Who's going to participate in NANO this year?

[sights unseen]

This will be my first year. *fingers crossed*

Anyone here have any experience they'd like to share? Kelley Armstrong is planning on participating and encouraging others to do so.


Here's the link:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

The gist of it is that whatever you write doesn't have to be good. It can be 100% crap. The rule is you must write 50,000 words in the month of November. Many of the Shomi participates are using this wip as a way to jumpstart their first draft.

[meg_evonne]

wow, 50,000 words in a month is a strong goal.  Best wishes to you! 

It may seem sort of corny--but from what i've heard the push for so many words means you can't make it perfect the first time.  Great way to jump over that particular obstacle.  Go for it!

[Kiriath]

I plan to do, and it'll be the first year. Hell yes.

First I have another novel to finish, and the start of Nano is acting as my deadline for it.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

50,000 words in a month is I suppose a reasonable goal if you can set aside the time, and if what matters to you is demonstrating that you can write 50,000 words - it would be very much on the short side for a published genre SF/Fantasy novel.  And knowing that you are able to write at length and finish things is definitely worth having.

I don't do NaNo myself, I just plug on with the same few thousand words every Friday night that I do all year.  Which seems to work for me in getting things finished.

November's a depressing month to be thinking of doing it in, though.

[Kiriath]

"Showing yourself that you can write a novel" was, I think, the original goal of Nano. I want to prove that I can finish more than a few projects.

What's so depressing about November? For me, a Minnesotan, winter work wonders for writing things.

[blgarver]

What's so depressing about November? For me, a Minnesotan, winter work wonders for writing things.

On November 13th, my little cousin will be one year dead.  That's not going to be a fun day.  I'm still curious about participating in the NANO though.  Just need an idea.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

What's so depressing about November? For me, a Minnesotan, winter work wonders for writing things.

It may just be me, but I seem to know a lot more people for whom SAD works such that winter is a gloomy time and spring and summer are cheerful than the other way around. 

[blgarver]

Fall is my ideal writing season.  I always feel energized by the cool weather.

Have any of you gone on to do something more with your NANO at the end of the month?  Or do most use it as an excercise in completion?

[sights unseen]

I've read on KA's board where several people have kept their Nano draft and are re-working it towards publication. Most people see it as writing a first draft in one month and later polishing it.

I'm looking forward to October where everyone will be talking about plot, pov and just freaking out in general. Should be a blast. Although I may re-new my Celexa perscription before November arrives. 

[Kiriath]

Ow, Bgarver. :/

Weather is just weird for me, I suppose, like most Minnesotans. Before I started up on college, summers gave me ideas and winters had me write them. I think the crazy varied weather keeps me lively.

[Grogtard]

I did it last year.  It was great fun and real eye opener.  My suggestion is that if you haven't done it yet then do it.  It's a trial by fire.  My personal advice is to just sit and WRITE.  Don't worry about grammar, spelling or even continuity.  Save that for editing.  This challenge is about getting done.

I'm not doing this year because I just don't have time.  Writing time that is.  I'm working a novel.  Starting the outline for a second.  Plus playing around with doing some short fiction.

[Stitch]

I did it last year and plan to do it again this year. I really enjoyed the comraderie of write ins and local forums.

Stitch

[Cyclone Jack]

I write 50-60k every month.

[Simon Hogwood]

Show-off. 

[Cyclone Jack]

Show-off. 

I didn't say it was 50-60k of good writing.

Seriously...I stick to a 2000 word per day quota. On the best of these days, it's 2k (or more) of directed, fairly polished narrative. On the worst it's blathering nonsense. Mostly it's part warm up, part salvagable prose, and part meandering.

If a writer is serious, this is the way to go. If you are stuck for time, make the quota lower. I generally get my 2k out in 2-3 hours.