Is anyone else doing as badly as I am?

Dude, I have like 15,000 words (estimated because I'm doing it longhand), so yeah, I think I'm doing worse than you!!

Do what I do, don't look at the bars, or just imagine that they are all lying and they have like 5 words. That will make you feel better!!

You are doing great! You don't give yourself enough credit.

If you really want to see how great you are doing.

I suggest you go to the Author's page and search for Scotland.

Notice how many zeros there are. People that aren't even trying.

You are doing fine. It is just about writing one word at a time.

Keep Writing!

<----- *looks around innocently*

*spots Marie Rex*

Uh oh, I'm off! I'm off! Writing already, see?

*adds another word to latest chapter*

Longhand? Totally hardcore. ;) At this point, are you planning a big push to still make it to 50,000? That's what keeps nagging at me, and what several NaNoing friends have already done -- just lowering the bar. I've got 30,000 words to write, my mom and aunt are flying out here all the way from California Tuesday for my graduation, so I've pretty much got to catch up by then, and it would be soooo easy to just say, ah, well, my goal is just to keep plugging away until the date clicks over and consider this a good practice run. That would be totally reasonable, right?

Except I really, reeeeally want to win this. I've got nothing but free time between now and Tuesday, and part of me thinks I can still make it. Maybe, partly, because I'm graduating now with a Master's in Creative Writing, and the one thing that stymied me from day one of that programme was word count and an overactive internal editor, and I feel a deep-seated need to finally kick that red pen in the arse now that I don't have any tutors or grades to worry about.

Am I crazy? Are you still aiming for the big 50k?

I did the Scotland search, and you're right! It is encouraging! Even better than the zeroes, which could just be people not updating their word count or people who signed on and forgot about it, were all the people who were in the same range as me, still struggling with the halfway point.

RRrrrrrraaaahhhhh!!! Right! Write!!

Go down fighting, that's what I say ;)

Maybe all those people with green bars are just making up any old number because they only have about two words or something!
(except Marie Rex, 'cos she's nice :) lol)

Just updated mine at 17,890, although I have an excuse. I'm working as a volunteer at a local radio station (3TFM) during the days, so I only have the evenings and Thursdays like today 'cos I have the whole day to myself except for college in the evenings. So I'll be going for an all nighter tonight.
Aiming for at least 4,000 words a day now. So hopefully I can just manage to scrape past the finish line in time! :)

*grabs a pneumatic drill and gets stuck into the next writer's block! AAARGH!!!*

I promise you I'm making things up. But it ain't numbers.

Thanks for thinking I'm nice. I try to be.

You'll do fine just keep going.

Get out of the forums and get back to work.

I'm watching!

If you want it enough, you can do it.

Strangle that inner editor for the next several days and just go like mad.

You can do this. Trust me.

I think the fact that you are doing this long hand is nothing short of amazing.

Well done!

I am still aiming for the 50k, but if I don't reach it I won't be upset, because I know that what I'm writing is decent and at the end of the day that keeps me happy.

Also, I may speed things up by switching everything over onto computer, because my typing is faster and less painful then writing it out. I would hate to do it, but it may be an essential change.

I hate writing long hand, I just can't do it. My mind goes faster than the pen and the pen just to goes faaaaaaaar to slow.

Then again, I do damn near everything on computer, lol

See I'm the total opposite. I kind of have to write a first draft of anything I do (except my journalism) on paper and then while I'm transferring it onto computer I do an edit as I go.

This does mean things take twice as long as they normally would, but for some reason, when I'm writing fiction, I hit a mental block if I'm staring at the computer screen.

My inner editor is currently locked in a dusty cupboard under the stairs with all the spiders and other beasties.
He'll be ok though, there's a water cooler in there and I remember to slip a crackerbread and cheese slice under the door every so often ;)

Almost at the halfway mark now, and I'm on a roll :)
Events in my story are speeding up now. Things are beginning to head for what I hope will be a dramatic conclusion.
Stay tuned! ;)

well I just broke the 30,000 word barrier. Happy to have done so but that still means about 20,000 words to go. I think my brain just melted.

at least you know where your brain is... i haven't heard off or seen mine today :(
makes work kind off interesting though :D, not to mention tonight's writing session

I see you goofing off in the forums.

*stern mom look*

Now get to work!

Check my pathetic teeny little blue bar.....you are doing WAY better than me and do I care? you bet i do - am going to give it my best shot over the weekend, now that my brain is functioning like it belongs to me again - stuff the inner editor, all i need is supple wrists, a pair of nail clippers, and the keyboard is mine...all mine *evil laughs*

am away to get past the 3K mark before bedtime - keep writing keep writing keep writing!!!!!!!

ww

I just crossed the halfway mark last night, but I need more than that today! My current plan is to write, in bold, at the beginning of the next chapter, "Please ignore, this is the rambly bit. The story will resume when it is ready."

Dear God, I hope this works!

That is a great idea!

I sometimes put a note in where I'm stuck saying 'Come back here later.'

You are doing great, keep at it.

I'm doing worse than you! am also writing longhand, because if i type onto a screen i think too much about it and that slows me down. i've been writing at lunchtimes at work but in the evening i've just been too tired. moan.
hope to have a big push this weekend.
good luck
Lauren

Lauren, Edinburgh posse is meeting at West End Starbucks today at 1:00. See events calendar. Come along and moan to us. Best, K

*gasp* *wheeze* I'm at 30,000! Not finished for the day yet, either -- the boyfriend's out with mates until late, so I plan to keep trucking until he gets home... I'm trying not to think about the fact that I still have 20,000 to go... Just trying to get to that 35,000 mark where Mr. Baty says everything gets easier... Gaaaahhhh, this is hard...

Honest Chris is right after 35 it gets so much easier. Things pull together and zoom. You are doing fantastic.

Keep at it.

I reckon 30000 is a pretty good place to be if you have a lot of free time over the next few days.

I'm at 33k and chucking it for the evening. I reckon I need to get 6k done tomorrow to stand a chance of getting this done by next Friday.

Still I'm not downhearted, first attempt and all (although I'll never let anyone read it unedited.....)

It really does become easier after 35k. Must be that 'light at the end of the tunnel' kind of syndrome.

Keep up the good work folks - we can still make it!! ^_^

How you doing Katy, fellow hand writer? I did a bit of typing this evening but those scarey clear words on that shiny white screen were all too alarming, the cheese was breathing down my neck, so I'm off to retreat to my notebook and pen again, where i can't see quite so clearly the tosh i'm churning out . have had a good day so far, more than three thousand words but i'm now pretty tired. Oh, and i want to watch ANTM! weirdly addicted...

I'm on par! I hit the book-prescribed quota today, caught up in the final hours! I was going to be happy with 6,000 today straight up, but had to plug out a few hundred more just to say I'm finally caught up...;)

Definitely starting to get a little scatter-brained and bleary-eyed after the mad rush in the last few days. But my mom and aunt are coming tomorrow, so I'm still worried, even though after this weekend a mere 1,700 in a whole day sounds like a joke. Mom has already pretended not to remember that I told her I'd be writing while they're here... Ohhh, the mixed feelings!

On the plus side, you wouldn't believe how much my characters started getting laid when I needed to pad the word count...

Um, do I sound as nutty as I feel right now? Like, little birdies flying in a circle around my head going "NaNo, Nano"?

You can do it Erica!!

Hide in your room or type and talk at the same time (not an easy feat, I imagine). You can do it though - only 7.5k words left to go!

I was there only two days ago and I've not managed a 6k daily goal. If you can do that - you're but a hair's breadth away!

WELL DONE!

I start describing food prep in ghastly boring detail when I get stuck. What ever works.

Nice to know what those birdies are. I knew my cats were chasing something.

Give Mom and auntie a big pot of tea and a pile of cookies.

Keep Writing.