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NaNoWriMo prep? - Page 2

post #21 of 43
10/2/08 at 7:04pm
I have been on the fence about doing it this year, as I will also have a newborn (and a 2 year old, and a 3 year old I finally decided to just give it a shot, its not like the world will end if I don't win (will it?)

I am going to attempt to turn the story of my relationship with DH into my novel. We have kind of a unique story, and I have always wanted to write it out. Our 5 year anniversary is in January, and I thought I could kill 2 birds with one stone by writing it for NaNo, and then printing the finished product out as my gift to him, since as a rule we always make each others anniversary gifts. As far as planning, I am starting to read through the 7 or so journals I kept through the 2 years we dated and taking notes on some of the little things I have forgotten. Other than that, I have no plans to prep.

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post #22 of 43
10/3/08 at 12:58am
No planning here, If I overthink I fail big time. So I can't start thinking about my plot till the very end of the month! I am going to try to go with fun not serious this year

I'm so addicted to Nano.
post #23 of 43
10/6/08 at 3:45pm
I love NaNoWriMo. I've tried every year for the last 5 or 6 years or so. I've never made it more than 6k. The pieces of a medieval romance I tried a couple years ago have started welling up to the surface of late so I think I'll work on that again. I'm going to concentrate on the characters and NOT worry about research. (Generally I find out that my instinct is right anyway at least when it comes to the 13th century. I love doing research and will happily go down research trees until December. )

My handicap is that my laptop screen is gacked and I've been plugging it into an old monitor. This means I can't do much at write-ins which is always so much fun. Hmmmmm, is NaNo worth the $600 to get a new screen?
post #24 of 43
10/11/08 at 11:43am
This is all brand-new to me. But I *think* I'm gonna try it. I tend to be a prolific writer so the length doesn't scare me per se. I just struggle with fiction. Should be an interesting venture . . .
post #25 of 43
10/11/08 at 3:23pm
I've never tried this before, but I signed up for this year. I've been doing a lot of research to make my story as realistic as possible, and I've started making a timeline, naming the characters, etc. I'm getting a little antsy to write. I'm afraid I'm going to burnout with all the planning before I even get to writing, though.
post #26 of 43
10/13/08 at 4:12pm
I'm signed up!! : My main prep is cleaning and decluttering the house so that when November comes I can hopefully relax enough to write and not worry about the house during DS's nap time! (I figure that will be the best time to attempt writing and right now that is normally the time I chiefly focus on cleaning!!)

I plan on working on a story that I started earlier this year and stopped because I was too overwhelmed with things likt the house, DS, etc.. I wasn't planning on doing ANYTHING on it till NOvember started, but last night after re-reading this thread and officially signing up for NaNoWriMo, I of course started thinking about my story...

So, after DS fell asleep there I was in the hallway outside our bedroom writing down notes.. mostly questions to answer in the story, things that will help inspire more writing.. When DH came up he found me there (I had been using the light from him downstairs). and when he went to bed he saw me writing the last question by the light of the moon!! I went up to him when I was done & said, "admit it, you love seeing me like this!" He said ,"so inspired with creativity that you are writing in weird time and places? Definately!" and gave me a big kiss!

I hope to have many more of those inspired moments next month!! I hope we all will!!

Kym
post #27 of 43
10/13/08 at 9:43pm
subbing
post #28 of 43
10/14/08 at 9:40am
I've signed up for the first time, but who knows how it'll go because I'll be home with a newborn who'll be about 6 weeks old by Nov. Even if I had some free time to plan, I don't think I would. If I plan too much when writing I tend to get discouraged and stop. This year I'm doing it more for fun, to see if I can, and what comes out of it, not to actually get a finished piece out of the process.
post #29 of 43
10/14/08 at 7:40pm
I've signed up for the first time this year I haven't written much in the last few years, I used to write a lot when I was younger. The longest piece I ever wrote was about 66 pages long on the computer, it took me about 4 years to finish, but that was way back in Junior High and High School. Since then, at University, I often wrote essays that were really long in just a night or two. I figure if I can write 2000 words a day then I can do this. I'm going to try to do as much prep work as possible this month. I'm lucky that I don't have any little ones, other than kitties, and I'm a substitute teacher so on the days I don't work I can write more. I'm really excited about this. Even if I'm not able to meet the 50,000 mark, I hope this really gets me writing again!
post #30 of 43
10/15/08 at 3:24pm
this is my first year and I am using the time to finish something that I already started last month. What are the rules? Does it have to be something you don't have a word written down yet? I mean, it's only the first draft. It's going to be bad either way until you edit it x times...
post #31 of 43
10/15/08 at 4:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommyHawk View Post
this is my first year and I am using the time to finish something that I already started last month. What are the rules? Does it have to be something you don't have a word written down yet? I mean, it's only the first draft. It's going to be bad either way until you edit it x times...
Yeah, rules are you have to start fresh. But you have a couple options - you can choose to break the rules (there's even a forum for that at nano!), or you can put aside what you already wrote and start over on Nov. 1.
post #32 of 43
10/15/08 at 9:10pm
subbing. I'm putting all my other writing aside to do this. I'm planning on scheduling writing time and just doing it.

If my hand heals ok..I have a bad cut on my right hand. I think it will be healed by Nov 1 though.

typing left handed and subbing
post #33 of 43
10/15/08 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
My idea has been going all over the place with what I want to do with it. It keeps getting too complicated! I just want to focus on actually FINISHING something as I have set out to write so many things and not finished them.
post #34 of 43
10/15/08 at 9:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pookel View Post
Yeah, rules are you have to start fresh. But you have a couple options - you can choose to break the rules (there's even a forum for that at nano!), or you can put aside what you already wrote and start over on Nov. 1.
I think that I will then PLAN to break the rules! This book is THE book that I have to write first - kwim? It's the story that HAS to be told before I can do anything else. I am just going to use November as my 'deadline' and feel like I'm in great company doing it. Just wondering when I'll find time to write with all the holiday crap coming up...
post #35 of 43
10/18/08 at 3:48am
I decided to take a look at my NaNo novel from last year today. It's a stinker, but it had its moments Reading the old one is getting me psyched about doing a new one.
post #36 of 43
10/20/08 at 12:15pm
I did Nano last year but we were in the middle of moving (two times between halloween and christmas!) so I didn't get very far. This year is looking a lot more stable and I'm looking forward to getting started. As far as planning goes, I'm working on an outline and synopsis. Oh, and the most important thing, in my opinion, is training that darn self editor voice to speak in a whisper instead of a scream.
post #37 of 43
10/20/08 at 2:39pm
Thread Starter 
Does anyone know of any or have any like character sheets? Like where you feel in their name and parts of their physical description, etc? I was thinking of making myself up one but if it's already made it would appeal to my lazy side.
post #38 of 43
10/20/08 at 4:13pm
I can't believe it, but I just signed up. I used to write so much in my teens and early 20s, but that fell to the wayside after I got married and had kids. I have two big fears about this venture:

1. I think my writing skills have atrophied and I'm concerned that whatever I write will be bad and possibly incoherent.

2. All of the stories I have floating around in my head are very personal. They contain elements of my life that I'm not comfortable sharing with my close friends and family. I'd have to either write something that's not from my heart, or I'd have to be okay with writing purely for myself with the knowledge that no one else would read my book.
post #39 of 43
10/21/08 at 12:50am
Last year I crashed and burned early on - but this year, my DD will be 20 months old and I won't be going to school, so hopefully this is more doable. I want to have an outline at least this time - some amount of planning, since I think one problem I had was having no idea what to write.
post #40 of 43
10/22/08 at 10:24pm
Anne, don't worry about how good the story will be or how personal.. NaNo is about writing for the love of writing... it is about getting the story out and not worrying about how bad it is for now.. November is for writing.. December is for editting..

Yes your skills may have atrophied a bit, but the more you write the better you will get..And 30 days of consistant writing will definately help! if you don't write, your skills will stay stagnent..

what do you have to lose? except maybe starting/completeing a lifetime dream?! that's part of this for me..I've always wanted to be a writer.. this is one way to live that dream.. if only for a month! Maybe I'll continue after that, maybe not..I hope I will...

Kym

ps I meant to add no one else need to read what you write.. this can be just for you

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