NaNoWriMo anyone?

[Kris_W]

I’m going to do NaNo this year. I’ve gone to a couple pre-writing meetings, met with people over coffee, done some pre-work. I have a title, synopsis, and opening paragraphs. I have a pretty good idea of my main character’s voice, and what several minor characters are like. I’m doing great on the setting!

…and


…and


…and now I have this other idea.

Arg.

[meg_evonne]

I’m going to do NaNo this year. I’ve gone to a couple pre-writing meetings, met with people over coffee, done some pre-work. I have a title, synopsis, and opening paragraphs. I have a pretty good idea of my main character’s voice, and what several minor characters are like. I’m doing great on the setting!

…and


…and


…and now I have this other idea.

Arg.

  Oh dear!  Well persevere Kris_W.  I was reading your first paragraph and feeling this great commonality of writers and how they proceed.  I didn't expect that last part.  I do wish you well!  No chance to combine them?

[j3nnee]

I am working on my one character it will be based around... finally have a bit more meat on him.

He's basically my male counterpart. I don't know how he came to be but one day as I was writing a mental fanfic for some show I liked in my sleep, he just sort of showed up and crashed the party with MacGyver or something in a story I was dreaming about. I've been using him ever since when I had to write a story. He's extremely handy.

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Am I the only one who's going into this completely unprepared?? 

Okay, so maybe 90% unprepared. I'm writing a story that I began roughing out almost 20 years ago, and originally wrote on a 5-1/4 inch disk. (God, I feel old). Obviously, the 5-1/4 disk didn't make it through my multiple relocations, and I couldn't get the text off it now if it had, so basically, we're going from scratch and a swiss cheese memory.

Needless to say, the plot is simplistic, the characters total MarySues, and I have no idea how it will flesh out. BUT!! I have the beginning, and the climax! Whoot!!

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

3800 words done last night, finishing the chapter I was working on, so November is go as NaLastChapterOfThisDamnedThingMo for me.

[j3nnee]

Am I the only one who's going into this completely unprepared?? 

Okay, so maybe 90% unprepared. I'm writing a story that I began roughing out almost 20 years ago, and originally wrote on a 5-1/4 inch disk. (God, I feel old). Obviously, the 5-1/4 disk didn't make it through my multiple relocations, and I couldn't get the text off it now if it had, so basically, we're going from scratch and a swiss cheese memory.

Needless to say, the plot is simplistic, the characters total MarySues, and I have no idea how it will flesh out. BUT!! I have the beginning, and the climax! Whoot!!

No you aren't the only old one. When I took computer classes in college, we used 3.5 inch floppies formatted to 720 kb, my homework was on a dos box (lotus 123, db master, etc) and my teacher was making jokes about the old 8 inch floppies and the inkjet printer sized reader they had for it. Also a fax / scanning device was around the size of a large mouse and only scanned something the size of a newspaper comic panel (small square single panel) and very crappily at that. Our printers still had ribbons and daisy wheels I think too.

I have a story I could use from HS but I have no clue where it is and it would require I go visit my parents and search through what used to be my bedroom to find it and rewrite it for NaNoWriMo. I just remember it was a detective story. At the time, everyone was so impressed someone my age could write that well. I wonder if it's even that good anymore having not seen it in about 15 yrs.

[meg_evonne]

Sound like a great idea! The more unusual the word the better, lol. Hmm that reminds me...there's a word that Shakespeare used in one of his plays, and it received a special designation because it's only been published once in English literature. Anybody know what I'm talking about? I had it written down somewhere but have since lost it and haven't had any luck looking it up online. I always thought it would be funny to use it and, if ever published, make it the second occurrance.


Now as far as the nanowrimo goes, is it kosher to use old story ideas and such? Years ago I wrote a 4000 word story that I was thinking about expounding upon. I woudn't copy and paste anything; I'd just keep the characters/premise in mind and make a bigger work out of it? Is this kosher? Is it skirting the edges of "cheating?" I think some people have used outlines and such. Is it more in the spirit of the thing to go into it blindly or is it okay to have some forumalated ideas about what you plan to write?

Isn't the goal to chug your way through 60,000 words or something?  I don't think there are prizes or requirements.  Their goal is to see people writing.  So I'd say you were a go. 

At least some of you have them on the large floppies.  I've still got paper typed ones---yuck yuck yuck.

And Je3---of course it's wonderful. 

[Starbeam]

The goal is 50,000 words in one month.  Far as I know, there's really no prize other than saying you've done it.  And possibly an avatar type thingie you can use on forums and stuff.

[belial.1980]

Alright I'm ready to rock. I hit up Seventh Sanctum http://www.seventhsanctum.com/ this morning for about 20 min and just jotted down a bunch of random story ideas. I cut bits and pieces from the ones I liked and created a goulash from it and now I've got a story idea. Obviously there's a lot up in the air at this point but I've got a pretty strong starting point. Come Sunday I'll roll out of bed (probably with a killer hangover) and get to work!

[KevinEvans]

My wife and I are both making the attempt this year. We both have outlines and setups that have been ignored for paying work, it is time to get the first drafts knocked out....
Regards,
Kevin

[j3nnee]

I've already started on this years:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/513186

[jeno]

Let the madness begin!

[Murphy's Stunt Double]

Woo hoo! - I'ma git started in a second!

[Kali]

11:00 am, breaktime on Day 1, and I'm at 5900 words.  Of course, most of them suck and will be removed in the edit, but I'm not even letting myself go back and read what I wrote or I'll be editing all day. My hope is to get to 10k words today, since my writing time during the week is limited.

Besides, the beginning is all pretty clear in my head so it's flowing well.  I'm trying to get ahead on my word count in anticipation of the Great Swampy Middle dragging me under.

[Cooper]

2282 words so far and the full prologue is up on my profile.  Read it if you like, but you will be lost:  http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/211036