Young Writers Society

Oh, and don't think you'll get a preview of the ending by sucking up, Claudette! Not in a million years! XD But I still need to work out some kinks and such...actually name some characters...

How much do you have outlined, Claudette? Like, can you predict at all how many words certain chapters will be, etc.? Because if so, you might find that you've already hit your 50k mark when you get to the ending of the outlining you've done so far. I know, I know; bad logic. You're one of the ones who's trying to finish your whole novel, not just write a ton of words, right? But I mean, it really isn't too bad if you don't have an ending. I really think the time constraint of NaNo will push you to come up with an ending quickly once you get to that point.

It'll all work out, I promise!

This is my first year too!

I made a vague outline, and I know some elements of what I want to put in, but I'm not sure exactly how to get going, once November first happens. Also, I can count the number of stories longer than two pages that I've finished on one hand, lol.

When people do outlines, do you work out chapters? I never do that, because I think it's too restrictive. I'm relying on myself to sort out when a good chapter should end and start, because I don't know how the atmosphere/cliffhangers will work out during the novel, so I need to improvise on the spot.

Maybe this is just me.

Jack--I have my first eleven chapters outlined, mostly using the pre-notes method found [url=http://snoink.com/kn/writing/19.php[/url]here[/url] at Snoink's website, minus the "Purpose" category, because this is NaNo, of course! From there, I have a vague idea of how my story will unfold.

I do have a couple of plot points figured out, though...basically so I will remember what the most important parts of my story are. But for me, that's not enough. If I don't know what to write next, I'll sit motionless at my keyboard for a few minutes, then get bored and procrastinate, therefore getting nothing done. But if I know exactly what needs to happen, I'm more likely to get off my butt and write!

That's how I do stuff, anyway. But of course, different things work for different people. It'd be nice if I were able to work with a vague outline, but no such luck!

I just outline the events, sometimes in greater detail and some in almost no detail.

I have no idea what the word count will be. I'm scared about the ending, and about the beginning. Beginnings are so hard for me!!! I have no clue where to start with it! And I don't like that about the first 10%-15% of my novel I hardly have in my mind. It's the stupid cult thing, Cassi! I hate it! But if I rip it out, then I just have a loose love triangle.

I'm with you Jack, I don't outline by chapter (Anymore) but I did only by parts, sort of. Since there are some MAJOR changes at parts of the story I made about 5 sections, so I will at least know where I am in the overall plot. Even if my story goes to a quick drop near the end.

then get bored and procrastinate, therefore getting nothing done

We're working on that procrastination thing, aren't we Cassi?

If you really don't like the cult thing, Claudette, kill it! I know, I know, word count, right? But really, why write about it if you're going to do so grudgingly? I think--I don't know, because I've never done this before, but--I think that ideas should start coming once NaNo starts. We'll all be scrambling to get stuff written, and the deadline will force your muse to wake up and get moving.

then get bored and procrastinate, therefore getting nothing done

We're working on that procrastination thing, aren't we Cassi?

Yeah. XD

Just in case anyone's interested... here's my plot so far: http://kayjuran.livejournal.com/2006/10/27/

Started the bloggy thing specially for NaNo.. should be fun.

I have lots of plot holes at the moment, and still haven't sorted my characters, but hopefully that should sort itself out soonish.

Maybe I should kill it...but then I have no beginning @_@ and then the plot practically falls through! The cult ties everything together. (Or rather, what happens to him as result of the cult) so....no clue.

You should really reply to my PMs Cassi, because Nano is going to be here soon, and how am I supposed to keep tabs on you, if you don't reply to me?!?! I really hope the ending comes to me as I go....

I want spoilers as to your plot, Cassi And KayJuran, what are you writing about?

Jack - I feel out the chapters as I write, usually, but there were places in my outline where I knew there would be a break, so I went ahead and put in chapters. There will probably be a lot more breaks then I planned, but it helped to break my outline up into manageable chunks.

Kay - I started a LJ just for NaNo too... lol. It seems like the thing to do these days... If anyone wants to keep tabs on each other though LJ, you can add me as a friend...

http://gwennan1989.livejournal.com/

dusky -- I added you on LJ! We can bug each other for word counts on it if you want.

claudette -- my whole plot is on the LJ thing.. can't be bothered to type the whole thing here as well, but it involves murder, writing and the slightly supernatural. Should be fun!

No spoilers! That's cheating! Besides, then if you read my story later, you'll know what happens! And then what use will a critique be if you've known the ending the entire time? You have to go into reading it with an open, unsuspecting mind.

And I just PMed you. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner!

it's cool Cass Ahh but you know my ending... .I must keep the real twist a secrete them, hm? once I get one!!

I'm still curious — what exactly would you do with an LJ (or any blog) for your nano? CL said keeping updates and what not but I ...don't see the purpose behind it. Of course, that's also considering no one may go visit it.

I'm using a PB Wiki to organize EVERYTHING: my character charts, my outline, my ideas, my notes. It's crazy. My luck, the server will be down all November! XD But really, PB Wiki has saved my life. Check it out, everyone! Much easier than juggling a bunch of Microsoft Word documents.

I'm confused myself, Claudette! How can I know your ending if you don't have one?

Claudette wrote:I'm still curious — what exactly would you do with an LJ (or any blog) for your nano?

This is getting a wee bit tangential, but since I have forty jillion blogs, I'll try to answer.

Livejournal is a lot different from the majority of other blog places because it's much more of a communal setting. There are, for example, Livejournal communities where you can hang out with people who have the same interests and talk about the same thing. So anything from creative writing to Draco/Ginny fanfiction to cooking — anything and everything you want to talk about can be talked about. My writing LJ, which started off as a writing LJ, has become more of a way for me to keep track of all the variously sparkly communities I'm part of, and also to keep track of people I've met via LJ, and also to comment on stuff. And, y'know, also a place to keep (some of) my writing.

My Nanowrimo LJ (which I didn't really use last year) was an opportunity to mingle with other LJers who were doing Nanowrimo. Some of them, I kept in contact with even after Nanowrimo. But it's a place to whine about how low your wordcount is (or gloat about how high it is) and how much your characters suck/rock, and store plot outlines and character notes and all that sort of thing. And it's a place to get loads of sympathy and praise and comfort from other Nanoey people.

The other (possibly main) thing is that Livejournals are usually where people house their entire Nanowrimo manuscript. Some people want to publish their novels, and so they don't want to damage any copyrights they have; some people just don't want their story (for whatever reasons) to be open to the public. (I didn't want anyone to see Wraith because, quite frankly, it stunk.) So they post it under this thing called "friends-lock", which enables only certain people (i.e. the people who are on your "friends list") to read it. And that way, you have encouragement and feedback and all of those wonderful things without being too consumed by the thought of making it perfect for them, or worrying about copyrights, or whatever.

Hopefully, that made sense. Bottom line: LJ = yay!

oh, that sounds very cool! Maybe I'll make a NaNo LJ just for this month or something.... It's not like I really keep track of blogs anyway, but that sounds very fun. I'll go look into it! Maybe I'll see you around in the groups?

Thanks so much! I'm illiterate with some things.