Hey...? I don't know what to do.

Hi Mary, I'm a newbie too...I know this is something I want to do but I just don't know where the hell to start! I haven't even got a vague plot yet....

Everything I seem to come up with either seems too clichéd or already written to death!

Yayy! I'm glad I'm not the only one! :) I hope we both think of something soon.

Well, I've started, tonight, and have the grand total of......................241 words!!! Get in!!! Only took the 2 hours to do that measly amount. Still, its got the ball rolling. the very tiny ball rolling! I hope you're doing better than me!

I feel the same! No plot in mind, any help?

Might I suggest that you people stop thinking and start writing? And precisely in that order.

EVERY SINGLE WORD COUNTS, no matter how stupid. Believe me, I can tell from experience.

This is my third year and it's never been this hard before, even though I won both previous times. I have to force myself to type, sometimes kicking and screaming, but it's worth it when I see my wordcount grow. And in Nano, you can write what pops into your head, whatever. WHATEVER.

I didn't have a plan the first year, and I didn't have one last year. This year, I had only a very vague idea of what it might be about, but never any real plot. Not until I started writing. The plot comes when you let at least something to happen first, something that might cause something else, and so on. And before you know it, you have a plot.

Give it a try. It may end up being total crap like my story last year, but better have a crappy story than no story at all:)

Good luck, and get going!

And if you still don't know where to start, pick a thing you like. Something that makes you smile, something that makes you chuckle. Or pick a random word. Anything. And then, let it grow from there. That's how I've done it.

Believe it or not, I'm a noob as well!

I found out about this website the night before it started, and I just threw myself in full throttle.

Like the above poster said, your best bet is to stop thinking and start writing! The whole goal of this, from what I understand, is to just write and surprise yourself with what you come up with!

Don't be afraid of cliches, or anything like that. Just give it a whirl!

I wish you all the best of luck!

Hey, I'm a newbie too. I'm heaps late signing up and I have no ideas. I thought I had heaps but now the blank computer screen is staring at me saying 'Well?' in a narky tone of voice. I think I'll go to bed and sleep on it...

Nobody has to ever read what you write so it doesn't matter if it's really bad. Also if you do want someone to read it eventually, what you're writing now is just a rough draft. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just try and relax and have fun with it. Good luck!

I am a newbie too! And someone gave me some advice that allowed me to dive in head first into the deep end. No story is original, however that story has NEVER been told by you with your thoughts your characters with you life experience behind it. Don't worry about copying an idea because where you end up will be nowhere near where
you started. So dig your heels in and put down some words and keep on trucking!

Who buys new, fluffy, comfy pillows less than a week before NaNo? I must be a glutton for punishment... I guess I have 335 days to break them in after November. *sigh*