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Original poster

NaNoWriMo 2013

209 replies

SugarMeFingers · 02/10/2013 09:13

Anyone writing a novel this November?
I've signed up for my first try!
I'm doing some planning and outlining at the moment and looking forward to starting.

OP posts:
Stravy · 31/10/2013 15:09

I faithfully promised a fanfic update by today so I could abandon my adoring fans it during Nov. I have not written it. I have also left my laptop charger at a friends house 200 miles away. Bollocks.
I'm not even going to mention all the work/kids/life stuff I should be doing.

Frightchen · 31/10/2013 17:21

Aha! Found you in the nick of time! I've been participating in NaNo for 7 years now, according to my profile. Skipped one or two of those years, and finally cheated won last year.

I'm breaking the rules this time round by doing a collection of short stories (don't tell the NaNo powers that be!) as I did last year, and the resulting book will be printed in December and gifted to my best friend for Christmas (she's doing likewise for me)

What fanfic do you write, Stravy ?

IBelieveInEngels · 31/10/2013 18:23

Aargh! Have vague plot and only 2 characters. Training for 15k in middle of month, off with flu today, backlog of marking and reports due in November, seem to have a ridiulously full social life this month (very unlike me), and DS decided not to have a nap today....I am so not ready!

coppertop · 31/10/2013 18:29

I'm in.

I've won twice but then had a couple of years where it just fizzled out.

This year I have a basic outline, so I'm feeling a bit more hopeful.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 01/11/2013 10:32

Aaaaand they're off!

Stravy · 01/11/2013 13:17

Frightchen Bad Girls Blush

haven't started my NaNo yet Hmm

chaoshayley · 01/11/2013 13:30

Hello! I'm doing NaNoWriMo for the first time this year and, as a serial lurker on Mumsnet, I thought that I'd look in here to see if there was a thread going.

I hope you don't mind, but I've added some of you as 'buddies'. Hmm

And I've downloaded Scrivener on your recommendations - thank you! Smile

redhappy · 01/11/2013 13:49

I've just made a last minute impulse decision to join! I've wanted to do NaNoWriMo for years and years, and life has always got in the way. This year I have no excuses.

I've just joined up in the website. I have a vague idea knocking around in my head. Trying to stay relaxed about it rather than get overwhelmed and give up before I've even started!

How are you all writing? Do you write on something like word then import to the website each evening to tot up your word count?

Anybody looking for buddies? I don't want to put my username on here but if anyone wants to pm me I'm happy to tell them my username!

coppertop · 01/11/2013 14:02

Redhappy - During the month you just update your word count by typing in the number of words that you've written.

When you've reached 50,000+ you can copy and paste the whole document (I've written mine in Word) into the word count verifier.

I've written 1800 words so far. I'm trying to stay ahead for now because I won't have as much time once half-term is over.

redhappy · 01/11/2013 14:10

Thanks coppertop. I'm a bit of a technophobe, but I've managed to dig out an old USB stick so I'm going to type it on Word and save it on there.

I'm the other way round, will have plenty of time once half term's over, but obviously if I don't keep up with the daily targets to start with will be impossible to catch up.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 01/11/2013 14:16

I'll have more time after half term too.
It's not that I'm not getting time today, it's just I get interrupted every 10 minutes or so.

I'm not using the NaNo website because there are enough websites and forums in my life already and I'll never get any actual writing done if I get sidetracked by another.

Meanwhile I'm trying to figure out how unreliable a narrator my heroine is and why she's unreliable - I am still not quite sure if she's knowingly devious or deceiving herself or a combination of the two. Maybe it's something I can't decide at the start and it will just have to emerge as I write her.

redhappy · 01/11/2013 14:24

Gosh your post has me in a panic Tunip I can see how clueless I really am!

Right, I've made soup, cleared the clutter in the kitchen Grin ...I need to get off her and make a proper start! I'm going to limit internet time to evenings after seven.

Frettchen · 01/11/2013 14:29

14 hours in and I've written nothing... Stupid work! But I do plan on diving in this evening and trying to get as far ahead as possible as I know things will come up later in the month, and would like a nice comfortable buffer.

Stravy oooh, interesting fandom! Not one I've ever read, but I do love the idea of writing something set inside a prison. I want to get back to fanfic after this NaNo, and keep toying with the idea of a crossover between Supernatural and Grey's Anatomy - can't go wrong with demons in a hospital, right?

redhappy - I write on Word; always have and always will (I can't justify buying a new writing program when I have something that does the job perfectly) For the majority of NaNo I just type my daily wordcount into the wordcount box on the NaNo website. At the end of the month I copy and paste the whole thing into the wordcount verification thingy (when it's available) to get my final count.

TunipTheUnconquerable · 01/11/2013 14:31

Oh no Redhappy, don't panic!

Last year I wrote my NaNo having hardly ever read any books about writing. In the process of editing it over the last year I became totally addicted to them and now I am fascinated by the theory and nuts-and-bolts of it, so I'm writing this one in a completely different way, with much more self-consciousness. It might turn out to be a disaster.

You absolutely do not need a technical vocabulary to do NaNo and write a fabulous draft. All you need to do is sit down and let the words flow. The time to worry about that stuff is if you try to edit and redraft, because it starts to feel like a toolbox you can use to improve it.

A vague idea is honestly all you need to start with.

LoopaDaLoopa · 01/11/2013 14:37

Done my words for the day at work somehow. :)

TunipTheUnconquerable · 01/11/2013 17:02

Yay Loopa, well done!

I'm being sidetracked by working through the exercises in 'The Anatomy of Story' by John Truby and finding it mind-blowingly exciting.

Syncope · 01/11/2013 19:42

I've written 382 words. It's a start. Grin

Dysgu · 01/11/2013 20:36

All the DC are finally in bed (may bot be actually asleep yet but have left DP to sort that!) and I am about to make a start. I will also have more time once half term is over and they are back in school (well, 2 of them).

I have a vague idea of a story in my head that I have been mulling over - adult fiction - and I am just going to see where is goes...

Dysgu · 01/11/2013 20:37

Oh - I am EvanAlmighty if anyone would like to add me (am hoping taking baby DS's name will be a good luck charm Smile )

Stravy · 01/11/2013 21:17

Just downloaded the free trial of Scrivener and have spent the day arsing about with it rather than writing anything. I have a beautiful virtual cork board with pics of my characters as they will be played in the inevitable itv drama Grin

SuperConfused · 01/11/2013 22:47

Oh this is wonderful. Can I join in?

I have been a member (ahem) for five years apparently, but if I manage, this will be my first year to actually write more than 300 hundred words Blush

Terrible timing in a way as I'm on a work trip then on holiday for most of November, but I figure I'll be in boring dodgy hotel rooms so I should be able to squeeze in a bit of time. Have just written an outline, now need to divide into chapters then will actually start writing. Eek!

Dysgu · 01/11/2013 23:24

I managed 1205 words. I like the graph and stats page that tells me at this rate I will finish on December 12th.

Must do better...
But as I only have an outline of an idea and am not sure where this is going I had to stop to work out what is happening next and how to get to where i want the character to be...

Original poster
SugarMeFingers · 01/11/2013 23:57

Hello, i was busy planning and haven't checked the thread for ages! My DH woke me at 1 minute past midnight, the coffee came out and i started typing. I wanted to get ahead as I've got a party to go to tomorrow and my total for the day is 4211 words. I have never written that much before in my life. Really enjoying it. It's great to see so many signed up. I'm off to bed now as i'm all typed out for the day. :)

OP posts:
CallingAllEngels · 02/11/2013 07:58

Between DS/hospital appointment/work social I did a big fat 0 yesterday. Though I did spent the waiting time in the hospital fleshing out my plot and characters (though still have no names so am making them up as I go along!).

DS has been awake since 5am, so I gave up at 6.30 and came downstairs. Have managed just over 650 while he watches cartoons. If I carry on at this rate I will finish in April apparently! (so need to get cracking!).

Have a MN name change, but Nano name is the same as before.

Wow sugar - that's dedication!

Well done everyone for a great start except me

DarlingScribbler · 02/11/2013 08:11

Hi all, signing up because I really need a kick up the jacksie;

Day 2 - Word count - 0

Have mn name changed (frequent lurker name changer) to my nano name (first timer self sceptic) and I usually write poetry mostly due to my inability to stay at a keyboard for any length of time. I too wish I had the tenacity of a 14 year old.

Good luck!