I've never tried NaNoWriMo and have never really been tempted. I'm a pretty slow writer, and certain I'll produce absolute dreck if I try this. For those of you who are doing it, what's your goal or motivation? For those of you who've done it in the past, was your goal met? Were there benefits or drawbacks you didn't foresee? Are you sold on it, or is it something you've done once and "never again"? Did/do you consider it mostly an exercise to get the flow going, or do you hope to, or did you, produce something you can revise for submission?
I've left you a few days to respond before the big event actually starts, in case you're all going to disappear from the blogosphere for a month. :) Hope it works great for any of you who are taking the plunge.
12 comments:
I haven't done it either or been tempted!
I have never done it before, but am going to try this year. I'm curious to read everyone's replies to your questions, Marcia.
This will be my 3rd year doing NaNo...
The first year I completed and have the NaNo Winner widget on my blog...
I signed up for NaNo to get my butt in the chair and to write...and I did it...I had my outline (and a few other ideas just in case)...
The second year...I didn't do so hot...I overthunked it ;)
For some reason I couldn't stop editing...I think it was because I wasn't as prepared and I wasn't as happy with the story I was trying to write...
This year I have a little idea of what I want to write about, but haven't had time to do the outline and other things that will get me ready...if I don't soon get those things done, I will be in trouble again this year...yikes!
I do enjoy it! Just stay away from the game forums...they are addicting!
You don't have to write 50,000 words on the same story...NaNo is just a way to get you to sit down and write something! If you write PB's, then get several ideas out and write them all...DON'T EDIT!!! That is what the other 11 months are for...
Hope this helps! Go for it! If you don't make it, then you got next year...If you do, then you get to say you wrote 50,000 words in 30 days!
This is my second year. I did it last year as practice. I ended up writing a deeply flawed fantasy that nobody will ever see, but I had a BLAST. For me, the fun was writing just for myself, just having fun with it, the freedom of not caring what happened.
Angela -- I'm hoping to hear more about why others do it, and maybe make my decision about doing it or not on a more informed basis.
Rena -- I'm curious too. I'd love to collect opinions. Do let us know how it goes!
Brenda -- I think it's great that you have a goal for what you want out of NaNo. That way, you can measure your success. I love your observation that revision is "what the other 11 months are for." Great food for thought.
Jacqui -- I'm taking your "fun" seriously. For me, that would be an excellent point in favor of doing NaNo. And the benefit of writing at white heat and seeing what comes from it -- OK, I'm getting tempted.
I've been thinking about it . . . just don't know if I can even write 1000 words a day. I'm a fast reader - slow writer. Don't know why.
This is my first year doing it. I decided to take the plunge because I have an idea that's been brewing and I need a break from my current WIP.
The Nano style also goes along with how I work best. I do better if I can just write write write and get the idea out w/o worrying about that pesky inner editor.
I have an outline prepared and have a pretty good idea where the story is going, but the outline is loose enough that things can change as needed as I go along.
I'm really excited to start!
Kim -- I'm a fast reader and slow writer too. 1000 words a day is huge output for me. It all just depends how a person works.
CJ -- If NaNo fits how you work, then it sounds like a natural for you. My inner editor is REALLY pesky. :)
But I'm comforted by the advice of Gary Schmidt, just about my favorite writer these days. He believes in writing SLOW, and that's what works for me, too.
I'm glad I didn't sign up for NaNo. I just found out this morning that I must be out of town and away from my computer (I don't have a laptop) for a week in mid-November. It's just a time of life when all heck is breaking loose.
I am a rabid revisionist - for every ten sentences I write, I go back and revise twelve.
I guess though if you had the whole story sort of mentally structured it would be easier. Not for me though, but I love reading about other writers' experiences with it.
Anne, I love that comment. That's how I am, too.
Brenda -- You don't have to do the 50,000 words on the SAME story? Really? I had no idea. Here I was fretting today because I didn't think my current WIP would reach the goal, and yet, I had an idea for a new PB to boot.
Maybe there is hope for me afterall. Well, maybe. ;)
I guess I do remember hearing that you don't have to work on the same story. But then I'm not sure how the "scoring" works. Do you just send them any old 50,000 words in the same document, and then you made it?
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