posted
Well, Wednesday was good, and I was keeping pace at 20,158 words. But yesterday, not so much. My husband had the day off, so we went on a shopping trip for coats that yielded nothing for the babies. Then the babies developed colds. Then I finished a book instead of catching up on classwork. So I spent my NaNo time catching up on classwork (editing a scene from my fantasy novella to post, critiquing other drafts). It was 10:30pm before I could write, and I realized with dread that my mcs would be exploring one world in depth, instead of hopping to different ones, and I needed a map so I could figure out where they were going!
So now I have a map with features, but still need to name the territories. I had already, before November, done a world-building table, so I know about the society and geography, but needed some names.
I wrote less than 100 words for NaNo yesterday. I'm shooting for more today - rainy and cold should inspire words, so I'm hoping the kidlets just relax quietly today.
I'm not a happy camper, but I'm sure I'll do better today. Hope you all have a productive Friday!
posted
At 20k you're slightly ahead, still, even with taking the day off. At 1667/day, today should end at 20,004 - no worries.
I don't worry too much about naming stuff in the first draft. My piece is full of clever names like "Guard1" and "LameBoyfriend" which I just go through and replace in the rewrite.
posted
It seems like every time I make a positive post something negative happens the next day, keeping me on a roller coaster. I'll finally catch up again and be raring to zoom off into the distance, then something breaks down and I fall behind again.
Last night as I was heading to the computer to write, a migraine came out of nowhere and knocked me out for the count. So I spent the evening in a haze of pain, no room for thoughts of any description much less the ability to work on my novel. I feel fine this morning, (knock on wood) so we'll see how well I do tonight.
posted
All right. You're almost there, only three and a half days to the halfway point.
If you reach 25,000 words before midnight on Monday on the 15th, take a well deserved break.
Everyone is working so hard, it is exciting to see the progress you are making collectively.
And you know, I don't think it matters how long it takes you to write a 50,000 word story, when you get to the halfway point, it can feel a bit like a mid-life crisis! O.K. I'll admit I'm too young to have experienced my own mid-life crisis, but I have experienced the middle of a 50,000 word story and I don't think the analogy is too far off .
I think it was just before the 25,000 mark and then a few chapters after the 25,000 mark that I felt a bit stalled. I knew what needed to happen leading up to the middle and what needed to happen for the end of the story, but the inbetween stuff seemed a bit hazy. It's been a while since I did the actual writing, but I know stopped for a while and had to try sorting things out a bit before I could continue.
I don't know if anyone else has had this type of experience, or if you are experiencing it now with NaNo, BUT if you are, don't panic. You still have lots of time to work through plot twists and characterization. There are times when you need to force yourself to write, but there are other times when you may have to sleep on it for a night. Sometimes if you take a break and work through it in your mind first, sitting down to write it out will be that much easier and yield that much more for both content and word count.
To everyone, have a great weekend and let us know if you make the halfway point by Monday night.
I think your migraine was a mystical way of absorbing the blow to your baby's head. So you get the migraine and she wasn't hurt. Good job!
I rolled off a pingpong table when I was a baby and landed on my head. Nobody was thoughtful enough to get a migraine for me. I still get them myself.
I don't even know why I'm posting on this thread. I'm not doing NaNo. I'm only editing this month. But I'm about 55,000 words through, and hope to hit 81,000 by the end of next week!
posted
Well, made it to 21,091 tonight. I am on track to finish by the end of the month, but I was really hoping to get done early. I'll keep trying to write over quota each day, but either way at least I'm making progress, right? I finally finished the whole murder/sentencing bit. That took me the last several days.
Posts: 818 | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
I shall be on today only sporadically, or more likely not again until late tonight. I will be eager to see how everyone has done today, though, as soon as I can log on. It IS exciting that we are approaching the half-way point!!
I hope the demons of distraction will stay away from one and all this weekend, and you can all concentrate on meeting your goal of 25k for the halfway mark.
I'll be thinking of each and every one of you today while I am cooking my heart out for a local gathering. Keep up the absolutely splendid job you have all been doing!!
posted
I'm also doing the Half-Way-Happy-Dance at 25, 418!!!
Thanks for the support people sent me - it helped. I hosted a write-in at the local Borders, so six of us wrote and drank coffee and snacked in companionable competition.
posted
By gosh you all make me proud to be a part of this group! And I certainly now want to participate next year. You are doing so splendidly, every one of you!
Those who are not yet to the halfway point, no worries, you've all day today to accomplish that. I KNOW you can do it!!
I'll be holding my breath (figuratively, at least) waiting to hear reports from the rest of you, hopefully tonight!
You can do it, you can do it, you can do it, you can do it!
posted
Looks like I've clocked in at 31008 for the end of the weekend and the end of week two. Apparently at least one day a weekend, I do a light day. That's been just how it's worked out, but probably a good idea to keep burnout at bay.
Congrats to all those hitting the half-way mark *Happy Dance with you*
posted
Well, I feel like I am dropping a bit behind. Didn't even make 1k yesterday; the wee one woke and put paid to any plans I had. Argh. But I'm optimistic and working on it tonight.
I've had a bit of a disturbing revelation; my plot isn't really long enough, or I'm not fleshing it out enough, or something. So I've decided to create a handful of new characters on a parallel plotline that travels throughout the novel, until they connect with each other past the halfway point.
This makes me quite nervous because the idea that I've had for years had gotten quite comfortable and kind of claimed the whole couch to itself, and doesn't know how to feel about a newcomer suddenly invited to the living room.
But hey, winging it works in other areas of my life, why not for a major work of fiction that I fully intend to have published? Heh heh.
posted
I hit the halfway mark yesterday, despite the fact that my husband has arrived in Iceland. I'm managing to write a few words a day and hope I'll still finish on time. Congrats to everyone else on the half-way dance!
posted
Had a good day yesterday. I had a personal record of 3k in one sitting. I know some of you do that all the time, but I never have before, so that's my little accomplishment! I also am finally past the halfway mark, though still a little bit behind. If I can have another day like last night it would help significantly.
Word count: 25,564
Also I realized I didn't have nearly enough plot so over the past two days I've nearly doubled the characters and added a couple plot twists. It's going much better now that I've done that, before I felt the story was too simplistic and linear, and I didn't think I could squeeze 50k out of it. Now I should have no problems reaching that, and then some. Yay!
posted
I was just over at NaNo checking on some word counts and looking at the message boards. It looks like everyone is trying to hang in there and doing a pretty good job of it.
Well, we're halfway through week three, another week and you should be getting ready for the home stretch.
posted
Well, I haven't caught up with GZ, but 34,237 isn't too bad. I wrote a fun dream sequence as I needed to do something at a point where I stalled - kidnapped by aliens is good, right? I even posted it, which I wasn't sure about because it was sort of a, mmm, erotic kind of scene - nothing explicit, but, well, hmmm - ahh, think I need to get on the road again!
Posts: 465 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
Oh frabjous day! Callooh Callay! She chortled in her joy . . .
I've just broken 30 grand, and everthing is going maahvelous, darling. A character who was just born in my brain three days ago is quickly stealing the show, and has fallen in love with the wrong guy, but it is soooo right!! At the beginning of the night it was a struggle just to pound out two hundred words, and then I realized what was going on and the floodgates opened. Yippee! hopefully this euphoria will last for the rest of the month, although I am a bit like Anne of Green Gables: either in the "depths of despair" or "sailing over the mountains of the moon."
Here's to happy sailing, everybody!<raises a mythical glass filled with the alcoholic beverage of your choice>
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited November 18, 2004).]
posted
Finished part 2, and am now up to 31,945 words. But I'm stalled. I think I should have outlined this, 'cause I really don't know what I need to do to get part 3 rolling.
posted
33,139. Still going, but down to about 400 words per hour now. I will get through it and back into a section I know how to write, though.
Posts: 626 | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I just thought I'd give you an update. This has been a roller coaster week emotionally. My husband's boss told him on Wednesday that we couldn't go to London, and then yesterday he changed his mind asnd said we could go. Aside from costing us an extra $100 because we cancelled our hotel reservations, this has gotten me supremely behind in my word count because I thought (for a little while) that I had a whole extra week. I am at 36k now, and during the last two days of the month I will have to write 7k words each day. I think I can do it, but I may not be very social and I'm not checking my e-mail or message boards starting tomorrow while I'm on vacation so I'll let you guys now on November 30th if I managed to get through this challenge or not.
posted
We're still here, Christine, and still pulling for all of you! I haven't been posting much lately, but have been diligently checking for updates each day, and cheering for each and every one of you. I couldn't be prouder of all of you if you were my own young'uns!!
Christine, sounds like you've a hard road ahead, but if anyone can do it, you can! Instead of having to do 7k words for a few days, why not try to do a few thousand extra every day until you leave? Don't forget, you can write on the plane trip, too! What else are you going to do, after all? I'm sure there will be somewhere in London that you can get online and update your word count.
And.. enjoy London! Happy Thanksgiving, even if you do celebrate it with steak and kidney pie and yorkshire pudding! *G*
posted
I've noticed that as this progresses there have been a dwindling of posts on all the forums I'm following, so it's not just here. Maybe that means people are working too hard to goof off, although personally I never work too hard for that!
Had a good night last night. On the Nanowrimo forums there was a 10 minute challenge: how many words could you write in ten minutes. I did that over and over until before I knew it I had over 3000 words, and in half the time I usually spend writing. I think I'll repeat that for a while. You guys may want to try it as well. It's very simple. Just write down the number of words after 10 minutes, and try to beat that in the next 10. I actually seemed to get worse on each successive attempt, but hey, I still got a lot done. Am at the 35k mark, 70% of the goal of 50k. Although it's not looking like I'll be done at 50. I think I'll try to wrap up the story arc anyway so I can feel a sense of accomplishment, then come January during the rewrite I plan to hack everything to pieces and put it all back together quite a bit longer anyway. I'm loving the feeling of meeting immediate goals, instead of just "someday" I'll write my novel.
You guys are awesome cheerleaders, and that always helps! Keep on keeping on, everyone.
[This message has been edited by autumnmuse (edited November 20, 2004).]
posted
I'm at 41297 (whoo-hoo for crossing 40k) going into the weekend (Haven't starting any writting yet today). It would be so spiffy to get everything wrapped up this weekend with the end so in sight like that, but that's probably very unrealistic. Before Thanksgiving though, I'm pretty sure.
I'll be having to crunch stuff to get the end to be at 50k. I'm writing in little notes of where I want to be sure and go back and fill in.
posted
I basically write using the 10-minute challenge methodology, except I work in half-hour chunks usually.
I can type a ton of words in 30 minutes but it seems to take me a while to gear up to do that, so I don't think I'm any faster than most people, overall.
But I like the race against the clock aspect, because it's just one more way to distract the internal editor.
posted
I hit 36,051 words last night. I'm feeling pretty good about my progress considering that I'm trying to fit my writing into tiny holes of time. Between work and Rob visiting I don't have much time, but I think I might actually hit 50,000 by the end.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Autumnmuse, Beth: great idea! I'll have to file that away for myself for next year. Hopefully I'll be joining the ranks of brave souls then. *g*
GZ: WOW!! You are *really* close!! You're an inspiration to us all!
MaryRobinette: Your husband being there is a HUGE distraction (but a wonderful one! *G*). You are doing an absolutely awesome job, considering. Keep it up, I know you'll make it! Hey, what do the Icelanders think about our Thanksgiving holiday? Are you talking about it? It's this coming Thursday, in case you've kind of lost track of it, there at the top of the world.
We haven't heard from some folks in a while... Reports, please! C'mon, let us cheer you on!
posted
I just made it to 50,000! Now I can rest for a little bit and find out what is going to happen next, before I go ahead and barrel through the rest of it.
Posts: 10 | Registered: Oct 2004
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I'm at 48072. Tomorrow... Tomorrow I too with cross the NaNo finish line... And then keep going, 'cause the story isn't done yet, and I suck at smooshing it into just 50k.
With no Thanksgiving or Halloween to distract them, and with a Christmas that starts thirteen days before ours, the holliday decorations have been up for weeks now. Somehow, it seems more appropriate than having Christmas wreathes jostling for attention with pumpkins.
posted
GZ and Merlin: Most wondermous!!! You'll both have something to be thankful for this week, yes?
The challenge was to accomplish 50k by month's end; No one said you had to *stop* there! *VBG*
MaryRobinette: I know what you mean. They put up the Christmas decorations in town last week (though the stores have been stocked since.. yup, since before Halloween). I just had to roll my eyes! I can still remember when Christmas stuff stayed tucked away in the dark recesses of storage until after Thanksgiving. Eep! I'm probably giving away my age! *G*
Keep up the great work writing, MR. Even if you don't have turkey on Thursday, you've still got tons for which to be thankful!
My posts will be sporadic for the next few days as hubby is going into the hospital for some "scheduled repairs & maintenance". Hopefully he'll be out by T'giving. I WILL still be checking NaNo reports here every day, though!
Keep plugging away, one and all. I'll be rooting for you!
posted
Wow, I had not read this thread lately. You guys are doing great! I'll try to catch it next year.
FYI - Since I'm involved with the Salvation Army Angel Tree, just wanted to speak up in favor of early Christmas stuff. The deadline to turn in gifts for less fortunate kids is December 7, 2004. To get the angels "adopted" in time, we have to put the Angel trees up by November 1, 2004. I couldn't believe some of the negative, rude and mean comments I got while putting up the tree, even when I tried to explain that the tree had to go up early because of the deadline. People acted like I was spray painting graffiti or something, instead of trying to help out underprivileged kids.
posted
It's an inevitable result of the commercialization of Christmas that the traditional symbols of the holiday have become signatures of greed and rapaciousness, particularly when seen in the "buying season" rather than the "holiday season".
Don't let it get you down, the fact that people react so strongly against seeing Christmas icons out of season is actually a good thing. It means that they are more likely to be open to the idea that Christmas is about giving rather than buying. Of course, the rudeness and such aren't so good, we would all prefer polite queries to hostile comments. But think how much more valuable such obsticles make your service
posted
Oh my goodness! I've been sick for a few days and was unable to check in on all the fabulous achievements out there.
If you're close to - or past - 50,000, an extra whoo-hoo and yee-haw!!!!
By now everyone should be heading into the homestretch: less than 9 nine days to go. At the end of today you should hopefully be close to 37,400 words. Wow! That in itself is an accomplishment. Hang in there, the finish line is in sight!
posted
Well, I'm behind in my class, and in following forums, threads, and all kinds of things. I didn't NaNo at all on Saturday - had to spend the whole day shopping for my husband's family, since all of a sudden Thanksgiving will be on the Saturday after, and will also be when we do Christmas/Hannukah, and three birthdays.
I couldn't even face the computer.
So yesterday it was back to work, and I hit 40,201. Only 2K behind my personal goal, but still, I really wanted to hit that so I could be done by Turkey Day! I'm so excited for everyone who has finished or is close to it - we are doing an amazing job!!!
Ok, back to the real writing (I wanna count my posts for wordcount too!!!).
Say, since I'm so quantity-challenged, is there a para-NaNoWriMo for people like me? Perhaps a NaShoStoWriMo? Or even a NaFlaFicWriDay? A NaZipCoWriMin?
I'm not sure what happened, and I can only hope I can keep it going. I would have always said before I was quantity challenged. Past experience would have indicated as much. But something about giving myself over to the NaNo craziness just opened something up.
<Very Happy>
And A big Yeppie for everybody else NaNoing here at Hatrack too. Ya'll are doing great! Keep Going, the finish line is in sight! That last 10k is like nothing...
posted
Well, the past week has continued the roller coaster trend. I have had several exciting days wherein I wrote tons and discovered much about my characters and plot. Yesterday and today however, I am once again mired in a hopeless cess pool from which I fear I may never emerge. I no longer can see the ending, I have no idea how my characters connect with each other; in short I am at a loss. But, this has happened once before, a week ago, and I came through it alright, so here's hoping I can do so again.
posted
I am behind, at about 32k. I just haven't been able to get myself to start working lately. I don't know why; I've got the time and I like my project. I'm just unwilling to jump in and start typing for some reason.
Well, today I'm leaving for Thanksgiving. I always get a lot of writing done on a plane for some reason! Maybe I'll catch up. But if anyone sees my lost motivation, please send it back to me.
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