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Enchanted Hat
Aug 18, 2013

Defeated in Diplomacy under suspicious circumstances
:siren: Red alert! Red alert! The most terrifying thing to happen in November is upon us—it’s time for Nanowrimo! :siren:




What is Nanowrimo?

Nanowrimo is an annual event where people around the world sign up to torture themselves attempt to write 50,000 words for a creative project of their choice in the month of November.

What kind of lunatic would do this?

Writing 50,000 words in a month is very tough, but it’s a great way to get motivated to sit down and write something. Some people start a completely new project and try to finish it during the month, others use it as a way to work on neglected writing projects. There are no rules, as long as you get your 50,000 words done!

Nanowrimo community

https://nanowrimo.org/

There’s a dedicated Nanowrimo website where you can sign up your Nanowrimo project and track your progress during the month. You can also add other people as Nanowrimo buddies so you can spy on them to see how well they’re keeping up. I would encourage anyone who’s doing Nanowrimo this year to link their profile in the thread so people can add you as a Nanowrimo buddy! Here’s the link to my profile:

https://nanowrimo.org/participants/enchanted-hat

This year, I'm doing a sequel to a goofy Fantasy/Sci-Fi story that I wrote for Nanowrimo last year. What are you guys writing this year?

MockingQuantum posted:

good news, plot is not required for Nano! Other things that aren't required:

-Structure
-Foreshadowing
-Coherence
-Good writing
-A plan

edit: I'm being flippant but it's really true. If you're considering doing Nano for the first time (or even if you aren't, but have gotten stuck in previous years), know that a lot of people who have done it multiple times find more benefit in the sheer energy output of writing a lot of stuff in a short amount of time, as opposed to ending up with a "book" at the end. It's more about getting ideas down, no matter how misplaced or rough around the edges, and being motivated by other writers. Best way to go about it is go in expecting to just barf up a whole lot of words and sort out the mess later (if ever).

Enchanted Hat fucked around with this message at 21:51 on Oct 27, 2020

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Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today
Wooo! I was wondering when a NaNo 2020 thread would pop up!

I'm doing a rewrite of Sharon Green's terrible Blending series which is going to be fantasy/adventure rather than the original fantasy/romance. My profile: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/leng

We're less than a week away AHHHHH and despite being in the last stage of my outlining I'm now having doubts. Here's to the extreme yoyo emotions that is the process of creation.

Devorum
Jul 30, 2005

I'm in with what will likely be an awful attempt at LitRPG.

Staggy
Mar 20, 2008

Said little bitch, you can't fuck with me if you wanted to
These expensive
These is red bottoms
These is bloody shoes


Devorum posted:

I'm in with what will likely be an awful attempt at LitRPG.

Hell yeah :respek:

Pixelante
Mar 16, 2006

You people will by God act like a team, or at least like people who know each other, or I'll incinerate the bunch of you here and now.
I'm on the fence. I enjoy building characters and worlds, but fall flat on my face when it comes to plot.

MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



Pixelante posted:

I'm on the fence. I enjoy building characters and worlds, but fall flat on my face when it comes to plot.

good news, plot is not required for Nano! Other things that aren't required:

-Structure
-Foreshadowing
-Coherence
-Good writing
-A plan

edit: I'm being flippant but it's really true. If you're considering doing Nano for the first time (or even if you aren't, but have gotten stuck in previous years), know that a lot of people who have done it multiple times find more benefit in the sheer energy output of writing a lot of stuff in a short amount of time, as opposed to ending up with a "book" at the end. It's more about getting ideas down, no matter how misplaced or rough around the edges, and being motivated by other writers. Best way to go about it is go in expecting to just barf up a whole lot of words and sort out the mess later (if ever).

MockingQuantum fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Oct 27, 2020

Enchanted Hat
Aug 18, 2013

Defeated in Diplomacy under suspicious circumstances

Leng posted:

We're less than a week away AHHHHH and despite being in the last stage of my outlining I'm now having doubts. Here's to the extreme yoyo emotions that is the process of creation.

Hey, I've seen your thread--you are phenomenally well-prepared :colbert:. It's going to be great!

MockingQuantum posted:

good news, plot is not required for Nano! Other things that aren't required:

-Structure
-Foreshadowing
-Coherence
-Good writing
-A plan

edit: I'm being flippant but it's really true. If you're considering doing Nano for the first time (or even if you aren't, but have gotten stuck in previous years), know that a lot of people who have done it multiple times find more benefit in the sheer energy output of writing a lot of stuff in a short amount of time, as opposed to ending up with a "book" at the end. It's more about getting ideas down, no matter how misplaced or rough around the edges, and being motivated by other writers. Best way to go about it is go in expecting to just barf up a whole lot of words and sort out the mess later (if ever).

I'm going to add this to the OP. It's really true, as long as you get a whole bunch of writing done during Nanowrimo, then it's been a phenomenal success, even if you have to edit the poo poo out of it afterwards!

Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today

Devorum posted:

I'm in with what will likely be an awful attempt at LitRPG.

YESSSS! LitRPG is fun!

Pixelante posted:

I'm on the fence. I enjoy building characters and worlds, but fall flat on my face when it comes to plot.

In addition to the great advice that's already been given, 50k words of anything counts for NaNo. Even 50k of character and world building.

Also if you can build characters you can definitely do plot, since all character backstory by definition consists of plot that happened in their past!

Enchanted Hat posted:

Hey, I've seen your thread--you are phenomenally well-prepared :colbert:. It's going to be great!

I did a quick calculation of rough hourly word count in my outline and uh, let's just say if that's the pace I'll actually be writing at, I don't have enough writing time blocked.

EDIT: typos

Leng fucked around with this message at 01:52 on Oct 28, 2020

Pikestaff
Feb 17, 2013

Came here to bark at you




Back for my 12th year and, god willing, 12th win. Just writing gay lesbian stuff because I like gay lesbian stuff. I'm pretty excited!

https://nanowrimo.org/participants/pikestaff

Devorum
Jul 30, 2005

Staggy posted:

Hell yeah :respek:



Nice! I'm doing a Shameful Apocalypse, myself.



Leng posted:

YESSSS! LitRPG is fun!


It is...but it turns out game design is hard.

cptn_dr
Sep 7, 2011

Seven for beauty that blossoms and dies


I'm gonna do it I'm gonna write words about wizards

Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today
Thread title is the best thread title. I just attempted trying to break down my plot according to individual chapters and...it did not go well. I'm questioning my outline, my ability and my sanity for wanting to do this. Suddenly 50k words seems like a lot of words. Please someone tell me how to turn off my overthinking brain so I can get over this fear and just write next week.

Enchanted Hat
Aug 18, 2013

Defeated in Diplomacy under suspicious circumstances

quote:

I'm doing a sequel to a goofy Fantasy/Sci-Fi story

going to be fantasy/adventure

I'm in with what will likely be an awful attempt at LitRPG



I'm gonna do it I'm gonna write words about wizards

Goons being true to form this year. It's great to see!

Leng posted:

Thread title is the best thread title. I just attempted trying to break down my plot according to individual chapters and...it did not go well. I'm questioning my outline, my ability and my sanity for wanting to do this. Suddenly 50k words seems like a lot of words. Please someone tell me how to turn off my overthinking brain so I can get over this fear and just write next week.

Your outline is good and will take you to 50k words no problem if you have a suitable amount of description of the world and dialogue. It's just normal pre-Nano nerves! As long as you make sure your word count always stays just ahead of the tracker on the Nanowrimo site, you will make it!



This is the tracker for my first Nano project about a killer elephant with chainsaws strapped to its tusks. I, uh, did not follow my advice. But! I never fell too far behind, and as long as you keep yourself on track as best you can, you can definitely get through this.

Enchanted Hat
Aug 18, 2013

Defeated in Diplomacy under suspicious circumstances
Something that was also really helpful last year was the goon writing discord, but it seems to have gone quiet since then. It's really handy to have a bunch of other nerds around you who are struggling with the same thing.

MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



Enchanted Hat posted:

Something that was also really helpful last year was the goon writing discord, but it seems to have gone quiet since then. It's really handy to have a bunch of other nerds around you who are struggling with the same thing.

The old goon writing discord did kind of go quiet, but the Thunderdome discord has slowly morphed into the de-facto goon writing discord, and got an influx of non-TD goon writers during the time period when it looked like the forums were on the verge of imploding. The server mods have generally said they'd like to see more novel writing discussion happening there too. There's a Nanowrimo channel on the discord too, as of a week or so ago.

Here's a link: https://discord.gg/hrMmqER

Though a mod will need to grant you full access to the server, so depending on when you click on that link, you may need to wait a bit before a mod is available.

magic cactus
Aug 3, 2019

We lied. We are not at war. There is no enemy. This is a rescue operation.
Gonna go ahead and :toxx: up for this before I lose my nerve.

Gonna start with the standard ante of 4k words, increasing the word count total until I hit 50k or deem the project finished.

Good luck fellow writer goons! :patriot:

Pennsylvanian
May 23, 2010

Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky Independent Presidential Regiment
Western Liberal Democracy or Death!
Never heard about this. I it'll be fun. I have a writing project I started last year that's roughly 300 pages long. Short of tying up some issues in style and flow, it's done and I'm proud of it. The problem is that the whole time I was writing it, it felt like way too much like the middle book in a series. So I backed away from it until I came out with a plan.

Last week, while watching a certain anime for the first time (I now have four anime series that I actually enjoy), I got hit by a thunderbolt to write up an outline for a book that precedes my original project. Last night, I immediately sat down and typed 2 thousand words in 2 hours.

I have one of those factory work schedules where I work 3 12-hour shifts in a row followed by 3 days off in a row. I have roughly five of those 3-day weekends in November, which means I have a goal of ten thousand words per weekend. I think I can pull this off with what I have prepared.

LiterallyATomato
Mar 17, 2009

cptn_dr posted:

I'm gonna do it I'm gonna write words about wizards

Yeah, basically this.

McTimmy
Feb 29, 2008
Realistically this should be my first loss after a 7-year streak but gonna try anyway.

EDIT: The fact that I had to edit this twice to get "loss" is telling.

McTimmy fucked around with this message at 07:16 on Nov 1, 2020

Gorka
Aug 18, 2014

THUNDERDOME LOSER 2021
Never participated in Nanowrimo, dunno if I can do the full 50k.

Still, gonna try to write as much as possible, maybe start with 4k and increase the total goal gradually. Gonna write about people not being wizards in a world of wizards.

Kleptocracy
Feb 18, 2011

FABRICATI DIEM PVNC
The last time I participated (must be... Gosh, eighteen years or so ago) I failed spectacularly, but it's been nagging in the back of my head ever since to give it another try.

https://nanowrimo.org/participants/slettlune

I'll be writing some elf poo poo.

mediaphage
Mar 22, 2007

Excuse me, pardon me, sheer perfection coming through
christ i think i might participate this year for the first time. i've done basically no prep work but thinking about it when i run. i don't expect to finish but it should be interesting to give it a shot. in terms of absolute time, 2k words a day is a couple of hours' work if i have a set idea in mind for an article or essay i'm writing, but i've never attempted a real long-form fiction before, which is what this would be.

Devorum
Jul 30, 2005

I'm using Pacemaker to keep me on track for a Reverse NaNo. Started strong today, 2500 down... shooting for 3400.

I'm GMT+3, so my first day is nearly over.

ConanThe3rd
Mar 27, 2009
I've already been plinking away at my novel so I'm using this year as an oppotunity to 1) completly ignore the existantal horror that is the current situation and 2) to write a-


... indeed.

Doing good, 2.1k for my first day, upped the day par to 1800 so I can take one day per week off if I really need it.

Pikestaff
Feb 17, 2013

Came here to bark at you




I've hit 5000 words already because I had that first few chapters sort of outlined in my head and it's made it a lot easier to just throw it all down on paper. I'm sure it'll slow down after this but I like bulking up a safety net early on. Especially because I work ten hour days so there are definitely going to be a few days where I don't come close to quota.

Devorum
Jul 30, 2005

Did well today. Hoping I can keep this pace up before the burnout hits.

Link to Pacemaker if anyone wants to use it. https://www.pacemaker.press/home



Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today
According to my schedule I am not supposed to start writing until tomorrow but I found a few hours this morning so I have decided the schedule can get stuffed, I'm going to start anyway. Happy NaNo everyone!

Staggy
Mar 20, 2008

Said little bitch, you can't fuck with me if you wanted to
These expensive
These is red bottoms
These is bloody shoes


ConanThe3rd posted:

I've already been plinking away at my novel so I'm using this year as an oppotunity to 1) completly ignore the existantal horror that is the current situation and 2) to write a-


... indeed.

Doing good, 2.1k for my first day, upped the day par to 1800 so I can take one day per week off if I really need it.

:hf:

~8,400 words on day one. I'm probably going to struggle during the week so it feels good to have a bit of a buffer.

Enchanted Hat
Aug 18, 2013

Defeated in Diplomacy under suspicious circumstances
Man, goons putting me to shame! I've done 2,291 words so far. I'm very much on track with my outline and my predicted word counts, so I'm feeling optimistic!

Pikestaff
Feb 17, 2013

Came here to bark at you




I was on a roll and didn't want to stop :shobon:

melodicwaffle
Oct 9, 2012

Call or fold?

Pikestaff posted:

I was on a roll and didn't want to stop :shobon:



See, this is the kind of thing I come here for. I need people to post their insane day 1 word counts so I can stop feeling like 1900 is "meh, good enough, I'm done today" and get my rear end back to work.

McTimmy
Feb 29, 2008
7.3K.

Not bad for Year on Fire Edition.

Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today

ConanThe3rd posted:

Doing good, 2.1k for my first day, upped the day par to 1800 so I can take one day per week off if I really need it.

Staggy posted:

~8,400 words on day one.

Enchanted Hat posted:

Man, goons putting me to shame! I've done 2,291 words so far. I'm very much on track with my outline and my predicted word counts, so I'm feeling optimistic!

Pikestaff posted:

I was on a roll and didn't want to stop :shobon:



2213 words on a not-writing day today. I need to catch up with you 7-10kers tomorrow!

Devorum
Jul 30, 2005

3,498 for today, bringing me to 6,964 total. Far better than I've done for the last couple of years, so I'm excited.

I'm also amazed by y'all cranking out 7-10K words. drat.

MockingQuantum
Jan 20, 2012



I'm at 3434 total. I've never had a Nano where I managed to hammer out a load of words in a single day, and I don't think this is gonna be the year I start. I'm just hoping to actually finish this year!

magic cactus
Aug 3, 2019

We lied. We are not at war. There is no enemy. This is a rescue operation.
2231 words total. Not as high as I would like, but there's always tomorrow. :grovertoot:

Rhymes With Clue
Nov 18, 2010

"Don't think--write" has been on a sticky note on my computer for years, or almost. I think mine says "Don't think--TYPE."

Totally borked it last year because my dog died, end of October, then my best friend (my human best friend that is) died early November and...

But this year!

Same name as here if anyone wants to be buddies. Like 2000 words so far but it takes me half the month to figure out the mechanics of updating my word count. Every year.

Leng
May 13, 2006

One song / Glory
One song before I go / Glory
One song to leave behind


No other road
No other way
No day but today
3757 words today. I'm gonna need to rethink my writing schedule. Clearly I can't hit 6-7k words per day as a NaNo newbie.

Staggy
Mar 20, 2008

Said little bitch, you can't fuck with me if you wanted to
These expensive
These is red bottoms
These is bloody shoes


I've been throwing myself into NaNo more than usual this year to distract from gestures vaguely. Up to just under 17,000 words at the end of Day 3, rapidly approaching the end of my planning.

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magic cactus
Aug 3, 2019

We lied. We are not at war. There is no enemy. This is a rescue operation.
Had the day off work so i literally wrote all day today, from about 10am to now, with a few one hour breaks in between. Final word output for today 3443 words, bringing the project total up to 5,021. I'm done for the night.

Hit my first :toxx: total of 4k. Going for 6k additional for a total of 11,021 (don't ask me why I'm doing this I guess I'm insane)

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