Just another writing blog

NaNoWriMo starts in about five and a half hours’ time. :O Getting excited! /pointless entry

I am so over trying to be prepared for NaNo. XD I mean, I haven’t finished any of the outlines for the subplots within my plots, and just have vague ideas about the direction I want them to go in but no matter how hard I try to get those thoughts onto paper (or GDoc) it just doesn’t happen. Talking to fellow NaNo-ers helps me to straighten things out in my head but I cannot seem to translate that into notes. It’s like my brain just refuses to put it simply because it wants to be ~creative~.

Oh well, two more days and I can get started! Rofl, watch my brain decide it doesn’t want to play at all anymore when Nivember 1st rolls on by.

So, it’s less than a week until NaNo starts. The main thing that terrifies me is my habit of editing as I go along instead of just cranking out a first draft while the creativity is flowing, and if anything is going to stop me from being a winner it’s my inner editor… pretty much me, myself and I. I’ve had plenty of advice from veterans about this and for my own benefit I’ma put em all here in a big-ass list.

1. Keep on writin’

Sounds stupid at face value, I know, it’s a writing challenge durrhurr you’re going to write. However I hear that a lot of people just let the enormity of the challenge get to them, there is an inevitable wall that some people just can’t get over and the only way to get through it is to get through it. Since with NaNo it’s about quantity, not quality, go on for pages about your character’s socks if you have to just KEEP WRITING.

2. Write every day and Power through the first week

So 50,000 words in 30 days works out to 1,667 words a day, and if you keep to that number you’ll totally get to 50k but obviously nothing is that easy; not everyone can do nothing but write for 30 days and there’s the small matter of Thanksgiving in the US. I’ve been told that aiming for 2k a day should be okay, or to make up for the lost days on another day but that seems a little risky to me. A few of the more prolific writers taking part (ie, published authors) suggest that for the first week ignore the “1,667 words a day” limit and try to do as much as possible while the idea is still fresh in your mind. Then again, this is from people who do like, 200k in a month.

3. Have an outline

I’m not sold on this to be honest. A few friends write off-the-cuff and let the story take them, so to speak. Obviously it’s a good idea to have at least a general outline of the novel you’re writing, like a blurb, but I don’t think a step by step walk through the whole thing is strictly necessary… says the girl who’s actually done that this year. Ohohoho~ I guess it depends on the writer, really, some feel like it allows them to continue smoothly without moments wondering where the story should go next, and some feel that it restricts them and stunts their ~creativity~. I’m giving an outline a go just to see whether it’s a help or hindrance, I may abandon it after I begin, who knows.

4. The internet is your enemy

One of my favourites, I must admit. Mainly because the internet will be my greatest nemesis. I’m lucky that right now my wireless hates me and I can just unplug a cable to be free of THE INTERNETS. If you need to google anything just write it somewhere to research later.

5. Have keyboard-friendly snacks to hand

*Snort*

6. Also, caffeine, by IV if necessary

;D And how!

7. Don’t let others’ attitudes affect you

A good point I think. One of the people whose advice I read is a prolific author, and often gets to 50k within the first week. Of course, this means that when she posts in the forum or people see her word count they get a little grizzly because their word counts aren’t as high or their project isn’t going as well as they had hoped or anticipated. These people will blame those with high word counts for their quitting, saying that these people “ruin NaNo”. This, of course, is utter bollocks. It should not matter what other people’s word counts are since it has nothing to do with your own project, don’t let pride get the better of you. Also, the reverse is true, don’t be disheartened by someone who has a high word count, just try and get your own up.

8. Turn off your inner editor

Yeah, see, I’ve just gone back and edited half this post. This does not bode well. Since I use MSWord I will be turning off that annoying squigly red line so it cannot taunt me as I type, but it’s going to be so tempting to go back and change some stuff here and there…

Most of all, HAVE FUN

:’D

Hee, first post!

So, I’ve decided to recreate my old blog here at Tamayorihime.com, mostly in preparation for the upcoming immensity that is NaNoWriMo. For those of you not familiar with the project it’s a writing challenge that pretty much dares you to write 50,000 words during the month of November. I’ve been sat on the sidelines as friends tried it out and have decided to give it a go, myself. God knows why, I do remember the rediculous amounts of stress and caffeine that was involved with the NaNo experience…

It’s not just the taking part that’s a new experience for me, though, the concept of planning ahead is mostly alien to me since whenever I write little stories it’s more of an off-the-cuff affair, writing as and when the inspiration strikes, so to speak. It’s a fun way to write, but it sometimes leaves me twiddling my thumbs wondering where to take a plot next and with 50,000 words to write in 30 days (probably less as I have other shiz to do, man) I can hardly afford to do that. My problem is going to come from keeping the writing momentum up, because when I flop I stop. (HURRHURRHURR)

HOWEVER. I do actually have an idea, which is surprising since ideas and me? Not down with the haps. Not ever. I suppose that would be because this is an idea that’s been rattling around in my head for a while now, and I’ve been itching for an excuse to do something with it, and now’s my opportunity! I won’t write too much about it now because honestly I haven’t pinned down the outline enough to be comfortable doing so, but as I write I shall post exerpts, stresses and hilarious typos that are bound to happen when trying to power through an inevitably rough first draft…

Stay tuned for moar stresses and the like from me. Sob.