Since we're in the process of trying to give Michigan something to cry about (besides football ;P) I decided to start this thread. I'm curious-- how are everyone's novels coming along right now? Word counts aside, how's the plot moving? Are your characters behaving? Has anything happened, yet?
For me... My characters have spent much of the last few days rebelling. My MC's sister was supposed to convince her to go to California (via the Oregon Trail), but instead...she's trying to talk her out of it. (I can't make a reasonable personality suggest something crazy, I just can't!)
The real story can't start until she leaves for Independence (or rather, arrives there), but sadly, she has yet to convince anyone that she's capable of making the trip down the Oregon Trail. I'm trying to write myself out of this, but it's not exactly working. (And last night, a random plot idea switch that will ruin the entire story...sorta, making the main love interest into That Guy the Main Female Lead Doesn't Want to Marry, But Instead Is Trying To Get Away From. I might end up editing the novel and changing it to that, if only because there needs to be some drive to the story, and my MC needs a solid reason to jump on over to another place. Darn you, random ideas!)
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You're a snap-snapdragon,
Clamped down tight on me.
40,308 / 50,000
nov. 7, 2009 - 13 03
Mine is structured with a quick dramatic slice from the present, then we go back in time until we catch up to the "now" and then move on from there.
We are still in the past, and should get to the "now" part at about 15K-18K, (I am now at about 11 or 12), then the drama cranks up after that.
My concern now is that I will run out of my outline at about 20K-25k, so I need to re-visit that as I am writing the parts I already have laid out.
----------2009 -- A Hero Over His Head
2008 -- {sat out}
2007 -- {sat out}
2006 -- Power in the Blood (won)
2005 -- CUL8R (lost)
2004 -- {sat out}
2003 -- Nowhere Man (won)
2002 -- Soulmates (won)
40,140 / 50,000
nov. 7, 2009 - 13 13
Just hit today's word count, four chapters in and had to introduce a whole group of new characters. Very good for word count, but struggling to keep the main story moving. Add to that a secondary or tertiary character just bullied her way into prominence. This is what comes from having no idea of how to get from my beginning to the end that I envision...
----------Karen M. Gross
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writers_of_scifi_fantasy_horror/
http://www.affiliateworkhome.com
52,457 / 50,000
nov. 7, 2009 - 16 36
Fortunately, things seem to be going really well for me so far. I had my story outline completed before Nano started and my story is really taking off and going well. I think I'm going to cross the word count finish line long before I reach the end of my story. I'm already 55% of the way towards reaching the 50,000 word mark but only about 30% of the way through my outline. I haven't even had to use any cheats to pad my word count yet. My characters have taken control and they have plenty to say all by themselves. I just keep typing it out as fast as I can. They get annoyed with me if I don't keep up. ;-)
12,183 / 50,000
nov. 7, 2009 - 17 47
Horrible!!! I have never been one to outline a story until I'm well into it and I just want to map out the ending. But this time around I decided to outline before and..... crap. I've learned that I'm crap at outlines.
I had a fabulous start - better than any previous NaNo EVER. Then... piddly returns. Ugh. So I started thinking about outlining some more and I really only have the next scene or two. Maybe a few thousand words. *sigh*
And since today was absolutely wonderful weather-wise, we spent the morning getting H1N1 vaxes, then played outside. (I have two kids, ages 2 & 5.) Now all I want to do is go to sleep.
Maybe since I'm still *technically* on pace for word count, I'll try to outline some more.
Good luck!
----------...Jacquie...
2006: Maggie & Ethan v.1.0--FAIL
2008: Maggie & Ethan v.2.0--FAIL
2009: Maggie & Ethan v.3.0
"Writing is easy. You only need to stare at a piece of blank paper until a drop of blood forms on your forehead." - Douglas Adams