NaNoWriMo 2014

[Afgncaap5]

So, is anyone else participating in the 2014 edition of National Novel Writing Month?

Due to getting sick for about two weeks, I'm only just now getting in to it (after underperforming on day 1 and only getting a bit over a thousand words that day.) So, I'm having to write like crazy to keep up, though I'm somehow managing to verrrry slowllly catch back up.

I don't think I'll be able to finish on time, but I'm actually more optimistic this year than I've been in previous years where I started from the beginning.

(And anyone who thinks it looks like a good idea but worries about starting late... no worries there, the goal is more to get you started writing something than to "win.")

[crowschmo]

Hah! I've been working on the same few stories for over 30 years. Don't think I can do so many words in however much time the deadline is. (I was just listening to something about this on NPR a few days ago, but I forget how many words per whatever amount of time it was).

The problem with me is, I'll go along at a really good clip and get in that "zone" where the words just seem to write themselves, and then I'll stop (like an idiot) and nothing seems to come and too much time goes by where I won't do anything at all. And then it's just like, how was I doing that? Where was I going with this?

Or, I'll think of a whole bunch of scenes in my head, and then when I go for pen and paper, I just lose it. I guess that's the purpose of this whole thing. To just get writing and not worry about content, because once you start, things start to happen. (BTW, I can't type on a typewriter or on a computer when I'm writing, I have to do it the old-fashioned way, it just flows better that way, but then my thoughts are too far ahead of my hand, but typing just doesn't feel right - maybe I should just speak into a recorder and write it later, heh).

And now that all the wizard and vampire crazes are so many years in, now it's just going to look like I'm copying everyone else - d'oh! (Yes, those were a couple of stories that I was doing - before Buffy - the series, not the movie, and before Harry, ugh.)

Now I just sit around and veg, I really should start this again.

[mrsphyllistorgo]

Totally half-assing it. I've written maybe 3 days so far. But, I'll slog along for a bit longer.

[Afgncaap5]

Hey, slog away! The goal of NaNoWriMo is getting the inspiration going. The artificial deadline is just there to help you along the way. I've had to increase my personal deadline by a lot to make up for lost ground. At first it felt kind of hopeless, like I was already too far behind. Now, though? I'm actually sort of inspired. (Especially once I figured out that every thirty extra words I write decreases my words-needed-per-day by one.)

Nov 14, 2014 21:00:30 GMT -5 crowschmo said:

Hah! I've been working on the same few stories for over 30 years. Don't think I can do so many words in however much time the deadline is. (I was just listening to something about this on NPR a few days ago, but I forget how many words per whatever amount of time it was).

The problem with me is, I'll go along at a really good clip and get in that "zone" where the words just seem to write themselves, and then I'll stop (like an idiot) and nothing seems to come and too much time goes by where I won't do anything at all. And then it's just like, how was I doing that? Where was I going with this?

Or, I'll think of a whole bunch of scenes in my head, and then when I go for pen and paper, I just lose it. I guess that's the purpose of this whole thing. To just get writing and not worry about content, because once you start, things start to happen. (BTW, I can't type on a typewriter or on a computer when I'm writing, I have to do it the old-fashioned way, it just flows better that way, but then my thoughts are too far ahead of my hand, but typing just doesn't feel right - maybe I should just speak into a recorder and write it later, heh).

And now that all the wizard and vampire crazes are so many years in, now it's just going to look like I'm copying everyone else - d'oh! (Yes, those were a couple of stories that I was doing - before Buffy - the series, not the movie, and before Harry, ugh.)

Now I just sit around and veg, I really should start this again.

That's one of the reasons I like NaNoWriMo, actually: they focus on output regardless of what form that output takes. So, you're right when you say that the purpose is to just get writing and not worry about content. One of their writing tips is seriously something like "If you get writers block, pick up the phone book or a dictionary and have one of your main characters start reciting it. You won't believe how quickly you find inspiration again." And they encourage people not to worry about copying what's been done before, too; the act of creating and finishing a book is more instructive than the act of making ourselves work on doing something original. (And besides, most of the best writers out there own up to blatant theft from what's come before when they need inspiration. I liked Joss Whedon's confirmation that part of The Gentlemen in Buffy came from the design of Monty Burns.)

So, I've gotta say that I've only ever finished one NaNoWriMo book... and I finished it ten months late. But it was one of the more inspirational moments I've had, really. I might not win this year (I've changed my writing output to be 3000 words instead of the standard 1667 so that I can make up a lot of lost time and hopefully pass where I should be by the fourth week.) So, I hope you consider giving it a shot, crowschmo. It's a lot of fun.