Support NeoGAF

[Cyan]

My fellow GAFers! Have you dreamed of writing a novel some day, but somehow never gotten around to it? Do you hate having free time? Then NaNoWriMo may be right for you.

http://www.nanowrimo.org

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You!

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight.

Write a 50,000 word (175 page) novel in a month? Yes it's insane, but that's the point. Write like hell, shut down your internal editor (that can come later), and just get it done.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

We're in November now, but it's never too late to join in!

We had 141 participants, and 45 winners last year. Can we beat that this year? I think we can!

I (well, NaNoBot) will keep the next post updated with participants and their word counts.


FAQ:
How do I write 50k words?
One at a time. Seriously though, if you can keep up with the benchmark (1,667 a day) you're golden. If you can't, don't panic, just set aside a weekend day or days to play catchup. Or end the month with a manic spree of 10k days. Whatever works for you!

Any other strategies?
If you can, aim for 2000 a day rather than just keeping pace with the benchmark. This leaves you the elbow room for a few bad days later on in the month, which is a huge help for the week 2-3 doldrums. Also, try joining sprints and word wars on the NaNo forums or by following @NaNoWordSprints on the twitters.

How do I update my word count?
NaNoBot reads through the thread and pulls out your wordcounts. Any time you want your wordcount updated, please make a post with the wordcount on a line by itself, using the following format: "WC: [your wordcount]" Commas are fine, including a space or not is fine. Periods used as decimals are not.

Will work:
"WC: 5000"
"wc:5,000"
"wc:5k."

Will not work:
"WC: 5000 and 1000 more later" "WC:5.0k" "wc:1000 more than yesterday"

Is there any reason to actually sign up on the site itself?
Yes! First of all, you can have your novel officially validated by the site (copy/paste from your word processor into their word counter). This lets you officially win, and gets you congratulations and all sorts of fame and glory. Second, by signing up, you will get "pep talk" emails each week from famous authors. Good times!

Does my story have to be an original work of genius?
No. It's whatever you want to write. Literary? Go for it. Genre fiction? Go for it. Erotic fanfic? Fuck yea, go for it.

Can I/Do I have to share a synopsis or excerpts?
We'd love to see some of your work! While it's not required, please feel free to post excerpts of what you're working on at any time, or plot details, or character stuff, or whatever you want. For excerpts, I've found that brief ones are more likely to be read.


Useful tools:

Hangouts/Discord:
Does it help you to have other writers around you, to pressure you to get some work done? Want to hang out or chat? Well, Google Hangouts are passe (and barely work anyway). So why not join the discord channel! Quote to see the link:

Software:
Scrivener: a word processor that incorporates scene and character notes, outlines, research documents, and more. You can get a free trial, generally through December 7th, for NaNo. (And a discount on the full version if you win!)
Q10: an alternative word processor which removes all distractions, helping you focus on your work.
Write or Die: start writing in a text box. And don't stop... or else. Give it a try, very motivating. (also has a desktop version and an app--use the "Try" button to use it directly on the site)

Plotting:
No Plot? No Problem: a book by the site's founder, intended as an aid for completing your novel and getting through the month.
How to Outline During NaPloYoNoMo: Chuck Wendig sums up a bunch of different outlining methods.
Snowflake Method: a solid plotting method that helps you get from single-sentence summary to detailed outline. While I no longer use this, I found it extremely helpful in finishing early NaNos. (You don't need the software, the whole method is described in full at the link.)
Adoptions: on the NaNo forums, it's traditional to leave some ideas that other people can pick up and run with. Adopt a plot, adopt a setting, adopt a title, and many more!

Sprints and Wordcounts:
NaNo Sprints: start your engines! Get off to the races with some NaNo sprints, where you compete with other NaNoers to write a bunch of words in a short interval. Also on Twitter.
Backwards NaNo: a slightly different way of managing your word count. It's amortized! That means for the first two weeks, you're writing a lot more than everyone else. But by the last day, you only have to write a single word!

NeoGAF links:
Past NaNo threads
Previous NaNo winners
Short Story Challenge Thread
Writing-GAF community thread


And, of course, this thread! Feel free to post questions here, or show us your awesome excerpts, or just complain about how goddamn hard it is. We're here for you! The camaraderie is part of what makes it fun.

 

[Cyan]

Winners:

Leaderboard:

Carlisle		0
timetokill		0
H.Protagonist		0
javadoze		0
Epcott			0
Hispanic! At the Disco	0
moustascheman		0
RedBoot			0
Vincent Grayson		0
StrongBelwas		0
midramble		0
Like the hat?		0
DirtRiver		0
AnkiRendan		0
drowsy			0
Roberto Larcos		0
sans_pants		0
Wolvers			0
ferunnico		0
Spyder_Monkey		0
Grudy			0
Lunaray			0
mas8705			0
Dineren			0
Sch1sm			0
joshcryer		0
WaffleTaco		0
gcncontroller		0
Luschient		0
Scirrocco		0
Blargonaut		0
Ward			0
Cyan			0
Alastor3		0
Alucard			0
Candeldandel		0
William			0
Freeza Under The Shower	0
NipplesAndToes23	0
MLCodest		0
YesNOnoNOYes		0
thequickandthedead	0
zethren			0
Aiii			0
CorporateClown		0
Archaeopteryx		0
MilkBeard		0
Musha_Soturi		0
Apple Turnover		0
cj2121			0
Petit Melon		0
Ogodei			0
Dandy Crocodile		0
Alcoremortis		0
Metaroo			0
ZeroX03			0
Rayne009		0
plagiarize		0
ThoseDeafMutes		0
Blue Ninja		0
Spira			0
Wafflecakes		0
Verdre			0
choodi			0
LSauchelli		0
kevin1025		0
Aiustis			0
TheChuggernaut		0
Kalor			0
blakep267		0
Delio			0
Karu			0
Vincent Alexander	0
PSqueak			0
KojiKnight		0
weemadarthur		0
Landford		0
Dongs Macabre		0
Plasticine		0
Kimaka			0
The Scollard		0
The Shadow		0
Unicorn			0
Hopeford		0
Timu			0
Juneau Joe		0
Linkark07		0
Burbeting		0
Master Milk		0
Penguin			0
FlowersisBritish	0
smokeandmirrors		0
Oyashrio-Sama		0
Soulstar		0
Regulus Tera		0
MaximumSpider		0
zulux21			0
Sonicbug		0
W-00			0
Narag			0
EverythingShiny		0
Chichikov		0
fredrancour		0
Briarios		0
Nezumi			0
JonnyDBrit		0
Jabronium		0
Kalentan		0
Servbot24		0
mu cephei		0
Weiss			0
Random Human		0
Voras			0
Mobius and pet octopus	0
Sibersk Esto		0
GSR			0
itsbenoclock		0
Dedication Through Light	0

(People in red have completed NaNoWriMo previously. The benchmark for completing 50k in 30 days is bolded.)

 

[Narag]

It's finally my favorite time of year.

 

[Sch1sm]

I'm not remotely ready. ;-;

 

[sans_pants]

think im gonna try this year but not sure if I really have the time

 

[Luschient]

I've written 3 novels in the past few years and have been reeeeeally lazy about starting a 4th. This would give me a "deadline" to get at least a working version of it complete.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Okay, I'm in this year and will strive to not fail like my previous attempts. I've got three weeks to come up with an idea, I can do this.

 

[Nezumi]

Oh Boy, here we go. Here's to not having to write 20000 words in the last three days or so for once

 

[zulux21]

Have you dreamed of writing a novel some day, but somehow never gotten around to it?

*looks at the files for 3 completed novels that still need to be edited*

Do you hate having free time? Then NaNoWriMo may be right for you.

*looks at stack of video games to play*

hmm.... this doesn't seem like a fit for me at all.

oh well, 50k words of book 4 seems like a fine goal so I guess count me in

 

[Cyan]

All right, let's turn on NaNoBot and see if it still works!

Oh Boy, here we go. Here's to not having to write 20000 words in the last three days or so for once

 

[Sibersk Esto]

I'm not committing just yet, but I definitely want to.

 

[midramble]

I'll be in for attempt #4.... With the same story...

If I can just finish one thing, maybe there's hope for me.

 

[Spyder_Monkey]

I tried doing this last year... wrote a chapter that I didn't find to be very good and gave up. I'm going to do it again. Don't expect to fully complete it but I want to get way farther than I did last year.

 

[mu cephei]

I'm in. I think having the last few years off has allowed me to forget quite how hellish it is.

 

[Cyan]

I tried doing this last year... wrote a chapter that I didn't find to be very good and gave up. I'm going to do it again. Don't expect to fully complete it but I want to get way farther than I did last year.

Yeah, in all honesty, writing material that you look at and cringe is pretty par for the course. You gotta push through it. Fix it in post!

I'm in. I think having the last few years off has allowed me to forget quite how hellish it is.

 

[sans_pants]

I tried doing this last year... wrote a chapter that I didn't find to be very good and gave up. I'm going to do it again. Don't expect to fully complete it but I want to get way farther than I did last year.

i write screenplays. the first draft is always trash. just get it done and fix it later, makes things much smoother. sitting around and agonizing over each word you will never complete anything

 

[PSqueak]

...i think i'll actually try this year.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Fuck it, I'll try again this year. Got a few concepts lying around I can use as the basis for it.

 

[GSR]

 

[Master Milk]

in

 

[StrongBelwas]

Attempted this 3 times before never got much further than 10k words... msybe this year will be different.

 

[moustascheman]

I guess I'll try this again this year. Hopefully my schedule won't be too hectic.

 

[Random Human]

I did my NaNo draft in September. The perfect crime.

 

[drowsy]

In.

I'll be writing the first draft of a little crime story that I've been fleshing out for a year or two while writing other stuff. This is probably the most prepared I've ever been for a piece of writing. I can't wait to hate every word of it.

 

[Ogodei]

Fuck it, i'm going to throw in this year.

Assuming that my currently pending background check doesn't fall through (i should start a new job next week) and my November isn't consumed by feverish job-hunting or temping again.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Im going to do it again this year. Did my 50K both last year and the year before, here's hoping for the third time around.

 

[Musha_Soturi]

5th time lucky! Count me in.

 

[Timu]

I'm 100% in, let's do this! Raunchy adult comedy is a go for me!

 

[blakep267]

THis is my year. One of the first threads I came across when I joined here was this thread(maybe 2011 or 2012). I've constantly put it off but no more

 

[Like the hat?]

In to fail again!

 

[Metaroo]

Been waiting for an opportunity to try this. Count me in!

 

[Freeza Under The Shower]

In for retry.

Hangouts now use Discord though.

 

[Mobius and pet octopus]

I've been thinking about ramping up writing pace, so I'm in.

 

[LSauchelli]

Awesome, I'm in this year. Hope to finish the first draft of a few short novels in a month.

 

[Regulus Tera]

I’m in, though I need to finish my second novel draft before Thursday if I wanna get some actual planning for this

 

[Petit Melon]

In, of course! You started the thread early this year, yay! I'm almost at ten years doing this crazy month of noveling. :O

Thankfully, the Hippo Noto released just in time to plan and write. I'm about halfway done with my synopsis plus working on transferring information across three notebooks into the Hippo for ease of use. I'm debating making an "official" ink to write the novel in, but that sounds like a fast way to make me hate a color, hahaha.

 

[Linkark07]

Still deciding if I should enter this year or skip.

I'm right now focused on fixing and rewriting chapters of the first book in my science fiction series and actually release it next year if possible.

 

[Cyan]

In, of course! You started the thread early this year, yay! I'm almost at ten years doing this crazy month of noveling. :O

Thankfully, the Hippo Noto released just in time to plan and write. I'm about halfway done with my synopsis plus working on transferring information across three notebooks into the Hippo for ease of use. I'm debating making an "official" ink to write the novel in, but that sounds like a fast way to make me hate a color, hahaha.

Yay!

Dang, do you also do all your plotting and planning by hand in notebooks? I think that would drive me crazy!

 

[zulux21]

Yay!

Dang, do you also do all your plotting and planning by hand in notebooks? I think that would drive me crazy!

It was my preferred way, I have notebooks of notes and rough drafts, but after I hurt my wrist at work 18 months ago or so I haven't been able to write for more than 5-10 minutes by hand without my hand killing me.

my wrist is healed enough that most other activities are fine but apparently the small movements of writing just aggravate it quickly. I mean I suppose I could just write left handed instead, but it's a lot harder to write left handed quickly without getting ink/pencil on your hand :/ plus I am out of practice left handed so I am a bit slower that way in general.

 

[Cyan]

It was my preferred way, I have notebooks of notes and rough drafts, but after I hurt my wrist at work 18 months ago or so I haven't been able to write for more than 5-10 minutes by hand without my hand killing me.

my wrist is healed enough that most other activities are fine but apparently the small movements of writing just aggravate it quickly. I mean I suppose I could just write left handed instead, but it's a lot harder to write left handed quickly without getting ink/pencil on your hand :/ plus I am out of practice left handed so I am a bit slower that way in general.

Damn. So you're forced to do typing now, or do you do dictation or something?

For notes and plotting and worldbuilding etc, I've really taken a shine to Scrivener. It's not perfect, and I sometimes wish I could just scribble things down, but it's really good for organizing and finding things again later.

 

[Ryzaki009]

Hm I do need some inspiration to actually get started so I'm in. I've never done this before so should be fun

 

[Delio]

Cyan go ahead and add me. I got my idea all planned and im ready to nail it again this year.

 

[PSqueak]

Im officially on the list, no turning back now.

I better start writing character notes to be ready when November rolls.

 

[zulux21]

Damn. So you're forced to do typing now, or do you do dictation or something?

For notes and plotting and worldbuilding etc, I've really taken a shine to Scrivener. It's not perfect, and I sometimes wish I could just scribble things down, but it's really good for organizing and finding things again later.

I have to type. for some reason typing doesn't bother my wrist... though that is partially because I have a wrist support I use. before I got that it was not pleasant typing for long times.

I have many weaknesses in my writing, the one that is biting me in the ass the most right now though is not keeping detailed enough notes in regards to events. When I did things by hand I typically used the last 10 pages as places to make notes, now i have to make sure to open up other files and I often don't because i am in a groove.

Plus side, my wrist should be fully healed again in a year or two if I don't hurt it again, but at some point i will likely have to just write and write and write nonsense to build up the muscles for writing again.

as for Scrivener I have used it some. I will need to sit down and really focus on filling out details for it. I at least have a format idea for it.

where the chapters are broken into important information and each character has their own subsection where I make notes of their personality stuff, abilities, when those first show up and have a section allowing me to find any important scene by making notes of where they are.

I tend to have a lot of little details that I need to keep straight, and right now I am sure I have plenty of them wrong, especially since I have times where I take large breaks from writing.

 

[Dandy Crocodile]

I'm back with motivation this year! Last year I tried to pants it and it didn't go well so I'm returning to my winning 2015 plan and, well, planning.
As a side not, my local Wrimos are super great and I strongly encourage everybody to look into local groups for extra encouragement!

 

[javadoze]

Back at it again for a 2nd time.

Won for the 1st time last year via pantsing to oblivion.

Now I have an ungodly amount of worldbuilding notes for my fantasy novel (and possibly three sequel/spinoff ideas).

I think I'm adequately prepared this time.

 

[GSR]

Back at it again for a 2nd time.

Won for the 1st time last year via pantsing to oblivion.

Now I have an ungodly amount of worldbuilding notes for my fantasy novel (and possibly three sequel ideas).

I think I'm adequately prepared this time.

If you're not pantsing, you're not NaNoing.

 

[zulux21]

Back at it again for a 2nd time.

Won for the 1st time last year via pantsing to oblivion.

Now I have an ungodly amount of worldbuilding notes for my fantasy novel (and possibly three sequel/spinoff ideas).

I think I'm adequately prepared this time.

one of the more interesting things I have had to do writing fantasy is figure out what world building stuff is for me, and what stuff is going to be in the novel for the reader. I have tons of notes about things that aren't in my novel because I already have a problem with data dumping lol.

 

[Lunaray]

I'm not going to have enough time, but maybe I'll try regardless.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Sign me up captain o7