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NaNoWriMo 2018

2

Comments

  • #32
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,444 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    New email address. ;)


  • #33
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    So you get a discount for hitting 50k words in Scrivener? So, uh, would just Lorem Ipsum on copy & paste do the job? ;):D


  • #34
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    pixelburp wrote: »
    So you get a discount for hitting 50k words in Scrivener? So, uh, would just Lorem Ipsum on copy & paste do the job? ;):D

    Most likely.


  • #35
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    pixelburp wrote: »
    So you get a discount for hitting 50k words in Scrivener? So, uh, would just Lorem Ipsum on copy & paste do the job? ;):D

    Write a character with a very bad stutter. :pac:


  • #36
    km85264
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    Hesthea wrote: »
    Sounds like a story i would love to read! =D


    About Scrivener:
    Would you recommend it? Thinking of buying it.

    I would very much recommend scrivener, I've been using it for ten years, it comes into it's own when you're building up a novel and you can pull the characters, research, timelines etc into one place, and later the synopses, log lines etc. Well worth the cash, also worth the extra cash to get the iPad synchronising version.
    Kieran


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  • #37
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Scrivener is great.

    But don't do the tutorial. It's too long and too much. Watch a few youtube videos instead


  • #38
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    Das Kitty wrote: »
    Scrivener is great.

    But don't do the tutorial. It's too long and too much. Watch a few youtube videos instead

    Yes. I gave up on watching that one and decided to see some youtube videos. Way better.

    Scrivener seems awesome as a tool for writers. Even if i dont win Nano i will still buy it.

    Thank you all =)


  • #39
    Falthyron
    Registered Users Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭Falthyron


    I'm going to try and reach 50,000 words in 30 days. I have a relatively well thought-out plot and characters in mind (with some notes in files), but I guess I will be going into this somewhat blind. The word count isn't too daunting as I have a background in writing, but my main concern is making sure what I put down is coherent and, hopefully, it doesn't meander away from what I want to write about.

    As hard as it will be, I think I will just write, whatever that may be - dialogue, description, ideas, arcs. I just need to break through this barrier of wanting to make it perfect...!


  • #40
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,444 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    I watched a Scrivener tutorial over the weekend. It's a very cool tool - I'm glad I took some time to learn the basics.

    I'm away for a few days in November on a business trip so I wrote my first 1000 words last night, just to get my feet wet.

    Realistically, 50k in a month is going to be difficult but I have a solid plan, a story structure, characters, some great revelations planned and the ending in mind. That's part of the battle, right? :)


  • #41
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Got about half the wordcount yesterday. Not bad considering I started at 11pm!

    Hoping to hit the target today.


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  • #42
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,444 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    Didn't get any done yesterday (long day in work). Hoping to do a bit this evening.

    My plan next week is to get up every day at 6am and do 800-1000 words, then finish off in the evening.

    Next weekend is going to be a big word sprint for me - hoping to get a lot done over the two days.


  • #43
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Got the wordcount today, just about. Hoping to do a good sprint tomorrow. Feels good all the same to be getting through all my planned out scenes. :D


  • #44
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    Updated my word count today but still below the daily word target needed to end with 50k. But that's ok. I'll just keep writing how much i can in whatever free time i have.

    I have been going to bed a bit early so that i can write on my laptop peacefully for at least 1 to 2h before going to bed.


  • #45
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    Hesthea wrote: »
    Updated my word count today but still below the daily word target needed to end with 50k. But that's ok. I'll just keep writing how much i can in whatever free time i have.

    I have been going to bed a bit early so that i can write on my laptop peacefully for at least 1 to 2h before going to bed.

    Same. I missed Sunday due to a charity event I'm involved in running very long. But, I have got 5k words in 5 days. When I look at it that way, I'm delighted. And my story is alive in my head and when I sit down to write it doesn't need any coaxing. It's a great feeling


  • #46
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    Not much to show here: I did have 10k written from a previous draft of an idea, but it was scattered and lacked direction in its plot / story. If nothing else, this thread has forced myself to sit down & write the potted summary of every story beat. At least now I know where the story can go, clichés be damned :D


  • #47
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,444 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    I did a word sprint last night with a group on the Nano Facebook page, but I'm still only about 1500 total. Work has been **** for the last few weeks.

    I think need to step back and do a better outline - it will help me in the long run. I have a plan in my head but I need to make it more concrete.


  • #48
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    Mr E wrote: »
    I did a word sprint last night with a group on the Nano Facebook page, but I'm still only about 1500 total. Work has been **** for the last few weeks.

    I think need to step back and do a better outline - it will help me in the long run. I have a plan in my head but I need to make it more concrete.

    That's really cool.
    As long it is something enjoyable you should keep on writing even if you can't write much. But if it starts to stress you out just relax and take it easy and remember, you might not be able to write the 50k but at least you have started to go on the right direction to it ;)


  • #49
    km85264
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    Folks
    I've many times considered signing up for NaNoWriMo but never have. For me, personally, the target of close to 2000 words a day for 30 days straight is simply unachievable.
    However, as November dwindles and folks have most likely either fallen by the wayside or already achieved the goal, I'd love to hear the experiences of those who gave it their best. Was it a worthwhile thing, even if it was too much to achieve in the timeframe? Or should they, as I've often wondered, convert it to National Novella Writing Month (a novella being 17.5k+ words, so about 600 a day)? Or National First Thee Chapters Writing Month might be a good target, albeit NaFiThChaWriMo doesn't really roll off the tongue :-)
    Kieran


  • #50
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    km85264 wrote: »
    Folks
    I've many times considered signing up for NaNoWriMo but never have. For me, personally, the target of close to 2000 words a day for 30 days straight is simply unachievable.
    However, as November dwindles and folks have most likely either fallen by the wayside or already achieved the goal, I'd love to hear the experiences of those who gave it their best. Was it a worthwhile thing, even if it was too much to achieve in the timeframe? Or should they, as I've often wondered, convert it to National Novella Writing Month (a novella being 17.5k+ words, so about 600 a day)? Or National First Thee Chapters Writing Month might be a good target, albeit NaFiThChaWriMo doesn't really roll off the tongue :-)
    Kieran

    I've written at the moment 28k words and even though Nanowrimo ends in 2 days i am still writing.

    My goal was not to write 50k words in 30 days but to see how much i would be able to achieve if i wrote a bit per day everyday until the last day of November.

    The fact that i have written this much by itself is something to be proud of. Between work and my kid i don't have much "me time" so to speak. Hence the more i wanted to participate.

    It is my 2nd time doing nano and i still haven't been able to write the 50k words. This year i am writing even less than in 2014 (Yes. You've read it right) maybe next year will be the year that i'll make it through =)

    The trick is to not edit anything whatsoever and keep writing but that is extremely hard for me to do since i can't ignore it.

    So, whether you write 600 or 1600 words per day, the important part is that you write a bit per day no matter if you can achieve the 50k or not. As long you feel like you have accomplished (or are accomplishing) something with it that is what it truly matters.

    So, next year, i hope you participate alongside us too ;)


  • #51
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    I kept with the pace in 2015, this year I knew I wasn't going to.

    I still got 10k words typed up. And I have hand written rough drafts of about 5k more that I haven't typed yet. In that sense I feel it was a success for me. It's a lot more than I would have done otherwise.


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  • #52
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    Wrote about 10k on a story; then got frustrated, junked it and started again, writing about 5k. So ... can I say 15k? :D


  • #53
    km85264
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    It's great to hear that people aren't too worried about the 50k target and are still engaged at this point. That makes me feel better about the whole initiative.
    Well done on the 28k Hesthea, that's a very impressive total. I guess the trick now is to wind down a bit come Saturday but not stop altogether.


  • #54
    Mr E
    Registered Users Posts: 55,444 ✭✭✭✭Mr E


    I got to about 8k. With work commitments, family commitments and no free weekends, November was a bit of a write off (pun intended). :)

    I'm still going to work away on the story in my spare time, but at my own pace from now on.


  • #55
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    pixelburp wrote: »
    Wrote about 10k on a story; then got frustrated, junked it and started again, writing about 5k. So ... can I say 15k? :D

    Yes!


  • #56
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    I also got a little side-tracked just trying to write out a few random scenes, unrelated to that 10k blob; they were a few vignettes I couldn't stop thinking of, so took the time out to scribble them down.

    But that's me to a tee: start out with one brilliant idea; get a few thousands words down; lose steam & heart; declare the idea rubbish; get distracted by newer, shinier idea :D


  • #57
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    I am on about 11k, also a lot less than my last attempt in 2016, but it is 11k more than I wrote in October or September or (insert month of choice) and it has thrown up some new ideas and new characters so I'm happy(ish).
    I see quite a few people at or about the target so it can be done...maybe next year.


  • #58
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    pixelburp wrote: »
    I also got a little side-tracked just trying to write out a few random scenes, unrelated to that 10k blob; they were a few vignettes I couldn't stop thinking of, so took the time out to scribble them down.

    But that's me to a tee: start out with one brilliant idea; get a few thousands words down; lose steam & heart; declare the idea rubbish; get distracted by newer, shinier idea :D

    The advice i could give t you about that is to not bin it. Just keep it in a different folder. Maybe you will end up connecting the two or takes pieces from one to add to the other.


  • #59
    Hesthea
    Registered Users Posts: 201 ✭✭Hesthea


    Mr E wrote: »
    I got to about 8k. With work commitments, family commitments and no free weekends, November was a bit of a write off (pun intended). :)

    I'm still going to work away on the story in my spare time, but at my own pace from now on.

    That is the best plan. After November i will keep writing it but at a slower pace too. There are also things i want to change and others i want to do so that i can advance with it.

    I saw a few bullet journals in which people gather their ideas, character info and not only in it and that might me help a lot in keeping my story on its tracks. Not to mention is also an idea of when i feel like my chara doesn't feel quite right i can always read the info about his/ her personality traits, things they like/ dislike. How they would act in certain situations to better understand them and don't lose them along the plot x)


  • #60
    pixelburp
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 35,941 CMod ✭✭✭✭pixelburp


    Hesthea wrote: »
    The advice i could give t you about that is to not bin it. Just keep it in a different folder. Maybe you will end up connecting the two or takes pieces from one to add to the other.

    Ah, for better or worse everything I write is on Google Drive so I don't bin anything, even if abandoned :) I have come back to old stuff, but it's maintaining the mental interest / enthusiasm that does for me every time!


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  • #61
    km85264
    Registered Users Posts: 146 ✭✭km85264


    Glad to hear so many positive stories. My advice would be: take a few days off then get right back into the daily writing habit. Set yourselves a really easy target, 100 words say, barely a paragraph, but do it _every_ day. Ramp that up to 250 words over time. It's getting into the habit, and staying there, that's the hardest.
    Best of luck :-)


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