NaNoWriMo - what's it all about?

[Twine88]

I know roughly the idea behind it, but I wondered if anyone had actually taken part and had any thoughts to share?

My novel is already in excess of the 50k but, is still all over the place and needs much editing.

Any thoughts appreciated, even if you considered it and decided no.

Hello, I'm NaNo-ing again but I don't generally sign up to the site.

This year I will be working on the third draft of a book I have been trying to write for countless years. Obviously NaNo is really for first drafts but I know it will help me get it done.

Today I am going to draw a beautiful chart in which to enter my daily word counts

Less than 48 hours until it begins!

How’s everyone’s prep going?

I’ve managed a plan...of sorts. Need to sort out my character names though and i keep jotting down scene ideas on my phone so when if I get writer’s block I can hopefully get some inspiration.

Well, I'm slightly torn by hearing the works aren't put on the site. I was hoping to have lots of stories to choose, updated regularly through November. Bliss!

On the other hand, I did have a plot brewing, so if I don't have to put my dreadful ideas for anyone to read then maybe I'll go for it. I write for about age 11yo, so 50 000 is about what I tend to write for a story. Usually slightly more on the first draft before I cut back all the totally irrelevant bits that I thought would go somewhere and don't.

I have been floating about the NaNo forums posting hellos, so you should be able to find me if anyone wants a buddy

I managed to knock out a draft for my 1500 word uni essay this afternoon, so am feeling a bit better about having time for this over November, if I can get a bit more of the uni work out the way tomorrow I should be ready for action Wednesday! Eek!

Well, I'm slightly torn by hearing the works aren't put on the site.

Which works are these? Do you mean the works in progress that everyone's writing?

improbable. I think I have found you and added you as a buddy on NaNo. My first one!

If anyone else wants to buddy on the site just let me know your account name. Mine is JeepersMcCoy.

southeast, yes I'd assumed people uploaded the stories as they wrote them.

Tbh the stories apparently often need a lot of editing after being written, as it's a sort of stream of consciousness rather than edited telling - when you're writing at that pace, a lot needs fixing after. I can imagine that uploading it would put people off if they've an 'audience' to perform to, iyswim. Nano books are very much a rough draft.

Some people upload exercepts though, I think.

So if you don’t upload your work how does NaNo know what you’ve done?

You input your words into a word counter on the site afaik. That will track how many you have done and add to your total.

But the word counter doesn't save a copy of the words, so you need your own copy (and backup...and maybe backup of the backup!). It won't auto upload anything.

I've found you badger
I have got my usb stick on standby and a big pot of coffee! Can't wait tot see what tripe I come up with

I thought you uploaded the whole thing at the end to verify you had hit the target, but not to be read, just counted.

I have never used the site though, I just do it with groups of people on Mumsnet or elsewhere.

This year a friend and I have agreed to send each other what we write day by day, despite it being very rough, because we are both in a place where we might need someone to tell us it isn't completely useless (despite us both having written publishable stuff in the past - the angst doesn't go away that easily!)

Tbh the stories apparently often need a lot of editing after being written, as it's a sort of stream of consciousness rather than edited telling - when you're writing at that pace, a lot needs fixing after.
I'm sure there would be plenty that would be great to read even so.

Anyway I've joined. It should suit my writing style as I tend to get an idea, mull it over for about a month, then write desperately to the detriment of any housework or useful stuff until it's done. I do the same when I'm sewing. Dh will sigh and look round and ask if it's writing or sewing I'm on this time.

DH did this last year. He went to a NaNoReMo mtg in Leicester but found it pretty useless.

This year he is going to do it himself just as a method of directing his effort.

His 1st novel is published today!!!!!

L

Mulling over my plan I have realised that it is straying into some serious mammoth epic fantasy. I reckon I could get at least a few books out of it if I wanted. I did consider scaling it back, but then thought what the hell this is supposed to be fun, so why not go for it. I have spent the afternoon making a basic flow chart of what the characters are up to for the first third or so (I flipping love a flow chart). Hopefully this will help me keep track of all my characters and make sure everyone is doing the right stuff at the right time. If I can get the main events for the first section loosely planned out I think it will make it easier. I think I might need a map too at some point, but I am crap at drawing.

I am really, really looking forward to getting started properly tomorrow!

I’m glad you don’t upload your story as I was worried someone would lift it for themselves.

I reckon posting it online would have a big impact on anyone who wants their book published too, publishers mightnt go for it.

Anyway yes, had that muddled - you upload own word count and then at the end upload your manuscript. But it's just a word counter, there's no saving of it or checking it's a manuscript iyswim.

And huge congrats to lellys dh!

Well, I'm all signed up, so now I have to follow through! I really can't wait to get started. I need to go track you all down on there!

I thing the PP is entirely right, I'll need to get ahead pretty quickly. Just in case the baby decides to put in an early appearance.

Lelly that's amazing! You must be so incredibly proud of him!

I'm trying to get motivated to do this again. I've done it for the past 7ish years and won each time but I normally have a plan and raring to go by now and this year I jut can't get motivated.
Going to try being a pantser later on when I have more time to see if that gets me motivated. I enjoy doing it every year so don't want to not do it either!

Started today and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the 50K word count. Trying to just go a day at a time...

Feel free to add me as a buddy, would be nice to have some UK based ones. I'm Jane Furey

Hey all. Happy first day! I've just finished my first 2k words and am reasonably pleased with that as long as I don't think too much about the 48k I still have to do. I've arranged to meet up with someone else in the same town as me who is doing it, so that's pretty exciting. Good luck everyone

Hi, having read this thread I signed up yesterday and have done my first day, though it's a bit of a cheat as I am typing up 8000 words I wrote by hand last year. I'm hoping that the momentum of NaNo might help me finish the damn thing. I'm doing a very fluffy historical romance but it's the nearest thing to a complete book I've ever tried to write. I'm Bowsider if you find me requesting you as a buddy

I did my 2273 words. (I divided 50k by the number of days I will have to actually write in.)

I think I've found you Anna and added you as a buddy.