IT IS ALMOST TIME.
The time when we open the gates and human and novel run through the city streets, goring the unsuspecting while crushing the cobblestone beneath their stampeding hooves and feet —
Or, uh, something like that.
It’s NaNoWriMo — or one week from it.
National Novel Writing Month, for the uninitiated.
So, my question is:
Who has done it before?
How’d it go? What are your thoughts about it?
And then:
Who’s doing it this year? What are you planning to write?
ANSWER IF YOU DARE.
*thunder of hooves*
Amelia says:
I’m using Nano this year to complete several open projects. I just can’t make myself start something new until I get at least a few of the short stories completed and the books from last year finalized. So each day of November will be WRITING.
October 26, 2015 — 8:19 AM
conniejjasperson says:
Well…since you ask–I will be writing as many short stories as I can churn out over the course of November. I need to build my backlist. I have made my list of prompts, 100 word drabbles that that could be expanded into short stories. Love November–the one month I can devote to writing and no one can stop me!
October 26, 2015 — 8:22 AM
Katy Mann says:
Hi. This will be my 3rd year doing NaNoWriMo.
I completed the 50K word challenge last year. I found it really helped to have a chapter list. Not so much a formal outline, but a possible chapter list. You can go off of the list if the novel takes an unexpected turn, but that list helps near the end of the month when you show up at a write-in exhausted.
Write-ins really help. Word wars help.
I hadn’t thought of writing as a social activity before NaNoWriMo. But now, sometimes I think, if I had some place to go, I could really get cranking.
And the word wars can unblock anything and let the words just flow.
So my hints: try a chapter list, if not an outline, as something to fall back on. And go to a write-in. Really.
October 26, 2015 — 8:22 AM
Nellie says:
The past few years, I don’t think I would have finished if it hadn’t been for write ins and word sprints.
October 26, 2015 — 8:25 AM
Coco says:
Thanks for the chapter list tip–it made me say Bingo! when I read it.
October 26, 2015 — 8:55 AM
Nellie says:
Last year was okay. Worked on two different short stories that are still in the work. I thought I would try to write some pulp stories and am trying to look up if there is a certain format to use. A friend said he read the Doc Savage pulp novels. So I’m looking up to see if I can find one to use as a guide.
Not sure how well this is going to go. Looking through Pinterest, people have shared the racier side of the pulp novel.
October 26, 2015 — 8:24 AM
Gareth Skarka says:
Nellie —
Lester Dent, the creator of Doc Savage, had a master plot formula (which I used as the basis for a pulp-adventure generation system for a role-playing game) — details on the formula can be found here:
http://hunterswritings.com/2013/11/18/lester-dents-6000-word-master-short-fiction-plot-now-with-scrivener-template/
October 26, 2015 — 8:36 AM
Nellie says:
Awesome. Thanks so much, Gareth.
October 26, 2015 — 8:40 AM
JT Lawrence says:
I’ve finished 2 novels and 2 non-fics during previous Nanowrimos. I think it’s an excellent tool to get the words down. This year I’ve signed up to finish my current WIP, ‘Grey Magic’. I’m currently 20,000 words in and I’m aiming to get to 60,000. I can’t imagine it’s possible, but that is what I think every year.
October 26, 2015 — 8:24 AM
AA Payson says:
This will be my first time (BE GENTLE).
I’m planning on fleshing out a story I first proposed in your Elevator Pitch post a little while ago.
October 26, 2015 — 8:29 AM
StarNinja says:
*Lights candle as soft jazz music plays*
“First time eh? Don’t worry. Sit back and relax. This is going to be lots of fun.”
*Cut to December 1st*
“Oh god. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry! No, please don’t cry. I didn’t think it was going to be so…. oh jeez, word murder everywhere. All over the walls. Here let me sweep some of these cut paragraphs off the sheets. It’s not your fault, really. This happens all the time. Trust me, it only gets better. Is… is that a pen monkey on the ceiling? When did that get there? Shoo! No not the eyes!”
AHEM. Anyways. It’ll be my first time as well. Hopefully everything goes smoothly 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 12:43 PM
Nellie says:
I am thankful for not having a beverage in my mouth when reading this. XD
October 26, 2015 — 1:05 PM
AA Payson says:
…aaaaand clicking “Follow”…
November 1, 2015 — 4:11 PM
Dave Higgins says:
I’ve done it before and won.
It was the first novel length draft I completed, so was one of the strongest pieces of evidence I had that I could write a novel rather than only shorter pieces. So, I think it can be helpful for people who haven’t already completed novel length drafts.
I no longer participate, as my process is based on consistently spending time advancing work to publication rather than hitting a word-count target for a first draft.
October 26, 2015 — 8:30 AM
Kelly Jensen says:
I’ve done it before. I finished a novel once, but never did anything with it. Other years, I’ve been too busy meeting other writing deadlines to make time for a NaNo project. I still participate, but only as a way to put words down on whatever project is currently poking me.
October 26, 2015 — 8:31 AM
Jacque Burke says:
I’ve been doing NaNo every year since 2011 when my friend made me start it on November 1st-the day it started. Never even heard of it before. Talk about being a Patser!
Since then I’ve done it successfully every year, and this is my second year as the Municipal Liaison for our region. So October is all ramp up and cheerleading, Nov is all writing and crying. Lol.
I do plan to participate this year, as a NaNo rebel however. I’ve been trying to finish my NaNo book from last year, but I decided I could really split my book into two parts, so I’m spending this week trying to write up to the end of part 1 so I can begin part 2 on Nov 1st.
For me, since others are giving tips- I find having several moments to write toward is very helpful. As a pantser at least. If I can know several things that will happen along the way, I don’t necessarily break it down by chapter but make more of a vague timeline and then see what happens.
Also-having a buddy is SO important. This year I’ve paired my local NaNos with a local buddy so they can have someone to bounce ideas on or call for motivation. Yesterday I met with a participant who has been attempting NaNo every year since 2007 but has only had 1 win. I spent probably a good hour asking her questions about her story to help her flesh out her ideas and helping her find some “middle moments” to get her past her usual 25,000 word block.
October 26, 2015 — 8:31 AM
Jacque Burke says:
Also, December will be all about “What next?” My co-ML and I have set dates to help people keep the momentum to write and/or start the editing process 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 8:32 AM
Rebecca Douglass says:
For me, I’ll use however much of December I need to finish the draft (50,000 words is pretty skimpy), then any remaining time to go back to work on the book I’m putting aside to do NaNo. There’s always something, but the one thing I know is: I will not dive right into edits.
October 26, 2015 — 9:18 PM
Nellie says:
That’s a good idea, using the buddy system. Especially if you have any new NaNoers in your region.
October 26, 2015 — 8:41 AM
Sidney Bristol says:
I’ve done it and won every year since ’09. I enjoy spending time with the writers in my area I only see then and there’s something nice about the community of it all. And yes, I’m doing it this year, too. 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 8:33 AM
jnugent74 says:
I’ve done it for five years, winning the last three. I plan on doing so again, though I still don’t know the direction of the novel: futuristic SciFi or medieval fantasy. I think my concept can be easily changed for both, so we’ll see on Nov. 1st which direction I go!
October 26, 2015 — 8:35 AM
todddillard says:
I did it two years ago to force myself to work on a novel I’d been tinkering with for ages. Got about 26k words into it, and hit this brick wall of realization: I had no idea what happened next. Then I ran into a second realization: I had no idea how to structure a novel. So, I took some time off, studied novel structure, and joined again this year with a new novel in the queue.
Disclaimer: I don’t expect to hit 50k. New dad and all. My goals are about 20-25k, an ironed-out novel structure, and something I’m proud of that I feel like might sell. While the milestone of hitting 50k in month is something I want to do someday, it’s the community and spirit of NaNoWriMo that appeals to me the most. (And it’s not like I don’t write as much as I can anyway.)
October 26, 2015 — 8:36 AM
kingpollux says:
So, my question is:
Who has done it before?
Me!
How’d it go? What are your thoughts about it?:
It went GREAT! I was classified as an “overachiever.” (Though IMHO there should be no such category and we should all be allowed to run amuck! haha.)
And then:
Who’s doing it this year? What are you planning to write?:
Oh, a little of this and a little of that… Sci-fi, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy (like my favorite UF author…*nudgenudgewinkwink*
ANSWER IF YOU DARE.
*thunder of hooves*
October 26, 2015 — 8:38 AM
mitziflyte says:
I’ve entered at least five years (can’t remember, I’m old) and completed the 50K+ three times. After November I’ll be rewriting the book from last year. November 1 will find me writing a women’s fiction genre with older hero and heroine.
Last year was the first year I did NaNo since my retirement. I attribute no longer being gainfully employed to my ability to win. While I was working as a VP of Nursing, it was more difficult.
I take my hat off to all parents with or without full time or part time jobs who are doing NaNo and have family responsibilities. Blessings!
For those of us who never had to write to deadline, it’s a great way to get into that groove. It also keeps you “in the story.” You can’t walk away from it if you’re going to make your word count so the story is always uppermost in your mind.
i just gave a presentation about NaNoWriMo to the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and I hope I inspired some to give it a go.
Good luck to all aaaaaaand….
WRITE!
October 26, 2015 — 8:38 AM
Scott says:
Yes, I am. I’m writing the 2nd book in my Gordon Gardner series. I wrote the first one last November. Time to repeat. 50K isn’t necessarily my goal. My goal is a completed manuscript.
October 26, 2015 — 8:39 AM
Karen Emanuelson says:
I “participate” in that I spend more time writing than other times. Last year, I actually decided to really *do* NaNo & wrote something new & different from my usual. It took on a life of its own, became something other than I meant it to be & sucked something fierce. That said, it’s a story I might revisit some time in the future when I need a break from early 6th century Scandinavia.
October 26, 2015 — 8:39 AM
Beth Turnage says:
I participated the past two years, but had RL stuff get in the middle. Last year I was visiting my sister in Colorado and darn it, she insisted on doing “visiting” stuff. Who’da thunk? This year I just had heart surgery and will be recovering so I thought in between moments of oxycodone lucidity I’d slip in a few words. I even made a fancy cover put that up on my NaNoPage. http://nanowrimo.org/participants/bturnage/novels/mindbender-846351
Feel free to friend me if the spirit moves.
October 26, 2015 — 8:39 AM
Lynn C-H (Goth Kitty Lady) says:
Wow, that is a really nice cover, Beth! I added you to my buddy list over there, see you at the races!
October 26, 2015 — 10:07 AM
Beth Turnage says:
Lynn, Hi and thanks! And thanks for adding me as a buddy! Cool!
October 26, 2015 — 10:44 AM
Killerpuppytails says:
Added you, Beth! Thanks for the link and that’s a fun cover 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 2:29 PM
Mary Schenten says:
I have done it and succeeded a couple of years. I have done it and failed a few more times. I have to be in the right frame of mind and have to have a plan for a book or story at least in my head.
I’m not at that point this year so I will be on the side-lines wishing everyone who tries the best of luck.
October 26, 2015 — 8:39 AM
The Daily Assassin (@TDA_Rook) says:
Will be first time for me, using as a way to overcome years of page paralysis. Have an outline for story and some basic character background and character arcs, going to swerve around anything that seems like a roadblock to keep going.
October 26, 2015 — 8:40 AM
Ann Godridge says:
I would never have written my first novel without nanowrimo. It helped with my second too, and I’m about to start on my third. I’ve also used it to write tons of drivel, but so it goes. I don’t entirely follow the rules – my novels end up being around 100 k words anyway, so I might start a bit ahead, but I aim to get fifty thousand new words written in November. It generally takes me around forty thousand words for a project to come alive (explains why I’m rubbish at short stories).
October 26, 2015 — 8:40 AM
marieandreas2014 says:
I’ve done it for 7 years, it helps me gag and bind that damn internal editor ;). I’m doing it this year to get book three of my fantasy series back on track- this series has a bunch of drunken faeries in it and they’ve run amuck with the book. I’ll be spending November ripping control out of their tiny, ale-soaked fingers.
October 26, 2015 — 8:41 AM
sundayjb says:
Misread as ‘ripping out their tiny, ale-soaked fingers’ which seemed harsh, albeit effective…
October 26, 2015 — 8:46 AM
marieandreas2014 says:
LOL!!! A bit twisted, but I agree, it would be effective.
October 26, 2015 — 9:01 AM
Leigh W. Stuart (Surviving Switzerland) says:
First timer here for NaNoWriMo, but I’ve got a couple of book drafts under my belt, so hopefully it will go smoothly. Looking forward to the experience to see if it helps me get the words on paper faster.
October 26, 2015 — 8:41 AM
Melinda Primrose says:
I’ve done NaNo once before in 2013. I won in 16 days.When I went back to reread what I had written, It was baaaaaaaaaaaaad, which discouraged me for quite some time. I’ve spend a good part of the last 2 years learning how to write better and am ready to participate again. I’ll be starting something new on Nov. 1. I’ve got a premise I like a lot and am working on flushing it out. My piece of advice would be to get in some extra words early. That way, if you get stuck, you have a little bit of wiggle room. Also, with Thanksgiving and family commitments in November, I find it a little less stressful to get words early. I’ve never been agle to get out to a write-in and this year doesn’t look any better. But Nano can still be fun if you can’t get out. The forums can be a crazy place in November!
October 26, 2015 — 8:42 AM
Fiona says:
This is my seventh year and wouldn’t miss it for anything. It’s when I feel that I could possibly be a writer, that I be diligent and write every day. I’ve managed to meet the target every year and looking back, I can see a marked improvement in my writing – much credit to Wendig’s ass-kicking.
I love the eclectic people I meet and I hope that one day, one of my creations will be publish-worthy.
October 26, 2015 — 8:42 AM
Fiona says:
Oh and writing…South African history mixed with supernatural. Going to be interesting. Bring on those characters who know where they are going.
October 26, 2015 — 8:43 AM
Denise says:
I tried last year, but didn’t get really far. I am still on the same novel, and now I am at about 40% of my expected word count, and I am determined!!! I want to get this thing finished by the end of the month. Will you be my person who checks in on me? 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 8:42 AM
Ryan Canty says:
First time I’m doing it and I’ll be revising a TV pilot I recently wrote plus coming up with ideas for a short film and a possible webseries. I’m looking forward to doing it!
October 26, 2015 — 8:43 AM
Miriam (@miriamwrites) says:
I’ve done nanowrimo since 2011. Won I think… three or four times? I’ve found it helps with getting the first draft done without worrying so much about how good it is (a fact I’ve yet to get over every other month of the year.)
I’ve done nearly 100k one year, and this year I’m writing about ghosts and demons… I think. Mostly pantsing with little or no outline. I’m aiming for 90k and a mostly finished first draft. I’m aiming to start a series I’ve been planning for about a decade with hopes of publishing something myself by the end of next year.
I also enjoy the social aspects of it, particularly on twitter. It’s great to be able to commiserate with people when your characters decide to make the wrong decision and you’ve written yourself into a corner!
October 26, 2015 — 8:43 AM
Miri says:
Good to see another Miriam in the ranks! I’ll see you on Twitter (I’m over at @SpookyMooseMiri). Best of luck!
October 26, 2015 — 8:50 AM
Miriam (@miriamwrites) says:
Ha. I’ll find you and follow you. Good luck yourself!
October 26, 2015 — 9:03 AM
sundayjb says:
I’ve done NaNo a few times, and ‘won’ half the time. I’m in this year, as there’s a terrible first draft I need to thrash out and it’s a good an excuse as any. I’m optimistic! There’s a group in my city, so I want to try and make some write-ins – without consistent internet (it’s amazing here in the past :/) the motivation from write-ins is important for me.
Okay. I mean the competition from write-ins. Must. Type. Louder!
October 26, 2015 — 8:44 AM
romanowrites says:
I’ve done it three times before with success twice. I plan on doing it this year, but there aren’t any meet ups near me now that I’ve moved so not sure how successful it will be. I plan to start the second book in my new series.
October 26, 2015 — 8:45 AM
Samantha Warren says:
I like NaNo. I’ve been participating since 2009. It helped me complete my first full-length novel, Blood of the Dragon. I actually wrote an article for the Alliance of Independent Authors about why every writer should do NaNo. TLDR is it helps develop the habit of writing every day. 1667 words a day really isn’t that many. Most full-time authors write more than that on a regular basis, so NaNo is a good way to get started if you’re really serious about being a writer.
Also, full-time writers should participate, too. A) You’re likely already meeting that word count, so it doesn’t require anything more from you. B) Some of the rewards at the end are useful. Plus, it’s fun to be part of something so big and exciting, even if you do this on a regular basis. It’s energizing to participate in the forums and see/help the up-and-coming authors reach their goals.
So, yes, I will be participating with my YA dystopian, Zombie Juice.
October 26, 2015 — 8:46 AM
percykerry923 says:
I’ve done it twice before. Won both times. As to my experience, they’re deserving of a different blog post altogether. But yeah, it did feel great.
Planning it this year.
Writing a crime thriller based in Boston, Massachusetts. The story revolves around the murder of a teenage girl, who is the eldest heiress of one of America’s most prominent business families. Her murder relates to a series of serial rape-murders of teenager girls, about a decade back.
October 26, 2015 — 8:46 AM
Miri says:
This’ll be my eleventh year running (and hopefully eleventh win!). To this day I believe that NaNo has been the best thing I’ve done for myself as a writer, and at this point I’m way too stubborn to NOT do it. I’ve just moved to a new state, so I’m hoping I can track down the local group–the camaraderie is really the best part, and I have my first local chapter to thank for so much of the writer I am today (love ya, Mooselings).
That said, I’ve gotten a little burned out on trying to write Big Epic Worldbuilding Extravaganzas, so this year it’s a murder mystery at a night school that my unwitting MC realizes a little late is DEFINITELY just vampires.
I’m psyched! And a little terrified, but mostly psyched. First NaNo as a “grown adult with a full time job,” whatever those words mean.
October 26, 2015 — 8:48 AM
Brittany says:
I signed up for Nano in 2004 (~shakes cane~) but didn’t participate for many years because school and work were too stressful. I’ve been back at it for the last 5 years and have been an ML for 3 of those years.
I love it. Being involved in the Nano community has given me some great friends and opportunities – I encourage everyone to check out what’s going on in their local area or find a tribe on the forums. Having people to push me to write even when I’m at my lowest points in terms of mood and energy is fantastic!
This year I’m planning to both actually plan my novel and to carve out a time of day to write everyday, neither of which I’ve done in the past. I’m really starting to hate trying to write 8k-13k on the last day to make it to 50k, so I’m hoping this will get me going in the right direction.
October 26, 2015 — 8:50 AM
Jessica H says:
This will be my second year, but the first year that I’ll actually get anything done. I self-rejected so hard last time, I don’t think I even got started. But this time is already different; I took a character workshop last fall with Mary Robinette Kowal and got some great vignettes and character studies done, and they all ended up being pretty cohesive. I can’t get the characters out of my head, so I’m planning to try for a novel-length story about them. I’ve only ever tried my hand at short stories and flash fiction, so I’m a little nervous for a lot of reasons.
And of course, I live basically in the middle of nowhere, which is nice usually but it also means that I wasn’t even aware meet-ups were a thing. :/ I did enlist the English chair at the university where I work to keep me accountable – he’s also working on a novel (outside of NaNo, though) so it will be nice to have someone to commiserate with.
October 26, 2015 — 8:50 AM
Katie says:
I did it for five years in a row, and usually came up with the 50k. The last two years I haven’t done it, because I’ve been finishing dissertations with a December due date both times.
I lead a creative writing group at my university, so I’m thinking of seeing if people want to do a half-NaNo and go for 25k. The 50k is a tall order when you have other essays, readings, etc to worry about.
If the other kids are game for it, I’ll probably work on an old cyberpunk project that my friends have been asking me to finish (which is always a good sign!), and that I’ve been secretly dying to get back to.
October 26, 2015 — 8:50 AM
percykerry923 says:
I’ve done it twice before, and won both times. My experiences, largely caffeine-fuelled writing binges, are nevertheless deserving of a blog post.
Doing it this time. Writing a crime thriller based in Boston.
October 26, 2015 — 8:51 AM
percykerry923 says:
Sorry posted again by mistake. Please feel free to delete this comment.
October 26, 2015 — 8:53 AM
lucie says:
I did it last year but I used the time to.outline my novel and do character work. I’m still regularly meeting my writing partner every week. We sit, type, describe the walls we’ re hitting and try not to eat cheesecake. Three more chapters and I’ll have finished my first draft. Woo! This year, I’m using the time to bang out a bad first draft of a screenplay. Then, I’ll be able to address a second draft of my novel.
October 26, 2015 — 8:51 AM
Coco says:
This will be my third year. I’m kinda worried about the timing because I’ve got two classes going on simultaneously, both requiring a good deal of reading and writing on top of all the usual life stuff that I can’t seem to get a grip on, blah blah blah, I’m so busy and all that. Anyway, I’m in, attention-deserving family or not.
October 26, 2015 — 8:52 AM
Kristen R. says:
I have done NanoWriMo for 4 years and have won twice. The feeling is so sweet! I NEED deadlines and pressure to sit my butt in that chair and write. Now that my baby sleeps through the night I plan on doing it again this year (though I am woefully behind on my planning)– I was going to write some sort of sci-fi type thing, but it will probably be changed at the last minute to urban fantasy…
October 26, 2015 — 8:52 AM
Satan (Mel) says:
i’ve done it before once, and got 30,000 words. not terrible. this year it’s probably gonna be a totally new project – maybe erotica? haven’t done that yet.
October 26, 2015 — 8:53 AM
Carolyn says:
I have done Nanowrimo many years, sold one of the novels on the year I actually completed 50k. However it was such work to fix that mess, I decided it wasn’t worth the crazy. But on the other hand, my area is a very good one, Dallas-Fort Worth area, that I participate for the fun of it, for the people. This year I am 60k into my present wip, a new genre for me (YA fantasy) so may even get the rest of it done. So no crazy push for 50k, but yes to enjoying having fun.
October 26, 2015 — 8:53 AM
Steve Turnbull says:
I’ve done it several times. I used to do ScriptFrenzy as well (the screenwriting version) until they canned it. I respond well to deadlines so it’s quite handy for that.
However I’m not doing it this time since it doesn’t fit my writing schedule. (I’ve already written over 300K this year and I’m halfway through a 30K novella.)
October 26, 2015 — 8:53 AM
Susan says:
I participated in Camp NaNo this July (and won, writing my first novel ever). It was possibly the most amazing thing I have ever done!
I am participating again this November, writing a YA retelling of the Cassandra myth. So far, I have a very loose outline for the first half, and absolutely no idea what happens in the second half. I am plantsing.
October 26, 2015 — 8:58 AM
Jo Anne Wilson says:
I am glad that I participated in NaNoWriMo last year and that I “won” (completed the 50,000). I wanted to see if I could do it and I did. But I don’t feel a great affection for what I wrote and, curiously, I have rarely dipped back into what I did write.
I do know that I wouldn’t have completed the month if I were not also part of the a writing support group. NaNoWriMo is really a structured competition, and although there are ways to set up a support system during the month, it is really about word count and “winning”.
And the word count is daunting – on average 1667 words per day, every day. Some days, the best I could do was 750 (and that is still a lot of words) so I had to do marathon sessions to make sure I got to the 50,000 count by the end of the month. There were many days when I wished I were doing something different. But that feeling was offset by acknowledging what I was happy about and finding a way to celebrate what I had accomplished, thus making me less resentful of the NaNoWriMo pace. .
However, I can say that pushing just to get words on page did free me from the constant nag of the editor in my mind. I had to just shut it up if I was going to get the word count in and that practice has helped me in my every day writing.
IHowever, I also discovered, through NaNoWriMo, that I do need to stop and edit from time to time. I thought I was a pantser so NaNoWriMo would be perfect for me – just squeeze it all out and then edit later, but I found that I am only partially a pantser. I can only go so far without some editing and fine-tuning. Without feeling a sense of polish, even although I know there is much more editing to come, I get blocked and the words do not flow as freely. I don’t like writing in an environment where the entire worth of your effort is measured in words. Sometimes writing is not what you need to do. Sometimes it is editing, or thinking, or researching.
I am glad that I met the challenge of NaNoWriMo, but I know that my writing needs more support for all the aspects of a writer’s life not just the word count. I will be trying NaNoWriMo again this year and am feeling more confident that I will find ways to avoid the “tyranny” of the word count – even if it means that I don’t achieve the 50,000 words, but rather use the month to really dedicate myself to writing wherever that takes me.
October 26, 2015 — 8:58 AM
Christine Frost says:
I’ve been participating since 2011. It’s great for just letting the story ramble–let the characters figure each other out, what might happen. Some great gems come out of it, but there’s a ton of dross. The first year I did NaNo, I wrote 54,000 words, and cut all but 6,000 during the editing phase in December. I sometimes “go rogue” and work on novels in progress–to get myself to focus and hit a higher word count. I love the idea of the program, and am thrilled at how successful it is, but it’s not always for me. Case in point: I’m working on my fourth novel now, and nothing can rush this draft of it. It’s been through a ton of revisions and it’s finally on track. I don’t want the arbitrary pressure of NaNo this year. Next year when I start #5? For sure.
October 26, 2015 — 8:58 AM
tambra nicole says:
I’ve done NaNo a couple of times and have won three. Yes, I’m doing it again. I write slow and NaNo helps me crush the inner editor for a little while. The camaraderie is fantastic, too. Even if I don’t make the 50,000 words I got something started. Sometimes the idea is viable and sometimes it isn’t, which I find valuable.
I’m writing my first suspense novel and I’m excited.
Those of you who are afraid to do NaNo don’t be. It’s okay to write a really, really shitty draft. Most everyone’s is anyway which is why we edit. 🙂
October 26, 2015 — 9:03 AM
TIm R. says:
I’ve done this for several years now. Currently, I’m working on an outline to work from.
October 26, 2015 — 9:07 AM
Alexa (@vita_zeta) says:
I did it for two years, with pretty much the same result – trucked along for 30k words and then abruptly lost steam. The second year I kept going even after I missed the finish line because I deeply wanted to finish the story, got to 90k in January and realized the last 60k was completely useless trash and stopped. So NaNo definitely taught me a lot about my process, aiming to write 1600 words a day is definitely helpful, but I need time and space to take a step back and breathe and plan.
I want to do it this year, but I honestly don’t really know what I want to write. I’ve had a couple different ideas rolling around in my head for the past year or so but not one is really stronger than the other (this has honestly but an on-going problem and why I haven’t really been working on anything at all in earnest). I’m also having surgery in November, which means I am going to be spending a lot time on the couch, so good conditions for writing, maybe? Or might be too miserable to even attempt it. *shrugs*
October 26, 2015 — 9:09 AM
Courtney Cantrell says:
I’ve done it 8 times and won it 7. Or maybe it’s 7 times and won 6. Can’t remember. I haven’t done it since 2011 because I went and had a baby, so the NaNo schedule is impossible for me to keep.
All of my six pubbed novels started out as NaNos, so I guess you could say it’s worked well for me in the past. 😉
This year, I won’t be joining in officially, but I’ll be using the YAY WE’RE ALL CUCKOOPANTSBONKERS enthusiasm to jumpstart editing my latest, provided my critique group gets me enough feedback in time.
Yay, NaNoWriMo!
October 26, 2015 — 9:10 AM