About Me
- Name: U2Lorax
- Location: RDU, NC, United States
U2 fan, Caniac, idealist, dreamer, environmentalist, BTVS addict, hockey nut, computer impaired coffeeholic. Did I mention U2 fan? :)
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005
NaNoWriMo
As several folks who read this know, I've participated in the National Novel Writing Month for the last three years. While I've had less than spectacular results (only won once of my three attempts), I plan on participating again this year.
The basic idea is to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. While not quite the average novel length, it's a reachable goal. The prize is the rush of pride and satisifaction you get for completing something difficult, for pushing yourself further than you thought you could go. It's a mighty heady feeling! :)
I always start out on Nov 1 thinking that writing 1,700 words a day is a Lot! and then by Nov 25 I'm thinking that 1,700 is a piece of cake. I just get in the NaNo Zone of churning out the words, trying to stick to my plot, telling my characters to "Back off!! I'm doing the best I can! I hear your ideas but you are NOT the one writing this so just go take a pill and leave me alone for five freaking minutes!" I swear to you, I am not crazy (well not certifiably anyway) but the more involved I get with a story the more my characters ...communicate with me.
I remember having to get up around two in the morning because this one character did not like the way I had worded something. I had to go in and fix the text. I couldn't just write it down on a notepad (tried that, didn't work, she just kept yammering at me). I had to delete what I had written and put in the new stuff before she would shut up and let me get some sleep. This would be the novel that I won with in 2003. I was at something like 55,000 words but only 3/4 the way through my novel. And no, I haven't finished it yet.
This year I've been toying with the idea of blogging my novel. It'd be restricted to a select few as I'm seriously ..hmm touchy? anxious? protective? about my writing. I'm also paranoid about plagerism so I need to figure out how to make it password protected or something. It'd be a huge blog if I stay on track with 1,700 words a day. I think it'd be a great motivator as I'd have folks reading it and giving me grief for not keeping up with the word count, etc.
What do you think? Should I blog it? Would you want to read it? Have any plot ideas?
The basic idea is to write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. While not quite the average novel length, it's a reachable goal. The prize is the rush of pride and satisifaction you get for completing something difficult, for pushing yourself further than you thought you could go. It's a mighty heady feeling! :)
I always start out on Nov 1 thinking that writing 1,700 words a day is a Lot! and then by Nov 25 I'm thinking that 1,700 is a piece of cake. I just get in the NaNo Zone of churning out the words, trying to stick to my plot, telling my characters to "Back off!! I'm doing the best I can! I hear your ideas but you are NOT the one writing this so just go take a pill and leave me alone for five freaking minutes!" I swear to you, I am not crazy (well not certifiably anyway) but the more involved I get with a story the more my characters ...communicate with me.
I remember having to get up around two in the morning because this one character did not like the way I had worded something. I had to go in and fix the text. I couldn't just write it down on a notepad (tried that, didn't work, she just kept yammering at me). I had to delete what I had written and put in the new stuff before she would shut up and let me get some sleep. This would be the novel that I won with in 2003. I was at something like 55,000 words but only 3/4 the way through my novel. And no, I haven't finished it yet.
This year I've been toying with the idea of blogging my novel. It'd be restricted to a select few as I'm seriously ..hmm touchy? anxious? protective? about my writing. I'm also paranoid about plagerism so I need to figure out how to make it password protected or something. It'd be a huge blog if I stay on track with 1,700 words a day. I think it'd be a great motivator as I'd have folks reading it and giving me grief for not keeping up with the word count, etc.
What do you think? Should I blog it? Would you want to read it? Have any plot ideas?
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This is uncanny! I have the same issues about wanting to blog the novel but being afraid to. On one hand, I think "who in the world would want to plagiarise my awful NaNo novel anyway?" On the other hand, you just never know who would and that does keep me from putting my writing out there.
But I want to in a way, because it might help keep me writing if I felt there was a chance anyone might be monitoring my progress. Does that make any sense?
I love what you said about your characters butting in and trying to run things. :)
But I want to in a way, because it might help keep me writing if I felt there was a chance anyone might be monitoring my progress. Does that make any sense?
I love what you said about your characters butting in and trying to run things. :)
I totally get it, Meli! I think of it as Big Brother Syndrome. Although it's not quite accurate. Knowing that people are reading will keep me honest about posting word count, staying true to the story, not going off on random tangents about whatever is on my mind. Although, come week three, I might do that anyway :)
The NaNo vibes are in the air!
The NaNo vibes are in the air!
I'd read it, but understand the paranoia completely. I dont think I'm going to NaNo this year ... I'm too "distracted" with other things. d;) But then again ... I've got those 12 hour shifts at work ... I may at least try to break last year's goal. HMM. I think I'll ponder plots.
What type of story are you looking to write this year?
What type of story are you looking to write this year?
If you blog it, you're a braver person than I. I Also have fears of plagiarism. And if I start showing the rough draft to people, I'll want to edit it, and that will kill my forward momentum.
I haven't finished the stories on my last two Nanos, either. The '04 one is close—I need to just write a few wrap up scenes. And I've been working on my '03 one this month, since I'm already itching to write. Maybe if I'm not too burnt out after November (ha!), I'll finish up all three in time for Nanoedmo.
As for plot ideas, I'd say first figure out what you're in the mood for. Comedy? Fantasy? Horror? Then work out the specifics. There's always the adopt-a-plot and dares threads on the nanowrimo site. The basic plot idea for this year just popped into my head, but I'm getting all the character details from random inspiration. I use a random word generator, or close my eyes and poke my finger at a page in a book. Whatever word I get, I think about how I could use it in my novel. I've come up with some fun things this way.
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I haven't finished the stories on my last two Nanos, either. The '04 one is close—I need to just write a few wrap up scenes. And I've been working on my '03 one this month, since I'm already itching to write. Maybe if I'm not too burnt out after November (ha!), I'll finish up all three in time for Nanoedmo.
As for plot ideas, I'd say first figure out what you're in the mood for. Comedy? Fantasy? Horror? Then work out the specifics. There's always the adopt-a-plot and dares threads on the nanowrimo site. The basic plot idea for this year just popped into my head, but I'm getting all the character details from random inspiration. I use a random word generator, or close my eyes and poke my finger at a page in a book. Whatever word I get, I think about how I could use it in my novel. I've come up with some fun things this way.
# posted by 
: 16 October, 2005 14:40
: 16 October, 2005 14:40<< Home
