This will be my first time participating in this exciting event to challenge my mind and writing abilities. I am curious though as how should I be preparing myself. I usually write what I feel and let my character guide me, telling me the story (makes sense?) Should I be outlining, doing character analysis, etc. Once I get on a roll, writing 50,000 words will become easy and second nature.
Any tips to a first timer will be greatly appreciated!!
Sara
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Sara
Write with Passion and only for your self!!
http://luv2beloved.webs.com/
51,320 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2008 - 10 01
The only tip I can give you is write however you're comfortable writing. There's really no right or wrong way to do it.
----------But if you're not used to writing long stories, an outline may be useful, as well as some basic biographies of your main characters. :)
Writing Journal: http://utensil-drawer.livejournal.com/profile
A fine is a tax for doing wrong, a tax is a fine for doing well.
0 / 50,000
Oct 9, 2008 - 10 20
Last year I found that an outline both helped and hurt. I kept trying to stick to the outline, but the story kept trying to break out and go its own way. After finally finishing that novel in January, I found out through talking to a pro that I know that outlines are cool, but sometimes as the story begins to take on a life of its own the outline has to be modified or even thrown out completely.
At the point that the story becomes organic and grabs its own legs that's when you are really flowing and the characters start trying to do thier own thing. The story comes from them and not from you. It's more believeable and deeper than if you tried to control every aspect. You have control over it to a degree, but I've found that it's sometimes better and the story comes out more truthful if you let that 'lack of control' take over.
From your post it pretty much sounds like this is what you do anyway, so you've already won half the battle.
10,150 / 50,000
Oct 10, 2008 - 04 35
Hey Sara,
Some people work really well with an outline and fully-prepared character bios. (I know one writer who does a 40 - 50 page outline for every new novel she drafts.) Others don't. I've done NaNo both ways, with varying results. Sometimes it can be a lot of fun to just start with a character, follow him or her around, and see what happens. I think NaNo is idea for experiments like that.
If you're the type of person who wants a *little* bit of order before you begin writing on November 1, I recommend determining the answers to these questions:
Who is your character?
What does he want?
Who or what is going to get in his way?
Does he eventually get what he wants?
How does he change during the course of the story?
Answering those and putting the answers somewhere near your writing station will probably help to keep you on track throughout the month. I find it's easier to move through the murky middle of a novel with an end goal in mind, even if that ending winds up changing as you write.
Good luck! And welcome to the NaNo fun.
----------NaNo '06 - The Center of Gravity. 7 drafts since '06. Revising for editor!
NaNo '07 - Notes From Nowhere (YA novel, 50K)
NaNo '08 - Rob's Day Out! (YA caper)
http://weirdquietgirl.wordpress.com -life, writing, and YA lit
50,014 / 50,000
Oct 17, 2008 - 18 02
Sara, this is my first time also. I do have a friend who has done before, so have some help, but still feel unsure. I'm excited about beginning, but have no game plan. Just plan to sit down on Nov. 1st and write! Will be interesting to see what comes out - suspect my father will somehow have a leading role in my novel, as I loved him dearly and lost him just 5 years ago. Let's compare notes as we move toward Nov. 1st.
145,017 / 50,000
Oct 24, 2008 - 18 57
Shouting out to the first timers!
This will be my first time too. I am prolific, with my personal best of over three days writing 35K, but that was a weird, strange few days....anyway, the lenght isn't my concern, although I do have a job and an finacee and resposiblities, it's having a completed novel. I have way too many false starts and 30 pages somethings laying around, so my goal is have a finished novel, even if I have to skipt a couple scenes to do so.
As for my planning, I am planning a little. I either do too much or not enough, so I am trying to hit that happy medium.
Good luck to everyone!
----------NaNo 08: Seeing Red/Heaven's Gate and Hell's Masquerade (unfinished)
Proud owner of a plot Wolverine.
0 / 50,000
Oct 26, 2008 - 14 38
Hey, it's my first time as well! All these helpful comments are so... well, helpful!
I never new there were such talented writers in my home city! I wish you all luck, and I need it myself! Thank you for all the wonderful ideas!
~Penny
----------Write, write, write. Write.
~Penny
19,503 / 50,000
Oct 27, 2008 - 02 50
Hey Sara,
It seems you have it all together already. If you usually plot then you may want to do so. The first year I participated I didn't have a plot and failed miserably But I plotted last year and did wonderfully.
Good luck and welcome.
JC
----------without integrity there is no love
~Oprah Winfrey
50,010 / 50,000
Oct 29, 2008 - 20 43
I'm a first timer too! Virtual high-five!
Just do what feels right. If you start writing an outline but it isn't working out and it gets harder and harder to go on, it might be your little sub-conscoius writer telling you not to do it. Just follow your instincts, and it will always turn out better than if you force yourself to get organized. A little disorganization of thought never hurt anybody. Thoughts don't always like to be penned inside an outline; sometimes they want to be free to go into the story however they want. Thoughts will organize themselves if you don't over-stress about it.
Good Luck! Go with the Flow!
----------"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in you philosophy." --Shakespeare
0 / 50,000
Oct 30, 2008 - 03 34
Well I am not a first timer to this site buuut, i signed up and started but three days in wel life kicked in, hopefully I will finish this year. Life just keeps getting in the way but , ISA this year I will get it finished. I am looking for a writting buddy this year too so if anyone needs one let me know. I am a married mom of two plus two more and i am leaning towards a mystery ,but not bent on it . So if you would like a writting buddy let me know.
----------JA Taufiq- learning for a life time.
15,000 / 50,000
Nov 4, 2008 - 17 53
Pointer may be helpful to me here.
I have a rough outline jotted down on note cards by my wife as I talked it out during a long road trip. Found the note cards late in October, so I thought, "I'll write this novel."
Doing good on word count so far. Over 9000 right now, on the 4th, so if I keep up this pace, I'll have over 60,000 at the end of the month. Bit tough on my social life, but otherwise feeling good.
Not getting through the outline. Maybe I worry too much. Maybe chapter one just requires a lot of exposition, but... I want to move things along.
So your advice is...?
Write faster; push myself?
Move the story along; save all this exposition for a second draft?
Worry less; chapter one of a sci-fi novel has to establish a lot so it will be longer than expected; other chapters will be shorter than expected?
I just don't know. I'm hoping someone who's done this before can tell me something helpful.