NaNoWriMo 2017

[Peter Deadpan]

I wanna do it, but I'm not creative enough to write fiction. It'd have to be something informative or inspirational.

 

[Lord Lavender]

I'd be interested even though I've never written before.

 

[Merced]

It's 2pm and I got absolutely nothing. I am so violently close to just writing fanfiction. Maybe next year something original can happen.

 

[Qlip]

I have a (short story) idea, but the details need a little work before I start on it. Even though I'm only committing to a short story, this is going to destroy me.

 

[EJCC]

It's 2pm and I got absolutely nothing. I am so violently close to just writing fanfiction. Maybe next year something original can happen.

You can write fanfic! It’s guaranteed to be better than Fifty Shades (which started out as fanfic).

 

[Merced]

You can write fanfic! It’s guaranteed to be better than Fifty Shades (which started out as fanfic).

I'm gonna embrace it

 

[Qlip]

I wanna do it, but I'm not creative enough to write fiction. It'd have to be something informative or inspirational.

Or maybe overly and intensely personal... and you share it with all of us. Maybe?

 

[Peter Deadpan]

Or maybe overly and intensely personal... and you share it with all of us. Maybe?

I feel like I've done that plenty.

 

[Jaq]

I'm already working on a novel and don't feel like dropping what I'm working on to do another as I'm liking the story I'm writing. Might write a novella though later in the month to help fully flesh out a fictional world even further.

Jacques working on a novel...I bet that surprises absolutely no one.

 

[EJCC]

1200 words today.

Not too shabby for my first day of my first NaNoWriMo

 

[Merced]

Took a really old draft of something and then turned it into an original story. This was much easier to do than I thought. Here's an excerpt from my Day 1 progress.

It looks like there is supposed to be another page but that’s all there is. “Dad… Where’s the other page? Was this from--” “Your mom. Yes.” Kalani leans back to take that in. The envelope says that it was mailed from Oregon. “Does this mean we can go visit her?” Vincent shoots up, defensively raising his voice. “No, absolutely not, Lani.” “Why not? We know where she is now, plus she seems like she misses us!” “Kalani… Your mother is…” Vincent grunts as he struggles to find the right words. “...purposeful.” Kalani makes a face a that, which encourages Vincent to continue speaking. “She isn’t someone that makes information she wants known slip. For all we know, she flew in from Japan to deliver that letter through Oregon and flew right back.” “That’s ridiculous,” “She’s ridiculous, Kalani. I’m not going to let you get caught up in her mess when she’s practically a stranger.” Kalani lowers his head. It’s true, he doesn’t know who his mom is other than a few pictures and a handful of stories. It’s never been something he’s ashamed about, it just brings up weird emotions. “Can we write back?” Vincent puts a hand on Kalani’s shoulder. “How about this: You can write back.” Kalani gasps, smile as bright as the sun. “Really?!” “Really. Just… don’t get to heartbroken if you don’t get a response.”

 

[Qlip]

I'm not one to put myself out there until I have something to show, but in the spirit of this thread... I've picked a story idea and a story. I was amused thinking about the idea of reading historical fiction about the present day written by people 500 years in the future living in the Singularity... kind of like historical fan fiction writers who only have vague romantic notions about things like bodily functions, mono-location, spatial restrictions, sound. So I decided to pick a story from earlier in my life, working in my office in the late 90's, unhappily married, and being very confused and desirous of a Russian co-worker who was trying to get me into bed, and I'm going to write it, then translate it it.

 

[Galena]

I would be concerned about it being two hours past my bedtime, but these first 1627 words were exactly the type of scene that should not be written before bedtime.

 

[Captain_Invincible]

I'm writing some original OG shiz here. Based in a messed up version of Los Angeles (as if it isn't destroyed enough already...)

 

[Peter Deadpan]

Maybe I can find some creepy little known historical person to write about. I have an idea.

 

[Red Memories]

So I am partially screwed as I had classes yesterday and tons of homework rn for exams so this first week I'm probably going to get VERY LITTLE DONE but after I will have air to breathe so I think I'll be able to make up for my lost time.

 

[EJCC]

Usually when I write, my productive time is like 75% planning and 25% actually putting words to page. Which means the style of writing required for NaNoWriMo is very very difficult for me - makes me feel disoriented, chaotic, and generally like a shitty writer.

Currently trying to figure out how to stay motivated when everything I write is crap and I have no real time to make it not crap. Actual thing I thought last night: what is the virtue of writing 50,000 words when all of it is garbage? How is that not a waste of your time and energy?

Advice welcome.

 

[Qlip]

Usually when I write, my productive time is like 75% planning and 25% actually putting words to page. Which means the style of writing required for NaNoWriMo is very very difficult for me - makes me feel disoriented, chaotic, and generally like a shitty writer.

Currently trying to figure out how to stay motivated when everything I write is crap and I have no real time to make it not crap. Actual thing I thought last night: what is the virtue of writing 50,000 words when all of it is garbage? How is that not a waste of your time and energy?

Advice welcome.

Most people I know who participate see whatever comes out as a really rough first draft, something to improve on in second and subsequent revisions. AND, writing 50k words of anything will teach you something and give you new skills, even if the output isn't good. I remember an anecdote my old MA teacher told me about a guy who incessantly kept talking about the mechanics of the perfect punch in theoretical terms, but had a very sloppy one himself and didn't take instruction well. He set him aside every class, away from everybody else and just had him repeatedly punch a bag with no instruction at all and told him to move the bag as far as possible. After several classes the guy had an impressive, although a bit unique punch. I think it's worth sticking through, if not just for an experiment, which is one of the goals of the project, just doing it, focusing on the process over the fear induced by focusing on the ends. Think of it as writing meditation. I bet you hate meditation.

 

[Jaq]

Usually when I write, my productive time is like 75% planning and 25% actually putting words to page. Which means the style of writing required for NaNoWriMo is very very difficult for me - makes me feel disoriented, chaotic, and generally like a shitty writer.

Currently trying to figure out how to stay motivated when everything I write is crap and I have no real time to make it not crap. Actual thing I thought last night: what is the virtue of writing 50,000 words when all of it is garbage? How is that not a waste of your time and energy?

Advice welcome.

In my eyes at least, writing requires a bit of a "just screw it" kind of attitude. If you try your best, you can at least tell yourself you did your best. You are your own worst critic. I've written entire stories that I've finished and hated before I finish. I don't delete them right after though, as writing is adaptable. I may get an idea later to revise, or change. If not, oh well, at least I had fun writing it out.

 

[Mad Hatter]

Usually when I write, my productive time is like 75% planning and 25% actually putting words to page. Which means the style of writing required for NaNoWriMo is very very difficult for me - makes me feel disoriented, chaotic, and generally like a shitty writer. Currently trying to figure out how to stay motivated when everything I write is crap and I have no real time to make it not crap. Actual thing I thought last night: what is the virtue of writing 50,000 words when all of it is garbage? How is that not a waste of your time and energy? Advice welcome.

Same here - although I think that you still can maintain at least part of this mode for NaNoWriMo. Sometimes writing can go faster than expected once you are in the flow. The first (and last) time I managed to hit the 50k, I wrote the last third of the whole thing in three days or so. Ideas come as you write, and it's part of the process, but at least for me I find that planning helps me to not spend all my ideas at once.
As for the point of it - I think it's a great exercise in dealing with perfectionism. Usually it isn't half as bad as you feared anyway, plus you have the satisfaction of pulling through and not giving up (I think though that that's a greater issue for INTPs than ESTJs ). And you have a visible object and an achievement that nobody can take away. Plus you can brag about it to your friends and tell them"Oh yeah sure I wrote a novel."