There is only one rule in the Shoutouts forum: (other than obviously, following other site guidelines)
1) Do not. I repeat, DO NOT, under any circumstances, call anyone a cheater.
It doesn't matter if you believe them or not. This is a self challenge, on your honor. If someone's lying, it doesn't hurt you or diminish your accomplishment in any way. :)
If you can't believe someone's word count... don't worry about it. :)
From our Codes of Conduct:
Do ignore cheaters and trolls
Every year, we get dozens of posts accusing others of cheating at NaNoWriMo. Please—don't worry about cheaters. NaNoWriMo is an honor-system challenge; no one is cheating anyone but themselves if they don't write the novel they said they wrote.
If you see a post that you suspect is a troll (i.e. someone posting something deliberately inflammatory just to get a rise out of people), please do not engage them. Just let it go, they'll move along without any feedback.
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Heather Dudley
Forums Moderator
Liquid Story Binder, on sale for 50% off during November!
A Dragon Writes
91,368 / 50,000
nov. 24, 2009 - 18 54
Interesting comment as my word count jumped when I copied and pasted it into the site counter. Personally I am sticking to my original 85839w as those are my ‘novel words’ I have kept a running total in my note book – the words I will review when it comes to it, included in the paste was all sorts of info because I planned each page before I wrote it through the month, made comments to myself at the end and since I am only two thirds through my novel plan I haven’t the time to take words out at this moment (keeping the nano spirit of don’t review, delete until the first draft is done) that are not strictly ‘novel’ words!
I think everyone will have their own systems and most people will have written thousands more than they put into the count about their novel or the process of writing it in emails and on Facebook, in blogs which all adds to the thinking and research. Keeps people motivated and encouraged.
I hope everyone finds enough words of their own written within this month to make the 50,000 and personally I hope all those like myself who have a way to go before their story is finished in the first draft keeps the nano spirit and continues to write. I think my novel will run to at least 130,000 in the first draft – hope to be done by Christmas!
Nano sets a goal however we all have our own goals for some that might have been just to find the courage to join the site for others... I see something to aspire to for my next writing session. To me everyone is a winner even if their word count is ‘0’ and they just found an ‘aim’ within themselves and if someone’s word count is something fantastic that I wonder how they did it then it will be great to see their work on the bookshelf one day and I wish them well.
Thanks nano for helping those who can to make a start, and for those who found they could put words on paper or screen in keeping us all going – great site. I will miss you in December.