NaNoWriMo
I know, you're like, what the hell is
NaNoWriMo? The short version, according to the NaNo PTB: "National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants
approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The
goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November
30."
Last year I had no idea what my novel would be about until I started writing on Nov. 1. I ended up with some decent raw material, but it's in a jumbled mess. Which is kind of the point of NaNo. I may have the kernels for at least two finished novels in there somewhere, but I didn't even look at it again until last month.
This year, I am thinking of submitting an entry to a small publisher's writing contest. Since that's due on Dec. 31, I thought about writing it in November (for NaNo) and revising it thoroughly in December. I know that seems fast, but I don't have anything started for the submission, which has to be 15,000 to 35,000 words in a diary or journal format.
Now I know what you're thinking (assuming you care): The NaNo has to be at least 50,000 words. Too long for the contest. Well, here's the interesting part (again, with the caring): It would be a new dilemma for me, to have a first draft that's considerably longer than the finished product. Usually I write short, and then go back and fill in, flesh out, what have you. So this will be a helpful exercise, at the very least. And who knows, maybe I'll end up with a viable submission for the contest.
I have a few vague ideas about the topic, main character, etc., but I won't be sharing at the moment -- better to keep it percolating. I can take notes and outline before Nov. 1, I just can't have any of that preparatory writing appear verbatim in my completed 50,000 NaNo submission.
So who's in with me? Anyone?
Last year I had no idea what my novel would be about until I started writing on Nov. 1. I ended up with some decent raw material, but it's in a jumbled mess. Which is kind of the point of NaNo. I may have the kernels for at least two finished novels in there somewhere, but I didn't even look at it again until last month.
This year, I am thinking of submitting an entry to a small publisher's writing contest. Since that's due on Dec. 31, I thought about writing it in November (for NaNo) and revising it thoroughly in December. I know that seems fast, but I don't have anything started for the submission, which has to be 15,000 to 35,000 words in a diary or journal format.
Now I know what you're thinking (assuming you care): The NaNo has to be at least 50,000 words. Too long for the contest. Well, here's the interesting part (again, with the caring): It would be a new dilemma for me, to have a first draft that's considerably longer than the finished product. Usually I write short, and then go back and fill in, flesh out, what have you. So this will be a helpful exercise, at the very least. And who knows, maybe I'll end up with a viable submission for the contest.
I have a few vague ideas about the topic, main character, etc., but I won't be sharing at the moment -- better to keep it percolating. I can take notes and outline before Nov. 1, I just can't have any of that preparatory writing appear verbatim in my completed 50,000 NaNo submission.
So who's in with me? Anyone?