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Saturday, September 19, 2009

upcoming project


I must be crazy. I joined up to participate in this year's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). (see my personal user badge at the right, which will give you my word count, starting in November.) I don't know what possessed me to do such a thing, and I am daunted at the scope of it. The target is to write (mind you, quantity counts over quality in this case) 50 K words during the month of November, starting (anew, no old stuff) at the stroke of midnight on November 1st. That's something like 1700 words a day! And I am starting at zero these days. Some people are doing enormous pre-nano tasks, like writing a short story every day, just to get in the groove! Hahaha... if I have that much to write, surely I'll save it for my word count when it starts.
I have an old very-unfinished novel that I won't use words for in this new venture... since there is to be no old writing.. but I think my story will come from that one. I'm not sure, I have to see what happens when I start writing this thing from scratch. Sometimes, oft times, writing takes you where you'd least expect.
I'll try to keep my blog updated with my progress, and if I'm really writing that much.

I feel a nervous excitement about this. I think that's good.
Maybe I will spend the next month trying to flesh out a plot and some main characters. A little preplanning can't hurt. What a crazily ambitious venture. I have not known myself to be too ambitious these days, but it is a familiar feeling from days gone by.
This is a project that forces one to kick the critic off one's shoulder, and just muddle through, bringing out garbage and gems alike, as long as you bring it out and get it on the page. There may be many pages of non-cohesive writing; bits and pieces, as I've been known to do. But that will be okay (I have to keep reminding myself). When the muse doesn't move me, sheer perseverance must... maybe the muse will hop on board if given half the chance.

16 comments:

  1. I'm excited for you Myth, and can't wait to see how things go for you. I have a writer friend who did this challenge last year. She used the game The Sims to give her fictional characters a more solid existence, which I thought was rather creative and clever, and helped her stay on track. Good luck to you! I can't wait to read about your progress.

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  2. Thanks! I can't wait to read about my progress, too! eeek!

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  3. Hello Barbara. This is tough work, however it is a worthwhile good challenge. I look forward to the completion. Please do its best.

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  4. I hope I am up for the challenge, ruma! I will try my best.

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  5. Good on you and thank you for adding me as buddy! You can either send me NaNo mail or using our blogs for communication on issues re NaNo.

    I think it's an excellent ideat that you're beginning to plan and plot your NaNo novel. It will help lessen the pressure of looking at a blank screen with nothing to write but the 1700 words / day.

    I'm never a plotter or planner for my writing. I just start with a vague idean and go for it. First draft to me is always about discovery - story, plot and characters. But for NaNo, I might plan a bit. Still thinking about it.

    Anyway, I'll write about my NaNo training next week. We could take it from there.

    Remember, QUANTITY not quality. And I know you're destined to be Winner of NaNo! :)

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  6. I can't imagine writing that many words, but by the end of November, I bet you wonder why you haven't been doing it all along. You will do wonderfully!

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  7. You have high hopes for me, my friend! :)

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  8. Oh Hybrid J, I'm glad to know someone else who is on the road with me. Can't wait to hear about your training. I know you will reach your goals, for sure!

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  9. This sounds exciting and i'm sure you will do great and realize that 1700 words a day is NOT THAT many words actually. Think positive and you will make it through fine!

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  10. Thanks for the encouragement, yvonne!

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  11. I did this challenge a couple years ago, (to much MS brain damage to do it these days though :) It was fun, challenging and almost ruined our computer keyboard because I punched away at the keys furiously the whole time! LOL! Getting to ignore spelling, grammar and punctuation makes a huge difference! And it's great to watch the daily word count and feel like you are accomplishing something. So go at it and just have fun!! :)))

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  12. there is a strong possibility you'll accomplish such with a minimum of effort....pick one thing you've long thought about as the muse...maybe a situation past...or witnessed as a girl....or fantasized.......

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  13. I can't imagine the effort to be too minimum, spottedwolf! I am so anxious about the whole thing that I can't even imagine getting started, nevermind continuing! We'll see!

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  14. I did this last year finished it a couple of days early after starting a couple of days late so the only advice I have for you is write in a linear way without the usual tools like graphing it out and editing.

    Good luck with it, it really isn't that hard of a thing to do if you tell yourself it isn't.

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  15. In that case, I'm going to tell myself it isn't.. thanks for the advice.

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  16. You might just finding yourself writing a novel!

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