I see your word count creeping up! You are doing great so far.
So here's the deal. Because you all are doing so great, I'll give you sage bit of wisdom.
Word count is a crazy easy thing to accomplish if you approach it with the right attitude. So, approach it as a game.
Isn't it sometimes fun to try and find out as much as you can about someone who you don't know very well? Is there a character that you don't know well? What about a location in your story that you're not really able to picture? Do you see where I'm going with this? Have your character tell (through the story) who he or she is. Perhaps they could reflect on a particular time in their life, or even have a premonition. If you don't have a situation in which this would work, who cares. I recommend that you add it anyway, just flag it so that later you don't forget to move it. Your story will not be of publishing quality by the end of November so it's not like you won't have a chance to find a different use for it by the end of the month. There's no reason that you can't do some character development within your story as well as carrying on whatever story you were meaning to write. If it doesn't flow, still keep it. You'll find that when you're editing the draft later, having that information handy will make the difference on if the character stays true to itself, or becomes a completely different character all together. Also, if you're having a day where the word count just won't come, it always helps to try and focus your attention on a different area of the story.
You don't have to use this, but it is something I recommend. Sometimes it's just as well to sit and get to know an old friend, as it is to make a future for yourself.
Good luck guys! We're almost done with Week 1.
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Write all day, write all night, write write write, just don't turn out the light!
30,057 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 19 06
Almost 2000 words today, which brings me up to just under 9000 words. I like staying just ahead of the daily goal. It feels like I have a cushion, though not as much of a cushion as many of you. Enough for me, though, so I'm happy!
I'm enjoying the story still, and today's scene was much better than yesterday's. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's even more. Fun times ahead, though maybe not so much for my characters!
Carissa
42,156 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 19 32
So, I am at the word count where I'm supposed to be today, though it's my total from yesterday that's keeping me in the game. I've got plenty (way over 2000+) in handwritten stuff. It's just finding the time to sit down and type it all out... I am thinking that I will be having a massive typing frenzy the last week of NaNo just to get it all validated. But I do agree, I think that detail, detail, detail is what is keeping my count high! Good luck everyone!
----------~ Eli
NaNo 2009: In The Heart of a Half Blood (In progress, ???)
NaNo 2008: All's Fair In Lust Not Love (incomplete, won)
15,104 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 22 55
I'm currently at 7631 and since I only started last night, I'm feeling pretty good about it. The baby just woke so I'm going to put him back to sleep and then hopefully hit 8k before turning in for the night.
----------35,950 / 50,000
Nov 5, 2009 - 23 19
I went to bed last night 7 words shy of today's goal, so that was easy enough to deal with. Added a few hundred more this morning before I took grams shopping, now settling in for another stroll through strange dialogue.
----------"Make my soul a blade/ so even as I fade/ I will remain unbroken." -Warrior's prayer
To those with sufficient disregard for the consequences, anything is possible.
57,508 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 00 21
Today: 966
Total: 15023
I hate almost everything I wrote today, but I managed to make it to another day's goal, which means I can put a star in the box for the day. woohoo, yay star. Wrist hurts and extremely tired, so morale not too high atm.
----------Name my novel!
20,023 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 02 41
Lyndsey, what you wrote in this little 'pep talk' was excellent advice. I've been needing to do some character-exploring but have been reluctant to, since I thought it wouldn't move the story along. I took your advice tonight, and spent some time having my MC contemplate her life while eating lunch. Not only did it put me over 10K :D, but ironically I can see that it's going to benefit my writing the story.
So, thanks very much. :)
29,908 / 50,000
Nov 6, 2009 - 05 27
How great, Kitty!
Its strange how things just work out for you sometimes, you know? This is perhaps my most used trick, during NaNo. I don't feel it hurts the story one iota to have more character development in it. Heck, there are thousands of ways you can incorporate that information after the deadline has been met.
It sounds like you're doing fabulously so here's props to that as well!
----------Write all day, write all night, write write write, just don't turn out the light!