|
Source: (consider it)
|
Thread: Ye Olde NaNoWriMo - and beyond
|
Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by kaytee:
I'm having a last minute panic. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif) I have an idea, I know how the story begins, and I have an idea for how it might end, but no real clue what will happen in the middle.
I'm sorry, there's any other state?
Actually, there's the one I usually start from - of knowing neither how it ends, nor what happens before then. But that's alright: somewhere the unconscious is even now typing away furiously.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cottontail
Shipmate
# 12234
|
Posted
I've taken the plunge. I'm going to do it!
It's the first time in years that I technically have the time - though whether I can make the time in reality is another matter. I think I might go for the crime novel I've been pondering for a while.
Scared now! ![[Ultra confused]](graemlins/confused2.gif)
--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."
Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
kaytee
Shipmate
# 3482
|
Posted
quote:
I'm sorry, there's any other state?
I don't know - I'm new at this!
--------------------
'Lying is a vital survival skill – and a terrible habit.' ~ The Doctor
Posts: 152 | From: Hertfordshire, UK | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
|
Posted
I just took a last minute plunge and signed up. I need to kick my writing attempts along. I still have a sign-in from last year when I didn't end up doing anything, it's Antipodean Scribbler, no ideal what possessed me to chose that as a name.
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cara
Shipmate
# 16966
|
Posted
I tried last year but nothing much came of it, and would definitely be trying again this year more seriously if it weren't that I'll be travelling most of the month, so won't be able to manage it.
Good luck to you all!
--------------------
Pondering.
Posts: 898 | Registered: Feb 2012
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
(Bump) are we all set? I think I may even have a plot...
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
mousethief
Ship's Thieving Rodent
# 953
|
Posted
Signed up tonight. Plan to winnow the chaff from my 90,000 word novel and pump it up to 120,000. (I'm on as YourIntrepidNovelist if anybody's interested.)
--------------------
This is the last sig I'll ever write for you...
Posts: 63536 | From: Washington | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
kaytee
Shipmate
# 3482
|
Posted
Yay it's started! Got up at 6 and got 1000 words done before work. ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif) Hopefully more later although I have to work late.
Good luck everyone!
--------------------
'Lying is a vital survival skill – and a terrible habit.' ~ The Doctor
Posts: 152 | From: Hertfordshire, UK | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
orfeo
Ship's Musical Counterpoint
# 13878
|
Posted
Just remembered that this started today.
I think, given current personal circumstances and some other newly developing activities, I won't make an attempt this year and will confine myself to cheering you all on from the sidelines with interest.
--------------------
Technology has brought us all closer together. Turns out a lot of the people you meet as a result are complete idiots.
Posts: 18173 | From: Under | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged
|
|
Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
|
Posted
I just wrote my first 300 words! Now I only need to do that five more times today and repeat for the next thirty days and I'll be there!
If only I could use all my ship-of-fools posts toward some great, long, stream of consciousness piece of random, drug induced musings.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Liopleurodon
Mighty sea creature
# 4836
|
Posted
I was very much not doing Nanowrimo this year. I had no plans to do it. It was not going to happen. Until two days ago, when I suddenly thought I might do it, despite no characters or ideas. So... yeah.
Buddy me up. I'm MightyBitey.
Posts: 1921 | From: Lurking under the ship | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sarasa
Shipmate
# 12271
|
Posted
Oh dear, not doing very well so far. Think I'd better dig out something I was working on and get going on that, rather than start something new which is what I was originally planning.
--------------------
'I guess things didn't go so well tonight, but I'm trying. Lord, I'm trying.' Charlie (Harvey Keitel) in Mean Streets.
Posts: 2035 | From: London | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cottontail
Shipmate
# 12234
|
Posted
It is begun! 1800 words. 1800 Very Dark Words. The trouble with writing a crime novel is that you end up writing about nasty things. Today it was a disappeared girl and a background of abuse. Sigh.
I go under the name Clachaneasy, if anyone wants to make contact.
--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."
Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Figbash
The Doubtful Guest
# 9048
|
Posted
1184. Which isn't that good for 2 days in, but I have a deadline on Monday and I'm hoping once that's gone I can devote more time to the spontaneous generation of drivel.
Not a very good 1184, I might add. But hopefully if I do a spot of tinkering later it'll get better and LONGER...
Posts: 1209 | From: Gashlycrumb | Registered: Feb 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
deusluxmea
Apprentice
# 15765
|
Posted
1075 words in! Never finished before in the last two attempts....
Posts: 19 | Registered: Jul 2010
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
3260 as of yesterday. No idea how this will go over the weekend.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
|
Posted
731 scintillating words! This is turning out to be fun! I really don't care that, at this rate, I'll never come close to the goal -- I've forgotten my Nano password anyway -- but the game is doing just what it's supposed to do and getting me started again after not writing anything creative for years.
You go Ariel! I've always thought you were a brilliant writer. We'll all be able to say we were witnesses to the process when you win your Pulitzer. ![[Overused]](graemlins/notworthy.gif)
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Doc Tor
Deepest Red
# 9748
|
Posted
Good luck to everyone. Remember the quality of the words don't count, it's the number of them that do!
(Seriously. Get the damn thing on paper. You can edit it later.)
--------------------
Forward the New Republic
Posts: 9131 | From: Ultima Thule | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
Thank you Twilight! Not sure this one may win anything other than the Bulwer Lytton Prize but I'm having fun so far.
(Though the BLP is something to bear in mind if this doesn't take off.)
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
|
Posted
Went to the first of my para-NaNo workshops today. The tutor is a moderately well-kent writer,and she had some interesting things to say. But unfortunately she rambles to the point of incoherence.
But I shall stick with it.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Joan_of_Quark
Anchoress of St Expedite
# 9887
|
Posted
It's going OK again. I am writing up a lot of stuff to put me ahead as this is my least manic time of week. I even got another tranche of happenings to go on the end of one of my story lines from last year, raising my hopes that the thing might be revived and edited one day after all. That was in addition to my main plot for this time. I hope this way I can keep a bit of momentum going despite other deadlines, niggles, stupid assignments and other detestable enormities...
I haven't had a good look for new people to befriend on there but will do some housekeeping like buddy lists and wordcount spreadsheet soon - if you're looking for buddies on NaNo, no prizes for guessing what I'm called.
--------------------
"I want to be an artist when I grow up." "Well you can't do both!"
further quarkiness
Posts: 1025 | From: The Book Depository | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Mr Curly
Off to Curly Flat
# 5518
|
Posted
No progress yet - struggling to apply myself at this (and other things) after recent health issues and starting a new job.
Hoping to get something done, though, and break the drought.
mr curly
[ 03. November 2012, 20:50: Message edited by: Mr Curly ]
--------------------
My Blog - Writing, Film, Other Stuff
Posts: 2645 | From: Curly Flat | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
|
Posted
I did really well the first day, wrote a first chapter then realised that I had to do a bit of planning and rewrite a bit to go where I wanted to go in a narrative structure. I *think* I've now sorted that out and have planned out where I'm going.
--------------------
Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Earwig
Pincered Beastie
# 12057
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
But unfortunately she rambles to the point of incoherence.
Pushing on with her own wordcount - quantity not quality! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posts: 3120 | From: Yorkshire | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Trudy Scrumptious
BBE Shieldmaiden
# 5647
|
Posted
I had a good writing day with a couple of writer-friends yesterday and got above 10,000, which was necessary because I've got a busy week and don't expect to get much done during the week. I find that the process of writing always teaches me what the book is about so I now have a much clearer idea where this story is going than I did 10,000 words ago.
I mentioned the vlog-link in my sig before but here's my NaNo kick-off video where I ramble on about my approach to the "rules" of NaNo.
--------------------
Books and things.
I lied. There are no things. Just books.
Posts: 7428 | From: Closer to Paris than I am to Vancouver | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cottontail
Shipmate
# 12234
|
Posted
I'm mostly keeping up so far, and am excited about the extremely cool police officer I have created. But having set it in 1956, I am spending an inordinate amount of time googling 50s' clothes, 50s' police cars, 50s' slang, even 'forensic procedures in the 1950s' ... not that even google has much to say about that last one!
--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."
Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Joan_of_Quark
Anchoress of St Expedite
# 9887
|
Posted
23000 words, small Mac laptop keyboard => OUCH
I don't think that's the reason I only just won last year, but it could be a good excuse.
I've dug out an old wireless desktop keyboard and introduced it to the Mac so I can carry on typing. Several of the letters labelling the keys are worn off through previous writing efforts. It makes a sound like gentle rain when I am going at a thoughtful pace. Nostalgia.
--------------------
"I want to be an artist when I grow up." "Well you can't do both!"
further quarkiness
Posts: 1025 | From: The Book Depository | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
Urgh. 9141 words so far about an angsty time traveller/double agent who moves from the past to an apocalytic sort of future which s/he is trying to change, and back again.
At present my hero/heroine is stuck in a vegetarian cafe somewhere in Serbia in the year 2024, trying to get to Vienna for reasons which I can only guess at.
How is everyone else doing?
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
|
Posted
Another thing which irritated me about the workshop I attended was the idea that we were all working on 'literary' ie serious fiction and that my little genre-type NaNo by-blow which I've chosen to work on, didn't rate.
I had a momentary impulse to substitute something more respectable, but I thought no bugger it. In response, my story has rewarded me by becoming much more focused and interesting.
So the moral is, believe in what you're doing.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
|
Posted
Firenze, they were probably just jealous because you were the only one who actually had a chance of being published.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
|
Posted
Epic fail, so far. Work and some illness and innumerable excuses to procrastinate........ aggh this afternoon 10,000 words at least.
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Trudy Scrumptious
BBE Shieldmaiden
# 5647
|
Posted
12,000-and-some-odd words. Some of them very odd indeed.
--------------------
Books and things.
I lied. There are no things. Just books.
Posts: 7428 | From: Closer to Paris than I am to Vancouver | Registered: Mar 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
|
Posted
I have a whole story in my head, well several strands of narrative that will hang together. The other strands are what I planned, well, as far as I've got, but this main strand running through is really unexpected. I was up to 8,800 yesterday, so slightly behind. The ideas are there, it's getting them down in a way that's semi-readable.
[ 07. November 2012, 07:00: Message edited by: Curiosity killed ... ]
--------------------
Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
kaytee
Shipmate
# 3482
|
Posted
Over 11K words but I am sooo tired. I'm getting up early to write but not going to bed any earlier. I will have to catch up on sleep and words at the weekend. I'm fortunate to have Saturday free so that will help.
--------------------
'Lying is a vital survival skill – and a terrible habit.' ~ The Doctor
Posts: 152 | From: Hertfordshire, UK | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cottontail
Shipmate
# 12234
|
Posted
Made it to 10,000 yesterday. I keep getting sidetracked by period detail. My mother was a good help yesterday with dressing my detective.
I can also now tell you a good deal about serology and chainsaws. Give praise and thanks for google!
[ 07. November 2012, 08:16: Message edited by: Cottontail ]
--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."
Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Evangeline
Shipmate
# 7002
|
Posted
Firenze, bugga the pretentious literary types. Not sure if you can access this First Tuesday Bookclub but Lee Child in particular makes some particularly interesting and encouraging comments about commercial vs literary fiction.
Posts: 2871 | From: "A capsule of modernity afloat in a wild sea" | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged
|
|
Boadicea Trott
Shipmate
# 9621
|
Posted
I've managed to creep up to 13, 121 words tonight, and feeling quite low after writing about death, doom and disaster for the last few days. I'm going to try and write a happy episode of the story tomorrow.......
--------------------
X-Clacks-Overhead: GNU Terry Pratchett
Posts: 563 | From: Roaming the World in my imagination..... | Registered: Jun 2005
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by Cottontail:
Made it to 10,000 yesterday. I keep getting sidetracked by period detail. My mother was a good help yesterday with dressing my detective.
I can also now tell you a good deal about serology and chainsaws. Give praise and thanks for google!
Yes, you end up acquiring a lot of odd trivia in the course of Nano - never intended to spend time googling German railways, but there you go.
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
MrSponge2U
Ship’s scrub
# 3076
|
Posted
I'm over 16000 words as of last night. I left my characters wandering around in a pretty messy situation, though. Shame on me. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
--------------------
sig? what sig?
Posts: 3558 | From: where two big rivers meet | Registered: Jul 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Ariel
Shipmate
# 58
|
Posted
Having now found out what Austrians eat for lunch, my character is currently in London's National Gallery, wearing a borrowed sweater and following instructions from an unknown source to look interested in the Wilton Diptych. And I really have no idea what will happen next or what this is all about, only that I have 15K words as of yesterday.
How are the rest of you doing?
[ 11. November 2012, 07:28: Message edited by: Ariel ]
Posts: 25445 | Registered: May 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
Curiosity killed ...
Ship's Mug
# 11770
|
Posted
Finding the instructions to write about personal stuff, however novelised ... tough. I have masses of material and know what to write next, but digging up the experiences to put colour in isn't easy.
--------------------
Mugs - Keep the Ship afloat
Posts: 13794 | From: outiside the outer ring road | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged
|
|
Firenze
Ordinary decent pagan
# 619
|
Posted
I have to send another bleeding chunk to the tutor by Friday. I fancy I know which one, but unfortunately it's still in my head rather than on paper.
Posts: 17302 | From: Edinburgh | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged
|
|
kaytee
Shipmate
# 3482
|
Posted
Made it over 18K so I'm still on track. One of my minor characters threatened to become a love interest that I didn't want, but I think I've figured out a way to keep that in check. So far it's going better than I expected tbh.
--------------------
'Lying is a vital survival skill – and a terrible habit.' ~ The Doctor
Posts: 152 | From: Hertfordshire, UK | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Cottontail
Shipmate
# 12234
|
Posted
I've made it to 18,000 as well, though the last couple of days have been a bit of a struggle. There's no doubt that the NaNoWriMo word counter alone is responsible for keeping me on track.
I think the story is developing okay, though I am in a bit of a muddle with dates and ages, and will need to do some serious plotting of that sometime. But it shouldn't affect the plot too much, so I am leaving that to the end. Other than that, I'm worrying that my characters are sitting around talking too much, which is a bit of a downer for a crime novel. I think I need to inject some action, and soon.
--------------------
"I don't think you ought to read so much theology," said Lord Peter. "It has a brutalizing influence."
Posts: 2377 | From: Scotland | Registered: Jan 2007
| IP: Logged
|
|
Twilight
Puddleglum's sister
# 2832
|
Posted
Plot? Plot, you say? My characters just stare and ponder. Think of Virginia Wolfe's The Hours, only slower and with no point.
I think it's awesome that your characters are sitting around talking, Cottontail. I find dialogue the very hardest part.
You know who I keep thinking of? The Bronte sisters writing on those tiny little scraps of paper with their splotchy ink. I'll bet everything was put down perfectly from the first with no revisions -- couldn't be wasting paper with second drafts.
Posts: 6817 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
|
Posted
I'm in too, with a late start. I am writing a semi-autobiographical novel that I have been thinking about for years. Most of the place-names are real, as are the cars, but none of the people are. My teenage niece competed in a different category last year and won some sort of a prize. I am just hoping I can write something which is not tripe! Fortunately my lovely bride of thirty-four years (Zeke here) can vet what I've done. She is a trained English language and literature instructor. We are hoping she gets an adjunct job teaching at a new university here...
--------------------
If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
Posts: 30517 | From: White Hart Lane | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
kaytee
Shipmate
# 3482
|
Posted
quote:
Other than that, I'm worrying that my characters are sitting around talking too much, which is a bit of a downer for a crime novel. I think I need to inject some action, and soon.
'A little less conversation, a little more action please!'
Yes I was worried about that two. My two main characters are teenage girls who are best friends, and to start with all they did was chat, and then there were conversations with their families as well. I've had to deliberately insert some descriptive passages to break it up a bit.
Plot, hmmm. Well, some things have happened, but I think I am going to need a few more things to happen to get things moving.
--------------------
'Lying is a vital survival skill – and a terrible habit.' ~ The Doctor
Posts: 152 | From: Hertfordshire, UK | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
|
|
Sir Kevin
Ship's Gaffer
# 3492
|
Posted
quote:
Originally posted by kaytee:
quote:
Other than that, I'm worrying that my characters are sitting around talking too much, which is a bit of a downer for a crime novel. I think I need to inject some action, and soon.
'A little less conversation, a little more action please!'
I haven't plotted any of that yet and not sure I plan to. i am a complete novice at including any of that. I never made it to grad school and all of my undergraduate papers were the minimum required. I was an art and architecture major. If I had it all to do over again, I would have been a film major. The only film I've worked on so far was pre-production. If I do another one, I'd rather be a PA doing pleasant indoor work than being outside for ten hours a day at the wrong time of year....
--------------------
If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Writing is currently my hobby, not yet my profession.
Posts: 30517 | From: White Hart Lane | Registered: Oct 2002
| IP: Logged
|
|
Thread closed
Printer-friendly view
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
