Know when to hold 'em or fold 'em

I'd scrap it and start over. The more you push yourself the more you'll hate your characters and plot. You might even notice you like your new story twice as much just because it's NOT your old one.

Don't give up though! It's only the fifth day, you won't be too far behind to catch up. Good Luck.

The shortest distance between two people is an...internet connection!

Kos,

You can do it. Just don't give up totally. If you can work something out and fix whats broken, now's the perfect time to do it. If you had this feeling in 2.5 weeks, it may be a different story. I hated the first thing of length that I ever wrote. It now is 365 printed pages of drivel...with no ending. And no desire to ever make one. I tried to rewrite it three different times.

It's now dead to me. Completely. And I've moved on to something more fun. If you like your character, maybe take them out of that scenero and drop them somewhere else...like the middle of the jungle. And then make them have to survive. Or even if you don't like your character you can do the same thing. It's amazing what these guys will do to live. They're pretty resilient.

If you have another idea, maybe now is the perfect time to start on that one.

I am so having this right now. I planned my story all October long. I was really feeling like writing the last week or so in October, but I couldn't start my NaNo, so I ended up working on another story (actually a Star Trek spinoff which I write on and off). Then November came and I could not get anything out of my original story. I've written 600 words of it so far, at least 400 words of which is really sub-par drivel/padding. I still want to write it someday, but not now. The Star Trek story, on the other hand, is going great. I can sit down and punch out 700 words from a little idea no problem. It's not fanfiction, but I couldn't see myself doing it for NaNo. But since I'm so excited about it (haven't written much since starting a full-time job in June), can I (and should I) really resist it?

For some reason, I think I actually like NaNo'ing an established story better than a brand new story, contrary to the common view. (Disclaimer: Word count starts only on Nov. 1, of course; I don't count anything before that. And sometimes it's more like a sequel or reboot than a straight up continuation.) I know the characters and plot, I know where I want to go with it, and it's relaxed, like rereading an favorite book. I can play around with new ideas and if it doesn't work out, it's no big deal. There's more pressure to get it right the first time if it's a new story.

Whoa, digression there, but I am also switching my 2009 NaNo. I think I already have, I was just in denial.

Don't kill it. Let the Muse take it over. Let the words come forth and you just type them. No said the novel had to be perfect or good. Just write 50,000 words.

GaelicQueen

Well, after much back and forth, sadness, struggle, self-pity....I have decided to restart with another story. I took a long look at my characters and decided they deserved better....or worse rather. So same location...more intrigue.

I also changed the tense. I just finished THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE and was stuck in first person mode. Too hard to work in details needed for the story if the character wasn't there. Rather go with the God POV. This way the characters can florish and act a fool...all with me watching...(whoohahahaha)