What is a must for your NaNoing?

I need my laptop, loads of encouragment and verbal/physical abuse-love from my friends also doing NaNo. Oh, and chocolate. Lots and lots of chocolate. I don't care how I get it, but it's usually Hershey's bars, Nestle's hot chocolate and if I'm really broke, chocolate chip cookies that I bake from scratch. I then have to guard from everyone else. Music helps me block out distractions but my typing speed goes down a tad.

My story was inspired by the fact that I created the main character, Elatha, for a literary arts class prompt and killed him off. My friends demanded that I bring him back xD In the interest of extending my life expectency, I developed Elatha and possible plot lines. I deliberatly wrote nothing more on him, knowing that I wanted to use him for NaNoWriMo. As for actual inspiration, Elatha and his universe was inspired by a fanfiction titled Into the Dream by Mystical Magician on FanFiction.net.

Here's the link if you're interested: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4913606/1/Into_the_Dream

“Reputation is what others know about you, honor is what you know about yourself…Guard your honor and let your reputation fall where it will…And outlive the bastards.” –Count Aral Vorkosigan, A Civil Campaign

I have to have my laptop, Usually I sit in my room on my bed, with a tray beside me with my tea, a little bit of chocolate and some other sort of munchie so that I dont get up. I even have a hot pot so that I dont have to go anywhere to make more tea. I turn off the phone, and hang up a do not disturb the writer sign.

Also what keeps me going is that during my down time when I am not writing, I read, watch movies etc, that keep me immersed in what I am writing. This year its anything about Tudor England or Vampires.

I have to have my laptop, Usually I sit in my room on my bed, with a tray beside me with my tea, a little bit of chocolate and some other sort of munchie so that I dont get up. I even have a hot pot so that I dont have to go anywhere to make more tea. I turn off the phone, and hang up a do not disturb the writer sign.

Also what keeps me going is that during my down time when I am not writing, I read, watch movies etc, that keep me immersed in what I am writing. This year its anything about Tudor England or Vampires.

The one thing without which Nano would be rendered entirely impossible? Honor. She's my mac laptop. We have bonded on a deep, spiritual level, and she threatens to kick my arse whenever I start to falter in my efforts to reach 50,000 words.

This year, my inspiration for the story I intended to write was a character I originally made for and played on an online roleplay. However, a dream on the night of October 31st changed everything, and I'm now going forward with that plot line instead. Though I still can't find a suitable title for the gorram thing...

Crock pot! I have a full time job and a family, so even though I am writing a novel, they still want to eat! So in the morning I toss a pile of food in the crock pot and let it cook all day, making the house smell wonderful, and they are happy and full.

I don't have a laptop, but I have my Mac in my little window-covered office just off the bedroom, where I can stare out at the trees or traffic, or at the dark, as it is now, and just being in this little cubby inspires me to write and write! It also helps if I take a walk during the day, to get the ideas flowing, and letting my iTunes play all evening is the finishing touch.

My novel this year was inspired by a 3-scene dream I had about a month ago. Amazing how those characters are growing! I love them all - so far. I haven't introduced the ones I don't like yet.

Dana

http://danabooks.8k.com

My running shoes are my must-have item.

Huh?

Let me explain. This is my 6th NaNo. I've done the chocolate/caffeine overload thing and i won't say it was anything but good. I love caffeine, chocolate I can give or take. But by week 2, it would all catch up to me. Lethargy, depression, low morale. Plus I'd have a face full of zits to boot. I didn't see that happening to anyone else writing around me. It's just what happened to me.

Two years ago, I started paying attention to what I was eating during NaNo and last year, I made it a point to add exercise to other body parts than just my fingers throughout November. BIG improvement for me. Week 2, the week some swear is the toughest week, then week 3, through to the finish, no problem...as long as I exercise once a day and keep the caffeine and sugar at a reasonable level. Running short distances and walking a mile a day clears my head and helps connect the plot dots. Half an hour later, I'm ready to get back to my novel and kick butt.

Of course, your mileage may vary.

Water. Lots of water. It's much better for the energy level than caffiene. I also like to drink some herbal tea in the evening while I write. And an endless supply of Dora episodes for my clingly two year old daughter. lol!
My inspiration for my book this year came from my daughter's name, Loralei, which mean "siren of the river."

My iPod, definitely. How did I ever do this without one?

Name my novel!

semi sweet chocolate chips, from the baking aisle. Must have them. And, my two little boys need to go to sleep. Which they won't seem to do now, till 9pm. They present my biggest challenge. . .

Eva

Here's what I've been needing this year to keep me writing

--Smudge, the Macbook: Too keep my words straight and to provide me with the soundtrack backdrop.

--Scrivener, the writing application: LOVE LOVE LOVE this app. will never use anything else to write stories, articles, or novels.

--Fred Meyer's Pumpkin Pie: I love pumpkin pie and it seems that I got my muse addicted to it this year as well.

-- 16 oz. soy chai: The caffeinated drink of choice. One of these helps keep my fingers burning through the word numbers.

--Writing companions: I'm craving social interaction these days and have been loving the write-ins i've done with the group so far.

/innowen

Round Eight: 50,000 words or Bust!