Rambling
I see on nanowrimo a lot of post by virgin nanos (what would we do with out them?) and thats really great! Thats what nano is all about, pulling in people who has never writen a book, and giving them the support they need to do it.
But I've also noticed a trend. Things like 'I tried it last year, and made 5,000 words before giving up, well, this year I'm going to do it! I don't know what about, but hey, I can do it!' and 'I've never been able to complete anything in my life, but I know I will get this done, because I joined nano!' or '*bounce* I'm 14 and I've joined, but with *bounce* school and TV and homework and babysitting and *bounce* shopping, I don't know where I'm going to fit it in, but WOW its so cool, Im going to write a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*bounce*'
Last year, I saw several people write variation on that as well, where their little 'I've written 100 words bar' creeps up to maybe 500, or 1000, or 5000, and they have a grand total of 3 posts, and the only thing that surprises me is they last a week.
I dont want to bust your bubble, but if you think Nano is going to MAKE you do it, or its some how going to suck the words from you, it's not going to happen. If you don't have the self discipline to sit your self down, and write one thousand, six hundred sixty seven words a day you WILL NOT MAKE IT. "I will make it up tomorrow" will be your down fall. "After the movie" will kill your novel. "I'll make it up as I go along...."
I'll make it up as I go along....
Now, honest to goodness, there ARE some people who can write 50,000 word works of stream of consciousness. I've read one. It was actually compelling, in a dark and dizzing kind of way. and NaNo DOES promote 'no plot, no problem'
But COME ON.
Now, okay. You're new to nano. You've commited yourself to writing 50 thousand words in 30 days. You're going to 'wing' it. Fly by the seat of your pants. There were something like 15,000 nano partisipants last year. I heard of ONE who managed to get through all 50k on 'the wing'. There may have been one or two more, but I only heard of one.
The ones that made it, the ones that beat their head at the 40k wall (oh, that wall hurts) the ones that sat down every day, and pounded out crap, but pounded out SOMETHING, were the ones that did 2 things --
They partisipated ALOT on the nano boards. They had 'a plan.'
If you join nano, PARTISIPATE. write your thoughts, help others, sit in the procrastination forum, or the 'help me!' forum, but talk to other nanos ALOT. It will give you a sense of community, and will support you until you discipline yourself enough you can help OTHERS instead.
Plan something! Yeah, I know that seems pretty basic, but you watch and see: those people who are logging in on Nov 1st and say -- wow! I'm going to write a novel! anyone got an idea they can give me? I dont know what I'm going to write about -- and you see they have 1 - 2 - 4 posts total to their name. Look at them at the end of the month, and they will be gone. YOU MUST PLAN SOMETHING. Anything. But go in there with an idea, a plot, and outline, SOMETHING. Sure, it will change, it will become something you had not thought of, but if you DONT go in with a plan, you will PROBABLY fail.
There is still the month of October. Now is the time to start disciplineing yourself. Every day, find 'nano' time. This is when your going to write in Novemember. But for now, use it for character developement, plot defining, world building.
If you REALLY want to write a novel, PLAN.
Now, I'm a planner -- I honestly don't understand how someone can write a novel without one. But SOME PEOPLE CAN. If you are one of those people -- I envy you! You can take my advice and blow your nose on it, and go off to write your Nano with no worries. No character developement. No world building. No plot. But if you're a NEWBIE NANO, I highly recommend one. I really WILL help.
If you're there for the fun of it, HAVE FUN! If you're there to have fun AND WRITE A NOVEL, have fun planning! =D
I did not aim this post at anyone I know. Please dont think I'm talking about YOU, I'm not. But if you see yourself in it.... well. It's still October. There is still time. Good luck!
But I've also noticed a trend. Things like 'I tried it last year, and made 5,000 words before giving up, well, this year I'm going to do it! I don't know what about, but hey, I can do it!' and 'I've never been able to complete anything in my life, but I know I will get this done, because I joined nano!' or '*bounce* I'm 14 and I've joined, but with *bounce* school and TV and homework and babysitting and *bounce* shopping, I don't know where I'm going to fit it in, but WOW its so cool, Im going to write a book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!*bounce*'
Last year, I saw several people write variation on that as well, where their little 'I've written 100 words bar' creeps up to maybe 500, or 1000, or 5000, and they have a grand total of 3 posts, and the only thing that surprises me is they last a week.
I dont want to bust your bubble, but if you think Nano is going to MAKE you do it, or its some how going to suck the words from you, it's not going to happen. If you don't have the self discipline to sit your self down, and write one thousand, six hundred sixty seven words a day you WILL NOT MAKE IT. "I will make it up tomorrow" will be your down fall. "After the movie" will kill your novel. "I'll make it up as I go along...."
I'll make it up as I go along....
Now, honest to goodness, there ARE some people who can write 50,000 word works of stream of consciousness. I've read one. It was actually compelling, in a dark and dizzing kind of way. and NaNo DOES promote 'no plot, no problem'
But COME ON.
Now, okay. You're new to nano. You've commited yourself to writing 50 thousand words in 30 days. You're going to 'wing' it. Fly by the seat of your pants. There were something like 15,000 nano partisipants last year. I heard of ONE who managed to get through all 50k on 'the wing'. There may have been one or two more, but I only heard of one.
The ones that made it, the ones that beat their head at the 40k wall (oh, that wall hurts) the ones that sat down every day, and pounded out crap, but pounded out SOMETHING, were the ones that did 2 things --
They partisipated ALOT on the nano boards. They had 'a plan.'
If you join nano, PARTISIPATE. write your thoughts, help others, sit in the procrastination forum, or the 'help me!' forum, but talk to other nanos ALOT. It will give you a sense of community, and will support you until you discipline yourself enough you can help OTHERS instead.
Plan something! Yeah, I know that seems pretty basic, but you watch and see: those people who are logging in on Nov 1st and say -- wow! I'm going to write a novel! anyone got an idea they can give me? I dont know what I'm going to write about -- and you see they have 1 - 2 - 4 posts total to their name. Look at them at the end of the month, and they will be gone. YOU MUST PLAN SOMETHING. Anything. But go in there with an idea, a plot, and outline, SOMETHING. Sure, it will change, it will become something you had not thought of, but if you DONT go in with a plan, you will PROBABLY fail.
There is still the month of October. Now is the time to start disciplineing yourself. Every day, find 'nano' time. This is when your going to write in Novemember. But for now, use it for character developement, plot defining, world building.
If you REALLY want to write a novel, PLAN.
Now, I'm a planner -- I honestly don't understand how someone can write a novel without one. But SOME PEOPLE CAN. If you are one of those people -- I envy you! You can take my advice and blow your nose on it, and go off to write your Nano with no worries. No character developement. No world building. No plot. But if you're a NEWBIE NANO, I highly recommend one. I really WILL help.
If you're there for the fun of it, HAVE FUN! If you're there to have fun AND WRITE A NOVEL, have fun planning! =D
I did not aim this post at anyone I know. Please dont think I'm talking about YOU, I'm not. But if you see yourself in it.... well. It's still October. There is still time. Good luck!