Hatrack River Forum: New column: Novel-writing without a net

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Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

Novel-writing without a net

You've seen the calendar. You've felt the familiar, tingly, anticipatory dread. Soon you'll need every ounce of energy, courage and on-your-feet creativity you can muster lest you be overwhelmed and sucked into the madness of despair.

That's right, National Novel Writing Month is coming fast, and woe unto the writer caught unawares!

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is, as everyone knows, the annual assault on the dignity of literature wherein would-be authors strive to extrude 50,000 words in 30 days, rain or shine.

Begun in 1999 when writer Chris Baty convinced 20 hapless friends to get over the psychological fear of writing a book by whomping out something that at least looked like one, NaNoWriMo demands all-out, verbs-to-the-wall writing without time to edit or second-guess. Writers who traditionally get stuck creating The Perfect First Sentence find themselves discovering the heady joys of spewing thoughts out in an exhilarating rush, like champagne from a paint mixer, with similar results.

Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :

Every word of that article, chris, is not only funny, but so true.

I'm seriously considering changing my protagonist to a Viking now. Thanks for the tip.

Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

Last year I seriously considered, along about the 3rd week, making my protagonist a Hatrack member so I could cut n paste entire threads into my manusscript...

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Cheater!

Um, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. *snickers*

Posted by Enigmatic (Member # 7785) on :

The bit about the viking dialogue makes me wonder if Homer wrote the Illiad in November.

--Enigmatic

Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :

I'm convinced Charles Dickens was a WriMo.

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

I've never WriMoed before.

Next year, next year. Yeah, they'll believe that.

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

You want to join us this year. You know you do. [Big Grin]

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

It's already halfway over. I don't think so.

Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :

Stop it, Chris, stop it. I'm going to quit reading your posts. First you got me hooked on Firefly. And now you are seriously tempting me to embark upon a month of insanity.

(seriously, though, what a cool idea, never heard of it before!)

Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :

Chris, I'm not a writer at ALL, but that column had me spewing soda out my nose it was so funny! [ROFL]

Posted by theCrowsWife (Member # 8302) on :

quote:
Originally posted by digging_holes:
It's already halfway over. I don't think so.

It starts in November. Do you have a time machine or something?

--Mel

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

I was wondering the same thing, CrowsWife. [Smile]

Posted by Speed (Member # 5162) on :

He lives on the other side of the International Month Line.

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

quote:
It starts in November. Do you have a time machine or something?

Dang. And here I had this idea that it was in October. Well, I'll just have to think up a new excuse now. Something about work... mumblemumble... not enough time... mumblemumble... I'll think of something and get back to you, alright?

Posted by Olivet (Member # 1104) on :

I'm just going to cut/paste everything I write on Hatrack and Sake and make that count. Oh, and LJ , too. Where I tend to pimp your articles. [Smile]

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

Well, I couldn't think of a good excuse, so I signed up. Whether or not I actually write a single word remains to be seen.

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Yay!!!!! Hooray for signing up!!! Join the madness!!!!

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

See you on November 1st. And may the most rabid one(s) win.

Posted by xtownaga (Member # 7187) on :

quote:
Originally posted by digging_holes:
Well, I couldn't think of a good excuse, so I signed up. Whether or not I actually write a single word remains to be seen.

What he said [Big Grin]

Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :

Still. Cool! [Cool]