Nanowrimo

[Shingetsu]

Because most of us won't write at all without a defined goal set by someone else. Before I did Nanowrimo last year I had written 3000 words on a high fantasy novel and 600 words on an urban fantasy novel. Then I wrote 50k words doing Nanowrimo. It's true my story and characters sucked because I had no planning. But I still accomplished something I probably never would have gotten done.

A couple days until it starts and all I have is a few ideas and no plot and no characters. I have no idea how I did it last year, this seems like it's going to be worse. If I don't buckle down and plan I'm going to be screwed.

 

[Culhwch]

Wow, that was one heck of a wall of negative even for an admitted fatalist like yourself, TEIN. If it's not for you, fair enough. But there have been many success stories from this endeavour, and many thousands upon thousands who find it a useful and enjoyable exercise.

Take a step back, and take a deep breath. Then go about preparing for the end, and leave us poor deluded souls to our own ends...

 

[digs]

Yeah TEIN, it would be a massive waste of time - if anyone did what you suggested. Writing isn't only valuable when it's part of some grand masterpiece. Putting together something publishable takes practise, and that's exactly what this is. I'm sure there are lots of people like me who, even though they do love writing, find it hard to get motivated - this is a good stepping stone. If it leads to a masterpiece, then it's all worth it; if it doesn't, well, it's still a bit of fun, and fun's never a waste of time in my opinion.

Aaaanyway. I realised that the start of NaNoWriMo coincides with my end-of-semester assignment frenzy - might have to start with a low word count and make up with it later (god, it's going to be hard though!)

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

I will not be doing NaNoWriMo this year. I have attempted the last two years(and failed) and do so very much want to try again but I cannot. I am close to finishing my first novel (not the first draft, the whole thing. Editing and everything) and could not bare to waste the time in NaNoWriMo. I am so close to finishing I can almost taste it (and it tastes sweet, with a hint of toffee.) so I cannot.

I do however approve of NaNoWriMo, and it's message, as I think the only way to because a better writer is by practice, and NaNoWriMo helps people who want to write actually do so. (Incidently, that sentence I just wrote is terrible).

To TEIN: At least one NaNoWriMo novel has been a new york tmes best seller, so I find your complaints invalid.

 

[Anne Lyle]

I can only assume that the the benefits are to the site somehow and not the writer. I fail to see the point of churning out 50000 words of tripe, that the site freely admits, is purely about the quantity and not the quality.

Yes, if you want to cheat and produce 50k of cut'n'paste nonsense and pretend you wrote a novel, you can do that. If you want to write 50k of sparkly vampire fanfic, you can do that. But do not mistake speed of writing with quality of writing. I get some of my best prose when I'm "in the zone" and hammering out 2-3k a day.

The reason I originally did NaNoWriMo was to get me over the "25k into the book and I'm stalling" block. Worked like a dream! Didn't get a publishable manuscript out of it, but I got a workable first draft that I have now turned into a publishable manuscript.

Watch this space...

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

OK:

Shingetsu: I'll set you a target of producing another "excellent top notch quality" 3000+ words before Christmas and then I'll give you an honest critique of them.

digs:

Cul: LOL.

Though it would be interesting to know how many people just give up after completing/failing the task and never put pen to paper again.

Robin: Yes, and it would probably have been one anyway. Statistically not relevant.

Anne: OK, a fine reason change direction and try something different. Why the need for NNWM.

My point is, what does this site bring to the party that writers can't do for themselves every month, other than it's own self promotion.

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

Encouragement, reason, an excuse to write. NaNoWriMo is not directed at people who write all the time, but people who have always wanted to write a novel but have never gotten around to it. it gives them a reason to write, the encouragement to do it, and an excuse if anyone asks why they are spending so much time on it.

 

[Culhwch]

Not to mention a sense of community. But if that's worthless, I might get Brian to shut down the Aspiring Writer's section. I'll tell everyone TEIN thought the whole thing worthless. By the way, can I have your home address to pass along, just in case they have any complaints?

 

[Tillane]

TEIN: If nothing else, nanowrimo is an excellent way for writers to learn the discipline of writing, to whit, actually sitting down and writing 1500 words a day. A lot of writers - particularly those just starting out - need to learn this. If you're serious about writing at all, you have to learn the discipline.

For myself, I've done this thing seven years in a row and have managed to turn out 300,000 words that are now 2 2/3 novels, one of which is out with agents as we speak - and whether they end up published or not, I'm proud of them. Yes, some of what is done during nano may be dross. It may be that most of what is done during nano is dross - in several million words, I'd be surprised if there weren't many thousand words that weren't somewhere between iffy and downright poor. Then again, I'd warrant most of these can be put down as either good practise or editable first draft.

As for what the site/organisers get out of it...well, if you have a look at the site you'll see that they get nothing - unless people choose to donate to them, in which case they put the money toward literary projects in the US and beyond. As far as authors go, registration is free and you're not required to give them anything.

Simply labelling the whole thing as a waste of time is, to my mind, lazy.

 

[StormFeather]

I would love to be able to commit to this, but have already agreed to other, non-writing creativity (40+ pint glasses to paint for the school Christmas fayre).

I think that any challenge that an individual takes up is worth while - the 75 word challenge has made many participants work hard to create a start, middle and end in such a tight remit. There seems to be few who now regard it as a stupid waste of time.

Similarly, pushing yourself in the discipline of just writing - right now, I doubt I'd do it outside of such a competition. The will is there, but as a person who has a full-time job, two small kids and no servants or cleaners, there is always something for me to be doing. Having to commit to something pushes you to find the time. That maybe all it takes - one month of pusing yourself to find the way to fit your life around your love of writing, and there you might find the magic.

 

[BookStop]

Tomorrow begins the writing Month and I am already struggling. I've recently been..ill..and am hopped up on the painkillers in the extreme. I think I will try to wean myself off but the first few days of nano will be difffficult, or who knows, maybe something brillant will come out of this fugue.

 

[Anne Lyle]

That maybe all it takes - one month of pusing yourself to find the way to fit your life around your love of writing, and there you might find the magic.

Exactly. I did NaNoWriMo the "official" way (brand new project) for two years, then the next two years I just used it as a way to focus on the revisions I wanted to do, whilst cheering my friends along - and BTW, I've made a whole new group of friends through our local write-ins. We meet up every month to talk about how our projects are getting along, so it's no longer just about November.

Plus I now have the self-discipline to set my own deadlines and stick to them, as when I vowed I would have my manuscript done and sent out to agents before FantasyCon - and did so. Would I have been able to build that self-discipline without Nano? Probably, but I guess I'll never know.

 

[MattyK]

Last year was my first NaNoWriMo and I only found out about it on 3rd November. Still managed to finish by the 24th at around 52k (I think) and while the first draft was dross (as to be expected) it's something I'm very happy with and will easily be able to work into something more professional. I had absolutely no ideas at all at the start, I just started writing and it all came to me. Without the idea of NaNoWriMo I never would have written it and it's the only long writing project I've finished to date. Certainly not a waste of time. It was an enjoyable challenge. Of course you can cheat but what sort of idiot gets enjoyment out of cheating themselves?

 

[Culhwch]

Well, in these parts of the world, we're eight hours deep in November and counting. And I still don't know what I'm writing. Time to bite the bullet, though...

 

[digs]

It begins.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Ha, I still have 7 hours to go, and I'm not going to start at midnight, so it's more like 16 hours!

I'm doing frantic research right now, because I had a brainstorm (of course) today. Nothing like the last minute for ideas.

 

[Patrick Mahon]

OK - 45 minutes till NaNo starts here, and I'm desperately getting plot ideas and background info down on paper. Should have done that weeks ago, but got caught up with other stuff. Still, that's what I love about NaNo - it's a specific project, with a beginning and end point, and it forces me to get on with it!

Good luck everyone!

 

[thatollie]

I didn't last year, but 07 & 08 were pretty good nanos for me. I thought about it and promptly forgot until half an hour ago. I'll try but I'm not promising anything.

EDIT:
Username: thatollie
Tentative title: The Ticking of Clocks against A Window
Genre: SF
Subgenre: Unsure

 

[HoopyFrood]

*Runs in with oranges and cooling drinks*

I know, every year I say I will....

...but I couldn't miss this tradition, so here I am with my usual oranges to cheer you all on!

 

[thatollie]

Sorry, I meant The Window.