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NaNoWriMo prep?

post #1 of 43
9/26/08 at 1:13pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone else starting to think of what they are going to write for NaNoWriMo?

I'm checking the guidelines and rules now to see how much I can plan but basically I'd like to have more of a plan this time around so I don't crash and burn like last year.

What plans have you made now or in the past for NaNoWriMo?

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post #2 of 43
9/26/08 at 2:16pm
Yep, I'm planning! I loved NaNo last year and I'm so excited about doing it again this year. I have two very different story ideas bouncing around in my head; I'm just going to go with whichever one I start typing on November 1st
post #3 of 43
9/26/08 at 4:24pm
Thread Starter 
So I'm thinking this is what I need to get together before Nov 1-
  • Synopsis
  • Outline
  • Characters (name, description, background etc)
  • Order of events
  • Place events into chapters (sections)
  • Chapter names (maybe)
  • Chapter descriptions (location, setting, etc)
This isn't set in stone. Right now I am just trying to plan the planning Please share your experiences and thoughts.

Before all that I should probably pick one of the many story lines floating around in my head....
post #4 of 43
9/26/08 at 4:46pm
I have basic plot and characters, but the chapter title idea is good.
post #5 of 43
9/26/08 at 8:23pm
Not sure if I'll do it this year or not, but if I do, I'm not planning at all. If I have it all planned out, then I'll just hack through one scene to get to the next and I'll never make the word count. I have a general idea of page 1--I have no idea where it will go from there. I think it's more exciting when I don't know what's going to happen.
post #6 of 43
9/26/08 at 11:00pm
I'm going to change up the nano goal to suite myself - I plan to write the same number of words but to focus on my non-fiction articles instead.

Angela <><
post #7 of 43
9/27/08 at 10:42am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by puddle View Post
Not sure if I'll do it this year or not, but if I do, I'm not planning at all. If I have it all planned out, then I'll just hack through one scene to get to the next and I'll never make the word count.
Good point. Something to think about.
post #8 of 43
9/27/08 at 12:28pm
Only just now birthing the idea in my head. I have two ideas, not sure which of the twins will be the heavyweight that will go with in the end. But, also don't want to get too carried away with planning .... just want to have the bud and let it bloom starting Nov. 1
post #9 of 43
9/27/08 at 11:19pm
I plan like crazy every year, and I always make the goal. So I will DEFINITELY be planning this year!

Actually I've been planning for a month now. But my story is based on economic collapse, and takes place starting in spring of 09. So....I'm still waiting to see what will happen between now and November so I can see where my story needs to go! Plus I need to know who the president is. Basically, if McCain wins, it will be a very gloomy story indeed.
post #10 of 43
9/29/08 at 2:25am
I had a rough outline last year, but I also wrote non-chronologically, so it was very easy for me to get to 50K.

I have a couple of ideas floating around, and I need to get my outlines hammered out in the next couple of weeks and then decide. Everyone thinks I am insane for attempting to do Nano with a newborn, but I'm determined to give it my best shot.
post #11 of 43
9/29/08 at 2:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bella Catalina View Post
I had a rough outline last year, but I also wrote non-chronologically, so it was very easy for me to get to 50K.

I have a couple of ideas floating around, and I need to get my outlines hammered out in the next couple of weeks and then decide. Everyone thinks I am insane for attempting to do Nano with a newborn, but I'm determined to give it my best shot.
The two years I've lost NaNo were the two when I had a baby under 1. Maybe you'll manage it better than I did.

What are the rest of you writing this year? I'm finally going to write the fantasy I had the idea for in 2004. It took a while to flesh it out in my head.
post #12 of 43
9/29/08 at 1:51pm
Bella, I did NaNo last year when my baby was three months old. I made it to my goal! I actually wrote 50,003 words.
post #13 of 43
9/29/08 at 11:08pm
pookel, I really don't know how well I will do, and I'm prepared to lose this year, but MIL will be here (she is an author) so she can keep DS entertained so I can have a couple of hours a day, I hope!

Quote:
Originally Posted by PenelopeJune View Post
Bella, I did NaNo last year when my baby was three months old. I made it to my goal! I actually wrote 50,003 words.
Thanks for the encouragement! I figure this baby will be in what some people refer to as "lump stage" - I plan to sit here with my laptop and baby either in the Moby or on the My Brest Friend Gotta be in it to win it, right?
post #14 of 43
9/30/08 at 1:31am
Thread Starter 
So I was taking my shower for the day (it's been a looong day) and just standing there under the hot water and relaxing and BAM a storyline hit me out of nowhere. I am way excited about it, too. I think this might be it!! :

Don't you just love it when that happens?

I'm actually really surprised because it is SciFi and I have never really tried my hand at SciFi. It's more like "everyday life" SciFi though if that makes sense- you know vs. the real "other worldly" stuff of Star Trek and Babylon 5. We shall see!

Another thing is I really wanted to write a novella- a story I feel fine ending at around 50,000. I love novellas and there just aren't enough of them in the world. These days things just have to be so long and drawn out. Don't get me wrong I love that too (I mean hello I am a huge Tolkien and Harry Potter fan) but sometimes I like a good weeknight read.
post #15 of 43
9/30/08 at 8:35am
I'm still not sure if I'm going to do it this year. I have had sooo much going on the last couple months, that I'm enjoying my time of "doing nothing" (is that possible as a mother??!!)

I really enjoyed doing it last year though, and I was thinking of doing a continuation of my last book.

Give me some encouragment, mamas!!!!!
post #16 of 43
10/1/08 at 2:25pm
Dang it! Now the forums are down. I was all excited that they were back up and not overloaded, the past few days, and now it's Oct. 1 and they're down again.

I started an MDC thread in the groups and clubs section. Last I looked, the only person who had responded was Dragonchilde (never knew she was an MDC mama!). You guys will have to come post when the site's back up.
post #17 of 43
10/1/08 at 2:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pookel View Post
Dang it! Now the forums are down. I was all excited that they were back up and not overloaded, the past few days, and now it's Oct. 1 and they're down again.

I started an MDC thread in the groups and clubs section. Last I looked, the only person who had responded was Dragonchilde (never knew she was an MDC mama!). You guys will have to come post when the site's back up.
It's usually easier just to keep a thread going over here. The NaNoWriMo site is always bogged down.
post #18 of 43
10/1/08 at 6:49pm
I'm cheating--my only goal is to have a complete, A-Z first draft of my novel finished. I dn't care how long, or how terrible the writing is; I just want to piece the snippets of plot and background information into something resembling a storyline!

Then maybe if I rewrite the darn thing once every November for the next ten years, I'll actually finish it. I think I'll spend November 1 reading all my various notes and half-chapters and synopses... and that's as much of a plan as I've got!
post #19 of 43
10/2/08 at 12:04am
Ah, I'm jealous...I had SO much fun Nanowrimoing last year, but I dunno about trying it this year. I was childless (just pregnant) and unemployed last year, so it was easy! This year, in addition to DD, I have a lot of magazine work I'm trying to keep up with and a part-time teaching job. But I hope you all win! I'll jump in again next year, I think.

Oh, to answer the OP, I planned a TON. I had every scene summarized. Which made it really easy to write, but kind of boring sometimes. I finished the 50,000 but didn't finish the story...still working on that. When I do it again (next year if not this one), I think I'll plan a lot less, or hardly at all. I've never written a novel or even a short story without planning it out first, and I think it'd be fun to try.
post #20 of 43
10/2/08 at 1:15pm
I have written a timeline, and I am working on character sheets. I sometimes do an outline, and if I make it that far before Nov I will probably do that too.

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