NaNoWriMo 2011

[Crittias]

National Novel Writing Month 2011 begins in less than a month! I've transitioned from Municipal Liaison in Kansas to ML in Texas. No idea what I'm writing, and my new job will leave me with a LOT less free time for writing this year. Still, should be a fun month!

Anyone else participating in NaNo this year?

[Ink Asylum]

Last year was my first ever attempt and I made it to 33k. This year I'm going to go all the way. I've got a bunch of vacation days that I have to use by the end of the year and no trip planned, so I'm taking a week off work to relax. Should give me plenty of time to write.

I'm picking up on the story I worked on for one day last year before abandoning it in favor of a different one. I know that's technically against the rules, but I won't be counting those words toward the total.

[Crittias]

I'm picking up on the story I worked on for one day last year before abandoning it in favor of a different one. I know that's technically against the rules, but I won't be counting those words toward the total.I think it's fine to pick up on a previous story, especially if you're still going for 50k new words this year.

Glad to have you aboard!

[OUX]

I think I actually have an idea/outline I can put to task this year with a chance of completing it in the time frame.

[Dark Acre Jack]

I'll be using the tracking to keep a record of my own words per day, since I do roughly 2K now.

Highly recommend anyone who's thinking of doing it to make the attempt. NaNoWriMo '10 (combined with a bunch of other environmental factors) helped launch my writing career.

[Kielaran]

I am down. I already started brainstorming and should have a good outline before it starts. I am really excited about this one.

Last year I got the 50k words but never completed the story. This year I am aiming to finish it fully and maybe if I am happy enough with it see if I can push it out there to the unwashed masses. :)

[Ink Asylum]

I've had a pretty good mental outline of my story, but there's one major plot point that I'm unsure how I'm going to resolve. I could use a little help, just for some suggestions.

For anyone that remembers, I'm tackling the story about a guy who ends up being duplicated once a year, and his duplicates duplicate, too, leading to an exponentially large population of the same guy.

Eventually the process has to be halted, but I'm unsure how to do that. I'm leaning towards having multiple groups of people working on different solutions, so that it's unclear which one actually worked.

[Crittias]

I've had a pretty good mental outline of my story, but there's one major plot point that I'm unsure how I'm going to resolve. I could use a little help, just for some suggestions.

For anyone that remembers, I'm tackling the story about a guy who ends up being duplicated once a year, and his duplicates duplicate, too, leading to an exponentially large population of the same guy.

Eventually the process has to be halted, but I'm unsure how to do that. I'm leaning towards having multiple groups of people working on different solutions, so that it's unclear which one actually worked.Are you going to have the process stop for all of them? Or just for the "unworthy"? Maybe some sort of culling procedure, where you administer a survival of the fittest mentality?

[Abednigo]

I finished in 2006 and 2009. I'm working on the 2006 novel to try and sell on Amazon's Kindle store (it's worth a shot right?). 2009's novel will require more rework to prevent any copyright issues (it's got a lot of Silent Hill influences). I tried to start last year but didn't get very far. I really want to do it this year though. I think the experience I have with NaNoWriMo so far, and all the reading I've done during the last 5 years (more than 2005 and earlier combined), along with editing my own stories from 2006 and 2009, have made me a better writer. Not great by any means, but better than when I wrote my 2006 novel.

[National Kato]

Eeeaaaaggghh.......

(that's the sound of me committing to this year's 50K)

Last year, I made it to 20K before real life said, 'Kato, I own you. Not your petty story.' I won't be adding more to that story; instead I'm going with a sci-fi novel idea I've managed to complete a single, but good, chapter on already. Like Ink, I'll be starting my word count fresh.

This story I've been researching and plotting for about five months, so it's not as daunting or scary to me to attempt NaNo with it. I know where I want it to go, who the major players are, and the overall plot. Now I just need an excuse to sit for hours each week and get to work.

[Ink Asylum]

Are you going to have the process stop for all of them? Or just for the "unworthy"? Maybe some sort of culling procedure, where you administer a survival of the fittest mentality?

It's going to stop for all of them, and then, in either the second half of the novel or in the beginning of a sequel, it will actually reverse.

What's important is that I'm not going to get too specific about how it happened. I'd like to keep that vague, since it's not as important to the story as how the duplicating person and the rest of the world deal with what's happening. So I think I can have some people working on a scientific solution, some on a supernatural solution, some on a personal solution the duplicates have to institute, etc.

[Kielaran]

I've had a pretty good mental outline of my story, but there's one major plot point that I'm unsure how I'm going to resolve. I could use a little help, just for some suggestions.

For anyone that remembers, I'm tackling the story about a guy who ends up being duplicated once a year, and his duplicates duplicate, too, leading to an exponentially large population of the same guy.

Eventually the process has to be halted, but I'm unsure how to do that. I'm leaning towards having multiple groups of people working on different solutions, so that it's unclear which one actually worked.

Was there some sort of event that caused it to start, or did it just start without any trigger? If it is the latter, then couldn't it just turn off after X years?

[Ink Asylum]

I've considered that. Would it seem like a cop-out to anyone?

[Xerxes]

I'll try again.

[shunoshi]

Against any semblance of better judgement, I'm in again for this year. Last year's failure taught me a slew of things about how I write once again. I figure that sooner or later I'll push through and conquer this bastard.

[Reverant]

I'd really like to give it the ol' whirl, but next month I've got two term papers and a couple essays to work on. Any other full time students trying this?

[shunoshi]

I'd really like to give it the ol' whirl, but next month I've got two term papers and a couple essays to work on. Any other full time students trying this?

Yeah, I'm full time and one of my classes is Fiction Writing, so I'm going to have to double up writing...should be interesting to say the least.

[Crittias]

Yeah, I'm full time and one of my classes is Fiction Writing, so I'm going to have to double up writing...should be interesting to say the least.Can't you double-count your NaNo effort for your class?

[shunoshi]

Can't you double-count your NaNo effort for your class?

I am going to try to utilize part of it for a workshop we'll be doing.

[Ink Asylum]

You could participate in Script Frenzy, NaNo's springtime friend.

[Crittias]

I have half a dozen ideas for stories a day. Maybe I'll just mesh them into a strange dreamscape of vignettes and then cherry pick the mess for short film treatments at my leisure. Yeah. That sounds good.Sounds awesome to me!

[evilgoodwin]

I just realized what story I worked on (never finishing) last year and am stunned how many other projects I came up with after it.

I have a current project that I've put on hold because I didn't like the first 1000 words. So does it matter if I just say "Meh." and start it over from scratch since it will likely be different this time?

. . . either way, I'm doing it.

[Purple Santa]

You could participate in Script Frenzy, NaNo's springtime friend.

I tried out Script Frenzy for the first time this past April. I loved it.

I think i'm just cheering on everyone in this years NaNoWriMo. Unless Generation ABXY comes out of hiding to crack the guilt whip :p

[Akion-Totocha]

I really want to take part in this, but I'm worried the ideas I have won't be long enough, and it will probably be filled out with purple prose or something to make the word count. But I'm going to try :D

[Kielaran]

I've considered that. Would it seem like a cop-out to anyone?

Meh. It's scifi. As long as you tie it into the story, I think you would be fine.

[Xerxes]

I've considered that. Would it seem like a cop-out to anyone?

Your story. Is it?

I'd say have them start just dying off. Like rapid aging or something. could lad to the original not remember who he is anymore. Or you can go all Dallas and it could all be a dream sequence of a guy with multiple personality disorders dealing with himself. Why does he even start duplicating. Is that one of those magically unexplained events where it's not important why, but the journey of the incredible multiplying man and you just need to know how it stops?

[Ink Asylum]

Your story. Is it?

I'd say have them start just dying off. Like rapid aging or something. could lad to the original not remember who he is anymore. Or you can go all Dallas and it could all be a dream sequence of a guy with multiple personality disorders dealing with himself. Why does he even start duplicating. Is that one of those magically unexplained events where it's not important why, but the journey of the incredible multiplying man and you just need to know how it stops?

More like the latter. I liken it to The Time Traveler's Wife, where there's a brief explanation for how it works, but no explanation for why him. It's just critical that it does stop, because otherwise his numbers reach the billions in under 30 years.

Well, NaNo's not about getting it perfect, just getting it done. I'll make up a bunch of solutions and throw them all in at the same time, see if one of them stands out.

[Xerxes]

So he's a mutant

[Ink Asylum]

That's one possible explanation.

[Crittias]

More like the latter. I liken it to The Time Traveler's Wife, where there's a brief explanation for how it works, but no explanation for why him. It's just critical that it does stop, because otherwise his numbers reach the billions in under 30 years.So, can it be a moral dilemma that the character has to solve for themselves? Kill most of my copies, or I'll overwhelm the world with copies of myself and doom the Earth to destruction?

Are you tackling the physics issue at all? i.e., where does the material for the copies come from?

[Ink Asylum]

I hadn't delved into that yet, although I'm sure characters will be trying to figure that out.

[Crittias]

I hadn't delved into that yet, although I'm sure characters will be trying to figure that out.If you're dealing with some sort of multi-verse situation, maybe you can figure out a way to shove each copy back into their own removed universe? Reverse the process, so to speak?

[Ink Asylum]

No multiverse. When one splits into two they're completely identical, although will change over time as they take different paths.

I already have an end result in mind, just uncertain how to get there. Spoilered for people who will want to read the story fresh:
After 20 years or so the process reverses and every year the duplicates merge back with the last one they split off from, retaining memories, until you eventually have one guy who has the memories and experience of a million people.

[shunoshi]

No multiverse. When one splits into two they're completely identical, although will change over time as they take different paths.

I already have an end result in mind, just uncertain how to get there. Spoilered for people who will want to read the story fresh:
After 20 years or so the process reverses and every year the duplicates merge back with the last one they split off from, retaining memories, until you eventually have one guy who has the memories and experience of a million people.

Oooh, snazzy idea for the endgame there.

[Ink Asylum]

Thanks! Been sitting on this idea for a year so I'm looking forward to taking another crack at it.

[Xerxes]

You can call your story: Dave knows everyone.

[Kielaran]

The working title for mine is Life in Ink. The general concept is similar to the movie Big Fish, but instead of a cluttered garage it is a bunch of tattoos that symbolize the man's life.

[Xerxes]

I have one idea floating in my head. I'm calling it Like A Baby. I got my name from the trailer that played into my head. Starts off with the "protagonist" saying while trying to sleep, "I can't sleep. Been wronged. Have to make this right." Montage with bitching music. I know there is lots of violence. Comes to a point with a guy he's torturing asking in a terrified manner, "How to do you sleep at night?!" BLAM! Like A Baby...

So a novel about Marv from Sin City.

[Voodoo]

I will be participating this year. :)

[National Kato]

I don't have a title yet - working title is Freefall.

Story's about a young son of archeologists, orphaned when his parents' research vessel is destroyed in a freak accident. Protagonist grows up alone except for the android guardian his father bought for him to educate and keep him company while they were working. As a young man pulling odd spacer jobs, he meets a homeless youth who has the power to see the death of anyone he touches. This youth touches our protagonist and sees something so unique and fantastic that he decides he absolutely must accompany the man and his android in their quest to find out what really happened to his parents all those year ago.

Incorporates sci-fi, Raiders-like adventure and discovery, mysticism, and parallel universe theory.

[Ink Asylum]

Sounds really cool. What's the greater scope of the sci-fi? Are there other alien races?

[Xerxes]

Maybe I should make Like A Baby a short for Ink to draw up for his contest. :p

[Ink Asylum]

Heh. It's not really a contest. Just something I'm planning to do for practice...and procrastinating horribly.

[National Kato]

Sounds really cool. What's the greater scope of the sci-fi? Are there other alien races?

At this time in the universe, there is only one alien race humans know about but they are long since extinct or have moved out of this galaxy. All that remains are their ruins, artifacts, and derelict spacecraft which lends itself to the bustling archeological industry.

The humans know that this race passed through the known galaxy on a 400,000-year trek toward something; they had a distinct and universal goal. The protagonist's parents made a huge discovery to this effect just before the accident that destroyed them.

So no aliens in the spaceports, but plenty of alien culture to pore over and analyze.

[Ink Asylum]

Very cool. I look forward to it.

It made me wonder if there's a good story out there where humanity is the long-since-extinct race in the galaxy, and alens are researching what happened to us.

[National Kato]

Yeah, I think that would be a really cool novel. As long as you spent enough time really fleshing out the culture and history so that it's as familiar as humanity to you. That would be quite an undertaking, 'cause you don't want it to be a carbon copy of humanity.

Also, you can't have it seem like it is humanity until the end when the secret is revealed WE ARE ALIENS HUMANS ARE EXTINCT!!!1

;)

[Ink Asylum]

Twilight Zone!

[evilgoodwin]

Here's my basic idea followed by my overall goal.

No title yet.

Odd things are happening in Glennshire. A rash of thefts involving useless objects, cow abductions, the disappearance of the mayor's daughter, and rumors of a mythical beast that lurks on along the northern road currently plague the small ranching village (and its famous* lake). There may be hope yet, though. The arrival of an odd man brings the promise to stop the strange happenings and find the mayor's daughter. The man enlists the help of Whistler, the son of the innkeeper and the last person to see the mayor's daughter before her disappearance.

Whistler is not ready for the road that lies ahead as the stranger reveals three things: wizards exist, the stranger is over 500 years old, and those old folk-tales used to frighten children have more truth to them than anyone could have realized.


*lake is not actually famous.



I'm planning on an episodic set of stories based on hunting fantasy creatures, both popular and ones I've created. The main character, Whistler, accompanies the strange man as he tries to track down a thief who stole a book that can cause the end of the world. For the most part, I'm working on it as a "monster of the week" type series that will dip into the folklore of many cultures along the way (Japanese-style monsters and ghosts, imps, brownies, the yeti, etc). This first story will be simple, though, and I wonder if it will hit the 50K mark. But I'm very excited as I've got the outlines to a few of the later creatures they encounters, including a creepy fellow I like to call the Arachnomancer (referred to as "beetle boy" by the wizard, much to BB's annoyance). Sadly, I don't have a name for the stranger yet, but I'm working on it.

[Ink Asylum]

Sounds cool, goodwin. I look forward to seeing where it goes.

I just wrote the novel synopsis on the NaNo site:

In the middle of the night fourteen year old Daniel Castor wakes up to find himself in bed, and another Daniel sleeping next to him. The unexplained and shocking event leads to one of the two being sent to live with his aunt and the issue is resolved for a little while, until next year it happens again...to both of them. How does a family deal with four identical Dans, then eight? How does the world deal with a thousand, then a million? How do they deal with each other?

[VerseD]

I wasn't able to participate last year, despite all my good intentions and free time, due to a vagrant condition where I was mostly sleeping in parks and hitchhiking around Shikoku and Kansai; but I do plan on spending this November finishing an old story.

I began this story over a year ago, when I was also traveling, sitting cross-legged on a bed in a cheap hotel in India, and I wrote it straight from word one without any outline and no more than a broad plan: two Persian knights arrive in the Holy Land as refugees, and one is possessed by a fire spirit -- symbolic of several other brands of fire -- that he cannot seem to shake.

The characters spoke for themselves and did as they would, and I wrote until the plot and the romantic voice got confused, then set it aside until I had time to edit what I had and to re-read Burton's translation of the Arabian Nights, where I'd found my inspiration. That is this season. I have not only time but also access to a forest cabin on Mount Hood -- not the best place to write about the desert, but we do what we can with what we have, and this seems as good as Walden Pond to me.

I posted the Chapter 1 (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wluOW3vHTkfgOmTD-PI-tZESTDiYDcCF9DMYYiDyel4/edit?hl=en_US) of my story (the first 2600 words of 50,000) on Google if anyone cares to look. We might use the CoG Google Group (http://groups.google.com/group/cog-writers-guild/) for any future edits.

[Arphahat]

Oh... it is that time of year again. Dare I try it again? The last time I "competed" was in 2008, when I won with over 50k words. However, I never really did anything with the resulting mess. I think I concluded that it was several stories smushed into one and that each element would work better as either a short story, or just a full story of its own.

Hmm... I might consider trying to take one of the concepts I discovered during 2008 and making it its own story. Or, I keep thinking it might be fun to take notes during a game of Dwarf Fortress and expand that into a full story. Put me down as "tentative".

Fun fact: At one point, years ago, I had considered a story about humanity escaping to the distant past to save the future. I did nothing with it. Then, boom, Terra Nova. Somehow, they read my MIND!!!

[Reverant]

I began this story over a year ago, when I was also traveling, sitting cross-legged on a bed in a cheap hotel in India, and I wrote it straight from word one without any outline and no more than a broad plan: two Persian knights arrive in the Holy Land as refugees, and one is possessed by a fire spirit -- symbolic of several other brands of fire -- that he cannot seem to shake.

I've been kicking around ideas for a fire-spirit-possessed-dude story for about a year, but the dude is just a shell for the jinn. That's more a mid/late story revelation, though. The setup is that a small team of marines are assigned to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere in mountainous Afghanistan for PR purposes as well as to monitor signs of drug smuggling from the south. They're assigned an interpreter by the Afghan National Army, and soon freaky things start happening in the area. It's less quality literature and more horror, action, and political commentary.

[Ink Asylum]

Great ideas, Krispy. My vote is for The Taxman.

[Purple Santa]

The working title for mine is Life in Ink. The general concept is similar to the movie Big Fish, but instead of a cluttered garage it is a bunch of tattoos that symbolize the man's life.

I don't have a title yet - working title is Freefall.



I am hoping to hear more about both of these stories.

[VerseD]

I've got a few ideas floating around. Hell, that's a gross understatement. I practically come up with a new story every time I put pen to paper, but there are a few that I think would fit the larger word format better than others. See which ones you gents might like to see expanded into a full-born story.

I also like the Taxman, but all your ideas sound very imaginative.

I've been kicking around ideas for a fire-spirit-possessed-dude story for about a year, but the dude is just a shell for the jinn. That's more a mid/late story revelation, though. The setup is that a small team of marines are assigned to a tiny village in the middle of nowhere in mountainous Afghanistan for PR purposes as well as to monitor signs of drug smuggling from the south. They're assigned an interpreter by the Afghan National Army, and soon freaky things start happening in the area. It's less quality literature and more horror, action, and political commentary.

That is a cool idea; I like it. Afghanistan has a strange patchwork history that I find fascinating, and modern events provide plenty of opportunity for all three of your intentions.

I often chose to write stories because of a piqued interest in a person, geography, or period of time, or to try and answer a big question that perplexes me. The entertainment sprouts naturally from there.

[Reverant]

I dig the region. My desire to write in that setting stems from my introduction the region in the context of a military matter but subsequent fascination with it as a human one. I drafted multiple characters that more or less the various stages of understanding I experienced in learning about the world. The Americans, obviously, are my ignorance. The Pashtun people of the village are the history and tradition, and the jinn-possessed man religion and spirituality.

I have two other main characters that make me genuinely excited to write the whole story out one day, but I'm keeping them close to my chest until I man up and write the damn thing. If the above-mentioned characters are singular interpretations of levels of knowledge, then my other two characters are part of the struggle to reconcile the shocks of transitioning between stages of understanding.

[Ink Asylum]

Time to make it official with an avatar switch.

[Arphahat]

Time to make it official with an avatar switch.

I don't recognize you without your avatar's Portal reference. Maybe something like this would work. ;)

http://flexamail.com/GetImage.ashx?Id=7807

[Ink Asylum]

Heh. I'll be back to something Portal related soon enough, I imagine.

[Ink Asylum]

I've got a nice outline going, and plenty of ideas. I shouldn't have any kind of writer's block for the first week or two at least. I've also settled on a title: Have You Seen This Man? Which is text that'll appear on a poster put up by a conspiracy theorist in the story.

Is it November yet?

[Crittias]

I've got a nice outline going, and plenty of ideas. I shouldn't have any kind of writer's block for the first week or two at least. I've also settled on a title: Have You Seen This Man? Which is text that'll appear on a poster put up by a conspiracy theorist in the story.

Is it November yet?"Have I Seen This Man?!?" Of course I have! He's on every street corner in every major city, all at once! :D

[Ink Asylum]

Any idea what you're writing yet, Crittias?

[evilgoodwin]

"Have I Seen This Man?!?" Of course I have! He's on every street corner in every major city, all at once! :D

Every hour, at least 15 clones can be heard saying "Hey! That's me on that poster!"

[Crittias]

Any idea what you're writing yet, Crittias?...No, not really. I have a few sketchy ideas, but nothing tying them together. But pre-NaNo is still young :)

By the way, for anyone that has engaged in their local area NaNo events in the past, the forum's municipal liaisons do not yet have the ability to email their regions to inform you of any activities planned before November 1st. You may want to check into your regional forum to see what's up. We have our first pre-planning meeting here in TX tomorrow evening.

[Crittias]

UPDATE: I have the beginnings of an idea! This is rough, but it's a start.

Tentative title: Splinter

Premise:
In the near future, direct, implantable, brain-to-computer interfaces are possible. Only a small fraction of the population can afford the interface hardware and surgery, and only a small fraction of that group can successfully implant the interface without immunological rejection.

For most implant users, only crude machine manipulation is possible. However, rare individuals manage impressive synergies with their mechanical counterparts.

A group of researchers discover an unintended side-effect to the implant tech: by creating a feedback loop, they can push a copy of the user's consciousness back into their mind, running separate from their primary personality. The upside: separate consciousnesses running inside one brain, each thinking and feeling and producing new ideas. The downside: the higher the fidelity of the copy, the more unstable it becomes. Full copies exist for fractions of a second before evaporating in existential agony.

In order to maintain copies for any useful length of time, they must be simplified. The researchers use a variety of methods to prune the feedback loop, producing fragments of consciousness, designed for specific tasks, focused and purposed. They call these partial personalities Splinters.

My story will revolve around a host of implant users, and how they've each decided to use their implant interfaces and splintered personalities.

Backdrop factors:
1. The "Mister Smith" epidemic has caused worldwide pandemonium ("Humans are a virus: Mister Smith is the cure"). In addition to decimating the elderly human, the tailor-made disease also sterilized a large percentage of adult females around the globe. Birth rates plummet, economies collapse, etc., etc. Fortunately, scientists quickly determine that the virus did not affect the undeveloped reproductive organs, so the drop in human population increase is only a temporary reprieve for Earth.

2. The most recent models on climate are not good. The oceanic conveyor belts of deep current that regulate global weather patterns have almost completely stopped, suggesting that another ice age may soon be upon us. If ever there was a time for humanity to spread from Earth to the rest of the solar system, this is it.

[Ink Asylum]

I like it! I hope you don't neglect the "humans interface with machines" aspect while you explore the Splinters.

[Crittias]

I like it! I hope you don't neglect the "humans interface with machines" aspect while you explore the Splinters.Nope! I plan on exploring lots of different angles to this technology.

[Crittias]

Poking at your logic here, but I don't see how a feedback loop would create an embedded consciousness.I'm simplifying for the sake of summation. It's not just a "feedback loop," it's more along the lines of what you're describing. I just wanted to use two words instead of two paragraphs. ;)

[shunoshi]

Well, I think I'm taking the zombie collaboration story a few of us worked on (which fizzled out some months back) and going to run with it. I'm going to keep the setting and the one character I made for the story, then everything else will be new. The unique part about the story, for everyone who doesn't know (namely everyone except Kielaran, Khrymsyn, and NationalKato), is the multi-first-person viewpoint. Each chapter will be titled with a character's name and date/time; It'll be written in first person from that character's point of view. All the chapters will be laid out chronologically (with some overlap) and in some cases events will be rewitnessed through multiple viewpoints. It should be fun. I have a very good feeling about this year. It's time to win this thing.

[Crittias]

Well, I think I'm taking the zombie collaboration story a few of us worked on (which fizzled out some months back) and going to run with it.I like the premise and the proposed story structure. Good luck!

[Crittias]

Words are precarious things when used for aberrant denotation.Fair enough. Just remember, you'll have ample opportunity to critique my hand-waving theory of mind when you buy my novel from the Kindle Store in a few months. :)

[Xerxes]

Ugh, the constant wavering about what to write about.

[Ink Asylum]

What're the ideas you're wavering between?

[Crittias]

The idea sounds interesting, though I'm not sure exactly where you mean to take it. What kind of plot are you imagining?Lots of viewpoints, from people using the implant tech to recover from missing limbs, paralyzing injuries, blindness/deafness, etc., to people using the tech to cause pseudo-savant-like abilities on a whim, to deep computer hackers, to implant abuse (torturing splinters, selling splinters into slavery (not sure about that one), stealing memories/ideas ala Inception, and probably/possibly more). Tie into that the solving of the mystery of who released the Mister Smith virus, perhaps a murder mystery, and mankind's first real leap into space.

So...yeah. I've got me some ideas.

[Xerxes]

There is Like A Baby which I already mentioned. Part of me is thinking of starting over on my failed project from last year minus all the "prologue" I wrote. Some just random stuff keeps coming to me. Like a ronin living in a zombie infest feudal Japan.

[evilgoodwin]

Argh, why isn't it November yet? I'm finally in the mood to write my story and it's just eating away inside of me, wanting to come out!

. . . Maybe I can write it really fast and then do the sequel in November. . .


NO! Must hold on!!

Maybe I'll do a quick one-shot to establish the characters and find their voices before I start the main work. . . I've heard people do that sometimes as a writing exercise. . . Maybe I can figure out some damn names for people, too.

[Ink Asylum]

You can spend the time outlining and organizing characters, so that writing will be easier in November.

[Xerxes]

Now I have one about Smokejumpers going to fight a massive wildfire only to find aliens at the heart of it jungle that sort of started this fire on arrival. Thing is this idea started out a game idea. They are prototyping a new Smokerjumper armor suit with laser cutter on the arm, hatchet that magnetically connects to the hip, and anti fire grenades that I don't know how to have them work yet. Grants them about double strength. Nothing too crazy.

[Xerxes]

An anti-fire grenade could make all surrounding oxygen inert in some strange way. That would be deadly for us Earthlings too.

I was trying to find the effects of say a concussion grenade. That or just make up something like implosion grenades that sucked everything in briefly.

[Crittias]

anti fire grenades that I don't know how to have them work yet.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=fire-interruption-technology

Sounds like a cool start for a story!

[Xerxes]

Concussion grenades put out fires by literally pushing the oxygen away from the fire and starving it.

That's what I was thinking but couldn't find any proof.

More or less it's Predator and futuristic fire fighting with power armor.

[Crittias]

Ugh. Way behind in the preparation stages for this year. And I'm out of town this weekend. Next week is gonna be BUSY!

[Ink Asylum]

Going to have to spend some time this weekend finishing up my outline and doing some basic character building, but I'm pretty far along.

[Kielaran]

I am slacking on my character outlining already. I need to buckle down! :(

[Xerxes]

Sounds like everyone is slacking. I think November happened sooner than expected. I think I should abandon firefighting as I know nothing about smoke jumpers, firefighting, powering a suit like that threw heat absorption, etc.

[Arphahat]

Planning ahead is for the WEAK! REAL men go into NaNo with only the vaguest notion of an idea about wtf they are going to write about.

That, and it is effort. :)

[Crittias]

Sounds like everyone is slacking. I think November happened sooner than expected. I think I should abandon firefighting as I know nothing about smoke jumpers, firefighting, powering a suit like that threw heat absorption, etc.Don't worry about any of that! You can fill in those details later. Your big idea (fighting a fire, finding aliens) will work without the tech details.

[shunoshi]

Ugh. Way behind in the preparation stages for this year. And I'm out of town this weekend. Next week is gonna be BUSY!

I'm seriously behind as well. I really need to flesh out a couple more characters before Tuesday.

Sounds like everyone is slacking. I think November happened sooner than expected. I think I should abandon firefighting as I know nothing about smoke jumpers, firefighting, powering a suit like that threw heat absorption, etc.

Don't worry about any of that! You can fill in those details later. Your big idea (fighting a fire, finding aliens) will work without the tech details.

Crittias is spot on here. Research/details are for second drafts. For now, just write whatever sounds good.

[evilgoodwin]

I've written things before where I just leave a huge note to myself that looks like (************------------DO RESEARCH ON THIS SO YOU DON"T SOUND STUPID!!!-------********)

I then find every instance of the word "RESEARCH" and fix those places in the revising process :D

[Crittias]

Percolating on my story idea some more, I'm leaning towards an "Ocean's Eleven meets Inception" concept. Disparate, specialized personalities get stored as fragments inside someone else's mind, and then the whole shebang gets uploaded into a computer. Acting in concert, the group goes off and steals a rocket, loots all the abandoned satellites in orbit around Earth, and then sets off to find an asteroid and pull it back into near-Earth orbit to use as a fuel depot and space station.

I have NO idea what the conflict is going to be in my story, however. No bad guys, yet. Feh.

[Ink Asylum]

One of the personalities is bad?

[evilgoodwin]

Like Killer 7? :P

[Crittias]

Like Killer 7? :P
I don't know. What is the story of Killer7?

[evilgoodwin]

From Wikipedia:

The player controls the members of a group of assassins called the "killer7". The group is led by an elderly wheelchair-bound man named Harman Smith, who exhibits "Multifoliate Personae Phenomenon". This condition allows him to physically transform into one of his seven assassin personae: African American Garcian Smith, aggressive Irish American Dan Smith, barefoot Japanese American female KAEDE Smith, albino Briton Kevin Smith, Puerto Rican Coyote Smith, young Chinese American Con Smith, and Mexican American luchador MASK de Smith. These people were gifted killers in life and Harman absorbed their souls through his condition after their deaths.

Essentially, it's this guy in a wheelchair who can switch to one of his 6 other personalities on a whim for assassination missions. Really interesting game.

[Ink Asylum]

The Writing Buddies feature is finally implemented for the new site revision. Post your NaNo pages!

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/inkasylum

[Crittias]

Essentially, it's this guy in a wheelchair who can switch to one of his 6 other personalities on a whim for assassination missions. Really interesting game.So, something like that, yeah. But focused on colonizing space, not assassinating people. Maybe. Maybe one of the sub-personalities has a teeny tiny interest in throwing a large asteroid at Earth and annihilating mankind. :)

[evilgoodwin]

So, something like that, yeah. But focused on colonizing space, not assassinating people. Maybe. Maybe one of the sub-personalities has a teeny tiny interest in throwing a large asteroid at Earth and annihilating mankind. :)

It's just not right unless there's an evil one bent on self-destruction :D

The game is very interesting. Hard to destroy.

And woot.

http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/evilgoodwin/

[Xerxes]

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/armoredxerxes

[Mr. Murphy]

I'm having an incredibly hard time deciding between writing something fun and light and focused on being entertaining, and trying to be all deep and meaningful and artistic and shit. I just re-read The lord of the Flies and it has me itching to try my hand at something significant, but I just don't know if I really have anything worth saying.

[shunoshi]

I think I have a good number, if not all, of you from previous years.

http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/shunoshi

[Crittias]

I'm having an incredibly hard time deciding between writing something fun and light and focused on being entertaining, and trying to be all deep and meaningful and artistic and shit. I just re-read The lord of the Flies and it has me itching to try my hand at something significant, but I just don't know if I really have anything worth saying.Significance during NaNo can be tough. You don't really have time to stop and ponder. I've vote for fun and light. But hey, if the mood strikes you and significant happens, more power to you!

http://nanowrimo.org/en/participants/tedboone

[Ink Asylum]

It starts tonight at midnight! I'm both excited and overwhelmed. Tomorrow I'll be pretty busy but I should have time to get the prologue chapter written in the evening.

[Crittias]

My idea percolator is finally starting to mutter and purr. I should have at least a basic outline by the end of today, and a few scenes to start writing this week. But man, I have a LOT of planning to move from character sketches and scenes to a full-fledged 50k+ plot.

[Xerxes]

I'm like writing about shit I have nothing about. This should be fun.

[Xerxes]

Almost go time. Anybody starting at midnight?

[Ink Asylum]

I will be. Going to see how much I can get done in two hours.

[Crittias]

I've decided I'm too old for midnight this year. I'll be starting tomorrow around 9am.

[Xerxes]

I'm not to old but I'm still trying to figure out what I'm writing. Sleeping on some scenarios might help me find a starting point. Good thing tomorrow I work at the most boring place in the world.

Today I spent a good deal of day doing online training. Tomorrow night should be just as quiet.

[Ink Asylum]

2105 words down, 47,895 to go! A productive start.

[Hawkzombie]

I believe I am going to do this, this year. Not officially, by any means...and I thought you had to hit 150k words?

EDIT: Nevermind. That's a rate of 5000 words a day :p...even on my good days I could only pump out 3.7k lol

[Spectre-7]

Heh, I've done a 5,000 word day and... well, it's a helluva thing.

[shunoshi]

I'll be starting after class today. Somewhere in between the two story critiques I have to complete and studying for my calculus exam.

Yay, school... :(

[VerseD]

The whole Web site appears to be imploding, but here's my profile:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/jmcdonald

[Crittias]

The whole Web site appears to be imploding, but here's my profile:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/jmcdonaldTrust me, that's not imploding. It's running remarkably well for November 1st. In past years, it would be completely inaccessible for the first few days.

How's everyone making out on our first day? I'm at 875 words, and starting to get a bit of a rhythm going. Still too tempted to research and not write. Writing Russian dialogue doesn't exactly help, either (especially given I know NO Russian at all).

[Xerxes]

The whole Web site appears to be imploding, but here's my profile:

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/jmcdonald

That happens the first week or so. Folks trying to upload what they have so far and checking the forums. It'll be fine.

Sleep did help. I'll be starting in a few hours. :D

[Ink Asylum]

So soon? Not enough time in your schedule?

[Kielaran]

So far 0 words and counting...I'm starting tonight :p

I did have a nice second guess about what I wanted to write, but I am going with my original idea.

[Crittias]

My new short synopsis:

What do a ballerina, a tinkerer, a former military pilot, a coal miner, a rocket scientist, and a computer programmer have to do with one another? Nothing. At least, not until an eccentric visionary recruits each of them to participate in the biggest heist in human history: stealing a $30 trillion asteroid.

[Ink Asylum]

Sounds great. :)

[shunoshi]

Whoa! Does this still have to do with imprinted personalities or did you ditch that idea for now?

Either way, sounds exciting.


As for me, I'm finishing homework. After that I'll be able to focus on writing without being distracted.

[Xerxes]

I have one idea floating in my head. I'm calling it Like A Baby. I got my name from the trailer that played into my head. Starts off with the "protagonist" saying while trying to sleep, "I can't sleep. Been wronged. Have to make this right." Montage with bitching music. I know there is lots of violence. Comes to a point with a guy he's torturing asking in a terrified manner, "How to do you sleep at night?!" BLAM! Like A Baby...

So this is the one I'm going with.

I'm doing a tiny bit of outlining but 5-10pm at work should be dead. I've done 1,666 in a hour so I'm hoping I'm good.

I'm thinking 30 days/2 days a chapter = 15 Chapters. Each one starts with "Like" with "Like a Baby" being Chapter 15. Titles like, "Like a movie" "Like being hit by a train" and "Like a bad dream." I'm going to let these chapter titles direct the story a little.

Just installed Scrivener for Windows. Need to find some writing music.

[Arphahat]

Hmmm... probably should get around to deciding what to
write about. If anyone is up for it, toss me some excess sci-fi / fantasy ideas. Doesn't have to be complete stories, just extra ideas that you aren't gonna use. That's right, I'm begging the day *after* Halloween. :)

[Ink Asylum]

I've been bouncing around an idea in my head for the past year or so, trying to figure out a way to make it work. You're welcome to it.

The core idea is a moon base that suddenly loses contact with Earth. It's not an equipment malfunction, there's simply no one responding to their messages. Unbeknownst to them, although they'll learn the truth eventually, some form of apocalypse or other world-wide disaster pretty much wiped out humanity, leaving the residents of the moon base stranded.

I was leaning toward some kind of lovecraftian horror that was unleashed and starts to reach out to the moon base, but it can be taken in a number of directions.

[Xerxes]

I've been bouncing around an idea in my head for the past year or so, trying to figure out a way to make it work. You're welcome to it.

The core idea is a moon base that suddenly loses contact with Earth. It's not an equipment malfunction, there's simply no one responding to their messages. Unbeknownst to them, although they'll learn the truth eventually, some form of apocalypse or other world-wide disaster pretty much wiped out humanity, leaving the residents of the moon base stranded.

I was leaning toward some kind of lovecraftian horror that was unleashed and starts to reach out to the moon base, but it can be taken in a number of directions.
Sounds like you just pitched Doom. :p

Ok, so far I only have 5 chapters titles.

[Arphahat]

I've been bouncing around an idea in my head for the past year or so, trying to figure out a way to make it work. You're welcome to it.

The core idea is a moon base that suddenly loses contact with Earth. It's not an equipment malfunction, there's simply no one responding to their messages. Unbeknownst to them, although they'll learn the truth eventually, some form of apocalypse or other world-wide disaster pretty much wiped out humanity, leaving the residents of the moon base stranded.

I was leaning toward some kind of lovecraftian horror that was unleashed and starts to reach out to the moon base, but it can be taken in a number of directions.

Hmm... I like it. I kinda-sorta have a concept, but it needed more. A variant of this might work in nicely. Thanks.

[Ink Asylum]

Sounds like you just pitched Doom. :p

Ok, so far I only have 5 chapters titles.

Hah. With more of a focus on existential horror and less on big fucking guns.

[Xerxes]

You can also do Wizards vs Robots. :)

[Crittias]

Whoa! Does this still have to do with imprinted personalities or did you ditch that idea for now?Yup. First my MC steals military-grade implant tech, then he steals his crew's partial personalities, then he steals a rocketship, then he dismantles and borrows from the multitude abandoned satellites in Earth's orbit, then he goes out and takes a nearby asteroid and drags it back to near-Earth-orbit for mining and space station construction.

More is going to happen. Not exactly sure what yet. Double-crosses, love stories, unintended technological side-effects, etc.

[Mr. Murphy]

I'm using a story idea that had become a script I wrote a few years back for an independent film production. The indie film never got made, and since it's a fleshed out story idea with a solid beginning, middle and end, and it's a good adventure while still having a bit of a point to it, I figure it should work well for WriMo.

The working title is Radio Free Resistance and it's about three young men fleeing the forces of of a religious totalitarian regime through the northern woods, armed with only a two-way radio to keep them connected to the resistance and (hopefully) the movements of the enemy.

http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/mr-papercuts

[Mr. Murphy]

Tedboone, shunoshi and evilgoodwin, your NaNo pages don't have the option to "add as buddy", does anyone have any idea why?

Edit: As Crittias suggested, I had to add www. before the nonwrimo address. The links they posted didn't have the www. and it apparently negates the add a buddy link.

[Crittias]

Tedboone, shunoshi and evilgoodwin, your NaNo pages don't have the option to "add as buddy", does anyone have any idea why?Try adding www in front of our links. The site sees nanowrimo.org and www.nanowrimo.org as two different entities.

[Mr. Murphy]

Try adding www in front of our links. The site sees nanowrimo.org and www.nanowrimo.org as two different entities.

Wow, that worked. That is really weird. The pages look exactly the same, just without the "Add Buddy" option.

[evilgoodwin]

So this is the one I'm going with.

I'm doing a tiny bit of outlining but 5-10pm at work should be dead. I've done 1,666 in a hour so I'm hoping I'm good.

I'm thinking 30 days/2 days a chapter = 15 Chapters. Each one starts with "Like" with "Like a Baby" being Chapter 15. Titles like, "Like a movie" "Like being hit by a train" and "Like a bad dream." I'm going to let these chapter titles direct the story a little.

Just installed Scrivener for Windows. Need to find some writing music.

The chapter where your protagonist does awesome things and kicks ass can be called "Like a BOSS." :D

Arpahat: I'll just give you a title and you can go from there: The Erotic Adventures of Time-Travelling John Wilkes Booth.
You're welcome.

Mr. Murphy: No idea. I just added you myself. I saw the "add as writing buddy" as a small link at the top of your writing buddies page.

[Mr. Murphy]

Just installed Scrivener for Windows. Need to find some writing music.

I use instrumental music, often from video games or movies, that fits the mood of the current scene I'm going for. For example, since I'm starting this story with an oppressive military situation, I'm using the Battlefield 3 soundtrack I got this week to keep me feeling the tension. It's anxious, slightly jingoistic, and a little futuristic, which are all feelings I want to capture right now.

I have a huge folder of background music stuff if anyone ever wants suggestions.

[Xerxes]

The chapter where your protagonist does awesome things and kicks ass can be called "Like a BOSS." :D
I beat you by and hour or so. I think that will be the one write before like a baby. Like a bad dream is the setup. So I have two days to see where I'm going with this before I need a new one. I actually think my second chapter is "Like a kid in a candy store."

Arpahat: I'll just give you a title and you can go from there: The Erotic Adventures of Time-Travelling John Wilkes Booth.
You're welcome.

Greatest story ever told.

Mr. Murphy: No idea. I just added you myself. I saw the "add as writing buddy" as a small link at the top of your writing buddies page.

I also didn't have any issues.

[Mr. Murphy]

First nine hundred words came out pretty quick, now I need to take a food break and think a little bit about how best to show each characters' personality.

When I write character situations, sometimes I plan an event where the catalyst and the characters' reactions are orchestrated to show the reader something about the characters. In this case, I'm trying to teach myself what each of these people are like on the inside, how they think and what kind of attitudes they have, and then I'm going to try and let them act naturally and see if it also displays aspects of their personality.

[Crittias]

Wow, that worked. That is really weird. The pages look exactly the same, just without the "Add Buddy" option.You're logged into one, not the other. If you log into both, the Buddy option will be there for both (I think).

[shunoshi]

Day one done: 2545 words. If I can keep up this pace for the next three days I'll have enough of a buffer to break even after deer hunting opener.


...stupid November.

[Xerxes]

I got to 2000 words before calling it a day. I had room to go but I left it on purpose. Give me a starting point tomorrow.

[VerseD]

I wrote ninety-two words this morning, in a fit of inspiration, before succumbing to other tasks; but I also figured out a new thread to follow in the middle of the story I've already begun, a revision that will make the whole thing better and is probably long enough to sustain 20,000 words, with the story's conclusion making up the rest. But I'm too tired to start tonight; writing is better done in the morning. Although maybe I have a little more in me . . .

[Xerxes]

Anybody else have character's leaving scenes for no real reason. Like to have them off doing stuff that might turn up later.

[pronounconnoun]

I'm interested in doing this this year, but not sure if I have the time. I feel like such a loser for not considering doing this earlier.

[Xerxes]

I think if you just do it, 1667 words can be done in less than two hours. There is also the weekend to make up.

[shunoshi]

Sounds like a great story to me.

I have one character thought out somewhat, a detective named Derick Snyder. He works on the Taxman case files, kind of like what the X-files were. Case files no one really takes seriously but him since there is no clear suspect or even crime. Chasing this white rabbit will not smile favorably on him.

Having the Taxman come after the detective at some point is a must. Maybe the Taxman could deem that it isn't the detective's fate to find out the truth about him. This could really form a major climactic point in the story.

I definitely like the concept. You should get to work. :D

[Kielaran]

My first day was just a bit light at 1593. No worries though, because I am hoping to do some major hits through the weekend. My current plan is just ride the writing wave and make it up when I can or when I feel like I need to buckle down.

It is funny though, this feels far rougher than my last attempt (aka needs far more editing), but it also feels much better, as in teh muscles are weaker, but the bones of this one are pure adamantium. Hopefully this continues and I can edit it into something worthwhile in December/January. I would love to have something I could put out there.

[Crittias]

Krispy, you've got to get to work. That storyline is too good to pass up.

[Ink Asylum]

Remember, NaNo is about the number of words, not the quality. If you have the time, just type. Even if it turns out to be full of plot holes and bad prose, you can revise and edit it later. Just getting some of the ideas down onto paper is great.

[Kielaran]

1809 and pounding away!

[Xerxes]

Remember, NaNo is about the number of words, not the quality. If you have the time, just type. Even if it turns out to be full of plot holes and bad prose, you can revise and edit it later. Just getting some of the ideas down onto paper is great.

I'll have to remember that.

The start of my story like totally puts me on a weird track. Might have to create another sidekick character who has the other adventures I was thinking about including. Atleast it's not the 10,000 word prologue from last years. ^_^

I'll start at about 6:30pm when it gets quiet. So sleepy though.

[shunoshi]

Remember, NaNo is about the number of words, not the quality. If you have the time, just type. Even if it turns out to be full of plot holes and bad prose, you can revise and edit it later. Just getting some of the ideas down onto paper is great.

I think anyone who writes comes across this roadblock time and again. As Chris Baty says, send the inner critic on vacation. He has no purpose during NaNo.

[Ink Asylum]

I'm guilty of it myself. I've already caught myself wondering if that last passage was lame, or if I need a better description of my main character. I have to beat back those voices.

[Xerxes]

I'm guilty of it myself. I've already caught myself wondering if that last passage was lame, or if I need a better description of my main character. I have to beat back those voices.

My characters make no sense with out going back to change them!!! :D

[Ink Asylum]

It's ok if they don't make sense! You can fix them after you hit 50k.

[Arphahat]

Ya, a good rule is to not go change stuff. If you REALLY need to rewrite, keep the old stuff, too and use it both toward your word count.

[shunoshi]

Whew, put a seriously long afternoon and evening in. 6,771 words down, 43,229 to go. I need to take a break before my eyes pop out of my skull.

[Ink Asylum]

Well done! My best day last year was a Sunday where I spent nearly ten hours writing around 10k words, I think. It's exhausting.

[Ink Asylum]

I didn't have a lot of time to type last night, so I'm glad I had the buffer from Monday after midnight. Caught myself up to 4,088 today. I'll have much more time tomorrow to write, at least.

Each chapter is probably going to be over 3,000 words, and I have over twenty planned chapters, so at least I won't run out of story before I finish the challenge!

[Kielaran]

Ahhh yes. I had a 10K day as well. Mine was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so it was really a necessity at that point.

I am now up to 4,054. I wanted to keep going, but bed calls me. Instead I jotted down everything in a notebook, so hopefully tomorrow will come as easily as today.

[Hawkzombie]

I am sitting a little above 2500. I feel underwhelmed with my progress so far. But it IS just the 2nd. And I don't want to force it, so I just let it flow until it feels good to stop.

[Mr. Murphy]

I haven't done any writing yet today, but I did a TON of character work and plot development, which is actually what usually stalls me. I've got this notebook with all these plot maps and character outlines now to use as a blueprint. So even though it didn't add to my word count today, it's definitely going to be a lot easier to write for the rest of the month.

I notice I do my writing first thing in the day, that's when I'm the most active and my brain is the sharpest. So I'm just watching some gay-ass TV* for the rest of the night with my notebook in my lap, jotting down any other ideas, notes or plot points I come up with.

*Literally, it's Project Runway, season 8.

[Arphahat]

I am sitting a little above 2500. I feel underwhelmed with my progress so far. But it IS just the 2nd. And I don't want to force it, so I just let it flow until it feels good to stop.

You are doing great! Constant, routine progress is exactly what you need. Some days will be better than others.

I haven't started any actual writing yet and am purposefully trying to do things a little differently this time. Last time I "played" back in 08, I "won" but ended with a mish mash of concepts and an incoherent "story" that I still haven't taken the time to sort through.

This time, I am going to try to do much more planning of how I want the story to go before I even start. I had downloaded the Scrivener for Windows (http://www.literatureandlatte.com/scrivener.php) beta last year, but never really used it. So, I updated that, read through the tutorial and started my NaNo2011 project. Really, this is something I should have started before November, but I wasn't ready mentally for it until now.

So far, this seems like an invaluable tool. I decided to start by using the character and location templates to write some notes regarding them and have been creating chapters and scenes within, using the synopsis notecard to spell out what I want to have happen there. Ideally, I will have a better feeling for what comes next and where the story is going without having to make all those decisions on the fly as I encounter them.

My overall goal this year is to actually write something that I want to bother taking the time to edit and self-publish. For NaNo, my 50k goal will end up being "Part 1" of my final product.

I had a vague idea about what I wanted to write about, and I hacked Ink's concept apart to use a piece of it. My synopsis: He awoke alone on an alien landscape without a memory. Surrounded by strange artifacts, he is compelled to solve the mystery of who he is, why he is there and where everyone else went. What is the secret behind his identity?

"The Erotic Adventures of Time-Traveling John Wilkes Booth" is going to be the most epic story ever told. ;)

[Xerxes]

I'm loving Scrivener for Windows. Last year it had it's issues. I wish I had done more planning and prep. This project is rough but I hope it's something that can salvage itself. If nothing else I'll be ready to use it for any number of other projects.

I'm at 2990 words. Still going to try get some more work done tonight.

[Crittias]

4,488. Writing Russian dialogue has been fun. Tonight I got to have a character dance around falling snowflakes, literally. I love the idea of an augmented human having the dexterity to dance around precipitation. The visual tickles me.

[evilgoodwin]

After struggling to figure out how to start (since this will technically be the third time I started this story), I thought back on what this story reminds me of: Monster of the week TV Shows. They usually always open with something horrible happening before the credits.

So I invented some poachers.

Something horrible happens to them before the credits ;)

[Crittias]

So I invented some poachers. Something horrible happens to them before the credits ;)I love it! Good thinking!

[Arphahat]

After struggling to figure out how to start (since this will technically be the third time I started this story), I thought back on what this story reminds me of: Monster of the week TV Shows. They usually always open with something horrible happening before the credits.

So I invented some poachers.

Something horrible happens to them before the credits ;)

I love it! Good thinking!

Ya, I love it. Good, strong "something happens" beginning.

[Ink Asylum]

I'm using Yarny (http://www.getyarny.com) this year, as I'm usually hopping between a few different computers. It's like a cloud-based Scrivener.

[Kielaran]

4,488. Writing Russian dialogue has been fun. Tonight I got to have a character dance around falling snowflakes, literally. I love the idea of an augmented human having the dexterity to dance around precipitation. The visual tickles me.

I have to agree, that though fills me with glee too.

I am too lazy to download anything, so I am once again using google docs.

[Crittias]

I'm using Yarny (http://www.getyarny.com) this year, as I'm usually hopping between a few different computers. It's like a cloud-based Scrivener.That looks pretty interesting. What are your initial impressions?

[Ink Asylum]

It works similar to Scrivener, although not as feature rich. It's also in beta, so I frequently back up to Google Docs. There's also no offline mode yet, so only use it if you'll have reliable Internet access.

I like it, though. It's simple, and as you type the interface fades out so you just gave the page and your words.

[shunoshi]

I thought about using a cloud style editor, but there are many times I like to write in places that don't have internet access. I'm using Scrivener myself. I used it last year without viewing the tutorial and never used its features much. This year I went through the tutorial and learned some things.

I may actually purchase it (@ the 50% discount after winning NaNo) if they actually release it this year. I'm pretty certain they were talking about releasing it last year and that never happened. /shrug

[Arphahat]

I thought about using a cloud style editor, but there are many times I like to write in places that don't have internet access. I'm using Scrivener myself. I used it last year without viewing the tutorial and never used its features much. This year I went through the tutorial and learned some things.

I may actually purchase it (@ the 50% discount after winning NaNo) if they actually release it this year. I'm pretty certain they were talking about releasing it last year and that never happened. /shrug

Use Scrivener, but save your novel in DropBox, giving you the cloud as you need it.

[Xerxes]

Use Scrivener, but save your novel in DropBox, giving you the cloud as you need it.

This is what I do. I love that when I open the program it goes right to where I left off. Ok, I'm about to get started.

Blarg! I can't find the right Pandora station. #firstwordproblems

[Crittias]

#firstwordproblemsYour typo (first WORD vs first WORLD) is surprisingly appropriate in this circumstance! :)

[Xerxes]

Your typo (first WORD vs first WORLD) is surprisingly appropriate in this circumstance! :)

Wasn't a typo. ;)

[Crittias]

Wasn't a typo. ;)Then you're wasting creativity on being clever on CoG. Go apply that cleverness to your NaNoNovel!

[Ink Asylum]

Broke 6k today.

So far I've been planning to have each chapter told from the viewpoint of a different character, with no repeats. It's going well, although I worry they'll all start acting the same after a while.

[Crittias]

I broke 6k, too! Just introduced two young boys -- sons of a rocket scientist -- and named them Aldrin and Shepard. It's shocking to me how simple things like an interesting character name can make me inordinately happy.

[Mr. Murphy]

I broke 6k, too! Just introduced two young boys -- sons of a rocket scientist -- and named them Aldrin and Shepard. It's shocking to me how simple things like an interesting character name can make me inordinately happy.

I like the references. I struggled over names for my three main characters all day yesterday, and I'm still not certain I'm happy with what I ended up with. Alex, William and Seth were the most suitable I could come up with, but I never had that bolt of inspiration that left me satisfied with their names.

[Mr. Murphy]

Drew, Barry, and Moore.

I started with Ralph, Piggy and Simon, since I had noticed some parallels between my characters' arcs and the kids from Lord of the Flies when I read it last week. Also, Ralph is my father's name and Simon is an alias I've used since 2000. From there I was looking for names that started with those same letters (I considered Randall, Peter and Seth), but that seemed a little heavy-handed so I dropped it. Forced allusion and strained metaphor wouldn't serve my story very well.

[Xerxes]

I broke 4k. O_o

[Kielaran]

I like the references. I struggled over names for my three main characters all day yesterday, and I'm still not certain I'm happy with what I ended up with. Alex, William and Seth were the most suitable I could come up with, but I never had that bolt of inspiration that left me satisfied with their names.

So far my main character are named DAUGHTER, MOTHER, and GRANDFATHER. I use all caps so that I know it is the name and not just being used properly.

My count is up to 6,391. At this rate I am thinking my big twist will occur between 8k and 9k. I am hoping it doesn't make it much different to write, since I am have a lot of fun right now.

[Hawkzombie]

I am STILL lagging behind. 3794. WTF is that shit?! I should be well above 5k. Last year I was at 10k at this point. Of course I stopped there, but that is beside the point!

It's not like I'm not inspired. I've just been writing snippets of this book instead of full on lengths.

[Crittias]

I like the references. I struggled over names for my three main characters all day yesterday, and I'm still not certain I'm happy with what I ended up with.This year I'm approaching names a little differently than I have in the past. Given that my story begins as a caper, each character is being recruited to fill a role. So for instance, I have a young girl from Russia who is a cat burglar. I googled "famous russian thief" and came across this: Sonya Golden Hand (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonya_Golden_Hand). Particularly perfect, because my cat burglar has an artificial arm.

I'm doing the same for my tinkerer, Viktor Zvyozdochkin (named after Vasily Zvyozdochkin (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Zvyozdochkin), a craftsman and inventor of the first Matryoshka doll (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll)), my rocket scientist, my mining prospector, etc. None of the names are identical to the historical figures, but they all borrow from real life people. It's given meaning to my names, rather than just picking names that sound cool.

Also, I always try to use a different letter of the alphabet for each main character in my story. Some famous author once said that he does that, too, so I figured, why not?

[Mr. Murphy]

Crittias, those are awesome names, especially Sonya Golden Hand for a chick theif with a prosthetic arm. I love it. I've generally used the different letters for different characters as well, it creates a subconscious separation.

[Ink Asylum]

Who's up for a 10k weekend? You have Saturday and Sunday to add ten thousand words. Get a big boost on your word count or catch up after a slow first week.

[Crittias]

Who's up for a 10k weekend?I'd love to, but my wife would murder me if all I did this weekend to write. Too many things on my honey-do list, unfortunately.

[Ink Asylum]

You don't need ALL weekend. That's 5k a day. I average 1k an hour so it's only a little more than double what I've been doing each day this week.

[Crittias]

I don't have five hours a day. I have two, if I'm lucky.

[Xerxes]

I don't have five hours a day. I have two, if I'm lucky.

You sleep too much. ;)

[Arphahat]

Who's up for a 10k weekend? You have Saturday and Sunday to add ten thousand words. Get a big boost on your word count or catch up after a slow first week.

I might be game. I have purposefully been holding off and doing my planning instead of writing, so I was kinda hoping to do something like this anyhow. Right now, my word count is a big, fat 0 still.

[evilgoodwin]

I'm doing it. I have a school project that's squatting on my time and not letting me have fun yet. So yeah. Gonna go nuts this weekend.

[Xerxes]

I am a day behind, but I finally wrapped up a chapter. This is boring. Grrrrr for making the protagonist to young. I can't just write an explosion yet.

I will try the 10k word weekend. First thing is to jump this story by ten years.

[Xerxes]

"I'm going to cut all of my CoG post and fit them into my story. That'll get me my 1667 words," he said so sure that he could pull it off. He had the look of determination in his eyes.

[Ink Asylum]

Passed the 10k mark today (for the entire book, not for the weekend). At this write I should be done before Thanksgiving, especially with the two weeks I'm taking off work starting next Saturday.

[evilgoodwin]

I'm only at 2007 words. Gonna have to buckle down and go nuts, but I'm still not worried. Just busy with other things.

[Crittias]

Cross 10k today. Slow and steady this year, apparently.

[Ink Asylum]

I failed at my own 10k weekend challenge, but I put in a good 2k words each day. Still ahead of the game.

[evilgoodwin]

NaNo says that I'll be finished in March at the rate I'm going.

. . . I think I'm going to try harder. :P

[Hawkzombie]

I am just at 6600 right now and feel so underwhelmed with my progress...

[evilgoodwin]

I actually feel that I'm going too fast, now. I'll just put a hardcore sex scene every other chapter. That should help pad the novel.

[Kielaran]

Poor weekend showing for me. I got under 2k for the whole weekend and for the first time I am now behind. My weekdays have been good, so hopefully I can catch back up and try to get ahead again.

[Ink Asylum]

I'll be lucky today to get even an hour of writing in. Fortunately, I've built up a buffer such that even if I miss a day I won't be behind.

[shunoshi]

As the dust settles over week one of NaNo, I'm sitting at 12,284. I'm feeling pretty good about the story, but have a feeling it will go far beyond 50k before its finished. At least I'm on track so far.

[evilgoodwin]

I'm feeling a little under the weather, so I'm gonna work on this tonight.

[Ink Asylum]

From what I've read, the average novel on store shelves averages between 80-100k. My story looks like it'll end up in that range.

[Xerxes]

I'm doing poorly. But story points are still being formed in my head. I think I'm still in this. Just need one of those 10k weekends to happen. Til then I need to buckle down for a 1667 night.

I just named my two cities Gotham and metropolis and my protagonists parents died. Not sure where I'm going with this.

[Ink Asylum]

I think you're well on the road to AWESOME.

[Kielaran]

I am still behind, but feel completely in range to catch up. Also I hit my first major inconguency. A grandfather of a 16 year old would never have been in WWII. I will need to go back and fill it in later, but I have my quick fix:

He is actually her great grandfather, but raised her mother as his own child (dead parents, blah blah).

It wasn't something that would kill the story not fixing it ahead of time, but if I didn't do it in my head then it would have slowly gnawed at me. Oh well, nose to the grind stone and all that.

[Xerxes]

So now my protagonist works for his Uncle Silas (I may rename him Al) at a boxing gym. He does mostly clean up but most folks love to spar with him cause he good, really good. But the star of the gym is Jason Crook or Killer Crook as he's been come to know. He has ambitions to be heavy weight champion of the world.

Still at roughly 6000k but if I get some time today, the lead up to their matchup and the actual fight could get verbose.

[Crittias]

So now my protagonist works for his Uncle Silas (I may rename him Al) at a boxing gym. He does mostly clean up but most folks love to spar with him cause he good, really good. But the star of the gym is Jason Crook or Killer Crook as he's been come to know. He has ambitions to be heavy weight champion of the world.

Still at roughly 6000k but if I get some time today, the lead up to their matchup and the actual fight could get verbose.When does Killer Crook fight aliens in the middle of a raging wildfire?

[Xerxes]

When does Killer Crook fight aliens in the middle of a raging wildfire?

I put fighting fire and aliens on hold. I want to give that one more respect.

[evilgoodwin]

Up to about 3K now :P

Yeah, still going slow, but I'm writing exponentially more.

My protagonist, Whistler, is now part Traveler (AKA every wandering nomad tribe in any piece of fantasy fiction ever). The town is now alongside a large river instead of a lake, and the dock is now a large bridge. Probably.

My worst part is that I don't like to describe people, but I realize that I have to since nobody but me knows what they look like :P

[Crittias]

My worst part is that I don't like to describe people, but I realize that I have to since nobody but me knows what they look like :PWho says? I'd argue that leaving some description to the imagination of the reader is absolutely fine. I've written stories where not one single solitary feature of any character is ever put to print. You want to think of my MC as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Adonis? Knock yourself out.

I hate describing people, too. I often don't do much in the way of descriptions, or only hit prominent features (a hooked nose, unkempt frizzy hair that fell into her eyes, etc.), and then I'll go backfill if I feel like I need to after the first draft is done.

[evilgoodwin]

Who says? I'd argue that leaving some description to the imagination of the reader is absolutely fine. I've written stories where not one single solitary feature of any character is ever put to print. You want to think of my MC as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Adonis? Knock yourself out.

I hate describing people, too. I often don't do much in the way of descriptions, or only hit prominent features (a hooked nose, unkempt frizzy hair that fell into her eyes, etc.), and then I'll go backfill if I feel like I need to after the first draft is done.

I actually have to describe the wizard, because he gets recognized a bit often due to the fact that he doesn't seem to age.

That, and I want the main character to see a picture of him in an ancient temple and go "Wait, why would an ancient people draw you?" and be answered with a half-hearted shrug :D

As for the others, I at least want to try to establish size, height, and hair color.

I guess it's just that I sometimes model characters after people, and think of the actors that I'd want playing them in the film version. Which reminds me, I need to add Danny Trejo soon. Err, I mean the knife-throwing bandit leader.
<_<
>_>

I will do my best to avoid talking about dress-smoothing and braid-tugging. I'll pad my books another way.

[Arphahat]

I will do my best to avoid talking about dress-smoothing and braid-tugging. I'll pad my books another way.

Fucking Nyneave! Damn, I hate her. Yes, please find another way. :)

[Xerxes]

I go to write and tada! Scrivener Beta is over bitches cough up $40.

They waited until NaNo to do this shit.

[Arphahat]

I go to write and tada! Scrivener Beta is over bitches cough up $40.

They waited until NaNo to do this shit.

At the nano forums, they include a link to a special version here: http://www.literatureandlatte.com/nanowrimo.php

[Xerxes]

Rage... subsiding...

Hey, 50% off if I finish this year. And I do like the software. I was going to pay the $40. See how this NaNo version pans out.

[Hawkzombie]

I started a second book. Wrote 3200 words last night. Am I doing it right? :p

[shunoshi]

I started a second book. Wrote 3200 words last night. Am I doing it right? :p

If you do that another 15 times in the next 22 days, then yes, very right.


Today things slowed down a bit...stupid school. I have about 900 under my belt so far today. I hope I can get some more in tonight.

[Crittias]

I started a second book. Wrote 3200 words last night. Am I doing it right? :pIf your new idea inspired you to write 3200 words in one day, then yes, you're doing it right. Now you just have to keep going!

[evilgoodwin]

Maybe I should just write down 25 short story ideas and write a bunch of 2000 word short stories next year :P

[Hawkzombie]

It was 3200 split over the two...2k in the original and 1200 in the new. I may not finish either in the month but I'm feeling inspired so I think it's worth it.

[Kielaran]

I started a second book. Wrote 3200 words last night. Am I doing it right? :p

Keep doing that and then just name your novel, 'Novel Starters for Creative Writers'

I was very productive today. In the word side of things I made a big step toward being on time with 2270 words, bringing my new total to 11,700. It isn't quite there, but a few more days like that and I will be finishing up right on time.

On to the fun stuff, as for actual story progress, I hit my plot twist. I was afraid it would stifle my flow, but quite the opposite, it helped to raise my word count rate. I am finding that shooting from the hip is working for me. When I planned it was all about getting form point A to point B. Now I am stopping off to check all the side paths along the way and it makes it feel much better and realistic as well as keeping it fresh for me writing it.

Last self-important note :p: I have finally embraced the complete disregard for editing. I have confidence that the bones are there and that no amount of fixing things right now will polish them up anymore. I also know that I may change any wording I have in there so I might as well just push ahead and worry about that later.

[Ink Asylum]

After having a laptop fail on me today I had to borrow my brother's netbook and managed to get in enough words before midnight to keep myself above the line. Phew. I need to rebuild my buffer.

[Ink Asylum]

Barely getting out the 1,667 every day now. I've got to try and rebuild some kind of buffer tomorrow. Shoot for at least 3k.

I retconned in a little sister for my main character today. I'll have to add her in to previous chapters eventually.

[Crittias]

Bleh. Super-busy and long work day today. I'm still head above water for word count for the month at 15,051. I'm going to get some sleep, and try to have a more productive day tomorrow.

[Mr. Murphy]

I wrote almost 8000 words today and now my brain is tired.

[evilgoodwin]

I'm so behind, but I ended up loving my mayor character too much and made him awesome. To be fair, I also got him drunk. But I'm finally able to end act 1 in a good way.

I haven't edited, but I've made notes. I think my "rewrite notes" are the same length as my story.

[Crittias]

I think my "rewrite notes" are the same length as my story. sounds like a NaNo novel, for sure.

[shunoshi]

Well, as usual, I'm falling behind during deer hunting. It's not as bad as previous years though. I was able to get some writing in today and am up to 15,649. Still almost 2700 behind, but it's managable.

[Crittias]

I'm hanging on to the minimum wordcount goals, but barely. Being in a new job is really cramping my free time this month.

[Ink Asylum]

I've been doing the same, but thankfully tomorrow I start my rest and relaxation vacation. I plan to crank out 4k words a day over the next two weeks.

[Crittias]

So, how are people doing with their wordcounts? We're almost to the midway point!

[Xerxes]

I'm roughly 15k words behind. But NOT OUT!!!

[Crittias]

I'm roughly 15k words behind. But NOT OUT!!!
Until December 1st, no one is out. :)

[Kielaran]

I am around 10k behind. Could be worse (and probably has been for me).

[Mr. Murphy]

I'm only about 12k words in, but I'm still going strong.

[Ink Asylum]

I've been staying barely above the recommended amount, but hope to get at least 10k ahead by next week. I'm into some fun chapters now so it should go quickly.

[Mr. Murphy]

My problem is, a high word count is actually discouraging to me. I like each sentence and paragraph to have a bit of poetry and flow to it, and I feel like it's going to take me way longer to go back and edit and re-write what I already wrote - more often than not, by deleting 80% of it - than it would have taken to write less, with more eloquence, the first time through. Makes me want to slow down and focus on quality as I write, and I end up writing 500-800 words a day instead of the goal.

But whatever, it's a good experiment, so I'm gonna keep it up for the month at least and see what happens.

[Crittias]

My problem is, a high word count is actually discouraging to me. I like each sentence and paragraph to have a bit of poetry and flow to it, and I feel like it's going to take me way longer to go back and edit and re-write what I already wrote - more often than not, by deleting 80% of it - than it would have taken to write less, with more eloquence, the first time through. Makes me want to slow down and focus on quality as I write, and I end up writing 500-800 words a day instead of the goal.

But whatever, it's a good experiment, so I'm gonna keep it up for the month at least and see what happens.If 500-800 words a day is a sustainable pace for you (and I emphasize sustainable), then I say stick with it. As long as you complete your personal goals (i.e. writing a novel, finishing your story, getting published, etc.) who cares whether you satisfy NaNoWriMo's guidelines?

This issue most people have with long-form writing is that they get completely bogged down in the editing process, get discouraged by the daunting size of the task at hand, and never ever finish their novels. Pushing through 50k, just once, even if the result is complete dreck, knocks down that artificial barrier. Once you know you can write 50k, you can go do it again. And maybe the second time the writing isn't quite so bad.

I use NaNo as a training regimen. My intention is to be able to write 1.5k-2k words/day that ALSO meet my personal standards for quality writing. NaNo is cross-training for wannabe novelists.

[Mr. Murphy]

I use NaNo as a training regimen. My intention is to be able to write 1.5k-2k words/day that ALSO meet my personal standards for quality writing. NaNo is cross-training for wannabe novelists.

Man, that's awesome - if I tried to do that, it would increase my writing time from two hours a day (in which I can get like, 2000 bland words or maybe 600 good ones) to easily five or six. How many hours a day are you hitting?

[Crittias]

Man, that's awesome - if I tried to do that, it would increase my writing time from two hours a day (in which I can get like, 2000 bland words or maybe 600 good ones) to easily five or six. How many hours a day are you hitting?During NaNo it usually takes me three hours of solid writing to get 2k of good words written. Lots of variance built into that, both in terms of "good words" and overall time. And sometimes that three hours of writing is smeared across an entire day of working/playing/procrastinating.

We have some local WriMos that can manage 4,000 words/hour. Every time they do it, I can't help but think how awful those words must be. :)

[evilgoodwin]

Yeah, I'm like 16k behind :D

[Xerxes]

Getting back into the swing of things is hard. It's like exercising, then stopping and trying to get back into it. With no momentum I don't know where the major upstroke in words is going to come from.

[shunoshi]

Deer hunting kicked me in the teeth once again. I'm about 8k behind. I do feel that I can catch up if I get a solid 5k weekend or two in. Just have to refocus my efforts.


...also, BF3, MW3, Forza 4, Skyrim, Batman, Saints Row, etc. etc. etc. Ugh.

[Kielaran]

Deer hunting kicked me in the teeth once again. I'm about 8k behind. I do feel that I can catch up if I get a solid 5k weekend or two in. Just have to refocus my efforts.


...also, BF3, MW3, Forza 4, Skyrim, Batman, Saints Row, etc. etc. etc. Ugh.

You're back? Awesome. Now we can ignore Nano together in MW3!!!

[Xerxes]

Like a baby transformed from something original to a bastard Elseworlds stories about what if Batman was driven by revenge instead of justice/fear. Kind had to through all the rogues under the same syndicate for a tiered climb to the top.

[Xerxes]

I'm out. I'm just not gaining any ground and other stressful things in life are straining me. I'm going to buy Scrivener with that nifty 20% discount finish this story when I feel better.

Hoping closing off some open threads helps.