NaNoWriMo 2006

[GeorginaA]

Anyone insane enough to be doing NaNoWriMo this year?

For those not in the know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month - every November, thousands of insane people sit down and attempt to write a 50,000 word novel in the space of 30 days.

I managed it in 2003, but was thinking of giving it another go this year. Anyone joining me?

4705 here - hoping to make 6000+ by the end of the day. Fortunately, ds2 is in nursery this afternoon and ds1 is going out to a fireworks display with dh this evening so I should actually get some alone time to do it!

Struggled a bit this morning - had to write the first description of the romantic interest. I hate writing descriptions of people, especially if you have to convey some sort of spark. Much prefer writing dialogue.

Me me!

Year before last I only did about 20000 words, my 30th birthday that year so I kind of started celebrating ;o)

Last year I started it but was ill twice and had to go on antibiotics so only managed about 6000 words sigh

So fingers crossed for this year! Even though I haven't even hit 1000 words yet! But my mum is coming to stay so I'll get more daytime writing time!

What genres are you doing? This year I'm trying my hand at YA fantasy so I can hopefully have a whole book done in 50000 words!

Any of you using the forums for support or info? I haven't looked at them yet, any time I have is spent writing. It is really odd forcing myself to do this daily, wtih no real plot to speak of. strange things are happening, not a lot of them good, but I am trying not to censor myself and keep going. God am I impressed by all those people who have their real grown up novels in waterstones! 6450 words so far... but can see I won't get any socialising or exercise done this month if I am going to continue. which I am.

I've never really got into the forums there, dunno why. And the past couple of days it's been insanely slow anyway, couldn't even get on to update my (pitiful) word counts!

I've also just started a German degree with Open Uni so have to work on that every day, I mistakenly thought it started at the end of Nov not the end of Oct! Would've been much more convenient.

I've joined the SAHMs/SAHPs group on the forums but haven't really been posting that much on there in the other sections. Someone answered some questions for me about setting up an internet forum/chat site (for my main character)and I've answered a couple of questions on autism but that's about it.

Mine's supposed to be Mystery & Suspense but it keeps getting sidetracked. I've done just over 7,000 words but will hopefully get more done later.

The site's been very slow. It keeps timing-out before I can up[date my wordcount.

I haven't used the forums much - I do post questions there and have the occasional flip through, but the volume is just too high to get into.

I've written about 7500 words now, but my motivation has slumped a bit (I've been getting up an hour early to write, and it's taking a toll!) so I'm just going to write 500 words today to get a nice round figure of 8000 then give myself the day off

i think i am around 7,000. finding it very hard going but determined to keep up. other things are happening - weird ideas for other stories, titles for other novels. feels almost like a displacement activity.. can see the point of turning up at the page each day, or whatever the phrase is..

anyone still going??!

I'm still going, although sometimes it's a real struggle. It would also be easier if limpet dd would let me put her down for 5 minutes. I've got 17,000 words so far so am pleased that I'm actually ahead of where I thought I would be.

I'm very impressed, coppertop. You're scorching ahead! I'm at 14,500 and plodding along nicely. It's taking anywhere between 2 - 3 hours of writing a day in 15 minute bursts to get the 2000 words done which isn't too bad. Getting up an hour early each day is getting old fast, though!

i think i am at around 14,000 but I do truly dread each session adn wonder why I am doing it. I have no sense that what I am doing is anything other than total crap. I.e. if I were to lose the file I woudln't lose any sleep over it. BUT I can see the point of this process, the persisting through it all. So with that off to do my 2,000 words to keep me up to speed. Doesn't help that ds is off nursery with a chest infection. So he is playing lego on the bed while I try and focus... doesn't bode well.

Rainbow, did you get the email from Chris Baty today? I thought it was very appropriate! Basically says that it's always shit during week 2, don't quit because otherwise you miss out on the point where it all starts coming together in week 3. Only he said it in an amusing and witty way which I'd cut and paste, only I've just realised I've deleted the email...

Anyway, I'm sort of at the same point as you - can't get motivated today at all - have barely written 500 words, and it all feels totally utterly crap, predictable and weak.

yes got the email and agree with you, it was what I needed to hear. So much so that I managed 2,000 words today and am now going for another 1,000 this evening. It shouldn't be like this though, logging up word counts rather than being desperate to get back to ones great opus! I have barely re read anything I have written so far and my plot, well, what plot? It is truly ridiculous but it is making me realise what discipline and planning one needs for a "proper" novel and also that getting down to it is the most important part of all. On the whole I am very glad I am doing this. Will celebrate with a shopping trip if/ when I reach the end..

How is everyone doing?

I've reached the halfway mark now but it would be a lot easier if dd outgrew her baby limpet phase that she's going through.

hi, hoping to make it to the half way point today. adrenalin waning though and i couldn't bear to re read as yet..

Hopefully will have reached 26,000 by the end of today. Am struggling now, there's so many other things demanding my time. Kids playing up now as well and probably desperately deserve more of my time and focus. ARGH!

2 weeks until sanity resumes...

still going, have reached 35,000 today. GeorginaA - how did you celebrate finishing last time?!

I can't remember I know I bought myself something small as a present after each 10k written - like a book or a CD.

I've got a feeling I bought Star Wars Galaxies half way through NaNo 2003 so I rewarded myself finishing by playing that

This is the first page - who'd like to write the second? We could end up with quite a story if everyone takes it in turn to pitch in!

"Nomel Dratsuc Wolley has no fear. None at all. Her fearlessness does not however require her to embrace danger. That would imply a defiance she does not possess. She does not even greet strange situations as that would imply recognition of their challenge. Rather it is that she does not find situations frightening, much as an accomplished hostess welcomes uninvited guests at her birthday drinks party with the polished smoothness of a trout swimming downstream.

Surely failing to recognise that a situation presents mortal danger would result in death at an early age. Yet, Nomel is now 90 years old. Even the frailty that comes with mortal depreciation has not brought her a sensibility of danger.

Nomel kite surfs and heli skis. She skateboards and sky dives. She is also a fearsome crime fighter in any country where war rages.

Her fearlessness has earned her an undeserved reputation for derring-do. Around the world, in all the bars and in many a school room, there are tales told of Nomel?s encounters and exploits.

Yet, the tale to be told here has hitherto been unheard. For it is the tale of the one occasion when Nomel showed fear."

I think most of us are too busy on our own stories at the moment Labradora

Sorry I was being a little mischievous! But a circular story might be fun eh?

nearly finished and feeling a bit flat. It has been like a generation game cobbling together of strands towards the end. Next time some sort of previously arranged plot..

Lol - I'm about 200 words short of 46k - hoping to finish on time

I keep having very mixed days - sometimes it's all going smoothly and I think "actually, this doesn't suck!"... other days I wonder why I'm bothering . Overall though, I'm quite pleased with how it's going although there's some major plot holes I need to fix in the edit.

Ds2 is off nursery today though, so fitting it all in is proving to be difficult... argh! He'd better be ready to go back Wednesday or I'm doomed!

So- did everyone finish then?

I did. Mine was about 51,000 words in the end. Yippeee!