I'm sure that many of you here have done or tried NaNoWriMo once before, or even more than once before. I wanted to ask others what you've written, and what you're going to write now. If you haven't written anything for the challenge before, what are you going to write? Do you have any idea what genre you're going into? Or are you just going to roll with whatever is on your mind when the first rolls around? I also wanted this thread to be a bit of an ice breaker for those of you who don't want to make your own thread or would rather speak to others here first before doing so. That's what I did just a few moment's ago ^^;

Here's a list of the works of done the last few November's. Who know's, maybe I'll come back to them and post them here some day.

1. Explosive Pumpkins (2010)

A band called the Explosive Pumpkins gets sucked into a very Halloween like world and have to find their way back home. Some are lost, some go crazy, and some simply don't want to go. 

I can tell you right now that is my least favorite to look back on. I got 10,000 words plus in, and I didn't even move my characters out of their hang out. I love looking back at it to see how far I've progressed, but I don't do it out of fondness. Take note, if you attempt NaNoWriMo, don't spend forever doing one thing, like explaining plot or characters back stories. Write a few things in about whatever here and there and move on, so you don't spend forever in the same place.

2. Counting Sheep (2011)

Counting Sheep was a story about a group of aliens who came to earth, the first group ever to come to earth. Before the story, they'd helped humans advance in their technology and medicine, and now, when the story begins, a family of them move to earth in the first year of the species given clearance to do so. 

The story focuses on the son of the alien family, and the son of a human family, and their relationship as the world grows and adjusts to the aliens coming to earth. 

This is one of those cases of over planning things. After my attempt in 2010, I sat down and planned out characters, plot, setting, everything. When I finally sat down to write, I didn't get anywhere. At all. I deleted everything I wrote soon after I typed it since it wasn't good enough in my eyes. Another note, don't make things perfect. Make as much sense as you can with your work at points, write on with no regrets, then edit later.

3. Hunger (2012)

A priest moves into a new town, having gone through a lot of trouble in the last church he was servicing in. He gets used to the old fashioned small town soon enough, but is eventually greeted by a legend of a monster that lived in his new home. After a while, he begins hearing things he shouldn't within the house, footsteps and whispers from another, when he's all alone in the night. One day, he's comes across the beast in his kitchen, and begins to wonder just how these legends came to be.

It's a story about a man who struggles to either be true to his faith, or be true to his morality, and the monster he ends up forming a bond with. 

I had a very odd, yet very fun time writing this one. I only got 8000 words in, but my pacing was perfect and my plot was set up well. I planned out the basics, and only the basics, leaving room to develop everything as I went on, which was great to progress my word count. I was lazy with this one though, writing half of my efforts in a book (since I could carry it around more easily) and the other half on my computer (in a time before I used googledocs). I still love looking back on it, since it was so, so cool being able to research what a person has to go through to be a priest, and although I don't care for Christianity or Catholicism at all (besides in some movies), it was cool developing him and kind of stepping into his life here and there, thinking up ways for the story to tear at his more religious side. Considering the story was a M/M (Male/Male Relationship) story, I kind of wish I would have gone just a little further with it to play around with that dynamic. It would have been glorious.

This year, I was originally planning on doing a novel called, "Edgar and Nathaniel," which was a M/M, teen romance. At first, I was very interested in it, and I wrote and wrote chapter plans until I had to go to bed. However, I left it alone for too long and lost my drive for it, especially since I had finished the book that had inspired it as I was writing. After thinking about it again and again, I decided to write a fantasy novel about this browser based rpg character I created a while back. Since I'm reading game of thrones (and since the main characters name is based off the summer snows of George R.R Martins Known World, one of the very things that drove him to write A Song of Ice and Fire), it fits my mood. It's something I can really throw myself into, and with NaNoWriMo, you HAVE to be able to do that, especially when you live a life nearly constantly on the go as I do. I have two more days to decide on my plot, another character or two, hunt down two specific ebooks and possibly a certain movie for inspiration, and decide, for certain, whether I'm going to write this thing in a notebook, or online.

Anyway, I can't wait to meet some of you, as many as I can, and I hope we can all inspire each other to move on in this challenge as the month rolls by. Wish me luck! I'll be rooting for you!

--edited by BohemianStarlight on 10/30/2013, 12:12 AM--

Hi Malea!

So glad you came over here to post about what you are working on, and what you HAVE worked on! Thanks for introducing yourself, too.

I just sent you a PM with some links to check out as you are looking around Book Country, but it seems like you are already very much on your way to finding your way around!

Let's definitely use this thread as a place for more folks to announce what they've done in Nanos past, and how that affects what they're planning on writing this year. Fantastic idea!

Thanks for the icebreaker, Malea!

And welcome!!!

Lucy Silag

Book Country Community and Engagement Manager

Hi Malea,

I loved all your book ideas, and I hope you do find a way to finish them someday. This is my first year doing NaNoWriMo, so I don't have any projects from past years. But the book I'm hoping to write this year is an idea I had about 3 years ago when I moved to Panama. I had planned to write while I was there and I never did get anywhere on that particular book. So I dug out my notes and made some new notes and I'm committed to writing it this time! I'm planning to make it a young adult novel, which is a genre I've never written before. But it seems to be the big thing now. The story is about a girl who is nearly 17 and she accidentally goes through a time rift and finds herself 50 years in the future. There is a big compound run by the government for accidental time travelers, but of course we find out that the government has a lot to do with these "accidents". I feel like I haven't done enough planning for this book, but I'm afraid to plan too much. I tend to let the story and characters evolve as I write about them. There are too many variables right now as far as which direction the story can go. And it occurs to me that this might be a 2 book series. I wrote a novel about 10 years ago which never got published and I want to edit it and change it into a young adult novel as well. But when I wrote that book, there were character developments and plot twists I swear I didn't know about until I was writing it down! I constantly surprised myself; it was the weirdest thing. I am hoping to have that experience again since I'll be immersed in this book for 30 days. Anyway, thank you for sharing your past novels and I truly wish you well. For some reason I feel really positive about you getting a book done in November. Good luck!!

Isabell

Hello, Malea.  Thanks so much for starting this thread.

This is my first time participating in NaNoWriMo and I am totally Psyched for it.  I have been trying to finish this story/book for my daughter since before she was born - please don't ask how old she is now, it's a little embarrassing.  Her name is my main character's name - Cathana.  I created it for the short story I was working on when she came into my life.  It is a fantasy story and in my story, well, animals do the talking - think Disney.  Yeah, I know I'm dreaming, but that is allowed right?

Well, this past summer, I taught myself how to draw and was finally able to "see" some of the scenes in my story, which is kind of cool, I think.  I've been working on putting in a notebook's worth of info, characterizations, etc. since last month and am finally ready to bring it all together.  Even if the only person who reads it and enjoys it, is her, it will be a month well spent.  After all, I've had this story and these characters running around in my head for way to long - they need to find a more permanent home.

Good Luck this year Everyone!

Blessings and Peace,

Bren

Thank you so much Isabell, if I ever go back to my older works I'll be sure to post a link somewhere. Also, good luck to you as well with your nanowrimo, your idea is so cool! I was introduced to Doctor Who last year, so I'm very interested in time travel currently. If you ever post it here on the site I'd love to read it. 

Also, I know, characters just take on a life of their own, and they can change the story in the oddest way. My MC's mother for instance was supposed to be completely kind. I went to write her dialogue as such and she just gained this blunt side to her that just threw me off completely with her. It helped me progress further in the story though, raising my word count and helping me climb in my word count, but still, it was a bit of a shock. I'm sure you'll be able to get into that experience again.

Now that we're a few days into the month, how's your novel been coming along so far?

--edited by BohemianStarlight on 11/3/2013, 10:18 AM--

That sounds absolutely wonderful, it really does, Bren. 

I hope you're able to reach your goal and finish the book, since it sounds pretty cool. It's been a while since I've read a book with talking animals, I've been wanting to but I haven't went actively searching. If you finish it, you should post it here, since I'm sure people would love it, just as I'm sure your daughter will.

Good luck, and best wishes!

Malea

Hey BohoStar,

I am clicking along with the novel and I am just past 6000 words. I hope to get a couple thousand in still today and tonight, but I am amazed at how easy it is to sabotage myself. I keep stopping to watch movies, or suddenly I feel like cleaning (cleaning is something I never feel like doing normally), and I am finding any excuse to take breaks. I am scared of getting to a point in the story where I don't know what to do. And I know from experience I'll have several points like that, but I promised myself I'd win this NaNo so I'm intent on doing it. I learned that it's hopeless to write in the morning. I write better at night, in fact late at night. But like the last time I wrote a novel, I'm waking up in the middle of the night with ideas and I can't get to sleep until I write them down.

How are you doing with yours? Will you post the finished novel on this site? I will if you will.

Isabell

 Hi, Malea, Bohemian Starlight. Thanks for starting this thread! 

I first participated in NaNoWriMo in 2010 and won with my book Blackwater Creek. It's over 60K words and will be an eBook ready to go very soon. When the editor and designer finish formatting it will be distributed to various vendors, such as B&N, Amazon, etc.

As of now, I'm working on the 2nd book in that series for this years NaNo, called Blackwater Nights.

During the careful process and outlining of this book, another character from another location, age, time period, etc popped into my head, stomped her foot and demanded that I tell her story.

So.... while preparing for book 1's publication and writing book 2, suddenly book 3 unrelated jumps up and starts working my nerves. Lots to do this month! 

Thanks for this thread, I love your idea about the priest, very intriguing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello I'm Gretchen and I'm working on a first book of a series that I call Arcane. The first book is basically a story (set in the future) were this witch girl named Christie, a human boy named Will, and some robots have to fight against the forces of "Simon", an enigmatic creature the looks like "an aardvark's head on a thin guy's body"

The idea for the story (roughly) has been in my head since I was twelve and I gave up my weeaboo phase, I stopped drawing anatomy-less big eyed beings and (at first) attempted a JTHM style, at first I only had Christie. She came from me doodling my do-it-yourself diary of a wimpy kid, I guess I just intended a random lady but Christie came out and she's been a character in my mind ever since.

Hi Gretchen,

Your story idea sounds really unique! I always find it surprising when fictional characters just come up and introduce themselves to us. I have had that same sort of thing happen. I hope that when you're done with the first book in the series you will post it on this site for us to read. Will this be a YA novel?

Isabell

Hi Gretchen!

Welcome to Book Country. Thank you for posting about your work and introducing yourself! It's lovely to have you here.

How's the Nano going for you?

I am about to send you a connection request so we can be in touch directly here on the site.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you need anything as you navigate the wide world of Book Country. That's what I am here for!

Lucy Silag

Book Country Community and Engagement Manager

--edited by Lucy Silag on 11/19/2013, 9:21 AM--

Also: hello, ENLove! Glad to have you here as well, and sending you a connection request right now, too!

Lucy

Hi @txnursie!

I somehow missed your post--I am so sorry about that. Anyway, welcome to Book Country, and thanks for posting here!

I checked out your Book Country profile and I was so excited to see that you are a Philippa Gregory fan. ME TOO! What's your favorite one? I loved THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL and THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE.

I actually recently saw a production of Shakespeare's Richard III, and I realized that the reason I could follow along with it so well was because I had read THE WHITE QUEEN, LOL.

Looking forward to finding out more about your books and writing. I saw your book MADELEINE is posted here--is that a Nano project?

Anyway, sending you a connection request so that we can be in touch on the site. Very glad to have you here, and please let me know if I can help you with anything as you find your way around!

Lucy Silag

Book Country Community and Engagement Manager

I am a very private person.  I think that I am dull.  You seem so excited and full of life and expectation.  I am not very social.  I don't have any close friends except for my partner.  I am 60 years old and he is 26 imagine that. 

I was one of the "abused".  I have suffer every kind of abuse there is.  I was delayed in my maturity which is why I am in the relationship that I am in.  I had to go stark raving mad and meet Aliens before I could start growing.  It's taken me forever to catch up. 

Before all of the abuse I was very imaginative, creative, and full of life.  I was a straight "A" student before things got crazy.  I started to realize that things were crazy when I was 8 years old.

I started reading before I went to school.  Well it was really memorizing every book that was read to me.

I am a teacher and have taught all of my life.  I love language and words.  One day I realized that I could effectively write my thoughts down.  This was while I was at the brink of insanity. 

Love is what I want to write about. 

 It so healing for me. 

 I have a vast void in my mind where love should be. 

I put on love like I put on a garment

and take it off you see,

but love's no permanent fixture,

It never last for me.

    My name is Lisa Adams, and my tag, Basil Lee, is one of my favorite F. Scott Fitzgerald characters. The short story: "Basil Lee and the Scandal Detectives" is hilarious.

    This was my second nanowrimo. I resolved to write a novel this time, no excuses - I even rescheduled a trial for it last month.I had NO idea what it would be about when I started. On the last day, I wrote 14,992 words. I literally wrote the book in about the last 5 days of the event. I was at 8,000-odd words after mid-month and applied the Nike principle: Just do it.

    The novel is titled, "Tea with Henry." It is a very quirky story. The premise: what would a Renaissance historian from the modern world do if she met the ghost of Henry VIII during a haunted tour of England? What would they talk about? Would they find any common ground and would she listen to what he had to say? How would they relate as man and woman? Then, what happens if they fall in love? Finally, what would happen if his deceased wives were none too pleased with the idea of Henry's latest choice of paramour? How does Amelia (my protagonist) get rid of the competition?

    I am a Renaissance and medieval historian, but I became an attorney also. Ironically, I know more about Francois I than his nemesis, Henry VIII. I love the subject time periods so much that I learned to speak and read Renaissance French, Italian and English. The story explores how people communicate and the inherent bias this century exhibits toward all things from the distant past. "Tea with Henry" gives Henry VIII the chance to tell his side of the story. It also crosses over into the paranormal side of how people communicate, say, in the dream time.

    I thought about making this a romance, but I decided against it in the end. I am toying with changing the ending from a happy one to one that is darker. I still have lots of work to do, but it is complete at 54255 words....and when I finished at 1:30 a.m. on November 29, I did a happy dance and howled with our 5 dogs. It was an AWESOME feeling!

    All I could say was, "I DID it!" Huzzah to all who tried and all who made it!

--edited by Basil Lee on 12/8/2013, 7:13 PM--

Nevena

BC coordinator

Hi, Nevena

No I have not read that book...yet...but now I definitely will.

Lisa