NaNoWriMo 2011!

[SopophorousBean]

I won last year but I had so much more time on my hands to plan and prepare, and ultimately to write, so this year I just feel so unprepared! I'm still giving it a good go though. I'll be writing YA contemporary. I went for YA fantasy/sci-fi last year but struggled too much trying to get that world to make sense with the writing style of NaNo, so I'm trying to keep it a bit simple. I have vague plans to go from but I have no idea how much I'll be able to get out of them until I sit myself down tomorrow and start writing!

Good luck everyone

[Goddess_Clio]

Originally Posted by GrangerHermione

To be a true NaNoWriMo piece, you can't use anything that you've previously written.

Yeah, I don't care about being a "true" NaNoWriMo piece.

[Schlubalybub]

Originally Posted by SopophorousBean

I won last year but I had so much more time on my hands to plan and prepare, and ultimately to write, so this year I just feel so unprepared! I'm still giving it a good go though. I'll be writing YA contemporary. I went for YA fantasy/sci-fi last year but struggled too much trying to get that world to make sense with the writing style of NaNo, so I'm trying to keep it a bit simple. I have vague plans to go from but I have no idea how much I'll be able to get out of them until I sit myself down tomorrow and start writing!

Good luck everyone

To be honest, with everything that's gone on with my life at the moment, I've done zero planning, bar writing four ideas on the back of a cleaning rota at work- three of them I've disregarded, although I'm really sad about the post-apocalyptic one, because I feel like it's a fair story, but what with the mayan thing, I think I'll be one of several thousand to try a post-apocalyptic story this year...that said, I had a completely new idea this morning walking through the village back from the shop, which I might try and write, I'll only know tomorrow evening, once I've handed the dogs back and come home from work...

[asdfasdf17]

I'm going to try NaNoWriMo 2012 because I've never done it before and it sounds like fun. I have absolutely no idea for my story or where it is going, I just wrote a random passage that came to my mind while I was listening to a song (236 words). I hope I get a solid idea for my story or else I won't go very far into it (I'm not good at winging it).

[Schlubalybub]

I'm at 888 words. I usually have a slow start like this when I'm writing.

But my boyfriend's friend, he's up to almost 6000. How irritating hehe

[asdfasdf17]

Originally Posted by Schlubalybub

I'm at 888 words. I usually have a slow start like this when I'm writing.

But my boyfriend's friend, he's up to almost 6000. How irritating hehe

Thats a pretty good start! I know some people who haven't even gotten as far as one word so good job to you (and to your boyfriend's friend ).

I got pretty far today (day two) because I finally got an idea to write about and I'm on a roll. I've reached 4,000+ words!
I just hope I can keep up the word count for the whole month...

[RikuStark]

Good luck to everyone who's participating this year! I first heard about NaNoWriMo last year, but it was too late to start anything (it was the end of November), I thought about doing it this year, but I just didn't feel prepared to start something like this. It'd probably just stress me out.

Maybe next year.

[Goddess_Clio]

I'm at about 580 words. On day five. I don't think I'm doing very well...

[GrangerHermione]

Originally Posted by Goddess_Clio

I'm at about 580 words. On day five. I don't think I'm doing very well...

Hey, not bad, that's 116 words per day!

I'm in the same boat. 1,146 words on day five. I didn't write anything today or yesterday. I haven't officially joined the contest, I'm just kinda playing along to see where it gets me. Even if I don't make it (which I probably won't), at least I'll have something.

[Goddess_Clio]

oh, I'm not "officially" participating and my goal is a more realistic (for me) 25,000 words and even that might be a stretch given all the work deadlines I just got today. And I'm shooting for writing the bulk of a subplot rather than a full story.

[Schlubalybub]

I'm still going fairly slowly- Just past 3000 words...

[SopophorousBean]

I've literally been writing 1700 words a day for the whole thing so far, which is just above the minimum. Yesterday I managed 2000 words for the first time which felt wonderful! I just haven't had the energy to sit down and write for longer than that which is a shame, but I think this is the best way for me to do it this year. I have struggled not having as much planning, but a lot of my story has come to me midway through and those bursts of inspiration have gotten me through! I don't think it'll be anything I end up revisiting afterwards, but I've definitely got back into writing which was the aim

[Morning_Star]

I'm doing my first NaNoWriMo this year! I've been wanting to for years, but with school, I did not feel like I had the time and energy needed for it. Unfortunately, I don't really have much more time now, with two jobs and lots of things happening in my family, but I'm trying. I got a slow start, but I try to write at least 2 000 words every day. I just passed 10 000 on Saturday, which felt great, even though I couldn't write anything yesterday because of migraines. But I still believe I can do this! If I just have one or two really good days, I'll be able to catch up, maybe get a little ahead.

I'm not quite sure if my current idea has 50 000 words in it, but I'll probably come up with something. Also, I need more descriptions. Not just to get the word count up, but I see everything so clearly in my mind, I forget to write it down and go straight to the action without describing the surroundings much. Oh well, I can probably go back and fill in a bit if I have a day I can't seem to get more of the story down.

[GrangerHermione]

Congratulations SopophorousBean and Morning_Star! You sound like you're off to a great start! I'd love to sit down and write 2,000 words a day like you two, but I'm in school, so I don't have much time after class and homework. Plus when I'm finished, all I wanna do is sit around and watch Merlin. What do you guys do to get yourself into writing? Do you just love your story that much? I find it difficult to get myself to write because I'm not entirely sure about the direction I'm going in; I have an idea, but I haven't figured out the details, so I feel like the whole writing process is laborious and slow since I don't have a particular point to try to write up to.

Originally Posted by Morning_Star

Also, I need more descriptions. Not just to get the word count up, but I see everything so clearly in my mind, I forget to write it down and go straight to the action without describing the surroundings much. Oh well, I can probably go back and fill in a bit if I have a day I can't seem to get more of the story down.

I have the opposite problem. Too much description, not enough action. Not only do I feel like my writing is empty and incomplete without description, but I don't really know where I'm going with the story, so I just try to kill words with something.

Originally Posted by SopophorousBean

I've literally been writing 1700 words a day for the whole thing so far, which is just above the minimum.

I only have 1700 words.

Yeah, I'm absolutely sure that I will not make it to 50,000 words. I probably won't even make it to 10,000. But that's okay; as long as I have something to start with, I'll be better of than I was before.

[asdfasdf17]

NaNoWriMo has been going very well for me, I'm past the 26,000 word mark and I've never even done that before! I'm really glad I joined because I've found that just looking at my stats helps to motivate me and keep me going. The only thing that I wasn't too happy about was the most recent pep talk. It talked about how eventually you'll hit a writer's block (if you haven't already) but you should be prepared for it and just trudge through. Anyhow, after reading that, I felt so demotivated because everything has been going so well, I don't like being told (with so much confidence) that eventually it won't go as well I thought pep talks were supposed to help! I guess I'll try to ignore that one and keep going at it how I've been going.

[Morning_Star]

Originally Posted by GrangerHermione

Congratulations SopophorousBean and Morning_Star! You sound like you're off to a great start! I'd love to sit down and write 2,000 words a day like you two, but I'm in school, so I don't have much time after class and homework. Plus when I'm finished, all I wanna do is sit around and watch Merlin. What do you guys do to get yourself into writing? Do you just love your story that much? I find it difficult to get myself to write because I'm not entirely sure about the direction I'm going in; I have an idea, but I haven't figured out the details, so I feel like the whole writing process is laborious and slow since I don't have a particular point to try to write up to.

I tell myself that now I'm going to write, and I'm not allowed to go anywhere until I've written 2000 words. I'm not necessarily happy with what I've written, but the story is progressing, if slowly. I haven't written anything the last few days, though. Hopefully, I'll be able to write some today, but I don't know. Wednesdays are pretty busy for me.

Also, about my story: I came up with a very vague idea on the 31st, and just started to write. I haven't really followed my original plan, but I think this one is better. I hate my story, actually, but I think it has potential. And I'm writing it in Norwegian, which is hard - I write English a lot more than my own mother tongue!

Originally Posted by GrangerHermione

I have the opposite problem. Too much description, not enough action. Not only do I feel like my writing is empty and incomplete without description, but I don't really know where I'm going with the story, so I just try to kill words with something.

My action isn't very action-filled (yet), which is why I think I should describe things better, both so that readers (imaginary ones, I don't think I'll ever let anyone read this story) can see everything better and so the writing seems more real, in a way. Sometimes it feels like I'm writing down a dream where I can remember what happened, but not what everything looked like.

Originally Posted by GrangerHermione

I only have 1700 words.

Yeah, I'm absolutely sure that I will not make it to 50,000 words. I probably won't even make it to 10,000. But that's okay; as long as I have something to start with, I'll be better of than I was before.

I really want to write all 50 000 words, but my primary goal was just to write something, which I rarely do, even if it wasn't good or long. As ML for Norway said in her latest pep talk, "If you have written a word or more, pat yourself on the back." I think that is important to remember - it's not about writing a fantastic story or reaching 50 000 words, it's about writing something.

Originally Posted by asdfasdf17

NaNoWriMo has been going very well for me, I'm past the 26,000 word mark and I've never even done that before! I'm really glad I joined because I've found that just looking at my stats helps to motivate me and keep me going. The only thing that I wasn't too happy about was the most recent pep talk. It talked about how eventually you'll hit a writer's block (if you haven't already) but you should be prepared for it and just trudge through. Anyhow, after reading that, I felt so demotivated because everything has been going so well, I don't like being told (with so much confidence) that eventually it won't go as well I thought pep talks were supposed to help! I guess I'll try to ignore that one and keep going at it how I've been going.

Wow! Congratulations! That is impressive.

About the pep talk (which I haven't read yet, must do that), I think it was probably aimed at people like me, who are a bit behind and somewhat disappointed with where their story is going. According to those who have done this several times before, a lot of people hit a writer's block in week 2 of NaNo. You seem to be doing really well, so I'd say that you should just ignore it, and if you do hit a writer's block - which you might not do, as sometimes the story just keeps coming - you can go back to that pep talk and perhaps find inspiration in it. For now, just look at you stats and find motivation in them. You're doing great!

I'm afraid I might have used up my word quota for the day on this post...

[asdfasdf17]

Originally Posted by Morning_Star

Wow! Congratulations! That is impressive.

About the pep talk (which I haven't read yet, must do that), I think it was probably aimed at people like me, who are a bit behind and somewhat disappointed with where their story is going. According to those who have done this several times before, a lot of people hit a writer's block in week 2 of NaNo. You seem to be doing really well, so I'd say that you should just ignore it, and if you do hit a writer's block - which you might not do, as sometimes the story just keeps coming - you can go back to that pep talk and perhaps find inspiration in it. For now, just look at you stats and find motivation in them. You're doing great!

I'm afraid I might have used up my word quota for the day on this post...

Thanks for the advice, I found that to be pretty helpful And it is still going very good but two days ago I forgot to update my word count (oops) and now my stats bar is even leveled with the other bar. That's going to drive me crazy! Oh well, I can ignore that too

[Desraelda]

I've never done NaNo and I doubt if I ever will. But it's great to watch you guys doing your best to accomplish your goals. Good luck to you all.

[Schlubalybub]

I, um, gave up.

But today I started writing another story, and I got further today than I did in the entire NaNoWriMo thing

I'm not sure that actively participating in a speed writing competition is the best thing for my writing hehe

[asdfasdf17]

Originally Posted by Schlubalybub

I, um, gave up.

But today I started writing another story, and I got further today than I did in the entire NaNoWriMo thing

I'm not sure that actively participating in a speed writing competition is the best thing for my writing hehe

Aw, it's okay! Yeah, I guess it's different for everyone else and I suppose NaNoWriMos just supposed to help you get started writing. Thats great that you've started on a new novel and gotten very far!

I really hope to finish my novel, I've only got a few days! For me, NaNoWriMo really helped to get me writing because with all the planning and outlining I'd been doing for my novel, I was totally avoiding the writing part so that was good. It didn't frustrate me too much except it forced me to type on the computer, rather than write in my notebook like I usually do, because of the whole word-count thing (I didn't really want to count all the words I'd written!). If I participate next year, I think I'll just write in my notebook and make up an average number of word's per page so that I wouldn't have to count them all up one by one to update my word count status.