Hello All,

Was just wondering how many of us were doing Nanowrimo 2014?

Obviously since I am asking I am doing it again this year.

The title of my book is "The Earl's New Clothes" and is a regency set historical romance.

Lezli

Hi Lezli!

Your book sounds great. Have you started plotting it? What's the premise?

I think I'm gonna take the Nano plunge again this year . . . hopefully I'll win, but since I came up short last year I am cautious about being overconfident . . .

Lucy

Hi Lucy,

I have been plotting for a while now though I am not finished yet. I will post my synopsis here as soon as I get it done. Of course I have been  procrastinating already but I do have a cover LOL.Posted it on Nanowrimo already. I have arranged for 5 vacation days in the month of November. With my two days off a week I am hoping I have enough time.

 I am a plotter and the writing will go smoothly when I am finished it (still have 7 days to do it!)

Sometimes starting is the hardest first step. The only thing I can say is write to the end, don't stop, don't edit. Just write!

Lezli

Very cool! This weekend I am going to do some Nanoprep. I'm getting good ideas from these threads.

I love the idea of taking time off of work to do Nano . . . maybe next year I will try that, too!

Nanoprep mode. Love it!

I almost have a blurb worked out. Makes me feel positive that I know what my story is about! Any little bit helps to get things going. Next might just be the synopsis....

Lezli

Hi Lucy,

Thanks to nanowrimo I have learned that I am a plotter. So I mull an idea around in my head for a bit. Then I start to do a very general sequence of events. No character development, just a general 'what is going on'. Now as I was doing this I stopped for a bit and wrote a couple of 'interviews' (as James Frey calls them) though only for the minor characters. Then I worked a bit more on the sequence of events as I am not yet ready to write the 'interviews' for my main characters. My goad is that by Monday I will be able to write about my villain. Then I hope to write the rest of my sequence of events then my hero/heroine interviews. The hope is by that time I will know enough about them.

I am finding that my biggest challenge is that I want this to be the first book of a series of four. Because I tend to like more of a 'light thriller' story I have to write this one so that nothing is really a surprise in the last book but so that each book can be understood and read alone.

I was only able to write a blurb because I am already working on the story. There is no way I would have been able to write it before hand. That is probably also why I am not ready to write the synopsis yet. I am just not 100% sure of what id going to happen in my storey even though I tried to sound positive. I know some writers have no problems writing their synopsis before hand, I am just not one of them.

I will work through my blurb a bit tomorrow and maybe actually post it on Sunday. (Trying to commit so that I cannot procrastinate.)

Lezli

Alright Lucy I decided to share sooner rather than later. This does not mean that it might change but for now here goes:

Who knew that stripping away the layers would reveal so much?

Lady Charlotte has a perfect life, wealth and a firm position in society. This is enough to drive a sane woman mad and Charlotte has a firm grasp on reality thanks to her extracurricular activities. When a friend asks her to look into the Earl of Ravensport’s activities she quickly agrees. The impoverished earl always looks a bit threadbare and downtrodden so what on earth could he be up to?  

Charlotte quickly realizes that what he is like when not in the eyes of the Ton is far more interesting and when this investigation pulls them both into the dark underworld of post-war London they quickly learn how well they do as a team. Stripping away Ravensport’s layers and meeting the man beneath lands them both into a situation neither of them expects, love.

I think what I have is more of a blurb, rather like a back blurb rather than a synopsis.

I am still working on my sequence of events. It is hand written as are my character interviews. I will actually not use the puter until Nov 1 when we all go to town.

Now on the bright side Lucy, those pages you have are more than you started with so you are well on your way to completing nano this year

Now what we all have to remember is that what works for one does not work for all. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. It is how we work with them that leads us to our success.

My weakness is pretending that I can be a pantster. I can't no matter how much I try to convince myself that I can. I must write something out as a plotter to the very end. I might not use it but it has to be done.Which is why, I know I have to get this done before Nov 1 because I plan to write full tilt come that day!

Lezli

Haha, Lezli--I love your positive attitude!

Yes, I started to write my thing this weekend as if it were just going to be back cover copy, and then it turned into a big doc with the book's plot, a timeline, a backstory timeline, and then . . . this is was the weirdly fun part . . . I figured out the characters' finances. When I was done I figured it was time for me to go to bed--I was practically moving into this unwritten novel!

Anyway, all day Sunday I felt just swell about the whole thing. Felt great to do so much plotting and planning. Excited for November 1!

--edited by Lucy Silag - Book Country Community Manager on 10/27/2014, 9:34 AM--

<<mental note: must catch up to Lucy as she is doing very well on her nanoprep.....and I am still.....outlining....shesh...jealous. >>

LOL teasing. Actually Lucy that is fantastic! I worked all weekend (my paying job) so I ended up procrastinating a bit...no me? Yes.

I have to go to court today of all things. On my day off. For work. What a pain in the behind when I only have 5 sleeps till Nov 1 and only 5 days to get everything finished that I wanted to get done. I am taking my notepad with me to the courthouse since I will be playing a waiting game. Too bad I don't write contemporaries, I might have been able to get some great first hand knowledge.

That is the thing with writing in general I think. Life has a way of interfering with our writing. The key is to not be frustrated by it, make time for it, even if only a bit of time where and when we can. Anything written is better than nothing written.

Lezli

We are getting closer everyone! It is Wednesday. Only 3 more sleeps (if you are starting during the day) but for those of you staying up all night Friday night to write at midnight....more power to you brave souls.

One of my favorite cartoonists, Walt Kelly of Pogo fame (showing my age here) once said "We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities." For me, Nanowrimo is such. Like a mountain that must be climbed, November has become my month to scribe a first draft; and this upcoming Saturday will be no different.

The plan, always subject to change, is to pull the sequel to last year's Nano book (Apple Pie Alibi) out of the Underwood by 11:59pm on November 30th. Then to give it a rest, I'll spend December revising last year's novel. January '15? Revisions to this year's novel begin.

So in a few days I will start "The Milk Chocolate Murders."  But first, I need to buy more coffee.

That's a given.

Good luck, everyone!

I too will be taking the NaNo plunge for the third year.  This year, however, I won't be winning (unless some miracle pixie sprinkles time slowing dust on me).  My goal this year will simply be to get SOME words done.  Last two years were extremely successful though, so that's something to be proud of!  Always a great time madly being creative with a group of people.

Good luck everyone!

I'll be doing NaNo again this year and using the same strategy as in 2011/12/13.  I already have the files created and outlines for all the chapters/scenes.  If I start stalling out on one scene,  I'll skip to another and keep going. 

Lucy, please do NaNo again! One thing I hate about it is the winning part. Any writing done during NaNoWriMo is a win because a writer grows with every paragraph.

Janet--that is awesome!

@Danielle--thank you for the encouragement. I am definitely doing the NaNo again this year. I got started this weekend and I am excited about doing it for the rest of the month. I feel like this is a year where I NEED to do NaNo!

Day three: 5003 words. 

 NaNo, for me, always has three major 'walls' to overcome. 

 First comes the 'This is dumb, I should quit with some semblance of dignity before anyone else reads this drivel' stage. 

 Second is the 'Aw man, I can't keep this pace up for a whole month' phase. 

 And lastly is the 'I don't feel like writing today, I can make up my count tomorrow' stage.

The good news is, today I bashed through that first wall!  I find it helps to acknowledge that some aspects of my story are indeed dumb and will work themselves out later. Gotta beat that inner editor into submission for the next four weeks.  I'll let him up for air when I'm good and ready, just not now.

Anybody else fighting similar NaNo demons?

All days are not created equal.

I have been seeing many people (Twitter) saying I failed, I didn't do it, I am behind. We need to give ourselves a break! All days are not created equal. Some days might be 500 (awesome) some might be 5000 (totally awesome) but at the end of it we should always feel proud of ourselves for doing any of it.

My sister who is amazing at everything she does said to me 'oh when I retire I could probably write a book.' So I am going to challenge her to nano next year. Those who have not tried think that it is easy (like my sister). What we do is hard darn it. Taking those voices out of our heads (very personal place btw) and sticking them down on paper and expecting them to be exactly like what was in our head.

We are crazy that is true.  But at the end of the day, we are happy, excited and have a feeling of accomplishment that is deserved, one word at a time.

lezli

Day four found me sliding back again, only 1,260 words, leaving me about a full day behind. It is what it is.  But I like how its going, and that's even a better prize than words, of course.  Still so many details to be worked out.  I know, this isn't the time for getting bogged down in details, but sometimes I can't help myself. 

Hope you are all experiencing productivity. 

@Atthys I'm glad you like where it is going.  1,260 words is still great!

I've been getting sidetracked by researching things about my main character's culture for my short story. Paul's from St. Maarten, and it's hard to write dialogue for your character when you really don't know how the language will flow (he speaks a mixture of Dutch and English). I did find out that St. Maarten/St. Martin is owned by both France and Netherlands. That could be interesting to put into the plot!

I had fun doodling an online profile for him using Lisa Curie's prompts on the Book Country blog. You can download the same prompt as well. Doing this prompt helped me get in the mind of a 55- year old man!

--edited by Janet Umenta, Book Country Assistant on 11/5/2014, 11:49 AM--

Okay - here's a problem I have encounter each time I do Nanowrimo: I always hear the siren's call beckoning me to reread what I have already written, and then I heed the klaxon of editing afterward. Don't fall into the trap! And don't worry about me, save yourself!! I have found myself twice in such a quagmire - and this is just the first week!

Thankfully, my outline has helped me regroup and focus on what is coming next in the story. I had to slog a few extra hours away from the family this evening, but my word count is back on track at 8,658, a few hundred ahead of schedule.

For those attempting the challenge - keep going. Don't stop. Whatever you end up with on November 30th will be more than what you would have if you just quit.

Take a break. Take a breath. (Take a drink?) Okay - get back to it!

DJ

Aaaaaack! Stuck at 15,000 words! Need help! (ok, ok, breathe....) If anyone can spare a few minutes, I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts on my NaNo WIP:

--edited by Voran on 11/12/2014, 2:23 PM--

Voran, I haven't had a chance to read your work, but noticed you already had a very nice, and constructively detailed critique. I think you are onto something good from the way it looks there. I am hoping you have moved beyond 15,000 words, but if not - here is something to think about that may help you move forward.

You have a main character on a mission. An ancient warrior has been awakened to help with that mission but does not seem to want to be involved. This has all the signs of being what we call a monomyth, or Hero's Journey.  Check out the link below to find out more about the parts involved with this type of story. Questions will be asked, and as you answer them your story progresses. If you want to put the Hero's Journey into a more modern setting, think of it in terms of Star Wars, especially the first movie made.

Hopefully this will awaken the muse you desire. Best of luck on your story. I look forward to reading it!

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomyth

--edited by D J Lutz on 11/14/2014, 1:40 PM--

So Vogan hit a bit of a snag but now seems to have it figured out.

How is everyone else doing on the NaNoWriMo

lezli

As for word count, about on schedule here; closing in on 30000 words. 

As for content, though, I'm pretty sure that the editor's axe will claim a depressing percentage of those words.  Ah well, c'est la NaNo.

Still having all sorts of fun though.  There's a unique feeling to NaNo that just can't be duplicated at any other time.  The characters just feel more alive and vibrant, almost as if they're doing their own thing and I'm just an outside observer.  Good stuff!

For the record, I'm already too far behind to catch up. (No, I'm not going to have sudden flurry of 4,000 word days. I'm really not.) Halfway through the month and I'm only at 15,000 words.  But I'm happy with it.  And I've worked out some bugs that, had I kept plowing through, would have come back to haunt me eventually. 

It has been harder than last year, for a number of reasons. So, I'm giving myself a double NaNo mulligan. I'm aiming for 50- 60 K by the end of the year.  Those of you who, like me, haven't been keeping up, it IS okay, you know. Just keep working.  In the end, it won't matter at all.  But, to those of you who are on track, cheers and kudos! Keep on keeping on, folks.