Dares. For those of you who are new, this is a fun way to extend your word count and have a bit of fun while doing so. As you'll come to find out, most NaNo novels are silly pieces of fiction that we giggle about as we pound away at our word processors throughout November. NaNo is supposed to be fun, and Dares just increase that fun exponentially.
How does a Dare work?
Think of the game Truth or Dare, it's pretty much the same premise minus the truth aspect (so I guess you'd call it "Or Dare", but whatever.) People will come up with silly ideas and post them here, essentially "daring" the other authors to incorporate those suggestions into their novels; with "Points" and "Cookies" generally being awarded to the authors who successfully slide their dares into their stories somehow.
An example of a dare:
Have your character go to the library to get some obscure book and when she/he opens it up, there’s an extremely old piece of thin sliced ham between two of the pages.
+ Bonus Points if the character eats the ham.
++ Double Bonus Points if the character gets severe food poisoning from it.
+++ Triple Bonus Points and a cookie if the character projectile vomits on the antagonist.
So there you have it, a quick breakdown of Dares. So I now dare you all to come up with some really fun ones for us to use this year!
Here are some staple dares to get you all started:
1) Have a cat randomly catch on fire at some point in your novel.
+ Bonus Points for context
2) Main Villain shows up eating a Tootsie Roll Pop.
+ Bonus Points if it happens every time they show up
++ Double Bonus Points for no repeats
3) Your Main Character dies. No take backs.
4) Name and/or base your characters after various Wrimos in the group.
(A word of caution here, you are more than free to participate in this dare. However, at the request of the MLs: PLEASE OBTAIN PERMISSION TO USE A WRIMO'S NAME AND/OR LIKENESS IN YOUR STORY. If the person says no, be polite and don't use them.)
5) Mention NaNoWriMo by name.
+ Bonus Points for context
----------
2005 Novel: The Mists of Centarium
2006 Winning Novel: Dancing Into The Night
2007 Winning Novel: PARALLAX
2008 Winning Novel: Keys in the Lock
NaNo 2009 Project: FUSiONFaLL
35,575 / 50,000
Oct 4, 2009 - 15 43
Dare:
Random appearance by Andrew Zimmern (Bizzarre Foods fame)
----------Bonus points for relevance
Double bonus if Andrew gets any of the caracters to eat anything weird
Double bonus and a cookie if the MC manages to get Andrew to eat durian fruit (Andrew HATES durian)
Winner 2008: Alodia's Journal
2009 Participant, Sinking Paradise
33,446 / 50,000
Oct 5, 2009 - 09 24
Random appearance by Andrew Zimmern (Bizzarre Foods fame)
Bonus points for relevance
Double bonus if Andrew gets any of the caracters to eat anything weird
Double bonus and a cookie if the MC manages to get Andrew to eat durian fruit (Andrew HATES durian)
I can do that, in a fantasy setting even.
Here's mine, I did this in a story a few years back.
Include a literal cliffhanger, meaning the character is literally clinging to the side of a cliff.
Bonus points if the character is one of the main characters.
Double bonus points if the villian saves them
Tripple bonus points if neither one of them realizes who the other is until they are on the ground or at the top.
65,801 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2009 - 18 16
There was talk at the info meeting of a dares thread on the blog for the dares that aren't all ages appropriate. It's up:
http://wrisynsgfmo.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/fantastic-first-meeting/
So if you've any dares that you haven't posted because you don't want to bend or break the rules of the all ages set-up, head on over to the blog and post the ideas there!
Gayle
----------Co-ML, Springfield, MO
7th year NaNoer
Previous NaNos: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Wins: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
11,016 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2009 - 20 19
Ok Robert. One of my characters spent too much time with a frat house as an undergrad, so I think he's going to be recounting a time he went to the library and his buddy dared him to eat the ham slice inside a book...... I know I was talking about a fantasy novel at the first meeting, but there is another novel that has been suggesting a few things to, so I'll likely work it in somehow.
Dare for anyone else : One of your minor characters recently either failed an exam, or has been laid off from their job. Of course people sympathize, but the minor character continues to whine to the point that no one will talk with them about it anymore.
----------2005: Tightlipped in Rootwad (winner!)
2006: Taking Care of Goldy (winner!)
2007: Out of My Mind, Please Leave a Message (winner!)
2008: Truwesa (winner!)
25,572 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 08 58
I can actually use the cat catching fire perfectly in my novel and I think I will when I write tonight!
I was actually already planning to kill my main character in the end. ^-^
Also, I think mentioning NaNo is a great idea too.
Those are the three dares I'm accepting!
Dare:
----------Have one of the main characters get drunk and reveal something shocking about themselves.
+ bonus if they don't remember it the next day.
++ bonus if the other characters use it against them one day.
"This must be what going mad feels like." -Simon Tam
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar." -Wash
"Somebody's carrying a bullet for you right now and doesn't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before it finds you." -Mal Reynolds
4,000 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 16 04
This is my first time writing for NaNoWriMo so I had a few questions about the dares.
Firstly, do you really tally up points for dares used?
If so, how do we prove we did any of the dares? Is it an "end of the month" type thing where we look at how everyone used the varies dares, or each time we go to the meeting, if we used another dare, show it then?
And for the cookies, are you referring to a real cookie that a person gets? Or is that just added silliness but no one really gets a cookie. And if you get a cookie, who provides it? The one who made the dare?
I'm sorry if the questions are silly, but this is my first time and I want to make sure I am on the same page as everyone :)
36,013 / 50,000
Nov 2, 2009 - 18 10
Ok, I've gotta dare for anyone brave enough.
At some point in your novel have a team of Marines sneak stealthily through the scene without disrupting the plot line.
Bonus if your MC notices but doesn't say anything.
Double Bonus if it's a fantasy world.
Extra virtual cookies if they come back again.
----------"You think I'm bad??!! I'm the conservative in the group!"
-Myself
~Hope~
12,808 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 12 11
I will be very disappointed if the cookies aren't real.
Proof would be in the writing. I think the dares are just there for inspiration and to be silly. There isn't an official tally at the end; we just swap stories about how we used the dares and everyone assumes you're telling the truth.
I really need to sit down and look at our dares thread. It's getting to the point to where my story is nothing more than the Book of Dares.
66,700 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 12 17
Firstly, do you really tally up points for dares used?
If so, how do we prove we did any of the dares? Is it an "end of the month" type thing where we look at how everyone used the varies dares, or each time we go to the meeting, if we used another dare, show it then?
And for the cookies, are you referring to a real cookie that a person gets? Or is that just added silliness but no one really gets a cookie. And if you get a cookie, who provides it? The one who made the dare?
I'm sorry if the questions are silly, but this is my first time and I want to make sure I am on the same page as everyone :)
Points and Cookies are mostly used in a joking and silly way, HOWEVER! I'm sure we can find a way to give out real cookies to people who used dares in their novel at the end-of-NaNo party on December 5th.
During the end-of-NaNo party writers are encouraged to share excerpts of their novel and you guys can be more than welcome to share which dares you used and how they were incorporated into your story.
----------2005 Novel: The Mists of Centarium
2006 Winning Novel: Dancing Into The Night
2007 Winning Novel: PARALLAX
2008 Winning Novel: Keys in the Lock
NaNo 2009 Project: FUSiONFaLL
2,803 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 19 09
you know, these are great when your having a writers block :)
42,052 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 19 34
At some point in your novel have a team of Marines sneak stealthily through the scene without disrupting the plot line.
Bonus if your MC notices but doesn't say anything.
Double Bonus if it's a fantasy world.
Extra virtual cookies if they come back again.
Done and done. Actually, this was perfect for adding a bit of lightness in a long period of serious business. MC noticed but didn't say anything, shrugging it off as "It's Manhattan. Stranger things have happened on subways." And we'll see if they can't make a return appearance later.
Actually, I was planning on having a wild graduation party, and the drunk thing is a great idea period. MC's roommate is going to have fun. Random cat catching on fire, I actually had to stop and laugh upon reading, and that will definitely have to be a Christmas surprise.
----------35,575 / 50,000
Nov 3, 2009 - 23 03
Okay, so I TOTALLY used both the main character getting drunk and revealing something outlandish to another character AND the marines dares in the same scene!
AND, I will be collecting the bonus, because I plan on my MC not remembering a damn thing the next morning, and the marines will most likely be making a come back in a (much) later chapter.
But here's another dare that just cropped up due to my at-home writing environment.
There's this lovely little stuff at most pet supply stores called Bitter Apple.
Dare:
Your MC sprays some of the Bitter Apple into his/her own mouth, just to see what it tastes like.
Bonus for context.
Double bonus for rabid foaming at the mouth action as a result.
----------Winner 2008: Alodia's Journal
2009 Participant, Sinking Paradise
18,509 / 50,000
Nov 17, 2009 - 17 05
http://winterson.com/2005/06/episode-iii-backstroke-of-west.html
Use any of the subtitles from this. xDDDD BONUS POINTS if you can make it make sense.
----------~ I'll be reaching for the stars with you...
Oh, honey, who cares? No one else believes... ~
NaNovel 2009: In a Weary World
http://to-waver.livejournal.com/
54,325 / 50,000
Nov 17, 2009 - 19 24
What if the female romantic lead dies between the end of the first book and the beginning of the second?
Does that count?
25,572 / 50,000
Nov 19, 2009 - 08 10
Dare: Have a hot sauce eating contest between your comic relief character and your most serious character.
+ if passing out is involved.
++ if the winner NEVER lets the victory go and goes around calling himself/herself "The King/Queen of the Volcano"
P.S. I love this thread.
----------"This must be what going mad feels like." -Simon Tam
"I'm a leaf on the wind. Watch how I soar." -Wash
"Somebody's carrying a bullet for you right now and doesn't even know it. The trick is to die of old age before it finds you." -Mal Reynolds
27,447 / 50,000
Nov 19, 2009 - 09 55
This is the first dare I've seen that I can use in my story, and I totally will. Thanks for the word count boost! :)
----------remnants.posterous.com
fadetoawesome.posterous.com
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