National Novel Writing Month #nanowrimo
16 Oct 2011
Update!
It is now two hours until NaNoWriMo starts!
I am bursting with excitement and nervous energy. Tomorrow I will be sitting drinking coffee and writing like demons are pursuing me across plains of lava; in other words as fast as humanly possible to get a great start.
I have an arc of a story. It has characters. Love interests (yes plural – holy crap!) It has locations and I can actually smell it now.
Wish me luck.
This much neglected blog will now become further neglected and I am sorry to my handful of loyal readers for that, but a larger cause and a bigger quest is at hand.
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It is nearly November. In fact there are fifteen days and counting left of October. 
This year this means one important thing. National Novel Writing Month.
I have started my preparation. If you can call staring into the middle distance and hoping a story arc whacks you over the head, preparation.
This year I have themes. This year I will start on the first day. This year I will write every day. This year I have some characters.
All of these little preparations are a big improvement on last year. Last year I didn’t start until the first week was almost over. I had no characters. I did not write every day. And I only wrote a pathetic 3260 words.
I have high hopes this time. I am better prepared. I have a child who reliably sleeps through the night. I have a day off a week. I have a couple of story ideas. I’ve made some notes.
I am participating in this grand writing collective frenzy for one reason; to test myself. To see if I can do it. To see if I have enough story writing in me to write something sustained. 50 000 words. It is a tough ask. It is 1 667 words a day. Each and every day for a month.
We shall see. In the meantime, I will continue to hope for a story arc or a brilliant idea. I have still got a few days.
Blog-vember or NoNoNaNoWriMo | Stella Orbit's Blog
Oct 31, 2012 @ 10:16:56
[…] or NoNoNaNoWriMo No No NaNoWriMo for me. I have come to a sad realisation that I cannot participate in NaNoWriMo this year. As much […]
Nov 03, 2011 @ 15:04:56
I’m doing it too! Already a shade behind but having a quiet weekend so I will hopefully catch up. x
Nov 08, 2011 @ 08:50:02
Hope we have all caught up. Need a big week two to get through to the halfway mark!
Good luck. x
Oct 18, 2011 @ 12:12:05
I have been secretly planing on giving it a shot this November. I haven’t done any preparation of course. But, I’m hoping to draw on the power of my slight OCD tendency to get me through….You know, using my powers for good instead of evil, and all that…
Go for it. Wishing you lots of good vibes on the story arc front
x
Oct 18, 2011 @ 20:21:31
Do it! Use those considerable powers.
It’ll be fun .
Thanks for the good wishes xo
Oct 18, 2011 @ 07:23:29
Good for you! I’ve been composting my themes and characters for what seems my entire adult life. I don’t know if I’m game to join you this year – I’m working on some picture book stories – but I will be cheering you on the sidelines. I think you can do it. Good luck!!
Oct 18, 2011 @ 20:18:39
Thank you. I think you are already doing what you need to do with your writing.
But I will be glad of your support. Bring on the ra-ra pompoms.
xo
Oct 17, 2011 @ 11:02:32
Sorry about the duplicate comments – something strange just happened with the comment box at my end!
Oct 17, 2011 @ 11:45:19
That’s great that you are re-writing!
I think the word count goal will be addictive – and we will see what happens.
Great to see too that you going away to write – that will be wonderful. And your family will think it is wonderful too – especially when you come back. xo
Oct 17, 2011 @ 11:01:06
I’m going to make November “rewrite my first draft month’. I’m even going away for 10 days to just write. This means abandoning the family, but I’ve got a job to! At least that’s what I’m telling them.
Don’t worry too much about the story arc etc, just start writing & go with the flow. We should have a community of cheer leaders, supporting each other through the month. I’ll be cheering you on from the sidelines.
Jx
Oct 17, 2011 @ 10:55:23
Well, I hadn’t heard of this, but what a great idea. I’m going to make November ‘rewrite my novel month’. The first draft is done, but the rewrite is incredibly daunting! So daunting that I’m going away for 10 days to just write! This involves abandoning my family – but I tell myself I’m not selfish, I have a job to do.
But, if you don’t do the 1,677 words every day, by setting the goal you’ll be amazed how much you do achieve. It stook me 18 months to write the first 30,000 words then 4 months to write the next 70,000. mostly because I set word count goals & was sick of myself not writing!.
Good Luck.
Jx
Oct 17, 2011 @ 04:12:41
You are making me contemplate this. Which may be unwise. I do have ideas, lots of ideas, but it is the commitment to actually follow through on them. 1,167 words per day. Thinking.
Oct 17, 2011 @ 09:46:07
You have a lot to write about, a lot!
You should at least have a go, even if you just write something.
xox
Oct 16, 2011 @ 22:12:15
Good for you!
Maybe you should get one of those Twitter / Facebook Nanny’s as well ;)
I know I would need it.
I am hoping to do PiBoIdMo… Picture Book Idea Month!
Lame compared to your challenge
Oct 17, 2011 @ 09:45:30
Picture Book ideas? So much harder. How to compress meaning into a few lines and some pictures – now that is a challenge!
Good luck – report back on your progress?
:)
Oct 31, 2011 @ 22:59:38
Thanks Stella
I actually find it easier – albeit I’m not published.
0/1 submissions so far – a long way to go still.
also have jumped on the NaNo bandwagon too!
Oct 16, 2011 @ 21:52:57
And I will join you. 50 000 words. No problem. And when you get stuck, you can always start writing about what a terrible writer you are, how a blank page can be so nasty, its impact on your soul, and next thing you know a new dark character who reaches for whisky at 3am just to soothe a savage beast will turn up.
Well that’s my experience. From last year. From last year when a gorgeous friend of mine encouraged me to join up. To type until the early hours, eyes stinging but fingers still moving. And while I would like to give her grief about throwing me in the deep end, I am nothing but grateful.
And I know she already has the seeds of a great story. Time to just write!
Oct 17, 2011 @ 09:44:32
Ah Tallulah, there you are! Yes it is true I did bully you into it last year. And you finished.
This year we are in it together – properly this time :)
See you on the 3am shift somewhere near the end of November.
xox
Oct 16, 2011 @ 20:54:11
I’m going to join you, sort of. But instead of writing 50,000 words of novel, I’m going to write 20,000 words of thesis. Mostly lit review. 667 words a day. I can do it. I’m hoping for inspiration, too.
But before November comes, I have 15,000 words of method chapter to write. Gulp. 1000 words a day.
Looking forward to hearing about your NaNoWriMo journey!
Oct 16, 2011 @ 21:22:30
You can do it! You’ll be so glad when that part of your thesis is over.
1000 words a day – 2 x 500 word blocks – you can do that!
I’ll be checking up :)