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NaNoWriMo 2009 - Page 8

post #141 of 232
11/4/09 at 1:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onetruething View Post
{{hug}} I'm so sorry you feel yucky.

Write or die is my hero and new best friend!! I wrote 430 words in ten minutes. I'm sure that won't happen every time, but the I needed the kick to stop worrying about perfection and to just write. And it worked. The gradually redder screen plus the screeching when I stopped was PERFECT incentive to just. keep. going.

I have yWriter on my netbook. I haven't quite figured out how to make it work for me, yet.
That's awesome! I hope I can at least average 400 in 15. Yesterday was just at 500, which is crazy cool, I love it. And better yet, all I need is the red, the sound doesn't work for me, but the red is incentive enough.


Quote:
Originally Posted by onetruething View Post
I already have a NaNo desktop background, but my kids will love this Pokemon one --

http://i36.tinypic.com/ibdoxx.jpg
OMG so cute!!! I want a NaNo desk top!!! (off to google!)

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post #142 of 232
11/4/09 at 1:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by onetruething View Post
{{hug}} I'm so sorry you feel yucky.

Write or die is my hero and new best friend!! I wrote 430 words in ten minutes. I'm sure that won't happen every time, but the I needed the kick to stop worrying about perfection and to just write. And it worked. The gradually redder screen plus the screeching when I stopped was PERFECT incentive to just. keep. going.

I have yWriter on my netbook. I haven't quite figured out how to make it work for me, yet.
Thanks.

I looked at the WoD earlier today. That kamikaze mode sure is funny (and yet, not). I have been goofing off the last hour, not resting or NaNo writing or organizing anything. I did blog about the plight of the novice writer, anbd I took the tylenol 1/2 hour ago and it's not working so I just ate some breakfast (leftover rotini and meatballs) hoping to avoid digging into the Halloween chocolate, but I feel my resolve weakening this very minute. I'm craving a Baby Ruth right now.

Hey completely OT, but where does one get the little "I'm blogging" sign for the signatures? I want one but not sure where to find it.

Thanks.
post #143 of 232
11/4/09 at 1:34pm
Miss Information - It's in the smilies. Erm... somewhere. Let me see if I can find it. lol I haven't tried the kamikaze mode yet. Do I dare?

Amanda - I'm using the top image at http://perilplanet.com/blog/2009/10/wallpaper/ currently but I might switch to one with funny and/or motivational statements like http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/3228/nanowrimo2.jpg

Found them!
post #144 of 232
11/4/09 at 2:10pm
Yay! I have a new desktop background, and I just wrote 792 words in 20 minutes on Write or Die
post #145 of 232
11/4/09 at 3:19pm

technical question

Okay, I realize the first chunk of my writing is setting a lot of background up for the relationships between MC and Mr friend turned love interest and PITA LONG and complicated hiring process for the forensic job that will get MC out of her crazy mother's clutches. There's lots of scene changes and some good conversations going...but I am torn between putting in lots of details and leaving them out for the sake of moving the story along.

How much minimal detail is needed to get the ambiance of a scene? For instance, if they are at a restaurant, do I have to flesh out the place as if you were really there, or can I just focus on the two characters that are sitting at the table having a conversation?

Do you have to describe what the characters are wearing every time the day changes? Personally I could care less what they wear, but if I don't say something, you really can't picture what they are like without describing something about their attire.

In essence, what is the most important to focus on (at least for the first draft)?

I'm trying not to get too bogged down in details but at least this first go 'round cover the minimum basics to make some progress in the story, only I don't know what minimum basics would be.

I think because the span of time is so large (years) it makes my job a little difficult to focus on the minutiae.

Any advice for a newbie NaNo-er?

Oh, and thanks for letting me know about the I'm blogging smilie.
post #146 of 232
11/4/09 at 3:46pm
Can you be satisfied writing small details, and coming back and elaborating when you edit?

I'm leaving a lot of vocabulary to be desired in my first draft. When I edit later I'll make it a bit smarter.
post #147 of 232
11/4/09 at 4:08pm
Miss Info., I think it's better to focus on the dialogue and let the reader get a sense of the characters that way, especially if you've already done a little physical description earlier in the story. What they're wearing doesn't matter unless it's relevant to the current action. And you'll probably slip in little details about the characters' appearances throughout the story, when it's relevant - say, when another character notices something about a character's clothes or physical appearance. JMO....speaking as an avid reader and a very amateur writer!
post #148 of 232
11/4/09 at 4:33pm
Thank you so much, Autumn Breeze and ACsMom.

I used to be an avid reader for pleasure, then spent the last few years reading for personal research, so it's been awhile to figure out what's important. I'll keep both bits of advice in mind.
post #149 of 232
11/4/09 at 5:13pm
3,336 words so far, not as much as I'd like but I was really getting into it this morning.

In about an hour, I'm going to a local event. I'm kind of nervous, I don't know anyone in this town yet and have never really gotten together with any other writers (besides during college). I'm hoping its inspiration and also to meet a couple people.

MissInformation, I agree with what ACsMom said, its not necessary all the time. IMO, the reader appreciates the details but not all the time or it becomes too much. And a little left to the imagination does wonders for the book as long as its not no information at all.
post #150 of 232
11/4/09 at 5:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Autumn Breeze View Post
When I edit later I'll make it a bit smarter.
This is my hope as well!

I have 5k words just to set up what a "normal" day looks like. If my story does not pick up soon...

Too much detail maybe and not enough action considering it is to be a book for my oldest...
post #151 of 232
11/4/09 at 5:46pm
Am I the only one who is writing the daily number of words and thats about it? No way I will finish early or even get ahead but Goddess help me if I fall behind....
post #152 of 232
11/4/09 at 6:37pm
According to my new desk top I'm about 2,000 words behind. But I am hoping that a weekend away (this weekend!) will help me catch up.
post #153 of 232
11/4/09 at 6:56pm
it's 5 mins till 5pm and I've written 0 words so far today.. <sigh> might not be too bad, but like Miss Information this morning, I'm tired, headachey and unmotivated..AND tonight is gym night... Bootcamp class from 7-8pm.. which is guaranteed to exhaust me even more.. :P Off to Write or Die!

Kym
post #154 of 232
11/4/09 at 10:33pm
Well this day wasn't a total washout. I didn't feel like adding to the story, but I did cheat and edit some to add more to what I had. I actually added a few hundred words that way. And I did write a very bare bones outline. I am goofing around now and don't feel like doing much more.

Sigh, 8700 words and I am only 1/10 the way through the things I want to cover in the story. Things better pick up or I'd better condense the rest of the stuff.
post #155 of 232
11/5/09 at 1:54am
Thread Starter 
i'm so glad i came back to catch up on everyone's progress. i was about to throw in the towel today but something is still telling me not to give up hope just yet. there are still 25 days left in november
post #156 of 232
11/5/09 at 3:45am
Glad WorD is helping so many of us. I need to quit procrastinating and write. I want to get in another 1500 tonight and I have an hour and fifteen minutes til midnight (don't forget the inevitable waking of baby and nursing to sleep again).

I almost threw in the towel yesterday. I wrote 350 words (if that) and then wrote an angry blog post. Just found out my mum has been given four weeks to live (lung cancer) and my family has not been honest with me about her prognosis, so while she's been battling this since the end of May, I am in shock. I'm numb. Doesn't help much with the writing, but writing is what will get me through, so I need to keep at it. At least it's NaNo--I have permission to just write and not worry so much about quality.
post #157 of 232
11/5/09 at 10:14am
I've got my little guy home with headache and fever today. I'll probably end up writing in my notebook so I can hang out with him while he snoozes.
post #158 of 232
11/5/09 at 11:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bella Catalina View Post
Glad WorD is helping so many of us. I need to quit procrastinating and write. I want to get in another 1500 tonight and I have an hour and fifteen minutes til midnight (don't forget the inevitable waking of baby and nursing to sleep again).

I almost threw in the towel yesterday. I wrote 350 words (if that) and then wrote an angry blog post. Just found out my mum has been given four weeks to live (lung cancer) and my family has not been honest with me about her prognosis, so while she's been battling this since the end of May, I am in shock. I'm numb. Doesn't help much with the writing, but writing is what will get me through, so I need to keep at it. At least it's NaNo--I have permission to just write and not worry so much about quality.


Oh mama, I'd be so angry that if my family kept that prognosis from me. I'm so sorry you have to deal with this ...

I don't know how I'd feel if that happened to my mom (we have issues), but I did lose a dear friend to C and it ripped my heart out. I'm still dreaming about her even 7 years later.
post #159 of 232
11/5/09 at 11:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bella Catalina View Post
Just found out my mum has been given four weeks to live (lung cancer) and my family has not been honest with me about her prognosis, so while she's been battling this since the end of May, I am in shock. I'm numb..

omg I'm so sorry
post #160 of 232
11/5/09 at 11:38am
Another 593 words on WorD this morning Bringing me up to 3,574

I'd like to catch up to 10,000 by the end of the weekend. I'm going on a very short road trip. I'll be taking my laptop with me and doing as much writing as I can. But I have to drive back, so I'll lose that 6 hours. It's ok though! If I can write every 15 minutes for 6 hours. That's 3000 words. That'll bring me up to 6,000. Plus the time spent in the hotel room. I could get another 2,000 in then, that's 8,000 words. I'd satisfied if I reached 8,000 by the end of the weekend.

sorry!!

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