What I’ve Learned From NaNoWrimo.

Yes, yes, I know it’s not over yet, and I’ve not finished my story yet, nor am I anywhere near finishing (next year’s challenge will probably be to FINISH a story in the month), but I might as well do this now

1. As cheesy as it sounds, these past 15 days have taught my a lot about myself. I now know that I have enough determination to do something, no matter how impossible it seems when I start, if I just want to finish it bad enough. I knew I was determined before that, but I also knew I gave up an awful lot. NaNoWriMo has also taught me the difference between “I can’t do this” and “I’m giving up”.

2. I’ve found that I can over come problems I’ve always had with my writing. Firstly, plots. I very rarely write with a plot, because I hate working them out. Four Leaf has a plot and I’ve shot through it. Secondly, long chapters. I’m cursed with the inability to write chapters over 2000 words long. In Four Leaf, the shortest chapter is approx 5k words. Longest is around 8k.

3. I’ve learned a lot about the community. I’ve been in a lot of online communities, and in general, everyone is out for themselves or the few friends they have. They don’t take the time to get to know others. The NaNoWriMo community is so much different. Everyone, with of course the few exceptions, is there for everyone. I honestly do not think I’d be anywhere near completion without the immense support the community gave me. Especially, the NaNoWriMo twitter community. There’ve been so many times when I’ve been so meh about finishing, or so proud I managed to bang out a few words, and I’ve posted about it on twitter and there would always, always be people who offered support, or congratulated on me. Last night, when I was running for the 50k line, I got so many messages of support it was overwhelming. When I got that 50k, I got so many messages of congratulations, it was overwhelming. I really, really do not think I would’ve done it without twitter and the NaNoWriMo community. So thank you, guys

I DID IT!

15 days into my first ever NaNoWriMo, at 03:56 am, I reached 50k

 

I’m so proud of myself xD

How I Beat Plot Sludge.

Other whys known as “How I force myself to word vomit”.

Right now, I’m in a part of my plot that just…isn’t working. It’s like I’m picking crumbs out of honey, or walking through sludge. It’s hard work. But somehow, I manage to get over the 1667 words I need, every single day.

How the hell do I do it?

1. I bribe myself. I bribe myself a lot. I sit there and I tell myself “no, you cannot have that drink/go to the bathroom/get a new piece of chewing gum/have some sweets until you hit so and so words. Maybe it’s a hundred, maybe its 500, maybe its a 1000, but I stick to what I tell myself.

2. I start writing, every day, by a 10 minute session on Write Or Die. I don’t like the pace it forces me to work at, so after those 10 minutes are up, I switch back to OpenOffice. In those 10 minutes, I’ll have been forced to start a scene and get something written down, and I’ll have a nice flow of words coming.

3. I take breaks. I often take breaks after bribing myself. For example, I’m a chronic wanderer, and I like to have a wander around the flat every so often. So I tell myself, no, I cannot wander around until I’ve written so many words. It works!

4. I use my flaws to my advantage. I’m competitive, and easily envious. So when I’m in a slump, or procrastinating, I hit the NaNoWriMo forums. How the hell does that help? Simple. Word count envy. I see these people with 50k wordcounts, 75k, hell, even people with 1k more than me and I say to myself why the hell don’t I have that many? And I get to writing.

5. I accept my limits. There are days when I know I just won’t be able to write as many words as I want to. I accept that, and write what I can. The only issue is you need to know the difference between your limits, and just plain giving up.

6. I don’t look back. If I know something I’ve written is just…nonsense, I add a note after it. Something simple like “Must rewrite this”, and move on. I do not go back until I’ve hit my word count for that day.

7. I have conversations with my characters. If I don’t know where I’m going, or what to write, I crack open a new file and just…talk to my characters. I ask where they want to go, what they want to do, etc.

8. Alternatively, I have conversations with myself. I ask myself where I’m wanting to go, what I want to do, where I should be going, and eventually an idea pops up.

9. I reward myself! I also tell people how I’m doing, because it’s always nice to get a “well done” or a “congratulations”, right? Be proud of your work. It may be nonsense. Your spelling may be atrocious, and who knows where your grammar has gone, but be proud of it. You’re writing more than most people do, remember that!

10. I listen to music. It is incredibly inspiring, so long as what I’m listening to isn’t too distracting. I listen to people, on my breaks, of course. They can inspire me too. I use twitter, to see how other people are doing, which inspires me too.

11. And finally, I don’t give up. I’m determined as hell. If I want to do something, I will do it, no matter what. When I’m having problems, I know I’m going to have to drag myself to that 50k, but I’m going to get that 50k.

ETA: One I forgot. I write every single day. Every. Single. Day. Even if it’s just 10 words, I write them. If I take a day off, I will never start again, and I know that.

Good luck with your writing, and if you have any questions, just ask!

Day 14 of NaNoWriMo, and a question.

Someone has stuck a skateboard under my legless body, tied a rope to it, and is dragging me to the finish line. Quite quickly, as well. I hope to be done by tomorrow night

Question: Would anyone like a post on how the hell I’m pushing through these words, even with my plot floundering?

Word Count: 6375

Total Word Count: 45118.

Hours spent writing: 2.5 hours.

Chapters Written: 7 + Prologue. Working on 8.

Last line written:

Can I sleep on your boobs first though?

Sanity: Very, very almost gone.

Excerpt under the jump.

Day Thirteen of NaNoWrimo.

My legs are still missing, and my hands are beginning to bleed. But I’ve got to perservere!

It does not matter how slow you go so long as you do not stop.

Word Count: 1720

Total Word Count: 38813

Hours spent writing: 1 hour.

Chapters Written: 5 + Prologue. Working on 6.

Last line written:

The stuff that takes me from merely beautiful to godlike.

Sanity: Going…

Excerpt under the jump.

Day Twelve of NaNoWriMo

In a dramatic sort of way, it currently feels like my legs have been chopped off and I’m dragging myself towards the finish line with my hands.

Word Count: 1690

Total Word Count: 37093

Hours spent writing: 1 hour.

Chapters Written: 5 + Prologue.

Last line written:

Drills for eyes or anything, you know?

Sanity: Going…

Terrible excerpt under the jump.

Day 11 of NaNoWriMo.

Yesterday…meh. My productivity is really in a slump. But oh well, I’m doing well!

Word Count: 1789

Total Word Count: 35403

Hours spent writing: 1 hour.

Chapters Written: 5 + Prologue.

Last line written:

Why the hell did everyone keep abusing him?

Sanity: Going…

Terrible excerpt under the jump.

Day 10 of Nanowrimo.

The 10th was slightly better for writing But only just. My productivity rate definitely drops during the week.

Word Count: 1804

Total Word Count: 33614

Hours spent writing: 45 mins.

Chapters Written: 4 + Prologue. Working on 5.

Last line written:

“Shane’s a dramatic little fecker,” She muttered, glowering at the drink and note he’d left behind.

Sanity: Going…

Very short excerpt under the jump.

Day 9 of NaNoWriMo

Yesterday was…not a good writing day at all D: Today was a bit better, and will post Day 10’s stuff at some point.

Today’s Word Count: 1780

Total Word Count: 31810

Hours spent writing: 1

Chapters Written: 4 + Prologue. Working on 5.

Last line written:

He sighed thankfully around the small white stick as he successfully lit it, the nicotine rushing into him like a tidal wave.

Sanity: Going…

No excerpt from yesterday, the writing is too bad to see the light of day D:

 

 

Day 8 Of Nanowrimo.

I’m definitely struggling atm. I don’t know whether its writers block, or if I’ve just hit a lull in the plot, it’s just not going as good as it was before…hopefully that will improve soon though

Also, I’ll be posting my day 9 of Nanowrimo post tonight xD

Today’s Word Count: 2848

Total Word Count: 30030

Hours spent writing: 1

Chapters Written: 4 + Prologue. Working on 5.

Last line written:

Ethan nodded, sitting back onto the bench and pulling the envelope open.

Sanity: Still there..ish.

Excerpt under the jump