NaNoWriMo 2009 - Page 2

[Masel]

I've tried NaNo for the last 6 years. I've never gotten anywhere near winning but it's fun. I wondering if this year will be different. My baby is due October 1st and I'll be home on maternity leave in November.

My stories typically have something to do with the Middle Ages since I research that a lot. A sort of romance that I've worked on other years has started percolating again. I'll start from scratch with the writing. Maybe this time the big romantic scene won't end up in a discussion of the best place to build a vineyard. Or maybe I'll just forget the romance part. lol

[Rigama]

Cool! I just downloaded Momentum Writer and am going to use it to write a short story tonight.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by Pernwebgoddess

I don't outline anymore. Every year I've ever outlined, or done any plotting beyond basic idea percolation... I've failed. I just do best on the fly! Obviously, that doesn't work for everyone. Different methods and all that.

As for programs, I LOVE Liquid Story Binder. It's got a bit of a steep learning curve, because it doesn't work like most programs, but it's SO powerful, it's got so many features, and you can run it off a flash drive. I got mine from giveawayoftheday a couple years ago.

It's a bit pricey, but they have a 30 day trial (and what do you know... Nano is 30 days) and usually he offers some kind of deal to NaNoWriMo participants.

If you want to try the writing environment, you can try momentum writer. Free, very no-frills, saves in plain text format, uses full-screen mode (one of the best features about LSB is the ability to run it in full screen mode, so there aren't formatting bars or other distractions around.) and you can also disable your backspace key. Particularly useful for word wars, although I always have to turn mine on, because I type faster when I'm correcting than I do when I'm forced to keep going forward.

I have totally fallen in love with this program. The customer support is second to none, and I love all the extra features. Dossiers, image galleries, timelines, outlining tools, and more stuff I haven't even figured out how to use yet.

And no, I'm not an advertiser. LOL. I just really love this program. It's great for the free-for-all nature of nano.

[barefootbabies]

I've been thinking a lot about this recently, actually its what brought me here today. Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking ahead. DD was about a month old last year when I did it and I managed to pull it off. I have no idea what I'm going to be writing about this year though, I've considered and abandoned half a dozen plot lines already.

That momentum writer program looks awesome, I've bookmarked it to download later, after dh finishes fixing up my laptop. I'm so excited to NaNo again this year! :

[Pernwebgoddess]

I am too! once the weather starts turning cold, I starting thinking NaNo! Do you guys have any local MLs to organize groups? I was sad when I gave up my job as ML (it's FUN!) but I have two great ones in the area now who work hard to do write-ins and meetups.

[Tigerchild]

I am going for it this year! When I first heard of NaNoWriMo I was nursing a baby and pregnant with twins, and every year since them I just haven't had much time during the very intense parenting years that followed.

Now those twins are 6 and in first grade, for the first time I actually have chunks of quiet time and down time for myself, and I am registered and doing preliminary research.

I do want to "win", but frankly I don't care if I don't, as long as I keep my writing goals. I haven't realy felt all that alive since giving up writing for sleep and juggling lots of babies, so I am very very excited.

[AFWife]

I was going to do it last year and just never really got started...this year I'm going to at least TRY

[Pernwebgoddess]

First rule of NaNoWriMo: You can't win unless you try! Okay, so that's not rule #1, but well, it DOES make sense.

[AFWife]

Am I the only one with NO idea where to start? I have no idea what to write about.

[madsommer]

Originally Posted by AFWife

Am I the only one with NO idea where to start? I have no idea what to write about.

I'm still pretty clueless...though I think it will be loosely based upoin my own personal experiences. I always find it easier to write about myself and I figured this would be a good way to start and maybe develop characters and plot from there.

[fullofgrace]

Have you checked the NaNoWriMo site? They have whole threads of adoptables (ideas, characters, titles, opening lines, etc) that might give you some ideas to tweak and make your own. They all live in the Plot Doctoring Forum.

[rebecca03]

I did NaNo a couple years in a row, about 7 years ago. I think the farthest I got was just shy of 30,000. I have been wanting to get back into my writing, and I think I may attempt NaNo this year to jumpstart my creative juices.

[Romana]

I signed up last year but never wrote a word! Once the first couple of days of November passed with no writing, I gave up.

This year I plan to try again. The idea I had about a year ago has become more concrete and I'd like to see what it turns into. I'm not planning to outline, but I am going to write down the major points I'd like to hit, so I have something (no more than one page, bullet points) very simple to focus on and remind myself what I'm doing and where I'm going (roughly speaking). It's been a long time since I wrote any fiction, so I'm sure the start will be rocky.

I don't expect to make it to 50k words either, but even just a good start would make me feel better.

[WendyC]

I was excited to see this thread pop up in my "new posts" because I just discovered NaNoWritMo and decided to do it this year. I have never written anything, I know nothing about anything, but I have decided to throw caution to the wind and give it a shot. I always wanted to write a book, but never had a good idea for one, and then of coarse anything I start ends up being not good enough. So screw all that. I am just going to write something and I don't care if it sucks.

Not to mention that having babies and being a mom has sucked all the creativity out of me and I need to get a piece of that back. I used to be such a creative and artistic person - I haven't tapped that in years. (upon years, upon years) So here we go!

I have started outlining a plot and creating characters - I am so excited about it! WhooHoo!!!

[Pernwebgoddess]

I haven't the faintest clue what I'm going to write.

Let me be the first to say, though, you don't have to give up if you don't do anything the first few days... i've done it in as little as 10 days! I don't recommend it, but it IS possible.

I'mSO glad it's coming. I'm getting excited. Every year I've outlined or planned... I've failed. When I go in with either no idea or just a bare plot bunny or two... I've won. LOL. YMMV, of course.

[Mirta]

I was sooo thrilled to see this thread the other day! I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and was part of the group here supporting others during the challenge.. I did win, just barely..and am soo looking forward to any other NaNoWriMo...

I have barely touched my novel from last year, except to do a basic edit (ie spell check..lol) last month.. but I STILL love the story and desperately want to finish it.. I am considering invoking the Zokutou clause (http://www.zokutou.co.uk/theclause.html):

“If you have already attained the status of Winner, you do not need to start a new novel, as your main aim is now to finish one. You can now consider yourself a winner if, by midnight on the 30th of November, you have either:

1. Written 50,000 words on one or more previous works. 2. Completed your novel’s first draft.”

It is NOT an official clause in fact it goes against the official rules:
"Do I have to start my novel from scratch on November 1? Can I use an outline?

Yes.

This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know. But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll care about the characters and story too much to write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll tap into realms of imagination and intuition that are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing manuscripts.

Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death."

Hmm... I may just be joining the NaNo Rebel group, because I'm not sure I can convince myself to work on anything else with this one screaming to be written.. KWIM?!

Kym

[AFWife]

So I'm going to go back and use my old journals as reference...but I'm going to basically write about my life from age 13-18 (I think) *shrugs* Could be good...

[allgirls]

I'm 30,000 words into a novel. I want to do nano but if this one keeps going as it's going..I'll be finished and in rewrites on this one. I don't think I want to stop now that I have the momentum going.

But I'm not ruling it all out. I may get stuck tomorrow and use it for finishing this one

[moxygirl]

I participated in 2005 and 2008. Didn't reach 50K either time. My husband won last year. I wasn't going to even consider it this year (have a TON of stuff to do before my homebirth) but a good friend/writing buddy convinced me this morning, so I'm going to go for it. And if I end up giving birth in November... well maybe it will help to write through the contractions

[Katsmamajama]

I've told myself the last few years I'll try it, and usually end up missing the November 1st start for some reason or another. I actually told myself last year in November that this year, I would do it, reach my 50k, and really focus on it-- but then I found out I'm pregnant and due December 2, and I have a feeling sometime in the middle of NaNo is when I'll be in labor.

I think I'll try it anyway, and see how it goes. Best case scenario, I actually reach my goal while having a baby. Worst case scenario, I have another year of "practice" before NaNo 2010!

[serenekitten]

Originally Posted by madsommer

Any one gearing up to do this? I wanted to try last year, but didn't have the confidence. Now that I'm really focused on getting back into writing, I think I'd like to give it a go this year. If you did it last year, do you have any tips you could recommend for getting started? Did you already have an idea or ideas set in place about what you wanted to write before the actual month started?

I've participated yearly since 2005, but this will be my first year writing with a little one (who will be about 4 months in November). I only won in '05 and '06; I lost interest in my stories for '07 and '08. I usually try to start with some vague idea of what I want to write about, but sometimes I need more planning in order to stick to it.

Originally Posted by onetruething

Those of you with plot ideas already floating around -- are you outlining?

Does anyone find the special programs for writing useful? I've just been using NeoOffice (OpenOffice for Mac). I've tinkered with a few before, but I'm wondering if software will help me be better organized.

I don't usually outline, which may be part of my problem.

I've used Q10 for writing and Liquid Story Binder for organizing info. yWriter and Open Office are popular. Oh, and if you have a GMail account, GoogleDocs is great for having a backup of your work.

Always, always, ALWAYS backup your novel! I cannot stress this enough. I think there are more horror stories of computer crashes and failures than there are actual finished novels at the end of November.

Originally Posted by Pernwebgoddess

Do you guys have any local MLs to organize groups?

Yep! I love my MLs. I just need to work on getting to write-ins more often. Back in 2005, the days I went to write-ins were my most productive.

Originally Posted by AFWife

Am I the only one with NO idea where to start? I have no idea what to write about.

I have a very, very vague idea that I'd like to flesh out. Unfortunately, mommy-brain makes me forget to use my time wisely when the kiddo is asleep.