miriam_e | NaNoWriMo in a bit over 2 weeks

I'm participating in NaNoWriMo again this year and I'm delighted to say that my juices have started flowing. Been mapping out my story today. I had two main story ideas. One was the no-conflict happy story and the other is a more conventional tale with some anguish and conflict. It looks like the second one is winning out. It will be easier to make it into a novel because of the more complex environment.

Still not sure if I can manage to do it this year because the medication I'm taking for this infection is still affecting my mind. But NaNoWriMo is all about the attempt. It is about challenging yourself and giving yourself an excuse to make the leap. And it is about the way that alters you. As they say on their FAQ:

"The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self."

I can vouch for that.

My first novel on NaNoWriMo was not much good, but I feel it had some real gems scattered through it. I've been gradually rewriting it. I don't know if it will ever see the light of day though.

My next one began better and was building in a way I liked, but was cut short by what I felt were a few thoughtless and cruel comments. Looking back over it I think it could still become a good novel, and I do want to finish it one day. I regret stopping now.

I think I'm approaching this year's piece in a more logical way. Yes, it seems I'm learning. :)
This one won't be posted publicly. I will be making it available to a few friends though. If you want me to send you the address of where it will be posted, let me know. You'll get the equivalent of a short story a day for a month... if I can overcome my fuzzy brain.

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I'm popping my NaNoWriMo cherry this year. :-)

I'm starting to ponder ideas, too.

Yay! :)

Do it. It is exhausting but utterly wonderful... like trekking through the Himalayas must be. It gives you license to do something quite insane. If that wasn't good enough, you learn enormous amounts about yourself and writing in the process.

Best advice I can give: try not to take it too seriously, but make as many notes and collect together as many ideas as you can beforehand. If you are anything like me then around the middle of the month you may be gripped by fear that you don't have enough material for a novel. Naturally it is baseless -- you are always surrounded by plenty of material, but being able to refer to notes is a great way to quell that fear. Of course you may be one of those lucky people who can just wing it. If so, I envy you deeply. :)

Very best of luck to you.

"yes, but can we cook in your juices?"

One of the few things I miss about not having TV is Xena. I must buy the DVD set one day. I love the screwy humour of that show.

Hmmm... cook in my juices? :) Does that mean you want to read along? I'd love you to... if you have time.

Nah, I don't really, since I'm at work :( And my gf is a much larger Xena fan...

Cool. :)
I thought time would be pretty precious for you, what with work and your mathematical aspirations... and girlfriend! Lucky, lucky you.

awshucks, i dunno :)

I would love to read your piece.

I wonder if I'll do NaNoWriMo this year. If I can knock off some of these stupid college applications! Ultimate sigh on senior year.

Coming up with the ideas isn't hard. I don't try to create masterpieces--it doesn't even have to have much a plot for me, I just love the writing. I really hope I have the time.

Kiwi

I hope you have time too. You certainly have the right attitude (in my opinion). I wish I could just write for the writing's sake, but I'm too over-controlled... which is probably why I'm not a terribly good writer -- no spontaneity. Oh well, we are what we are. :)

I'd love for you to read mine... if you have time.

Mm. I mean, I have pieces that I take more care with and strictly control. Otherwise, I let my muse take her own jolly, twisty-turny path. She hasn't sent me in a wrong direction yet, in my opinion. =).

I always find time for reading. If I need to, I'll print it out and read it during my free moments the way I do with books.

Kiwi

I love it when that happens. It sometimes does when I'm writing and I really treasure those experiences. In my opinion those pieces are far better than the ones I carefully design, but I can't rely on them. They just seem to happen to me at random times. You are very lucky.

I'll post the address of the story here in a couple of weeks.

Alright. =). I will wait patiently--I'm very excited.

Kiwi

My first installment is online at:
http://miriam-english.org/stories/selena/index.html

Hope you get time to read it and that you enjoy it.

I hope I get the time to read it, too. Last night I came down with a pretty ruddy sickness--it hit so quickly! Thankfully I didn't have school today, so I have a day to recover.

Not the most fabulous way to kick off NaNoWriMo though.

Kiwi

Oh dear! You poor thing. I hope you get well quickly. Take it easy and rest. Stay away from the computer and take refuge in bed with a mug of warm milk and a good book... and a cuddly woman if you can. :)

I usually write when I'm sick, so I may do that a little bit just because it's my habit and it soothes my sick mind.

Mug of warm milk and a good book. Oh, that does sound delightful.

It's too bad that I still have to do homework and things of that sort. Maybe I'll do that first and get it out of the way, then I can relax. Want to make sure I'm prepared for the first part of my term test in Human Anatomy and Physiology tomorrow.

(I certainly wish there was a cuddly woman I could take refuge in bed with!)

Kiwi

Hi!
I would really appreciate it if I could see what you're writing next month. I friended you 2 years ago becasue of that story so I'd like to hear more.

I'd love that.

Thanks for the nice words about my "Insurance" story -- that means more to me than you might think. It will eventually go on my website when I've finished reworking it... though it may take a long time to do so. It needs a lot of work.

In a couple of weeks I'll post to here (as a reply) the address where I'll be updating this year's NaNoWriMo effort. I hope it's worth waiting for. [gulp]

I hope you like the story. My first installment has gone online at:
http://miriam-english.org/stories/selena/index.html

Best wishes.

I'm doing my own version of NaNoWriMo, but it's NaNoWriQua. I am up to Day 42, I think, of a 110 day(nearly 4 month) novel writing thing. I decided my health, sanity and lifestyle didn't contribute to a novel in a month, so I'm doing about 500 words a day and having a ball.
So far I have:
-crashed the space shuttle twice
-snake aliens hovering menacingly in orbit
-a publicity-keen astronomer
-a cat in orbit
-Chuck Yeager pissed off
-aliens believing Britney Spears the supreme leader of earth
-a mysterious antler-wielding man
-Monty Python quotes
-an L5 habitat
-new extreme astronaut criteria
-a pilot with killer's eyes
-a cheating co-pilot
And I haven't even got anyone killed yet. :)

Seems like a wonderful idea. It may well be the best way to maximise output while minimising stress. I might have a shot at something like that next year. Though I'm a bit scared that next year is going to be really busy for me.

Heheheh :D
I laughed aloud reading your list. Sounds like a great romp -- a lot of fun. I'd love to read it sometime.

Best of luck with it.

NaNoWriMo in a bit over 2 weeks

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are you a xena fan? ;)

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