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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 222
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Greetings,
One of the first things I thought of when looking at this subject was National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) that usually takes place in November...
I use month-long challenges in order to get me writing and challenge myself. I find this sort of thing helps me get started on a new project, encourage creativity and let me keep moving forward with my writing.
Do any of you out there (except me...) do this sort of thing on your own in more months than November?
I will be challenging myself to a minimum of 50,000 words in April.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 102
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I do participate in NaNoWriMo most years. But I do it more for the sense of community than for getting words on paper. For myself, I find daily writing goals more effective - sometimes they're word counts, sometimes they are editing or business accomplishment goals.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 8
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I've been dealing with inconsistant word count for quite some time, so I decided to set a different monthly goal. More of a wager really.
I signed a contract saying that if I didn't produce 27,000 words by the end of march, that I would have to donate $200 dollars to an organization I hate. It is marginally working so far, but not that the pressure is mounting, I am finding myself in that chair more often, typing away.
I keep hoping to make 1,000 words a day (minus Sundays) a true habit.
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Joined: 3/12/2011
Posts: 376
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I do NaNo every year. It pushes me. Last years actually sold before the year was out. 
As for other times of the year, until I can retire from my day job, it just takes up too much time for me to commit to more than a few hundred words a day. 
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Joined: 3/14/2011
Posts: 226
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I'm trying to finish the next 70k or so by May, though I'd like to finish by the end of April. I have done NaNo two years now and won the first year. I would have done okay last year, but my dissertation got in the way. I'm sure I actually did write 50k, but it wasn't all for my fiction project. *grin*
So, RJ, I'm with you. I may not do the full 50k, but my competitive spirit will kick in if I have accountability, so it'll get me writing. I'm also following the #1k1hr hashtag on Twitter, with a lot of like-minded people doing writing sprints for an hour. Very motivating!
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 244
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I've thought about doing NaNo. But I've never managed. I was deep in the throes of one novel two years ago (the first time I ever heard of NaNo) and last year I didn't have a project ready. November was also going to be the first month of my second trimester in culinary school so I had that hanging over my head and keeping me from committing to something I knew wouldn't happen.
Maybe this year, if I can get my act together and get a project ready to be written before then. I have so many WiPs hanging around in my grey matter that it's difficult sometimes to pick a project to work on.
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Joined: 4/3/2011
Posts: 66
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I write what I can a day. My problem is my writing A.D.D. I cannot just write one book at a time. I usually have three books up on my bottom bar at a time. I am actually writing on each one at least three times a day. I know major issues right? Well it's how I work. It drives my friends crazy who read my stuff.
I am addicted to writing and it's bad, I rather be doing that than anything else. My husband says I need an intervention post haste.
I am doing Script Frenzy this year and it's fun so far. I will be doing NaNo this year as well.
Hopefully it will all work out.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 222
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Nice to see that there are other Nano'ers around. I serve as a ML (One of those region leader people) so if any of you new folks want to hear about the program, I'll be happy to answer any questions.
Have any of you who have participated find that Nanowrimo made a huge difference in how you approach your writing?
Not so much for me, but I write year round as it is.
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Joined: 4/26/2011
Posts: 7
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I have meant to do NaNo for the last three years and something has always prevented me.
I signed up and was ready to go in 2009 and work got in the way. In 2010, I really had no good reason, it's just that somehow everything else got in the way.
I fully intend to make a showing this year and am totally loving the idea of a personal NaNo in the meantime.
This is a subject I was just thinking about while browsing the site. How do I get going?
I've set myself a couple of small goals. I will update my blog daily (work week daily, weekends are usually a wash). I'm hoping it jump starts the novel writing afterwards.
After reading this thread, I think I'll set myself a goal for May. Anyone is welcome to participate with me (and kick me in my virtual hinie if I slack)!
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Joined: 4/27/2011
Posts: 5
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I have participated in NaNoWriMo since 2008. I think that winning NaNo was harder the first year, because I hadn't sat down to write something that large in scale in several years. I focused primarily on short fiction, 10,000 words or less was my mantra. A lot of that was based on the fact that I had two young kids at home. In 2008 though, both of my children were in high school and my husband had no particular need for me to get a job, so when November rolled around, after a very long year of dealing with family obligations and family drama... I sat down in November to write something for myself.
I love my regional NaNo group. Those of us that got together in 2009 put together a Friday night write in that happens every week and if you can't get to the meeting in person, then you can go to the chat room. I love the motivation and the support that group work like this brings to the table. It also builds in a critique group for us that none of us had before... and we all know that odds are good that no one is going to sell publishing rights on anything we produce... but writing is what we do. It is who we are. It's important to give yourself time to be who you are, no matter how old or young... and that was something that I'd forgotten before participating in NaNo for the first time.
This year, I also did Script Frenzy and finished yesterday with exactly 100 pages. Script Frenzy was easy for me, but I can write dialogue in my sleep. I think that learning to write a script for television or film would have been harder than the stage play format that I chose, but it was what I was familiar with, so I went with what was comfortable.
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Joined: 3/13/2011
Posts: 51
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I participated in NaNoWriMo last year, and it was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences of my life. My girlfriend bought me the kit not too long before, and if you've not used it, do so. It comes with stars and a chart, motivational cards, a guide... I loved it, and I wear my winner's tshirt to work. In fact, the result is the book I've uploaded here.
I plan to use the same system next novel, as it worked so well. My only regret is that I finished at 50k, on day 20. Wish I'd kept going, but that's q lesson I've learnt for next time. I find telling people at work helped, too, as being asked for updates on how it was going is really helpful when it comes to staying motivated throughout November.
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