NaNoWriMo 2007

I've never done NaNoWriMo before, but this year I'm doing it. It's terrifying, actually... yet exciting at the same time. Knowing me, I'm going to write a lot of random stuff! ^^

Sam wrote:you feel like hanging yourself in the coat closet

XD She speaks well of the feelings during NaNo!

If you don't have lots of school work or stress, it's good. Last year I finished early. This year I'm going for more and I'm going to have a lot more school work. >< Not good!

Sam, I had a running joke throughout my entire novel last year having to do with eggplants. I think it started on one of the sleep-deprived nights, where I was typing to myself and decided I was the goddess of the world. (No, really -- that part's still in there. I haven't edited it yet.)

Basically, here are my tips to the n00bs:

1. Outline! (Well, it might be a bit late for that.) Outlining keeps you focused through the tough parts. We've all reached points in our stories where we're just stuck and don't know how to move on. Last year I used the Snowflake Method to outline my story, so I even had a list of every scene I needed. It made writing so much easier!

2. Go above and beyond 1667! I'm sure by now you've heard that you have to write 1667 words per day in order to reach 50,000 words in 30 days, right? Well, I've got news for you: there are days when you won't write at all. You'll be so exhausted from sleepless nights that your body will just shut down sometime in the middle, and you'll beat yourself up and pretty much give up.

So. you need to prepare for that and write as much as you can during the first few days. During the first week, even, if you can help it. You'll be overflowing with excitement, so reaching 3000 words in one day should be easy. If I could find my charts from last year, I'd tell you exactly how much I wrote (or didn't write) during the month...

Pad yourself up while you've still got the energy. 1667 may seem like a small number in the first week, but by November 21st it's the most tedious number in the world.

3. Word wars work! Get in a chat with other NaNoers or get together with some of your friends. Pick a time limit (I think I usually go for 10 or 15 minutes -- 5 minutes is too short, 30 is too long) and write as much as you can. It doesn't even have to be a competition, although if you're naturally competitive, you generally try to beat the highest word count... Just the fact that everyone else is furiously typing (or writing) away can be very inspirational, and for those of us who are quite impatient, writing 15 minutes at a time with a definite goal in mind can be very productive.

Really, I think those are my top three tips. Don't get discouraged if you don't win this year. Just change your tactics next year and take what you learned and apply it.


Just have fun. We'll be here to support you guys. And, y'know, beg for support ourselves. XD

Yes. I'm going to have select buddies (AKA: everyone I can get a hold of) that I will rant to about my nano novel. Being able to discharge all the frustration is real helpful.

Word padding is.. amazing. I think I wrote 5k in the first day, which made me feel so good. Word padding is not only safe, it makes you feel good. And I used to do self word wars. I would set the timer for 15 minutes and see how much I could write. I found that I could do about 1k in 15 minutes (slightly under, usually) which meant that if I worked for an hour only, I would have 4k, which was really, really nice.


Just have fun! NaNo is amazing, either way.

:bounces off the walls:
One week!!


*pokes Suzanne* me thinks I need a ranting buddy!

I need to go stock up on chocolate. And if anyone wants to rant at me about their NaNo, well, that's fine, I'm just going to rant right back. XD

Melja>

When ever you need me, darlin', find me! heheh.

Live journals are amazing for ranting, although I prefer to hear comments back.

Ah, screw it, I'm entering. I need something to motivate me to write at the moment. I'll just fix something up with my I.T. teacher.

I've never done it before though, so what's it like?

It's the most intense, draining, exhilarating, inspiring, depressing, exhausting month you'll ever have.

And it's addicting.

Terribly, terribly addicting.

But worth every agonizing second.

(One week? You've gotta be kidding me! *outlines furiously*)

I haven't been around a lot/at all for most of this year, but ... I'm doing Nanowrimo. Hopefully. Yeah. I'll probably drop in a couple of times here and around the Nano forums.

Five days. I'm seriously freaking out. I have no idea how I'm gonna do this, but I'm gonna do this.

Smaur - nice to see ya!

XD yeah. Five days. That's freak out worthy whether you have planned or not. (I need to finish outlining)


Very scary. D:

it needs to hurry up, I haven't been writing since i signed up (other than storybooks) so I don't waste any of my ideas.

I really should outline my NaNo. I am getting a Fly Fusion so that should totally help me write more.

*tacklehugs smaur*

I have never done NaNoWriMo before, but I thought it looked a really good idea. Thing is, I can never get motivated enough to get up early to fit in the time to write! Providing I don't have piles of homework, I think I'll have a go...

I need some moral support though!

Actually, October is a bit late for thinking of the plot! I am a failure...

- Vampirate