Is anyone doing Nanowrimo this year?

[Pokeyonekenobie]

NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth starts at midnight.  I don't know about you guys but I try it every year and don't actually make the 50k words, but I usually make some progress on existing stories.  This year I really need to finish a story that I started years ago because I made it one of my goals for the year and I feel like I'm just not making enough progress on it.  So that's what I'll be working on.  How about you?

[Taffeta]

I have never done it, but I have considered it this year now we're on lockdown just to give me some impetus.

I write a lot and I worked out that I average around 125k a month in terms of word count, so the 50k has never really been a challenge line for me. But I figured that it would at least give me an outlet, if I could only decide which story to work on.

Earlier in lockdown I wrote around 400k in fanfic for a particular community, but that means that idea is now exhausted. The issue I have is that I can write lots quickly when I'm in that zone, but once I've run out of the ideas for stories around that subject, I end up in a lull where I am not sure where to go next. And that's where I am right now. Between creative spurts

I usually find I have a finite space of time in which to finish a story before I lose the threads of it, but there are a few I can come back to.

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I would love to try it at some point but this is not the semester for planning anything, I've learned.

I write a lot and I worked out that I average around 125k a month in terms of word count, so the 50k has never really been a challenge line for me.

I remember there's a group of people who try to do 50k on November 1st...I guess if you really get in the groove, that's an option.

[Taffeta]

I would love to try it at some point but this is not the semester for planning anything, I've learned.

I write a lot and I worked out that I average around 125k a month in terms of word count, so the 50k has never really been a challenge line for me.

I remember there's a group of people who try to do 50k on November 1st...I guess if you really get in the groove, that's an option.

Hehe

The thing is though that trying to force 50k in one day means it's more likely you'd write something horrible xD.

[Ponybookworm]

Through Reddit & Discord, as well as things I did on Pinterest, I've found myself in a few writing groups, & the buzz about this has been going there for days!!! I myself write when I write really, & have been diagnosable dyslexic for most of my life (diagnosed at 17) so 50k words in a month is a daunting prospect for me.

So I think I'll just do what I can to finish off the big story I'm working on, & not worry about trying to meet some target of however many words.

PS: to those worried about writing something horrible, go in with the "write now, edit later" philosophy. And all the best to those taking part!!!

[Taffeta]

PS: to those worried about writing something horrible, go in with the "write now, edit later" philosophy.

That's sound advice So long as you do come back to it later!

I really just meant that forcing yourself to write 50k in a day just for the sake of hitting the number isn't very meaningful. Not impossible, but not meaningful.

I actually think that the 50k target can be a limit rather than a help to writing stuff. I don't personally watch my word count, unless I have to/the site I load the story to gives a wordcount. It's better to enjoy writing something than to worry about hitting a target unless there's a bigger goal (like you're writing it for someone/a deadline).

[Pokeyonekenobie]

I don't really worry too much about the 50k goal.  The Nano site has a place you can update your wordcount daily if you want to keep track and you earn "badges" for updating it every day so it's kind of fun to see how close I get.  Mostly I use Nano to try and focus on the stories that I've got going in an attempt to get some work done on them.  The one I'm trying to finish up is one that I know I could finish if I can just force myself to focus on it. 

Since there are no in-person write-ins or word wars, I plan to set my Death Star Egg Timer (it always makes me jump when it goes off) and do some word sprints on my own. 

Post Merge: November 01, 2020, 08:37:50 PM

Well, the timer/word sprints helped me get the first day's word count in.  It helps that I can type around 500 words during a 15 minute sprint.  I could probably do more if I could get in the groove but I'll take what I can get.  Any progress on my story is worth it.

[Ponybookworm]

I don't really worry too much about the 50k goal.  The Nano site has a place you can update your wordcount daily if you want to keep track and you earn "badges" for updating it every day so it's kind of fun to see how close I get.  Mostly I use Nano to try and focus on the stories that I've got going in an attempt to get some work done on them.  The one I'm trying to finish up is one that I know I could finish if I can just force myself to focus on it. 

Since there are no in-person write-ins or word wars, I plan to set my Death Star Egg Timer (it always makes me jump when it goes off) and do some word sprints on my own. 

Post Merge: November 01, 2020, 08:37:50 PM

Well, the timer/word sprints helped me get the first day's word count in.  It helps that I can type around 500 words during a 15 minute sprint.  I could probably do more if I could get in the groove but I'll take what I can get.  Any progress on my story is worth it.

DEATH STAR EGG TIMER!!!!!!!

[Pokeyonekenobie]

I don't really worry too much about the 50k goal.  The Nano site has a place you can update your wordcount daily if you want to keep track and you earn "badges" for updating it every day so it's kind of fun to see how close I get.  Mostly I use Nano to try and focus on the stories that I've got going in an attempt to get some work done on them.  The one I'm trying to finish up is one that I know I could finish if I can just force myself to focus on it. 

Since there are no in-person write-ins or word wars, I plan to set my Death Star Egg Timer (it always makes me jump when it goes off) and do some word sprints on my own. 

Post Merge: November 01, 2020, 08:37:50 PM

Well, the timer/word sprints helped me get the first day's word count in.  It helps that I can type around 500 words during a 15 minute sprint.  I could probably do more if I could get in the groove but I'll take what I can get.  Any progress on my story is worth it.

DEATH STAR EGG TIMER!!!!!!!

Yes, I found it at Walgreen's a few Christmases ago and I use it all the time.    You could probably find one on eBay or Amazon. 
Here's a video someone made reviewing it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHQHwSk32EA
It goes off at about the 3:13 mark but mine is much louder than in the video so I don't know if it's just because it's in a video or if mine is really loud.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

So far this is the first year I've managed to keep up with the word count.  Probably not much to brag about given it's only day 3 but still I'm usually behind by this point in the game.  The 15 minute sprints are really working for me.   How is everyone else doing?

[Taffeta]

I decided not to do it. I figured it was probably more likely to give me writer's block if I had some kind of regulation on when and how much I am writing, so I decided to focus on my other projects for this month and get through some of my backed up audiobooks instead xD.

[Ponyfan]

I have never done it, but I have considered it this year now we're on lockdown just to give me some impetus.

I write a lot and I worked out that I average around 125k a month in terms of word count, so the 50k has never really been a challenge line for me. But I figured that it would at least give me an outlet, if I could only decide which story to work on.

Earlier in lockdown I wrote around 400k in fanfic for a particular community, but that means that idea is now exhausted. The issue I have is that I can write lots quickly when I'm in that zone, but once I've run out of the ideas for stories around that subject, I end up in a lull where I am not sure where to go next. And that's where I am right now. Between creative spurts

I usually find I have a finite space of time in which to finish a story before I lose the threads of it, but there are a few I can come back to.

I had a really good story idea and the same thing happened to me. Eventually I couldn't figure out where I wanted to take the story and abandoned it because I realized I was essential rewriting the same scene 20 times trying to find out where to go next.

I have a few fanfic ideas I've been toying with but there still in the early stages.

Ponyfan

[SunPony]

I have never done it myself, I'm not much of a writer...  I have a couple friends who have done it, and I really admire anyone who succeeds!  It's quite the undertaking.  Best wishes for your journey, Pokeyonekenobi!  I hope you'll share at least a bit about your story with us.

[lovesbabysquirmy]

hahaha I am never NOT working on my novel

[Shaiyeh]

I've done nano twice before (and won ) and I started one a couple years ago, apparently... I logged on my nano page the other day and was like??? I wrote this? but didn't finish that one.

I was thinking about doing it again this year, but it's a bit late to start maybe.. and I've got a bunch of test knitting to do as well as some designs of my own, so I don't think I'll be able to.