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_890697 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_890697 Suzana Mazon Polyamory. I hate to say I didn't even know it was a word until a question I posted on a forum said what my characters were doing would be called polyamory. But, it's so right for my story. So for now, I have three characters practicing polyamory. All my characters had a ball over Thanksgiving pursuing all kinds of experiences that I didn't know were going to happen. I hope most of it survives the editing process. Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:41:19 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_891239 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_891239 biki576 I was going to write a light romance. I got a guy struggling to get out of his rut of stability that his absent mother dropped him. He falls in love with a crazy girl that wears her heart on her sleeve. A hurt, daydreaming heart. And...I...love them so much... Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:06 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_895916 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_895916 biki576 Dropped him IN. I miss the edit button. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:41 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_895924 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_895924 Mariana OConnor The female character in my first novel, who was supposed to be a screaming fainting damsel in distress, turned out to be the only character in the novel not motivated by self interest, but by actual principles. And it turned out that her relationship with the 'good guy' was actually emotionally abusive, which was a bit disturbing to discover. (Him abusing her, not her abusing him). Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:05:38 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_897925 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_897925 KatieDovel My antagonist and protagonist keep having strange parallels. They both injure their feet on the journey to 'the City', they both hold an angry/depressing past... I didn't even notice it until i started editing Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:13:59 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1037184 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1037184 Lydia_Ember I started writing about how one guy was ticked at how his father was ruling his people. When I started writing about his last days after losing a key battle (I skip around when I write), his wife comments on how change is part of the natural world and to accept it, whether it be good or bad on your position in life. It's kinda zen in a way. I knew I wanted him to come to terms with his dad, but I had no idea how until that chick spoke up. Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:33:00 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1037243 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1037243 Another Anonymous Person I'm back at the "finding yourself". Jeez. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:06:17 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1045263 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=1#forum_thread_comment_1045263 Another Anonymous Person Whoa, dude, that's deep. ;) Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:07:08 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1045266 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1045266 aliaswriter I'm having the opposite problem. My story is supposed to ponder on the existence of reincarnation; whether it really does exist, or if it is just a bunch of hogwash. I don't think I'm doing a very good job of doing that. It's just coming out as a story, and doesn't make you think. I know a large contrbuting factor to this is that there are no deep, philosophical thoughts or dialogue. I was never one to get into philosophical debates, and now I don't know how to apply it to my story when it's needed. Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:03:34 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1046552 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1046552 golfgal08 You'd think, going in, I'd realize that a war story would involve themes of duty and leadership, but.... well, it's more than just leadership, it's the concept of how we define what makes a good leader versus a bad leader. It's a fun concept to explore. Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:25:50 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1049410 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1049410 Saspirilla Finding out the truth; understanding the man her father really was; eventually finding love ... yeah those were expected. What I didn't expect was: - "you have to take the chance that was denied to them as you never know what may be around the corner", when FMC is shown where her parents' ashes are buried together after mother was murdered and her father died years later - love can be found where you least expect it (two characters like each other, but it's left to the reader as to whether they get together or not... hmm.. potential sequel) - growing into yourself, e.g. one of the main male leads has to take up the full responsibility of ruling the Empire - those that have gone before you are always there to watch over you; shown at the very end when another male lead is dying and he sees his lover and his friend (with his lover) waiting by the garden where they are all buried Yeah. Those came as a surprise. You can tell what was happening in my life when I was writing. The grief parts anyway. Yet to find love :) Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:33:49 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1064242 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1064242 fuzz Hmm, well apparently my vaguely homicidal spy really just wants to be loved but he's so cynical, he thinks it doesn't exist. It's no wonder the poor bastard isn't happy and gets such a miserable ending. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:25:47 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1089648 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1089648 Rubyfruit Started writing a story about what is basically a Magical Girl Cop trying to fight a mind control villain. Said magical girl cop and villain are high school students. And later a couple. And they're both girls. It slowly became about the pressure of being normal from the eyes of both protagonist (who has days of Really Really Wanting to Just Be Normal, but knows that she has the magical powers to save the world and if she doesn't use them, it'd be bad) and antagonist (who wants to be all "Screw Normal" but her plan is ridiculously intricate and she can't reveal herself just yet). Also Sexy Ninjas. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:49:05 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1093240 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1093240 helltank I wanted to personify the emotion of guilt with this Gollum-style creature that makes you feel guilty about the greatest wrong you've ever done. It was supposed to be a thriller, with Guilt(that's his name) popping up every chapter and killing people in gruesome ways, but somehow, really deep stuff(exploration of paranoia and fighting away the demons of your past come to mind) just snuck in. Then I wanted to write about a math prodigy who feels sort of outcast(he isn't really ostracized, but he's afraid if he co-workers find out about his talent they'll exclude him from their social circle) on a train ride debating whether to smother his talent and act stupider then he is. It was supposed to be a sort of philosophical thing, but it ended up as a "be proud of your true self" act. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 11:23:48 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1109346 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1109346 Loki Laughs Initially, mine was a road trip comedy about a ghost, a demon, and a werewolf playing poker with Death. Now it is exploring themes about different types of love and learning to accept loss/death. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:09:33 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1117573 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1117573 MurillionBlue Mine was originally going to have two fairly simple plots: 'Narrator is on probation and has to tell a halfway decent story' and 'Princess gets captured; doesn't get rescued'. And then a lot of clone-related subtext appeared. It kinda said "there are two types of clones. Those with identical DNA [read: bodies] and those with identical minds'. The Narrator mentioned things that implied that Narrators in general are the second type, and that it wanted a way to separate itself from the 'hive mind' and be itself. By the end, it's on the way there. And the Narrator seems to be more sympathetic to the first type of clone. Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:49:10 +0000 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1166882 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1166882 PeverellSister Mine was originally going to be an adventure/fantasy story about a werewolf who has a crappy life finding a magic box that forces her to run from the forces of evil and to save the world. Now, I think the question "What does it mean to be free?" is pretty much the entire...purpose? meaning? behind the story. I didn't expect it to be that important. Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:24:39 +0100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1256897 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1256897 lynettejo Mine decided it was going to focus on feminism and breaking away from standards set for women by society. It also deals with spousal abuse. Wed, 11 Apr 2012 03:27:24 +0100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1279766 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1279766 Yirggzmb My NaNo from a couple years ago somehow developed themes about the importance of choice and being willing to make sacrifices, which apparently don't count if it's not done willingly. It started as a story about a girl dragged into an adventure and things got progressively worse for her, poor thing. And most of the things I write somehow end up with a theme of "Never give up, even when it looks like you're totally screwed. Of course, you probably are totally screwed, but maybe you'll get lucky so don't give up hope." I really need to work on not getting character in so far over their heads that it takes luck or a literal miracle to save their sorry butts. Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:24:28 +0100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1292881 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1292881 fuzz I seem to have added some unintentional thing about the nature of bravery. It's getting just a *little* corny and overwrought for me, so I reckon I'll edit it out mostly but I was a bit surprised that it snuck its way in to begin with. I've also got some weird symbolism/extended metaphor going about scars. Interested to see how that turns out... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:15:47 +0100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1321427 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1321427 Arlequin My novel unexpectedly questioned blind patriotism and the idea of "duty to King & Country". I had planned on addressing the theme to begin with -- how could I not, in a novel centred around the First World War? -- but it wasn't supposed to be as important as it ended up being. Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:24:57 +0100 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1326092 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/this-is-going-better-than-i-d-hoped/threads/43998?page=2#forum_thread_comment_1326092