NaNoWriMo anyone?

[Chance]

I tried participating in Nano once, and failed miserably. I'd love to try again, but I don't think I could handle the extra stress on my plate right now. So instead, I shall wish you all a GOOD LUCK! 

And remember: when your characters inevitably decide that they don't like the plot you've written and try to take things in a completely different direction.... let them!

[LeighAnnApanites]

Auuuuuugggggghhhhhh!!! Why does it suck SO BAD!!! (Sorry, just had to get that out. )

[Katika]

Push through it!  You can do this!!!

[windsong]

Yes! You guys can do it!

When I hit a roadblock, I'd get up for fifteen minutes and do something else, anything else. Stretch or walk around the house or drink a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Then go back to writing. Doing all that writing for such a long time can make your eyes cross sometimes, so you need a little bit of a break.

[Katika]

I've just hit a snag, myself.  I boldly declared halfway through the day on Friday that I would reach at least 10k by the end of the day today, but am still shy of that goal by just over 3000 words.  It can get done, easily, but the nasty, hateful side of my brain is saying "That's almost twice the normal daily word count!  Pffft!  You're not going to get there!"  On top of that, I keep thinking about how I still have to rebury an exposed water line, do dishes and laundry and customs and vacuuming...  You can see where my mind's going now!

What I really think is the worst part of this, is that I actually *know* what I'm going to write next.  And I *really, really* like the plot in this next section.  That reluctance could go back to one of my old habits of not wanting to write stuff that I was really excited about, because then it would be "over."  I guess that my actual writing time is going to happen later than normal today.  Still aiming for my 10k!

[Sora]

I've just a snag too.

I've accidentally plunged into the main part of the story, and I'm not even at 10k yet! Sure, I might be able to recover thanks to the versatile nature of the story, but still. Argh!

[LeighAnnApanites]

Keep up the good work everybody! Don't let your icky old editor mind muck up a perfectly good writing effort.

I more or less met my goal yesterday. Yay! I'm still behind, but not as badly as last year.

I've been setting a timer for 15 minutes and writing as hard as I can until the timer goes off. Then I get up and walk around a little and then do another 15 minutes. Repeat as desired. It gives me a chance to focus closely, but it's not overwhelming.

Good writing everyone!

[Katika]

I've been setting a timer for 15 minutes and writing as hard as I can until the timer goes off. Then I get up and walk around a little and then do another 15 minutes. Repeat as desired. It gives me a chance to focus closely, but it's not overwhelming.

I did that through one entire Saturday when my husband was at work last year.  That was the day that I got around 15k in one day.  I did 30 minute word sprints and then took 15 to 30 minute breaks between to do house work and check in on other NaNoing friends.  I'm going to wait for the next day when my hubby is at work all day and aim to do that again - it was SUCH a great push!  I'm just about at 8k right now, so I feel good about making my weekend goal now.  I've got the current scene that I'm working 100% figured out, but what happens next is still kind of shady.  Either way, I've got three characters that are *very* good at pushing things along for me, and I have the strange feeling that the one that is going to get introduced in the next few pages is going to do an even better job at it, at least for a couple of chapters.

[ApertureScience]

I haven't written anything yet.  I tried starting the other day at work, but everything I wrote was so awkward.  Just didn't flow well or grip the reader's attention at all.  I don't know what to do about it either...

[Katika]

Even if it's awkward, keep going!  The focus of NaNoWriMo ISN'T to produce a compelling manuscript ready for publication - it's to get the story down on paper.  This includes any amount of awkward wording, run-on sentences, plot holes, failed devices and lackings of detail.  You can't edit something that you don't have in front of you, nor can you turn a blank page into something compelling or interesting to read.  The story's in you, so let it come out!  You can go back and "fix" it once it's done, but it has to get done first

It's perhaps easier for me, because I don't ever write for readers.  I write for myself.  If someone else gets enjoyment out of my stories, great!  But ultimately, it's my story, with my characters, in my world.  Don't worry about trying to please others at this stage - it should help make things easier

[Enolaalone]

Ditto what Katika said. You just have to try really hard to cut out your inner editor. It doesn't matter if your story seems boring or you're repeating yourself, it's not original, anything like that. Just keep going forwards. Don't let yourself press the backspace key. Before you know it you'll have your first 1,000 words!

[Sora]

I already have a minor plot hole in the story. An exaggerated example:

Character: Hey! We need that balloon! That's all we need!
*4 paragraphs later*
Character: Quickly, we can't leave without the ice cream, we need it now!
*steals the ice cream and leaves without the balloon*

Woopsy.

[ApertureScience]

Well, I tried again, and it's actually off to a decent start.  It's because I'm writing about ponies (G2s); they bring about the best of my abilities. XP

[NovelNerd]

I'm totally cheating (but I didn't sign up for Nano just a personal thing), and I'm working on my personal novel instead. Using Nano as an excuse for a push! Type self type!

[Kanthaka]

Work through the blocks and ignore the plot holes! 

It sounds like most everyone's off to a good start, and Katika, thank you for the advice.  I hope that today's a good word count day for you all.