I would like to start talking about marketing again, since it’s been awhile since we talked about that. I expect to have a guest on in the near future to discuss some of his innovative ideas. In the meantime, I’d like to hear how NaNoWriMo went for all of you. Bonne posted a note today to say she finished! Congrats, Bonne!
I have never done NaNoWriMo, although I have written a 90,000+ word novel in a month, once. So I’m curious how you all did.
If you’ve finished NaNoWriMo this year, post a comment here to tell us about it so we can celebrate with you.
If you’re about to finish, do the same.
If you gave up, post a comment to tell us why.
I’ll mention my own news. I wrote up three sample chapters before the holidays and sent them out to my freelance editor. She’s quick! She already sent me back her review of the chapters. She likes them, but she’s spotted a recurring problem and wants me to work on it. She even recommended a particular resource that I can use to help me. I bought it this morning and am awaiting its arrival so I can start learning something new.
I’ve probably mentioned this already, but the life of a novelist is about continuous improvement. You will NEVER arrive. You will never be perfect. The trick is to identify your biggest weakness and work on it until it’s no longer your biggest weakness. And so on, forever. This is why God created freelance editors–to poke holes in your armor and help you figure out what your weaknesses are.
I’m interested to know what the recurring problem is and what particular resource was recommended. 🙂
I can hardly wait to read all the comments! I was under the impression that participants were restricted to US residents, but I have noticed that Christophe Desmecht also participated.
Is their a link where I can check out the rules for entering NaNoWriMo?
Nanowrimo went well for me… even though I ‘failed’ in terms of wordcount. Last year I finished up with about 70k, this year I’m only at 20k, but it’s a much higher quality. So I’m happy about that. I ‘could’ make the target, but I’d be cheating and doing it for the sake of the wordcount, instead of the story. This year I felt it was more important to me to be happy with what I wrote instead of happy about the number of words.
I think Nanowrimo’s a great thing, to be honest. Anything that promotes writing is a good thing.
I decided about a week before to not do it, since I had too much on my plate in october, including a trip to Germany. So it’s another year of wait for me!
I “won” NaNoWriMo (actually, I’m still going – I’m up to 62,000 words at the moment) for the first time ever. What a blast.
I participated with other members of an online writing group I’m part of, and a few other online friends, so it was a very social atmosphere as we cheered each other on.
The “NaNo” increase-your-word-count tricks really worked for me, and not just in terms of my total. I deleted nothing – if I decided what I’d just written went in the wrong direction or was just rubbish I wouldn’t muse over what to cut, I’d just keep on going. If I couldn’t immediately think of the perfect word, I’d describe it in three words or put down a couple of options to choose from later.
This meant instead of staring at my screen for long periods deciding what to do, I just wrote. Everything in my mind connected with the scene, plus new stuff that came flowing out, is written down and ready to be selected from when I come to the 2nd draft. It truly was liberating.
Having a daily word count goal rather than just my usual impossible goal of trying to write something perfect made it so much easier to get in and write. I plan to incorporate lots of the things I learned into my normal first draft writing – including a daily word count goal. I found I could write 2,000 in about two hours by the end of the month. My speed certainly improved as the month progressed.
To Daan Van der Merwe’s question about the rules: the website is nanowrimo dot org . It is open to participants from all countries – I’m writing from Australia – and while they encourage participants to donate, there is no charge to take part, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t reach 50k.
I only made it to 14.5k this year. Unless I get a super-huge writing bug in the next three days, I don’t expect that number to grow much.
My only excuse to not writing more is the little one growing in my belly sucking away all my physical and mental energies.
Plus, though I like the story and the characters, it doesn’t have a solid direction. I’d like to finish it, but I need to write an outline for it first.
I’m a little over 14k, and I doubt I’ll “win” this year. I did in 2005 and 2006.
This year has been difficult because of medical problems and my inlaws living with us. The writing has taken a hit in some ways, but I’m hoping to remedy that in the days to come.
It just wasn’t my year for Nano
This was my first Nano and I wanted to try it. I wrote over 18K my first week. After years of no writing — I actually was writing a book!! Then I had several day of workers here (replaced roof) and other disturbances–I hadn’t written a word!
Well, the Nano site is such a help and after a few 24 hour challenges–I was caught up.
I finished yesterday with 51,604 words and when I wrote the last word, I knew it was ended.
The great thing was that with my infernal internal editor (who can take three chapters and reduce them to a brilliantly polished paragraph) away on an inforced vacation, I was able to just let the words fly and the story that came from those keys simply amazed me.
Of course, I know that I’ve got work ahead of me to rewrite, add, subtract, etc. But, I don’t mind when I’ve got this entire story in front of me.
How did I like it? I loved it!!
Will I do it again? Yep!
How did those around me respond? About 50-50. Those who understood, were, of course behind me. The others were irritated that I thought that I could write a book that might be published.
–Marian ‘shrugs her shoulders’
Hmm- I thought about it, but then I was doing simpleology, and my #1 goals all had to do with my family. Thanksgiving is really important when all your kids are grown. So we put all our energy into that, and was pleased with the results.
One of which is that an entire class of 14-year-olds (advanced English) is reading/commenting on my almost-finished YA novel. This is going to be interesting. I’ve gotten five comments on the first four chapters so far, and the kids are really perceptive about what works and what doesn’t. I say go to your readers — they are the ones who know what they want.
I am a very green freshman. Actually, I am about to complete the two year apprenticeship course the Christian Writer’s Guild. I have been reading this site since its inception. Thank you so much for everything you provide here, and a lot of the stuff you did previously. (I think I found you through Tom Morrisey’s website?)
I ended up last night at 51,113 words! I still have a couple of chapters to go to wrap everything up, but I am extremely pleased with the experience!
Family and friends were incredibly encouraging, understanding and supportive.
I heartily agree with you, Randy, about a novelist’s learning curve. Although I write both nonfiction and fiction, I find fiction so thrilling because there’s always something to be learned. I’m brainstorming my next novel right now and am reading up on the hero’s journey. I think this will make the novel stronger.
Thank you so much, Randy, for announcing NaNoWriMo on your blog. I had never heard of it before but took that week to think about characters and the general story arc and jumped in on Nov. 1. Yesterday I finished up my last BIG SCENE (read Robert McKee along the way) and did a short wrapup and my word counter said 50000 on the nose. Ho ho. Then their word counter didn’t agree and I had to add 30 more words but it was well worth it. Got my certificate and lots of satisfaction.
I also got a MS that is worth working on with some real surprises along the way as the characters spoke up in the situations I devised for them. What fun!
What did I learn? That it was very helpful to think in terms of words rather than time spent. That it is possible to lose track of time entirely and not know what time of day it is (Seattle overcast helps with this). That a lot happened during my dreaming at night to forward my understanding of my characters. Then story ideas would pour out during my morning shower.
That I can shut up the ravening editor and avoid his nose when he pushes it through the kennel fence. That I can believe what I’ve read in the craft books I have been reading in this past year. That writing can be as much fun as reading someone else’s writing. That I can make a lot of time available by getting through the daily stuff a little more quickly. That I can work things out in my head while cutting carrots (waiting for the bus, what have you) and that it will all flow out when I grab short blocks of time to write it down.
That I discover things about myself as I write and it effects the way I see the world. That if I put aside the seeking of success (what is that anyway?)that I can free up things I didn’t expect.
I also believe I learned some things about writing. My words flowed much better as I continued and I found myself writing longer scenes. The research is that it takes 10,000 hours of any activity to achieve mastery. I’m now a few hundred closer to that total and it feels worthwhile continuing on.
Thanks for the heads up.
I am at 36K for nanwrimo and haven’t progressed for a few days because of jury duty and writing deadlines for work. Tomorrow and the next day I plan on taking time off for work to do 5K each plus 5K on Sat to finish. I am very happy to have created a “stump” that I can then rewrite.
As I am preparing my first nanwrimo to meet with an editor from Random House in April, I am reminded of that saw, “books aren’t written, they’re rewritten”.
This is my second year and both years I used the snowflake method to prepare. My perception is that two (or three!) processes are better than one.
Nanwrimo does battle with the three dragons of “right-brained” creativity: product, meaning and control while the snowflake and Swain methods take care of the “left-brained” appreciation for development and writing something another person would want to read.
I started using simpleology too and clarified that my ultimate life’s goal is to live the life of PG Wodehouse, calm, carefree, writing consistently wonderful stuff happily until I’m 93 then dying peacefully in my sleep.
I found out about Nanowrimo on Oct 18. I decided to go for it and spent a few hours a day for the rest of the month throwing together a Snowflake. It was freeing to go at it with the attitude that this is an excercise in deliberately structuring a novel. The storyworld was not wonderfully developed, but a lot of things grew as I wrote (and there were multiple references to whatever berries, Mount Whatsit, and Uncle Whoever). At least I had a plot and knew which scenes were coming next!
My typical writing style is to write a bit, read it and edit, then write a bit more, continually circling back. Not an option with doing Nano. THere just weren’t enough hours in a day! I finished my novel on Sunday, and only read over the things I’d already written on Saturday night! (I didn’t re-read before starting to write each day because I’d finish a scene or sequel in a sitting, each day starting something new)
Simpleology helped me to stay on track throughout the month. I’m a quick-start type of person, not much of a finisher, so this was very cool for me.
The biggest benefit to my writing was developing endurance as a writer. At first, hitting my daily goal of 1700 words was difficult. Then it got easier, and I decided I needed to finish a week ahead so I could concentrate on some papers for my college class that were due yesterday. I was cranking out 3000 words a day for 8 days. A lot of it was a grind, but then I’d hit on a sequence that was really working and it would flow. I cycled through this for most of the novel.
Also, my kids had to become a lot more independent, I bought paper plates and let them fix their own lunches and laundry. My husband was a terrific support. So it was hard, but rewarding. And my kids like my novel and are all proud about about “Mom’s book.”
Definitely worth doing.
I’m currently hovering around 67,000 and yes, I agree with Rachel, it’s very liberating.
The whole process of working entirely with word count is like throwing paint at the walls and looking at the pretty designs it makes.
What happens I think is that blocked channels are opened up and the water of creativity just gushes (or trickles) but no time is spent in analyzing or criticizing.
Got to get back to my buckets…
As I had posted before, this month was full of obligations for me. I had to let something go — and Nano was it. BUT, I DID start a really fun novel, and wrote in first person for the first time and I am loving it! It’s definitely something I’m going to work on in my “Breakout Novel” workbook. I have my snowflake done, and I know where the story is going, so I have the really major nuts and bolts stuff done. I fell short of the word count for the first time in 4 years, but I am trying not to beat myself up about it. I tried, and that’s more than nothing! 🙂
This week I have decorated NINE Christmas trees and have two more to go. (For my 25th Anniversary vow renewal and party on Saturday.) With Thanksgiving, my 25th Anniversary, a grant deadline, and day to day life with autistic kids, I have to just accept that I can’t do it ALL! Writing something is better than writing nothing.
As of today I am at 31K. I don’t know if I’ll make it to the 50K yard line, but I am not counting on it as company is arriving and I will be busier than a puppy with two tails. I am just happy to WRITE!
Thanks for asking, Randy!
Anyone out there have a Christian Writing Forum they like and would recommend?
I found ChristianWriters.com awhile ago, but it no longer works.
I’m doing NaNoWriMo and I’m at ~45K. I know I can finish word-count-wise on time, but the end of my story seems far off.
It’s been about 3.5 years since I graduated from college with my minor in creative writing, and way longer since I wrote any fiction worth mentioning, choosing instead to focus on poetry. My ability to write quality fiction has suffered. A lot.
So earlier this year, I decided I would bite the bullet and write a crappy fantasy novel for NaNoWriMo. About a month into planning, I knew there wasn’t anyway I could invest my time in something I considered crappy, and the real planning began.
I started incredibly well, I was writing 1K/hr and just zooming. But then I faltered and about a week in, I discovered the Snowflake Method on the NaNoWriMo forums and took several days off actual writing to rough out something that vaguely resembled a Snowflake. I got through step 5 with my MC before panicking and diving back into writing. Oh, how I wish I’d kept going with it!
Last night, I decided to combine two parts (effectively halving what I have to write to finish the book) and write up a paragraph for each big part of each of my disaster summaries, and my subsequent writing went more smoothly than anything has gone since I wrote the inciting incident. Now I know very clearly how everything ends.
It’s a good feeling, though I’m still iffy about whether I can finish the book by Friday at midnight. I’m trying, but I suffer from Chronic Procrastination Syndrome.
Paul,
I am with Faithwriters.com. They have a forum, and a ton of other features.
It is free to sing up, but they also offer a member service for a minimal fee. With that, you obviously get enhanced features.
Enjoy,
Chad
Bonne-hey, I write like you, I call it “loop-de-loop” style.
Paul D: Do you know about American Christian Fiction Writers? www.acfw.com
I’m impresssed by all of those who took part in NaNoWriMo, way to go, all! I’d like to learn some of those ‘kick up the word count’ tricks you learned there.
One trick I used was at the beginning of each scene fill in the following:
SETTING=
GOAL =
CONFLICT =
DISASTER =
And I’d write MRUS in-between. It helped infuse the writing with emotion and kept me from drifting.
Oh and sometimes I’d add:
VISCERAL REACTION=
HORRIBLE DILEMMA =
CLEVER DECISION =
Hi Randy –
I hoped to participate this year, but alas a broken elbow KO’d any hope.
Several folks talked about Simpleology. I signed up, but my Adobe reader sabotaged me, refusing to work. A computer expert friend attempted to fix the problem, but can’t remove the older copy. The new one will not install unless it’s gonzo.
It’s been a rough year, folks. Any suggestions on repairing the Adobe?
Congrats to everyone who’s finished NaNo. And good luck to everyone who’s almost there.
I’ll finish tomorrow with the required number of words, but the story will be unfinshed and very raw. I’ve learned a lot from this project about planning, creating conflict, and a whole host of ‘novel’ stuff. Right now, the best thing that has come out of NaNo for me has been to redevelop the daily writing habit.
I’m excited about my writing again.
I had high hopes this year. I finished the last two years with over 60,00 words. But my health has been so bad, I was afraid I’d never manage Nano.
then in Sept I was Hospitalized and put on O2. It started helping, aand I was sure my writing ability would kick in soon to the level it was two years ago (3000 words a day.)
It didn’t happen, though I did reach 23,000 words, and may manage 5,00 more before the end of the month. but I am pleased, because I was working on book two of a trilogy, and the work I did on Nano helped me understand my characters and planet better, and revealed a few weaknesses in book one.
I think I would be somewhere between Junior and Senior- I’ve had one novella and one devotion printed in antholigies, and I feel I have developed my craft to a saleable level. I paid to have three chapters of one novel edited, and there were only a few minor grammatical errors, otherwise the editor said it was ready to be submitted.
Now if only I can get strong enough to write all the ideas that are dancing around in my mind.
MaryLeona
I failed miserably because I got stuck on one character I added at the last minute and hadn’t fleshed out. By the time it dawned on me that I could skip ahead to a scene she wasn’t in, most of the month was gone and I was only an eighth of the way through.
The good news is that I’ve decided to put writing and exercising on my To Do list for a half hour on alternating days. I may not have finished in a month, but if I get a new good habit out of this, I’m calling it a win.
I failed because:
1. My son turned 3 on November 2
2. I got the flu
3. It’s the busiest time of the year at work
4. I am trying to close down three websites
5. I am trying to start a new business
6. I had to work on my wife’s website
7. The neighbour’s dog dug through our fence and I had to fix it
8. My story outline sucked
9. I decided not to be a writer
10. I decided to be a writer
11. My mother-in-law came for a visit
All in all just a whole lot of procrastination excuses. In the first three days, with my son’s birthday and my mother-in-law visiting I actually managed over 8000 words. But my story outline really did suck.
I had the choice, will I write 50 000 words on a story I don’t think is worth the effort or do something else. I started over and is busy composting a new novel that is light years ahead of my Nanowrimo idea.
As soon as I have a proper snowflake in place I am going to write the first draft in 30 days. Next year I’ll have a better composted story ready to give Nanowrimo a second go.
I’m popping in late here because I spent the last two days logging 16,000 words for NaNo. I’m shocked I made it because on Monday I was sitting at 28,224 words.
This was my second year and my hardest for many reasons, but I learned many valuable things, including that I write better with headphones blaring celtic music to block out my six noisy kids and a TV six feet from my back that hubby likes to watch.
Paul, you can check out Christian Writers’ Group International which has a free membership. Google Christian Writers Group and you’ll find a few forums available.
It is now December first, so I can stop writing and get caught up on my blog reading. Yes, I finished. Twice. Last year (my first) I did 90,000 words of which a third got ditched and the rest was split into two drafts. This year I did two novel ideas, (under two usernames) 50,000 or so each.
I hesitate to call either one a rough draft, as nano is about brainstorming ideas. So I call them nanobeasts instead. I’m happy with them. I can see there is a story in there, with a beginning, middle, and end (all missing last year). Some themes showed up that I like.
For both, my next step (after letting them age) is to outline what I have. The outline helps me get a better handle on what’s missing in the way of scenes, make sure I have three disasters, and so on. Once I think I have all the basic parts I need, that is my rough draft.