[NaNoWriMo] Go ... And Stop.

[dgcasey]

Yessireebob, NaNoWriMo is right around the corner. Good lord, didn't we just finish with it? Anyway, it's time for those of us that like to know where we're going when we sit down at the keyboard, to start getting our ideas in order and ready for Day One. I have a couple of novels close to being finished, that together are within about 50-60K words combined, of being completed. I am going to spend the month of October, working on details, checking for plot holes and getting ready to finish both during the month of November.

I hope everyone is getting excited and ready to power through 50,000+ words for the win.

 


[Changed heading. t.]
{Updated heading.  X3  t.}

[Jeff Tanyard]

Good luck. 

[Michelle Louring]

Best of luck to everyone joining in!

As usual, I'll sit back and admire other people's dedication and (in some cases) madness 

[dgcasey]

I'm betting everyone is happy I didn't say something like, 85 days until Christmas!

Oops. 

 

[katc]

Good luck!

I've tried it quite a few times through the years. I never quite made it to 50,000, but I did get some really good stories to work with afterwards.
I was thinking of giving it a shot this year, but I'm still on the fence.

[Simon Haynes]

Good luck everyone!

I was about to say I'm not doing it myself, then realised I'm planning to write that amount anyway. So, I'm in!

https://nanowrimo.org/participants/simon-haynes

[RCoots]

Good luck guys! I did it last year. Got all my words too. And spent the last week of November and half of December whimpering and cradling my hands.  No more for me. 

[Simon Haynes]

Good luck guys! I did it last year. Got all my words too. And spent the last week of November and half of December whimpering and cradling my hands.  No more for me. 

Yeah, I used to end up like that. I know the feeling.

But this year I've written roughly 65-70k a month for 7 months straight. Sounds like a lot, but writing is my one and only job, and I have very little in the way of distractions. (Why can't the forum go down again? Curses!)

[WasAnn]

Not sure if I'm doing it again this year. For me, it's never a problem of getting the words down (one year I did over 90K on a novel!). For me, it's the result. It's not my normal process, so it's a hot mess. Only one book that I've completed during a NaNo has been published. The rest are still hot messes.

[Simon Haynes]

Not sure if I'm doing it again this year. For me, it's never a problem of getting the words down (one year I did over 90K on a novel!). For me, it's the result. It's not my normal process, so it's a hot mess. Only one book that I've completed during a NaNo has been published. The rest are still hot messes.

That is definitely an issue. I have three or four nano novels I never completed, and when I go back and look at them, I realise it's less work to rewrite them from scratch.


On the other hand, if I work to a plot outline I know I'll be fine. Less fun than winging it, but I've just had three novels worth of winging it and a bit of plotting will be like a holiday!

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I've done three Camp Nanos (plus one on my own). How is regular Nano different?

[Max]

I love Nano. I usually write a lot anyway, so sometimes everyday life feels like a Nano, but in truth, I love, love, love the way the community (online and off) comes together over this event. Yep, I love it!

ETA. I fixed a comma. Yeesh. Now I have to put why I edited it, and my boo-boo is glaringly put there for the world to see. Should have left it alone.

[cecilia_writer]

I love Nano. I usually write a lot, anyway, so sometimes everyday life feels like a Nano, but in truth, I love, love, love the way the community (online and off) comes together over this event. Yep, I love it!

I like the community spirit too. We have a great local NaNo group that meets right through the year on Thursdays. There isn't any reading out or critique, just write-ins, food and occasional table-tennis.

[Post-Crisis D]

I'm betting everyone is happy I didn't say something like, 85 days until Christmas!

Oops. 

 

Only 30 days until Halloween!

[munboy]

I've thought about doing it but never have. Mainly because I write what I can when I can...a special month doesn't change that.


Also, November is No-Shave-November. Or Mowvember. I did do that a few years ago and never got around to shaving again. 

[RPatton]

Buddy up?


https://nanowrimo.org/participants/rpatton

[kathompson]

I'm still thinking about it. I tend to do it every year just to get the bones of a book out, but it feels kind of like cheating because I know my output is more than 50K anyway. OTOH, if the Spouse Thingy knows I'm doing it, I get a lot more quiet around here. 

[Angstriddengoddess]

Oh yay! For once, the stars aligned in my favor. I have a manuscript that's been sitting on the back burner while I finished a couple other books. I can ride the wave of Nano enthusiasm and get back into the flow again. 

[Jill Nojack]

I was much more productive when I was participating in Nano, including the camps, but working nights for a year and a half kicked my butt. I could just never work up the level of motivation to succeed at it when I was working ten hours while everyone else was asleep.

I think I'm going for a serious try for the win again this November. My local Nano group has write ins and runs online sprints through Facebook that really help me focus that I can attend now that I'm not a night creature. In any case, I need something to kick me into gear again.

[Robin]

Good luck everyone! I've never personally felt the need for Nano, but I admire everyone's dedication.

[Tiffmeister]

Yessireebob, NaNoWriMo is right around the corner. Good lord, didn't we just finish with it? Anyway, it's time for those of us that like to know where we're going when we sit down at the keyboard, to start getting our ideas in order and ready for Day One. I have a couple of novels close to being finished, that together are within about 50-60K words combined, of being completed. I am going to spend the month of October, working on details, checking for plot holes and getting ready to finish both during the month of November.

I hope everyone is getting excited and ready to power through 50,000+ words for the win.

 


[Changed heading. t.]

Good Lord. I'm still doing rewrites on my NaNo project from last year.

I guess I got to start thinking of a new project now. Or I can just think rewrites for the last one. Be a shame though. I wanted to get this novel out of me last year, and NaNo helped me do it.

I need to think of the next novel to get out of me.

[Simon Haynes]

By the way, not to start a debate but I've always considered NanoWrimo to be 'write 50k in a month', not 'write a novel in a month'.  One year I wrote two 26k middle-grade novels back-to-back, and I still consider that a 'win'.

(This discussion comes up on the Nano forums from time to time, with some adamant you have to start a new novel and write the whole thing in 30 days. To them I say ... go for it.)



ETA: I missed a closing ' symbol. Yes, I proof and edit my posts...

[dgcasey]

(This discussion comes up on the Nano forums from time to time, with some adamant you have to start a new novel and write the whole thing in 30 days. To them I say ... go for it.)

I say write 50K words and consider it a win, whether it's a new novel or the continuation of one you're already working on. One year, I did what you did and wrote two short stories totaling about 54K words and didn't feel bad at all about claiming a win.

[The Doctor]

By the way, not to start a debate but I've always considered NanoWrimo to be 'write 50k in a month', not 'write a novel in a month'.  One year I wrote two 26k middle-grade novels back-to-back, and I still consider that a 'win'.

(This discussion comes up on the Nano forums from time to time, with some adamant you have to start a new novel and write the whole thing in 30 days. To them I say ... go for it.)

I'm going to use November to get as much of my existing wip finished. Currently over 12k words. So another 50k+ would be handy.

[cecilia_writer]

I am looking on it more as an excuse to temporarily abandon my WIP as I am going to reach the point when I need to do more research (it's a historical novel), and write the first draft of the 17th in my mystery series instead.

[Simon Haynes]

By the way, StoryBundle has a Nano-themed collection of how-to-write titles up for an absolute steal at $15 or more the lot (it's a pay-what-you-want deal)

https://storybundle.com/nano

Craig Martelle, Dean Wesley Smith, Kevin J. Anderson and others.

Disclaimer, I'm in the 'others'

[cecilia_writer]

By the way, StoryBundle has a Nano-themed collection of how-to-write titles up for an absolute steal at $15 or more the lot (it's a pay-what-you-want deal)

https://storybundle.com/nano

Craig Martelle, Dean Wesley Smith, Kevin J. Anderson and others.

Disclaimer, I'm in the 'others'

I am really tempted by this despite my decision a while ago never to read any more books about writing - it seems like an excellent deal.

[Simon Haynes]

By the way, StoryBundle has a Nano-themed collection of how-to-write titles up for an absolute steal at $15 or more the lot (it's a pay-what-you-want deal)

https://storybundle.com/nano

Craig Martelle, Dean Wesley Smith, Kevin J. Anderson and others.

Disclaimer, I'm in the 'others'

I am really tempted by this despite my decision a while ago never to read any more books about writing - it seems like an excellent deal.

Yes, I've done that in the past too. No more paperback books about writing - that was my promise ;-)

I just bought a set and had a quick look at a few. The Craig Martelle one isn't just about writing, it's about marketing and publishing and so on.

[Thaiphoon]

Gonna try to get my second book finished in Nov.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

By the way, StoryBundle has a Nano-themed collection of how-to-write titles up for an absolute steal at $15 or more the lot (it's a pay-what-you-want deal)

I'm a sucker for how-to-write books, as seen by the seventy-nine books on my how-to-write shelf in GoodReads:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/30180169-al-macy?shelf=how-to-write&sort=rating

However, they always inspire me and there's usually an important tip or two that I can use right away.

Note that you can choose to spend only $5 and get these four books (which is what I just did):

How to Write a Novel by Simon Haynes
Story Pitch by Scott King
You Must Write by Kevin McLaughlin
Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle

ETA: When I loaded the MOBI versions into Calibre and sent them to my Kindle, the advanced character formatting was not available (e.g. bolding). When I instead loaded the ePub versions and sent those (via conversion), the formatting was available.

[cecilia_writer]

Just bought this. What sold it to me was the one about writing as a team, because when I saw the cover I remembered something I had been trying to forget, which was that I promised in a weak moment to organise the creation of a book on the history of a local organisation, a group project by older people (just kill me now). Anyway, I am hoping this might help!

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I just finished You Must Write. Good book and good timing, because it recommends trying to write a better first draft, something that I've been considering.

[DougM]

I thinking of doing this year. So, my goal this month is to warm up and write 50k+ words. Hopefully that will get me in shape for November.

[Misti]

This will be my first year. I plan to have my current novel completed by the end of October and then I’ll jump right into the next for NaNo. I don’t want to lose steam during the holiday months so I’m hoping this will help keep me on track. Good luck to everyone participating this year!

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

How is regular Nano different?

From my Googling, it seems that the only difference is that there are no cabins in regular Nano.

I'm probably going to do it.

[dgcasey]

From my Googling, it seems that the only difference is that there are no cabins in regular Nano.

I'm probably going to do it.

You also can't adjust the goal in the November NaNoWriMo. It's set at 50K, whereas the camps can be set to whatever you want.

[Rose Andrews]

I really want to participate this year, like I do every one. But I've been struggling to finish a project that should have been completed in August. Now October and I'm still writing.    SO...doing NaNoWriMo largely depends on whether I'm able to complete this WIP once and for all.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Well, I set up my novel on NaNoWriMo.org. The die is cast--no backing out now.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Well, I set up my novel on NaNoWriMo.org. The die is cast--no backing out now.

Go get 'em, Al!   

[Simon Haynes]

Just bought this. What sold it to me was the one about writing as a team, because when I saw the cover I remembered something I had been trying to forget, which was that I promised in a weak moment to organise the creation of a book on the history of a local organisation, a group project by older people (just kill me now). Anyway, I am hoping this might help!

A book written by committee. Oh joy!

I'm famously averse to meetings, discussions and group-thinks of any kind. You have my sympathy.

[Simon Haynes]

I really want to participate this year, like I do every one. But I've been struggling to finish a project that should have been completed in August. Now October and I'm still writing.    SO...doing NaNoWriMo largely depends on whether I'm able to complete this WIP once and for all.

I'd just include the 'finishing of the current project' as part of your November wordcount. That's my plan, if I don't get my 3k per day between now and November 1st.

[Talbot]

Noooo, thank you. 

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Here's something I don't get: When you're done, you can upload your manuscript to be verified (at least for CampNano). Then, you get a Winner badge.

I've done this once or twice, but is there a point? No one reads it and says "Okay, that's a novel." You could just upload 50K worth of "Hi, Mom!"

I'm not one to worry about my material being stolen--the risk is low--but the only benefit is a winner badge.

Why not just have writers say whether they finished? Use the honor system.

Or am I missing something?

[Edward M. Grant]

Or am I missing something?

There is no NaNo Police who'll come around and lock you up for cheating.

But what's the benefit to cheating?

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I wasn't talking about cheating. I was wondering what the point of sending your first-draft manuscript in to cyberspace when there's no real "verification" going on.

[Edward M. Grant]

I wasn't talking about cheating. I was wondering what the point of sending your first-draft manuscript in to cyberspace when there's no real "verification" going on.

For those who aren't cheating, it updates your author stats with the correct final word-count.

That's about it.

[cecilia_writer]

I wasn't talking about cheating. I was wondering what the point of sending your first-draft manuscript in to cyberspace when there's no real "verification" going on.

I think there's a way of verifying with the whole thing replaced by xxx or something (there may be instructions somewhere on the website) but personally I can't be bothered doing that. Probably too tired by verification time.

[elleoco]

I think there's a way of verifying with the whole thing replaced by xxx or something (there may be instructions somewhere on the website) but personally I can't be bothered doing that. Probably too tired by verification time.

The idea of uploading a WIP to them bothers me too, more than Al since it stops me from participating. I'll look around the website and see if there's actually something like the xxx thing.

[Edward M. Grant]

The idea of uploading a WIP to them bothers me too, more than Al since it stops me from participating. I'll look around the website and see if there's actually something like the xxx thing.

You just do a global search and replace, replacing a-z with x. Then upload the text.

[GhostCricket]

I do the replace thing, and never worry about uploading. As for me, I'm in too. I'm also going for a lot more than 50,000. I'm in for... 200k 

[elleoco]

Thanks for the info. I'm glad I investigated this thread and found out about the scrambling. Tried it on a test document. Piece of cake.

[Jo]

I'm also in, also as a rogue finishing several stories which will make up roughly 50k. 

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I do the replace thing, and never worry about uploading. As for me, I'm in too. I'm also going for a lot more than 50,000. I'm in for... 200k 

6.6K words per day. Good for you!

[dgcasey]

I do the replace thing, and never worry about uploading. As for me, I'm in too. I'm also going for a lot more than 50,000. I'm in for... 200k 

We're not worthy, we're not worthy!   

I did 105K a couple of years ago. I think it just about killed me. 

[Rose Andrews]

But this year I've written roughly 65-70k a month for 7 months straight. Sounds like a lot, but writing is my one and only job, and I have very little in the way of distractions. (Why can't the forum go down again? Curses!)

SO jelly! Although I do love my day job (veterinary assistant here) and wouldn't trade it for the world, I do remember the years I spent at home with my son and wrote all the time. I still do write a lot but it doesn't get to be daily anymore. Now it's 4x per week, which is why I'm doing NaNo this year. It would be nice to write every day again, even if it's a small amount of words. My project will be book one of a new series...as if I need more series to write like hairs on my head. 

[Jo]

I do the replace thing, and never worry about uploading. As for me, I'm in too. I'm also going for a lot more than 50,000. I'm in for... 200k 

 

I will be lucky to finish the 50k.

[cecilia_writer]

I'm now officially on the run-up to NaNo as I have forced myself to stop writing the historical thing and re-tuned my mind to mystery. This morning, after two hours' thought, I've managed to come up with a title I like, and fortunately that has also given me a plot direction.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Only two days of freedom left.

Went fishing yesterday—no more of that once Nano starts.

[Jo]

All primed and ready.

[cecilia_writer]

Ready as I'll ever be!

[lyndabelle]

I got a novella lined up and an erotic short series to finish. I'm all in. Don't care if I make the 50k goal, just daily writing to get those two projects done. NaNo is so motivating, it's okay not to win but just get something done.

[Kay Inglis]

I'll be following this thread as an impressed onlooker, cheering everyone on!

I've never thought of NaNo before and it is too late to gear myself up this year, but I will follow your vicissitudes with interest.

If you make it sound good, I'll have a go next year.

[Keith Ward]

I'm in for the third year. I hit 50k the first year, but only did 30k last year. Very excited to give it a shot!

[Simon Haynes]

This is number 7 for me I think, but it's been a while.

My Nano profile: https://nanowrimo.org/participants/simon-haynes

I don't anticipate any problems, apart from the fact my house just went on the market and I might have to move out later in the month ...

So, I might try and get the 50k done in the first 3 weeks, just in case.

[Simon Haynes]

I think there's a way of verifying with the whole thing replaced by xxx or something (there may be instructions somewhere on the website) but personally I can't be bothered doing that. Probably too tired by verification time.

The idea of uploading a WIP to them bothers me too, more than Al since it stops me from participating. I'll look around the website and see if there's actually something like the xxx thing.

If you're using yWriter, there's an 'export to Nano' options which changes every letter of the alphabet to the letter n.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

If you make it sound good, I'll have a go next year.

You can also do Campnanowrimo.org in April and/or July.

[Kay Inglis]

If you make it sound good, I'll have a go next year.

You can also do Campnanowrimo.org in April and/or July.

Thanks. April could be good.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

For some reason, I feel as if I'm writing into the dark even though I've got most of the characters, plot, and the timeline down:

[Rick Partlow]

I am actually going to do NaNoWriMo this year for the first time ever.  I have 19 books written, 17 of them in the last 7 years but I have never started one right at November 1 before.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I pushed the buy button on the new Macbook Air this morning, so I guess I'll be doing some writing at Starbucks.

[YouMeWe]

Good luck to everyone taking part. I'll be cheering you on from the sidelines. *insert pom-pom waving emoji here*

[elleoco]

Well, I'm giving it a try and have managed the first day, although anything over 1,000 words is a high count for me so keeping it up will be hard.

Heaven knows I need a kick in the tush of some sort and just posting xxx words in some thread every day doesn't do it. Maybe the idea of "winning" in NaNo will do it since I have a nasty competitive streak, especially if I vow to admit win/fail somewhere public like this, which I am hereby doing.

[Endless Wave]

Whoo hoo, first day of Nanowrimo!  Good luck, everybody who's participating!

[ragdoll]

Day 1: 1152 (WIP 1)

Plan is hit 50k minimum across two projects, finishing WIP 1 by November 11th. I have about 30k words to go to finish that book. Then from 12-30th, I will work on a new book from scratch in a totally new genre.

[Rick Partlow]

Got to 3300 words on day one.

[cecilia_writer]

I don't think I will be posting updates here every day as well as on the NaNo site, so this is just to say I've got started, and I'm currently on 3,000 words halfway through day 2.
I didn't like having to start on a Thursday, because that's the end of my work week and I am always very tired, but thanks to the lack of anything interesting to watch on tv I managed to reach the target.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Help, what a slog!

I think I'm having more trouble with this book than with any other, but maybe I've just forgotten how hard writing can be sometimes. In past Camp Nanos, I've gotten way ahead with some days over 4K words. This time I don't hit my target until dinner time or later (and that's starting at seven AM).

Perhaps it's that I find it unpleasant to write a legal thriller, always imagining what it would be like to be accused of a crime.

[Simon Haynes]

I'm behind on my wordcount, but I have a ton of things in my life claiming my attention right now. (Preparing to sell my house, find a new house and move, for example.)

I'm still plugging away, but I'm going to need to up the speed a little if I'm going to make it.

[Keith Ward]

I was ahead until today. I'm a few hundred words behind now, but still hanging in.

[elleoco]

I'm behind but not enough to give up. A couple of 2,000-word a day days would fix me. On the plus side, it's having the salutary effect of getting me to actually write every day. I did that for one month because of the thread that was supposed to be competitive, but when it turned out not to be, that was all for me. Just posting a number in a thread every day doesn't do it for me. I seem to need a pass/fail situation. Eventually the need for income would get me going, but I'd rather solve this problem before it gets to that point.

[LilyBLily]

I'm behind because of traveling and getting a cold, but today I put on a burst of speed. High hopes for tomorrow.

[dgcasey]

I just finished 23K today, but I'm heading for 70K by the time I'm finished.

[cecilia_writer]

I'm trying to get a bit ahead over this weekend as I have to go away for a few days for work next week. Sometimes I can write quite a lot on the train but I can't rely on that. I am on 17,000 words at the start of Saturday.

[elleoco]

Well, one thing I've found out for sure. You know all the advice that you have to just get the first draft out, don't stop to edit, etc.? I've always been an edit-as-you-go person. So in this NaNo draft, I'm going along, come to a spot where I realize I want something in a previous chapter that isn't there. Like a zooming first drafter, I stick in a note and kept going - for a while. And I kept going slower and slower because the need to add that something and straighten out what came before and after so it fit smoothly bothered me more and more. In the end it was go back and fix or fuss and fume over it so much nothing else would get done.

Some part of me always believed I'd be better off doing the draft straight through thing. Now I know it's never going to happen. For me The Other Way isn't a choice but a compulsion.

[VanessaC]

Well, one thing I've found out for sure. You know all the advice that you have to just get the first draft out, don't stop to edit, etc.? I've always been an edit-as-you-go person. So in this NaNo draft, I'm going along, come to a spot where I realize I want something in a previous chapter that isn't there. Like a zooming first drafter, I stick in a note and kept going - for a while. And I kept going slower and slower because the need to add that something and straighten out what came before and after so it fit smoothly bothered me more and more. In the end it was go back and fix or fuss and fume over it so much nothing else would get done.

Some part of me always believed I'd be better off doing the draft straight through thing. Now I know it's never going to happen. For me The Other Way isn't a choice but a compulsion.

I can really relate to this. I write in scrivener, so my scenes are in different "files", which does make it easy to jump back and forth, although I have realised I much prefer writing in order.

The few times I've tried to press on ahead when I know something in the past needs changing, it's ended up being a total mess and what felt like hours of revision. So much easier to go back and make the changes when it's fresh in my mind. Doing it this way takes a few minutes, then everything flows better and I can move on much more freely.

[Simon Haynes]

I'm about halfway through the first novel I want to complete this month (a 28k middle grade novel), and it's going well.  I have a second MG novel lined up for the rest of the month, too.

Still a fraction behind on the wordcount, but I think this coming week is going to offer me a bit more writing time and a lot less drama.

[Simon Haynes]

Just bashed out 3000 words. That fixed my lagging word count all right!

[LilyBLily]

I like paying attention to the word count, posting it, and doing 5-15 minute sprints with total strangers on NaNo to push the count. I may end up with a hot mess but then I have something to revise.

[cecilia_writer]

I've reached just over 24,000 words at the end of Sunday but I expect to fall back quite a bit as the week goes on.
I have characters and an end-point but the in between part is only now taking shape, which is how I like it.

[Tiffmeister]

I finally figured out a project to write, but I don't think I'm going to win. I'm just happy to be part of the writing frenzy that is this month. I won last year, so I'm not having to prove anything. I have won 2 times now out of 4. But I did get an idea to write a supernatural romance out of the blue. So, I went for it and have, by day 11, 7544 words. Hurrah! Better than zero. If I end up with 15k -20k I'll be happy. Even reaching 25K will be enough. Though this novella might turn into something longer. Who knows. It just feels good to be writing something fresh. It's been a weird year.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Well, one thing I've found out for sure. You know all the advice that you have to just get the first draft out, don't stop to edit, etc.? I've always been an edit-as-you-go person. So in this NaNo draft, I'm going along, come to a spot where I realize I want something in a previous chapter that isn't there. Like a zooming first drafter, I stick in a note and kept going - for a while. And I kept going slower and slower because the need to add that something and straighten out what came before and after so it fit smoothly bothered me more and more. In the end it was go back and fix or fuss and fume over it so much nothing else would get done.

Some part of me always believed I'd be better off doing the draft straight through thing. Now I know it's never going to happen. For me The Other Way isn't a choice but a compulsion.

I'm going the opposite way. I've always rushed through the first draft, not worrying about quality. But I've found that I have a tendency not to change my writing much, so this time I'm going to make the first draft a little better.

I'm going to have to rewrite my favorite scene because I discovered that the wife of the MC would have been only nine years old when they wed. Thank heavens for Aeon Timeline.



 

[elleoco]

Yesterday by my calculations I was 3,000 words in the red, which is a lot for me. I'm not a fast writer and there's a limit to how long I can spend writing each day without crippling myself. So it was discouraging, but I'm determined to give it at least a dedicated effort.

Today my deficit is down to 2,500 words, and I'm feeling encouraged, but catching up or not may depend on whether I hit another sticky spot in my story or have any more grand ideas that require some modification of previously written scenes before I can go on.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

Things are starting to click, now. 3K words today.

[Keith Ward]

I'm at 34,000 words with seven days to go. It's not looking good, but I'm not giving up yet. I fell way behind, but I'm writing like the wind now. I wrote 8,200 words Wednesday, a new best for me. Is anyone over 50,00 yet?

[dgcasey]

I'm at 53K words right now, but I'm shooting for my goal of 70K. The novel is in the home stretch and the main character is about to get a good beat down. I hope she makes it out the other side okay.

[Jeff Tanyard]

I'm at 53K words right now

Congratulations, man.   

The novel is in the home stretch and the main character is about to get a good beat down. I hope she makes it out the other side okay.

I see I'm not the only one who doesn't coddle his heroes.   

[cecilia_writer]

I've got to 43,000 words today. I think I can make it to 50,000 by the 30th.
I had to kill someone unexpectedly at about 30,000 as I felt the plot was faltering a bit.

[Rick Partlow]

I passed 50,000 words a couple days ago.  Unfortunately, I think my book is only about half done...

[Jeff Tanyard]

I passed 50,000 words a couple days ago.  Unfortunately, I think my book is only about half done...

Congratulations, Rick.   

Sounds like our works in progress are about the same length.  I'm line-editing mine, and it's currently at around 120k.  I write/edit a lot slower than you do, though, so you'll probably publish yours before I publish mine.   

I've got to 43,000 words today. I think I can make it to 50,000 by the 30th.
I had to kill someone unexpectedly at about 30,000 as I felt the plot was faltering a bit.

"When in doubt, kill."

- Colonel Troutman

 

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I passed 50,000 words a couple days ago.  Unfortunately, I think my book is only about half done...

I know how you feel. I'm at 52K, with 13 scenes yet to write. I average around 1,200 words per scene.

I tell people, "It's NaNoWriMo" not "Na50KWordsWriMo," but I'm giving myself a few extra days.

Yellow on the side means "First Draft Completed." Green chips on the right mean "Victory," black chips mean "Setback." I love Scrivener.

[LilyBLily]

I'm writing a romance, so when in doubt, I throw in a smooching scene.

Way behind at the moment because of a rotten cold that dragged on for the first two weeks of the month, but will catch up now in the home stretch.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

One more short scene to go! Note the characteristic acceleration at the end. 5,391 words today, a new record for me.

[cecilia_writer]

That's a great-looking graph, Al. I often find myself writing much faster towards the end too.
I was so pleased to have got to 50,000 words at all - it unexpectedly happened on Monday - that I validated it immediately although I haven't finished the story yet. I paused to work out how many more chapters I would need, and will resume writing later today. It will come out at about 60,000 as it usually does, but probably not by the 30th.

[fleurina]

Wow, you're all doing so well.  It's a lot to do in a month. I did a private NaNoWriMo, as I had too many other commitments in the second half of the month to reach the required amount of words... My self-imposed task was to complete and publish a novella by mid-month - the result was The Chrismas Castle Ghost, begun on 1st November and released on 14th November.  It's not a pace I could keep up regularly - but I now know a doable amount of edited words for me, without tearing out my already thin hair, is 20K per month.
At the moment I'm taking a writing break but will start again on Monday 3rd December.
Keep up the fantastic work; I'm cheering you all on.

[LilyBLily]

I don't think 50k in one month of the year is a stretch, and I've even done it two or three times in a year, but spaced apart, and not every year. I can't do the crazy treadmill of full-time writing others do. I don't even want to.

I've only got 10k left on this year's NaNo and see no big issue with getting to 50k in the next three days now that I've recovered from my horrid cold. But then December will be revision time, not writing another new novel. I've got a novella to finish and I should in theory write another 50k novel in February or March to finish this series, really, I mean it, I'm done. But those are not my most productive months. Winter, ugh. For now, it's great to be as far along as I am on this story. We'll see what December brings.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I finished it today. 63K words.

At the start, I was saying "This is my last book!" but it was more fun at the end, so I'm already getting ideas for the next.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I wasn't talking about cheating. I was wondering what the point of sending your first-draft manuscript in to cyberspace when there's no real "verification" going on.

I think there's a way of verifying with the whole thing replaced by xxx or something (there may be instructions somewhere on the website) but personally I can't be bothered doing that. Probably too tired by verification time.

I did something like that. It only took a few minutes, and my 63K words looked like this:

On Dxc 3, 201x, Horxcx Sxully xrxivxd xt Gooxlovx xnd Shxkxwixh xn xttitudxx My dxughtxr, intxrning with mx whixx onxx brxxk xrom lxw school, showxd him into my officx.xWith xll hxr fingxrs xxtxndxd, shx touchxd xxxx middlx onx to hxr chin, xxxxn turnxdxhxr hxxd towxrx mx: xmxricxn xignxLxnguxgx for “good luck.”

[Angstriddengoddess]

I don't think 50k in one month of the year is a stretch, and I've even done it two or three times in a year, but spaced apart, and not every year.

I think it’s a mental stretch the first time, and Nano is worth its weight in angst if it helps people realize that yes, they CAN write that much in a month.

I was all set to write a particular story but promptly on Nov 1st I got hit with an Idea . I have to say that when you’re trapped in a car for 80 minutes a day, dictating your story produces an aMAZing amount of word per day. I hit 55k in a couple weeks.

One or two of them might even end up in the final version.

Even if they don’t, I know now I really can write that much. Maybe not every month, but it is possible.

[dgcasey]

I have to say that when you’re trapped in a car for 80 minutes a day, dictating your story produces an aMAZing amount of word per day. I hit 55k in a couple weeks.

I had thought about that technique when I was still working, but then my dictations would have been filled with tons of very colorful language. I wouldn't have been able to use much of anything.

[Keith Ward]

I'm at 45,000 with two days to go. My biggest problem is time, but I'm too dumb to quit so I may as well finish 

[Jeff Tanyard]

Just wanted to pop in and say "good luck" to everyone pushing towards the finish line.   

[Angstriddengoddess]

I have to say that when you’re trapped in a car for 80 minutes a day, dictating your story produces an aMAZing amount of word per day. I hit 55k in a couple weeks.

I had thought about that technique when I was still working, but then my dictations would have been filled with tons of very colorful language. I wouldn't have been able to use much of anything.

It’s true that at one point the hero says, “That was a red light. Are you blind?” in the middle of a tender romantic scene. There is editing in my future.

[Rick Partlow]

I am at 62,000 words.  Should hit 66,000 by close of business tomorrow, which will finish out NaNoWriMo, though not the book I'm writing, which looks to be at least a 95K job.

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

I have to say that when you’re trapped in a car for 80 minutes a day, dictating your story produces an aMAZing amount of word per day. I hit 55k in a couple weeks.

I had thought about that technique when I was still working, but then my dictations would have been filled with tons of very colorful language. I wouldn't have been able to use much of anything.

It was a dark and get the F&*# out of my lane, you A$*^@*& stormy nightl

[Keith Ward]

I crossed the finish line with three and a half hours left in the month.
Congratulations to everyone who participated.

[LilyBLily]

Congratulations to all. I got there around lunchtime.

[elleoco]

Congratulations to all who made it. I promised to report here on success or failure, and have to say it was a fail for me. However, on the bright side, I managed 28,879 (Scrivener counter), which is more than I've managed in a month for several years.

[dgcasey]

Well, I only managed 68,266, which leaves me short of my 70K goal. But, I have one last chapter to write and I'll do that tomorrow and I see it being about 2500-3000 words, so it will take me 31 days to get there.

Oh well, there's always Camp NaNoWriMo in April.   

[VanessaC]

Contrats to everyone who "won" this year, and everyone who maybe didn't technically "win", but still got plenty of words down.

       

[Gerri Attrick]

Well done to everyone who took part - whether you “won” or not.

I was hit by a bad attack of the November blues and barely wrote at all, so I’m not sorry that I opted out this year.

[Kay Inglis]

Well done to everyone who took part this year.

Next year I plan to sign up.

[ragdoll]

Congrats to everyone who made their goals :D I fell way short but I should be wrapping the book I'm working on this week.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Well done to everyone who took part - whether you “won” or not.

Yep.  This.

Way to go, y'all.   

[Rick Partlow]

Final number was 66,121.

[Jeff Tanyard]

Final number was 66,121.

 

[Al Macy (aka TromboneAl)]

... it recommends trying to write a better first draft, something that I've been considering.

This time I didn't try to "just get the first draft down." That is, even from the start, I tried to make this a little better. For example, I took the time to think of better similes (e.g. Giving him caffeine would be like administering cocaine to a hummingbird).

I concluded that that's a good idea. My progress was slower, but the draft is better.

[Feliz]

Oh, I just noticed this thread. Congrats to everyone here, winner or not. I won at 51.5K words, but it was a book of smaller stories put together after I'd failed to write a full novel. I'd won only one other time in 2015 at 52.5K for a full novel, and it's just brutal each time. My longest of the multiple stories this year is almost 25K words, so I have a promising novella to work with, at the very least. I'm not sure if I'll edit it into a full novel; we'll see. NaNo was fun, though. It definitely kept me writing.

[Edward M. Grant]

I did my 50,000 words, then went back to start rewriting it. Been distracted by Christmas for the last week or so, though.

[cecilia_writer]

I've added another 11,000 or so words and reached the end of the story. Just editing now as I have caught some seasonal virus and had a few days off from my day job.
Unusually for me, there weren't any major continuity issues or plot holes in the first draft. I must have been concentrating really hard!