Who's doing NaNo2008?

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 07:52 AM

www.nanowrimo.org

I'm the Municipal Liaison for my town (Lawrence, KS) this year. It'll be my fourth NaNo.

Anyone else participating?

TurboKinny · 10-01-2008, 08:28 AM

If I wasn't trying to read 1,500 pages a week for school, I would be.

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurboKinny

If I wasn't trying to read 1,500 pages a week for school, I would be.

Bah! Reading and Writing are two separate things! Don't they teach you kids to multitask nowadays?

Doctor Setebos · 10-01-2008, 08:46 AM

I would love to. I did it last year and knocked out a really crappy 51,000 word "novel". I'm planning to go back and finish that one and clean it up.

Unfortunately--and somewhat ironically--I'm not participating in NaNo this year because I'm actually working on my first real novel. I started in mid-September and I plan to have it completed by the end of the year, at a final goal of around 70,000 words.

Depending on how crazy 2009 gets, I'll probably jump back into NaNo then. I loved the experience and going insane with a close-knit group of writers.

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doctor Setebos

Unfortunately--and somewhat ironically--I'm not participating in NaNo this year because I'm actually working on my first real novel.

As long as you're writing, you get a thumbs up from me. If you need a reader/critiquer for your novel, just holler!

Sandman · 10-01-2008, 11:29 AM

What are the specifics? The site is getting hammered it seems.

Doctor Setebos · 10-01-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandman

What are the specifics? The site is getting hammered it seems.

The site gets hammered hard between Oct 1 and the end of November. They moved everything to a new server system and host this year and everyone was hoping they would be able to hold out, but it looks like they just can't keep the site operational.

Last year, it was slow as molasses, but at least it worked.

The idea of NaNoWriMo is pretty simple: write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. That's all there is to it. It averages out to about 1,600 words a day. It sounds simple, but actually getting your butt in gear and doing it is insane. But I have to say, I enjoyed the hell out of it last year. I definitely want to do it again.

PlusOne · 10-01-2008, 12:33 PM

I'd love to do NaNo again... the first and only time I completed it was in 2002 (yikes, I hadn't realized it's been so long) but I was looking for a job so I had a lot of free time on my hands. I tried again in 03 and 04, but juggling the writing with work and social obligations was too much to handle.

I know I'm an unknown here, but I'd sign up in a heartbeat if I had other people to bounce ideas off of and curse at when I fall behind in wordcount.

I need to write another crappy novel!

Sandman · 10-01-2008, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doctor Setebos

The site gets hammered hard between Oct 1 and the end of November. They moved everything to a new server system and host this year and everyone was hoping they would be able to hold out, but it looks like they just can't keep the site operational.

Last year, it was slow as molasses, but at least it worked.

The idea of NaNoWriMo is pretty simple: write a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. That's all there is to it. It averages out to about 1,600 words a day. It sounds simple, but actually getting your butt in gear and doing it is insane. But I have to say, I enjoyed the hell out of it last year. I definitely want to do it again.

What's the average page count we are talking here for 1600 and 50,000 words?

Xerxes · 10-01-2008, 01:18 PM

I'm actually thinking about it. I'm actually thinking about doing a series of short stories that's related to a larger project. Could help flesh out the word.

Doctor Setebos · 10-01-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandman

What's the average page count we are talking here for 1600 and 50,000 words?

I have no idea. I suppose that can differ greatly depending on a great number of variables. Most writers buy, sell, and trade in word counts, not page counts.

Doctor Setebos · 10-01-2008, 01:27 PM

Using some handy text stats functionality I just discovered on Amazon, I find that Old Man's War is 320 pages and 90,556 words. Doing the math, that means that 50,000 words could roughly translate to somewhere in the neighborhood of 176 pages. But obviously, this is not an exact science.

Xerxes · 10-01-2008, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doctor Setebos

Using some handy text stats functionality I just discovered on Amazon, I find that Old Man's War is 320 pages and 90,556 words. Doing the math, that means that 50,000 words could roughly translate to somewhere in the neighborhood of 176 pages. But obviously, this is not an exact science.

Sounds like a novella. :rolleyes:

Correction from wiki:

Quote:

the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000

Doctor Setebos · 10-01-2008, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxes

Sounds like a novella. :rolleyes:

Correction from wiki:

Yeah, technically, 50K is a novel. But it's definitely a short novel. :rolleyes:

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 02:06 PM

Yeah, 50k is a very short novel, and probably not a marketable manuscript. But it's a potentially great start. Of the 3 NaNo efforts I've made, only one is anything better than a really rough draft, but I have a ton of fun every year, regardless of the quality of the final product.

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doctor Setebos

The site gets hammered hard between Oct 1 and the end of November. They moved everything to a new server system and host this year and everyone was hoping they would be able to hold out, but it looks like they just can't keep the site operational.

Last year, it was slow as molasses, but at least it worked.

The NaNo site is experiencing a hardware issue:

Quote:

Originally Posted by NaNoWriMoHQ

It was bound to happen at some point, and what better day than October 1?
As many of you have probably noticed, our sites are down. The error message is showing that the site is currently overloaded, which is false. According to Russ's diagnostics, one of the database's discs failed and took the site down with it.[...]We're installing back-ups and will be running on just one database server instead of two, so things will be slow until we can get both servers working together again.

Sazime · 10-01-2008, 02:14 PM

I think this will be the year I actually start doing it. We'll see how far I get...

Xerxes · 10-01-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crittias

Yeah, 50k is a very short novel, and probably not a marketable manuscript. But it's a potentially great start. Of the 3 NaNo efforts I've made, only one is anything better than a really rough draft, but I have a ton of fun every year, regardless of the quality of the final product.

Is a collection of related short stories a novel. I was just wondering about that.

OUX · 10-01-2008, 02:29 PM

I enjoyed this when I did it before, however, I am already working on a novel.

Crittias · 10-01-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xerxes

Is a collection of related short stories a novel. I was just wondering about that.

I can answer you in a couple of ways. In my personal opinion, if the short stories are connected by some unifying theme, I think it would count. As for whether it counts for NaNoWriMo, that's entirely up to you. No one polices your work, so you can type the word "the" 50,000 times and call it a novel if you want.

Write what you want. Write what works for you. Just use NaNo as a good reason to write A LOT.

10-01-2008, 07:52 AM	#1
Crittias The Professor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,900 Blog Entries: 14	Who's doing NaNo2008? www.nanowrimo.org I'm the Municipal Liaison for my town (Lawrence, KS) this year. It'll be my fourth NaNo. Anyone else participating?

10-01-2008, 08:28 AM	#2
TurboKinny TyphoidKinny Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Baltimore Posts: 822 Blog Entries: 9	If I wasn't trying to read 1,500 pages a week for school, I would be. __________________ GamerTag: TurboKinny

10-01-2008, 08:46 AM	#4
Doctor Setebos Splendidly superfluous Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,900 Blog Entries: 10	I would love to. I did it last year and knocked out a really crappy 51,000 word "novel". I'm planning to go back and finish that one and clean it up. Unfortunately--and somewhat ironically--I'm not participating in NaNo this year because I'm actually working on my first real novel. I started in mid-September and I plan to have it completed by the end of the year, at a final goal of around 70,000 words. Depending on how crazy 2009 gets, I'll probably jump back into NaNo then. I loved the experience and going insane with a close-knit group of writers. __________________ Nerdflood \| It's Dangerous to Go Alone! Facebook \| Google+ \| Twitter \| Steam Now Playing: Minecraft \| Terraria PC

10-01-2008, 01:18 PM	#10
Xerxes ONE FUCKING BOX Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: HTX Posts: 20,268 Blog Entries: 8	I'm actually thinking about it. I'm actually thinking about doing a series of short stories that's related to a larger project. Could help flesh out the word. __________________ 360: Xerxes PSN: ArmoredXerxes Bitch, please. I've gone through the alphabet with more girls than a kindergarten teacher. -Ox My life requires busting faggoty assed bitches like yourself in the fucking face. -Zeal the original Game Boy was the size of a VCR -pronounconnoun

10-01-2008, 01:27 PM	#12
Doctor Setebos Splendidly superfluous Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 2,900 Blog Entries: 10	Using some handy text stats functionality I just discovered on Amazon, I find that Old Man's War is 320 pages and 90,556 words. Doing the math, that means that 50,000 words could roughly translate to somewhere in the neighborhood of 176 pages. But obviously, this is not an exact science. __________________ Nerdflood \| It's Dangerous to Go Alone! Facebook \| Google+ \| Twitter \| Steam Now Playing: Minecraft \| Terraria PC

10-01-2008, 11:29 AM	#6
Sandman Libratorr Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Almost Florida Posts: 6,079 Blog Entries: 3	What are the specifics? The site is getting hammered it seems.

10-01-2008, 12:33 PM	#8
PlusOne Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 22	I'd love to do NaNo again... the first and only time I completed it was in 2002 (yikes, I hadn't realized it's been so long) but I was looking for a job so I had a lot of free time on my hands. I tried again in 03 and 04, but juggling the writing with work and social obligations was too much to handle. I know I'm an unknown here, but I'd sign up in a heartbeat if I had other people to bounce ideas off of and curse at when I fall behind in wordcount. I need to write another crappy novel!

10-01-2008, 02:06 PM	#15
Crittias The Professor Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: College Station, TX Posts: 2,900 Blog Entries: 14	Yeah, 50k is a very short novel, and probably not a marketable manuscript. But it's a potentially great start. Of the 3 NaNo efforts I've made, only one is anything better than a really rough draft, but I have a ton of fun every year, regardless of the quality of the final product.

10-01-2008, 02:14 PM	#17
Sazime Laurel for Dictator Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Novato, CA Posts: 1,151 Blog Entries: 2	I think this will be the year I actually start doing it. We'll see how far I get...

10-01-2008, 02:29 PM	#19
OUX Venn Master Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1,920 Blog Entries: 1	I enjoyed this when I did it before, however, I am already working on a novel.

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