We've been talking about it on our local writer group -- It's almost NaNO time!  Who's doing it this year?  Are you plotting?  Getting your story outlines plotted out?  Flexing the fingers to make sure you don't get writer's cramp?

I'm not sure what I'm going to be working on but I'll be writing something!

Hey Lucy!

I would like to write a Western story for my father for Christmas.  I've never written a Western before, I thought it would be a fun use of Nov by trying something new.  My dad has read through all the classics and he's always looking for something new to read.   I'm spending this time doing some research on a decent plot.  (I'm thinking about using history of Yountville as a base for my Western just for kicks.)

If nothing comes to me for the Western, I'm working on my Sci-Fi story I started earlier this month. 

I'm all for teaming up to get through November!  I love how NaNoWriMo does Twitter prompts for speed writing.  That got me through last year big time!

I love the idea of trying a Western! How cool Have you done any plotting yet?

Just followed you on Twitter from my personal account, @lucysilag. I expect to be on Twitter all month!! And here, of course.

Lucy--

I'm thinking the story will be very Louis L'amour-like -- The ex-gunslinger and all that.  Nothing earth shattering but with a historic element using the small town foundation.  My father is always looking for a new Western so I figure this will be a bit of a lark but fun to try something outside my comfort zone.  I've grown up with stories that my family is related to Jessie James....I might use some of his history for my ex-gun....    It's all about practicing the plotting right?   

What is your WIP about?  Is this what you worked on last year?

i'm doing nano for a wip. just signed into my nano account and saw that the project i worked on in 2013 is now the complete novel i have here, finding charlie.

this month, it's in the running with kinndlescout: https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/1ZEZ9K2DLCYOB

@Diana--My NaNo project is the same one I did last year. I have 89K words . . . and still haven't fleshed out all that is happening. I am actually going to try to write 50K new words just to see what else comes out, and then spend the quiet days around Christmas doing a full read through and try to figure out if I am finally done with the first draft.

A Western for your dad is too sweet. Where will it be set?

Katie, that is so cool that FINDING CHARLIE was a Nano project! Proof that Nano works!!

@

katie78 -- My Bay Laurel Tree was my Nano for Nov -- I keep editing it but I have about 12 new beginnings and have put myself into such a tailspin I had to set it aside and rest.  No good ever comes from overmixing the dough.  

@lucy - My thought is for a settler Yountville ala 'The Silverado Squatters: Robert Louis Stevenson' -- although more fictional/re-created characters and gunfights.  But 1850-1880's Winecountry settlers.    There's good roots here to play around with so my family will get a kick out of it.   (Also I might sweet talk my hubby into getting me a tour of Schramsberg winery....you know.../research/. )  

--edited by DianaRoseWilson on 10/21/2015, 3:15 PM--

I will be rewriting sections of last years Nano project, a book of stories behind my songs and art. The last draft is currently posted here. 

http://www.bookcountry.com/Community/discussion/default.aspx?g=posts&t=8589937604

Between November and April and July Camp NanoWriMo's I got the idea to tie it all together with a plot. It just isn't working. I lost my steam on the project and set it aside for a few months to focus on recording. I have since given up on the idea of a cohesive read from beginning to end and am switching to standalone short stories. I will be rewriting some chapters to go along with recordings for EP's I am recording. I also am planning to write some fiction short stories. Some will be based on songs and art. Some will be completely different like sci-fi or fanfiction. I am happy to get more buddies there or here. My nano username is andygetch.

--edited by Andy Getch on 10/22/2015, 10:29 PM--

This will be my first NaNo, and I'm excited - can't wait to get started!

Have my title: First Dig Two Graves

Have my cover.

Have my blurb:

The Chinese proverb goes, "If you plot revenge, first dig two graves."

To everyone who knew them, Nick and Sheryl seemed to be the perfect couple. What's behind closed doors surprises almost everyone.

Remember, when you plan a campaign, it's important to have an exit strategy.

 Now, the waiting is the hard part! Just one more week, though, then let the games begin!

Thanks! I think it's a story with potential - I just have to bring that wallflower out, stand her up and get her to dance! We'll see how that goes.

Ten days of pure "spewage" is the first goal - five thousand words per day to reach the 50k.

Twenty days of cleaning up and editing is the second.

By then, I'll probably be sick of it and will set it aside while I work on one of my many other active projects. I have several nudging in the background, all women's fiction.

EDIT: In fact, here's the link if anyone's interested (even though it's bare - no text, yet):

http://nanowrimo.org/participants/philippa-stirling/novels/first-dig-two-graves

--edited by PhilippaS on 10/25/2015, 8:05 PM--

Ok, I'm a little scared.  

I have decided to toss out everything from my Bay Laurel Tree and write it anew from scratch for my NaNo this year.  I have been wrestling with it for a year and I think it's just time to toss it and try again.

While part of me thinks this is an idiot idea--(150k+ words flushed), -- another part thinks that I've grown as a writer in the past year and I'm holding myself back re-using old scene ideas and plot ideas that just aren't working.  It's a puzzle with pieces that just don't fit anymore.

So--same characters and same idea but--just going to write it new and see what happens.  Worst comes to worst I'll just flush it too and write my Western in Dec. 

Just wanted to share here so someone could hold my hand.  (I'm a big baby.)  Also--is this idea completely crazy?

I'll hold your hand, Diana! And I don't think it's a stupid idea. We grow when writing our first story. Then, once we've written it and learned from it, we go back and think, "Huh, I bet I could make this story flow so much better if I rewrite it." And so we rewrite.

Over and over and over. Until we get to the point where we say, "This is as good as the story's going to get. Tweaking it anymore won't add anything."

I'm still trying to get to that stage with my debut WIP Destiny's Bond.

I'm in!  I'll be writing book 4 (!) of the Glass Bead Mystery series.  Book 3  has been sitting on a dark shelf somewhere in my laptop--festering mostly--written last year during NaNo.  Book 4 is tentatively titled "Off the Beadin' Path."

Here's about as far is I've gotten:

Jax and Tessa go to a camp for bead fanatics on the cold Pacific shores of Northern Washington.  They find some bones--they may be old, or, perhaps they are new? There may be pirate treasure.  There will definitely be silly moments and escapades. There will be some of the usual suspects, except the ones who died in previous novels. Wine and gourmet s'mores will be consumed.

My NaNo name is JanPeac, feel free to add me as a buddy, and post your NaNo name and I'll add you too.

Cheers,

Janice

Yay, Nano! Excited that you all are also doing it!

Diana, do not be afraid. I have done something like what you describe and it was so liberating!

@DianaRose - That's a bold and potentially brilliant step - you're far braver that I have been.

My first series - four books - is sitting, mouldering in the corner because I know the writing, in books one and two in particular, is crap. It was my first ever effort and it's so bad I'm actually afraid to open it and see what's there - particularly book one.

There's some great story in there, some fantastic evocative scene-setting, but it is so over-written it's like a tsunami reaching shore - HUGE and scary.

I hope you can keep what's well done, the hints of your talent emerging, and use it in the new story. Best of luck with that, and with NaNo.

--edited by PhilippaS on 10/31/2015, 2:48 PM--

So far so good, I think.

It's very rough, but I'm up to just over 3,500 as of this morning. More ideas perking, so I'll be at it hard again later today (darn work, anyway!).

EDIT:

Monday was a distraction.

Tuesday sorta back on track.

Wednesday racing to catch up - within about 300 words to be on track again! YeeeHAW!

--edited by PhilippaS on 11/4/2015, 6:24 PM--

Good luck to all involved. I'm cheering from the sidelines!

Never tried it myself because I've always been in the middle of something else when it comes round.

@Lucy - don't slip any further behind!

All the best,

Curtis

I'm doing NaNo for the first time, writing my 5th novel this year as part of a new "just for the love of it" project to distract myself from frustration (see: "this is my 5th novel this year!") I am giving away a full-length, edited novel via my newsletter this month ("Appraised") and the follow up ("Contingent") is my very first NaNo project. They are a paired set of narratives set in the world of real estate in Ann Arbor with a suspenseful twist, featuring a new "gamma male" character who does real estate appraisals part time. Sexy and funny yet not terribly explicit, and, as  I said, designed to help me reclaim the love of creation which I felt myself really losing track of this year. Best of luck to all (I gotta go add some words now). Cheers,

Liz

http://katieorourke.blogspot.com/2015/11/winning.html

--edited by katie78 on 11/8/2015, 1:00 PM--

Friday check in  I'm up 25k words so far and the night is still young.    

How are people doing?  Was the week hard or easy?  Getting into the swing of things? 

I wish every month was a NaNo month. I love Word Sprints.

In case anyone who's awake at the time (given that California is on the ragged edge of the day for most people!) needs a little extra spark, tonight at 8:00 Pacific Time NaNo is being acknowledged by KDFC.com:

THURSDAY: November is NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month! Get out your old Selectric typewriter and listen to two works inspired by great novels and one that was itself an inspiration.

You can listen live as you crank out another few hundred words!