basic information

Editing includes any deletions or changes to existing text. Don't do it! Resist the urge. This month is an exercise in freewriting, where you completely ignore your Inner Editor and just go with the flow. Your characters may take over the storyline, you may change a character's name or occupation, or you may decide to just stop the current story and begin a new one, but whatever you do, DO NOT DELETE A SINGLE WORD. If you truly totally hate what you just wrote, then italize it. All editing, proofreading, and changes should be left to December or January, preferably the latter. Now if you choose to add words, by all means add them. Just don't delete anything.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." -- Oscar Wilde

What about spelling errors? Red squiggly lines drive me crazy!

Those are definitely annoying. If you are ahead in your word count, then sure fix your spelling errors. OR turn off SpellCheck when working on your novel. Just remember to spellcheck any homework. Fixing errors, any kind of errors, takes up a lot of time. Time is a premium for most of us; spend it wisely.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." -- Oscar Wilde

From my Twitter feed courtesy pinoywrimos:

"Whenever you delete a sentence in your NaNoWriMo novel, 
a NaNoWriMo angel loses its wings and plummets, 
screaming, to the ground."

"Life is too important to be taken seriously." -- Oscar Wilde

Oh dear... I'm only just shaking off my inner editor after the 3,000 mark so I've already killed a couple of paragraphs worth of angels xD

I confess I do correct spelling errors. And I have a hard time ignoring PoV and tense. *blushes*

But I'm leaving the paragraphs where every sentence ends with an explanation mark, I'm using all the LY words I want, and I'm describing things to a ridiculous degree. I'm also leaving duplications, such as:

She waves her arms in the air to volunteer. "I'll volunteer!" No one can possibly ignore all that arm waving from a willing volunteer.

(Ick!!)

However, if I really really really can't stand something, or it's awkward beyond words (like that example sentence), I'll highlight it. Highlighting takes me 2 seconds (maybe 3 if I pick a different color for some strange reason) and seems to give my inner-editor enough acknowledgment to let me move on freely, without dwelling on how to rephrase something.

Another benefit of highlighting is that I don't have to keep a mental list of the things I plan to go back to. So for me, highlighting is well worth the time it takes.

Any other tricks people can recommend for keeping the inner-editor content? (mine won't sit in the corner with his Nintendo DS)
:-)

Okay angel slayers don't panic!
We know you didn't mean to.

My first Nano in 2006 was quite the learning experience. I slayed my first 500 words.
Yes, 500 angel deaths. I was new; I was young; I was foolish.

But it is not too late! Slay no more! I like the highlighting idea IT WORKS!
And you can turn off your spell checking though those squiggly red lines really are a good thing. They can remind you to run your spell check after you finish your day's word count. But nothing else. As Darfinkle said, you can add to but to not delete. Highlight for later deletion.

Come to the write-ins and we will make some nifty little thing to entangle that inner editor!
*Laughs maniacally*

Whatever you can do or think you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
~~Goethe