Do you hate you main character? Do you not have a plot? Do you have no title? Are you feeling the stress and thinking of giving up? Have you not even started yet? Fear not!
Welcome to The NaNo Hall of Distress! Here you can come and pour out your soul and let the residents of the hall know all about your problems. We're all here together and very happy to give you support, advice, hugs, help and (in extreme cases) chocolate and/or other sugary substances.
Whatever your problem is, remember that your not alone. There will be others just like you everywhere and here you can get the support you'll need in this difficult month.
I started ths thread last year and I'd like to think it really helped a lot of people.
So please post away! Can't wait to hear from you!
----------
The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 07 08
In the NHD (Nano Hall of Distress) you can get advice, support, encoragement, make friends, organise sprints, do some idea bouncing, get ideas, constructive criticism and more! Join us!
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
50,047 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 09 49
I just lost 2,500 words because my stupid computer obviously doesnt understand what a save button is. Even when pressed repeatedly throughout the day.
----------It just all dissapeared.
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 10 57
Aw, you poor thing!!! That's really bad because you are trying to save but can't. Just try not to worry too much because it'll you'll get stressed and make things worse.
Have you tried saving to a floppy disk or pendrive or something like that? It'll be annoying to do but if it saves your work...
If not is it possible for you to send your work to another computer and try on there.
There are also cheap word processing programs around so you could try andget one of those and use that. Google it.
You've got a really bad situation, I'm realy sorry. *hugs*
But hows the novel going? Have you got a good plot/characters/title etc.? There are good things there, just remember them.
Good luck, I know you can do this. Have fun writing and just enjoy it! Thinking of you.
*offers plate of taty SAVOURY goodies* I'm saving the sweet stuff for later. ;-)
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
1,885 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 11 16
I can't think of anything to write XP I want to go with a thief character in a medieval setting... but I've done that without success several times before. I have so many ideas, I can't decide which to go with or where to start.
And online forum rps keep distracting my lazy soul who can't write alone any more. XP
38,415 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 11 40
I pre-planned.
I had a title, a plot, a cast of characters.
Then I changed because it was not going anywhere.
And then I had 1,000 words of nothing.
So, now I have nothing, again.
I want to do NaNo, but I have no plot, nothing at all.
Gah.
------------------------------
Cups of coffee: 27 +
Nervous breakdowns: 6
Hours of sleep: None
Favorite sentence so far: "Well.... your mom IS a stone cold fox." "And your girlfriend IS a stone cold C***."
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 11 42
Well at least you have too many ideas rather than not any! ;-)
Does brainstorming help you at all? I know some people love it and it really helps them. Personally, it doesn't do anything for me but give it a go. Just write down all your ideas on one big sheet of paper and gradually choose and reject ideas.
If this doesn't work just WRITE! Literally just sit down and write until you get say 500 words. You can choose your own target. Don't stop and read it back, just GO FOR IT!!!
Does write or die work for you? I know some people hate it but it may help you get writing.
As for the forums just disonnect your internet. Thats what I did. I kept getting distracted so I just cut off my internet and I HAD to write!
Good luck! There's an amaing nvel behind all those ideas! Thinking of you and hope this helped!
Savour snack to get you going? *produces plate of tasty SAVOURY snacks* Gotta save the sweet stuff for emergencies! ;-)
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 11 51
Nikole - Don't worry! Its only day 2! May people don't start to Day 5+ and still manage. Its still ok.
What you need is inspiration. Try listening to music, going for a walk, cooking, drawing, making something, reading something else or anything else that has nothing to do with your novel. When your nit thinking about it, you'll think of something. Just remember - owever bad it seems you WILL think of something in the end.
Good luck and if you want any ideas then feel free to ask! I know that there's a perfect novel just waiting to be written by you! Thinking of you!
Snack? *points at plate*
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
19,798 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 12 38
Well, it's not exactly Nano-related, but it IS affecting my novel >__>; and it does concern distress. A lot of distress.
This year, I went to University, to study a subject I loved. Note the past tense... I've found it all INSANELY difficult; a lot of the time I don't understand what is being asked of me, and when feedback is offered, I don't get what I'm supposed to do to implement it. Plus it seems kind of pointless; it's English Literature. What's the point of studying things that people wrote hundreds of years ago? How can I ever apply this to my life? It's just academics for the sake of academics! I'm never going to do anything USEFUL with it D:
Plus I'm stressed off my face about each and every essay I've been set (and there have been a lot); the last two have been really bad. I'd get so worried about doing badly with them that each time I tried to write, I'd panic (tears, shaking, the works), and wouldn't be able to. So as a result, I now haven't done any work at all, and am growing even MORE panicked about it. I'm probably not going to sleep much over the next few days while I try to catch up on the work I haven't done (while still panicking over it, of course). It's actually like living in a nightmare.
Obviously this isn't a great mindset to do Nano in. I'm still participating, but I'm not going to be able to write anything for the next two days, and I've lost my enthusiasm... >_> Not much anyone can do about this stuff. I just wanted to complain publicly (I've been complaining a lot about it, but it's not helping DDD: ) XD
----------41,208 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 12 50
I hate my genre.
I had planned out an epic fantasy story but yesterday when I started to write it I was kidnapped by my Muse. We went off on what I'm sure was a drug induced tangent and now I'm 4k deep in a High School Drama a la Degrassi. I love my characters. I love the plotline. I love the bit I'm in the middle of writing right now. The downside? I HATE teenage drama! I hate this genre! Why am I writing it?! I feel like I need a shower and a strict dietary regimen to atone for my angsty sins against literature. Yet I keep writing it. I may be possessed. Could you call a priest, please?
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 12 58
Oh you poor thing! I'm sorry thee's nothing I can do to help. I'm not in uni yet so I don't really know how it all works but...Is there really nothing you can do? No one you can talk to to help you sort it out?
If not, I am so sorry. I think your very brave to try and do Nano this year. Thats true deducation.
But when your finished your novel this year wont it be extra satisfying, knowing how much you've acheived?
I know its easy enough for me to say but try not to panic. I can't even begin to imagine what it must be like for you but panicing will make it worse.
When you feel yourself getting stressed and panicy just stop and walk away. Go for a walk, read a book, have a bath - anything relaxing, you'll know wgat works for you. Come back with a fresh & clear head abnd its amazing what a difference it makes,
Try talking to your friends about how your feeling. Friends are there to help you when you need it and support you. Talking really helps solve problems.
Sorry again and good luck with your novel! Its going to be great when your finished! Thinking of you ad please let me know how you get on!
*pulls out bar of chocolate* Don't tell the others but you can have something sweet as your snack. I think you deserve it. *hugs*
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
0 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 12 58
I'm so worried my MC is a mary-sue. And i also feel like i'm just jumping straight into the action, is it a bad thing to do this? I'm just no good at beating around the bush. what's the point in starting all the events a week before when she's just having rough nights because she's dreaming (and she doesn't even remember what about) when i can get straight into the action and engage the reader in events?
----------Ahhh i feel discouraged and i blame forums for this :(
41,208 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 13 01
Oh man, Emchi, I totally know how you feel. I thought Eng. Lit. would be the most interesting time of my life. In the end I switched to social sciences. Cultural Anthropology and Sociology did more for my ability to write than all of the English classes I've ever taken combined.
Fight through it, though! You just might find that you fall in love with Chaucer, or the Marquis de Sade, or Sappho? You never know.
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 13 06
Pheonix - only you can truely decide on this. If you love the characters/plot etc. and the genre is the only thing you dislike then I'd go for it. Who cares if its not the genre you hoped for? Enjoy it and soon you might have changed your mind.
However, if you feel really stongly about it then start again. Its onky day 2 so you still have plenty of time. Lots of people dont start till day 5+ and still win.
So really, its up to you! Go with what you feel you'll enjoy the most.
Have fun and enjoy it! Thinking f you, I'd love to hear how you get on!
Snack to help you on the way? *points to savoury plate*
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
10,332 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 13 22
Screams - Its personal preerence really. If you feel more comfortable going straight into the action then you go for it! As long as you have for 50k it'll be ok and you can always add more later (when editing).
Just write what you'll enjoy and hae fun with, thats the point of this!
Good luck and let us know how you do! Yoyr novel sounds amazing!
Take a snack! *points to savoury plate*
----------The Nano Hall of Distress - support, advice, hugs, new friends, food and encouragement available!
www.nanowrimo.org/eng/node/3382311
1,547 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 14 40
My plot is now in conflict with my morals. In the past I have no issue with my characters doing things outside of my personal experiences, but now they are veering toward taboo activities. Should I abandon this plot and pray for another one? Should I try to steer my characters back to something not nearly as upsetting to me? Should I continue on?
53,414 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 15 02
I'm not super-distressed (YET, anyway; the month is still young) but I get nauseous thinking about how LONG revising what I've written will take. I shouldn't approach NaNo with ideas I love just to watch myself completely butcher them. >.<
then again, because I love this idea so much, I'm butchering it enthusiastically. :D
----------this is how I conquered (YWP) (2008) - won.
almost nirvana (2009) - in progress.
photo from hk_traveller on flickr.
49,039 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 15 17
I'm starting a day late, with an absolutely fresh-from-the-depths-of-my-brain plot, because my laptop died on me last week and I had to get a brand new hard drive. All my notes and outlines gone, just like that. I even had a nervous breakdown when I saw the Blue Screen of Death. ;_;
...I suppose it's better than last year, when my laptop died in the MIDDLE of Nano and I wasn't able to get even remotely close to finishing. :/
----------"Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work." ~Gustave Flaubert
Nano '08: Mind's Eye (lost)
Nano '09: Wrecker Wars (???)
324 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 16 20
my characters abandoned me.
----------im lost.
i must write but i cant.
*screams into a pillow*
i have to write. if i dont, my characters wont shut up.
44,000 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 16 42
I'm beginning to think that despite how much I love creating characters and stories, overall I'm just a bad writer. I've plotted my outline for months now and think it's awesome, I simply adore my characters as I've used themin other works before and can't imagine writing about anyone else. But it's my writing. I'm trying not to wordpad-I'm trying to make this thing make SENSE. I want to be able to edit it later and actual create something readable for others. But it's just my writing. Even after all those years of crappy short stories, the dozens of instructional books and tips on the craft of writing, I just....don't think I have the brain for a writer. I'm not going to stop my novel, will make that 50,000 wors but I think I'm going to cry with this realization.
----------45,316 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 18 26
*sigh* I've been hard at work on a novel for THREE YEARS.... I decided to take a break this NaNo. And now I'm missing my MCs from that story TERRIBLY. Don't know if I can bear to be apart from them for an entire month... ='(
To add to that... I've got a powerful InnerEditor.... which rocks most of the time. Just not in NaNo. He's making me feel like I've written 3K of crap (which I probably have) and it's driving me insane.........AGH!
so yeah. I can do w/o hugs or chocolate... just Skittles and a word of empathy would be nice. hehehe. ;-)
----------If you close your eyes, all you're going to see is blackness.
15,017 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 18 51
*sigh*. I don't know what's wrong with me. I've been itching to write this book for a year, have developed awesome 3-D characters, established a treaty with my inner editor and even partially outlined this story. But, my characters are all rebelling, the story's at a standstill on page six, and my inner editor just tore up our agreement, spat on it, and threw it into a fireplace while cackling maniacally.
:(
----------41,779 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 19 19
:( naw, you're amongst friends here...
I say lead a glorious revolution against the evil editor using the angst from your characters as fuel :D
I have year 12 leaving school exams to stress about, as well as keeping nanowrimo up. I thought it would be a great break from study, but i truly had no idea the amount of time nano eats up. I'm now stressing that I won't study as hard and [god forbid] might not get the score i deserve.
that...and i'm running out of steam. blah.
19,798 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 19 33
Aw... this thread is awesome *tears up* Thanks for making it, neonyazzygirl! Kudos! XD
Yeah, the problems aren't anywhere near gone, but once I've finished these essays I'm going to find the staff members who might help :/ Hmrnrgh.
@freethephoenix: I am SO GLAD I'm not the only one this has happened to! D: All I'd ever heard were stories about how great Uni is, so I'm feeling like there's something wrong with me that I'm not handling it well... (Well, I suppose there is XD)
Thank you both XD
----------4,622 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 20 21
The graph on my Author's stats page seems to be rolling over into tomorrow BEFORE it's actually tomorrow! D: I know this seems silly, but when my graph it telling me that I haven't done today's work, and that I'm behind for tomorrow, when it reality I'm AHEAD for today...I just want to stop here. .___. I was hoping my lovely graph would be immaculate this year. Now I'm feeling a little discouraged. (it doesn't help that I've been having a very difficult time maintaining a normal attitude to begin with. *SIIIIGH* things get me upset so easily lately. I wanted so much for NaNo to at least START without a hitch... and now I'm just rambling. I could be using this time to write things. THINGS! Oh dear... ) Halp?
----------それだけです。
40,024 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 20 28
... I just lost about 3k words... I spent an hour writing and its all gone... I had such a great buffer and it didn't copy... it just... disappeared. Ugh.
0 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 21 30
im lost.
i must write but i cant.
*screams into a pillow*
I know how you feel I've written about the same amount as you because I sort of decided not to write for the first two days and now I'm WAY behind and have NOTHING except a vague plot and am going nowhere fast. AHH.
6,133 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 21 46
No plot, no title, no characters... nada. zip, zero, zilch.
*Curls up in a ball and cries*
Yeah... I got 1103 words written... but... still....
----------Nothing interferes with my concentration. You could put on an orgy in my office and I wouldn’t look up. Well, maybe once.
- Isaac Asimov
22,115 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 23 34
I have too much to do, way too much to do. It's 3:30 AM on Day Three. I have 1,042 words left to go on my totals from Day Two. I also have laundry I have to fold, a midterm in less than seven hours, an overdue paper I have to finish, an overdue paper that is so overdue it won't even be credited anymore to finish, the first three sections of another overdue paper-in-progress to do, about seven books to read, and a research log I haven't started that is in no way going to be ready to hand in for tomorrow's class. And I have no time to do any of this tomorrow, let alone write anything, because I've got three classes including a three-hour night class. I don't even have time to sleep.
----------23,303 / 50,000
nov. 2, 2009 - 23 50
I am struggling to find a better way to talk about people without using their name or he/she....ITS DRIVING ME MENTAL
How many times should you use He/She in a sentence before referring back to them
----------First NaNoWriMo!
Plot: 30%
Craziness Level: 19%
Sleep Deprivation: 40%
Wanting to give up: 2%
Happy with what I've written: 95%
Obsession Level: 90/100
4,598 / 50,000
nov. 3, 2009 - 02 04
I started with no plot, one character that had been in my mind for about two years, but for some reason I just can't write him into stories, I had the general idea of a fantasy novel and that wa it. I'd never even written fantasy before, but I thought, yeah sure, I'll give it a go.
I've spent the last three days writting a total of about 3000 words. It is crapola. Worse than that. It's a whole lot of bad words that I don't like hearing or saying, so therefore should not ever be written down, especially not in this forum.
I want to start again. But I have no other ideas. Not that I had an idea in the first place.
I REALLY want to take part in NaNoWriMo, but I have nothing to write about.
EDIT: oh, and my characters are completely flat
Giant virtual *HUGZZZ* to everyone else in this thread/ NaNoWriMo ate my soul forum.
Sometimes it really helps knowing you're not alone.