NaNoWriMo 2004

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Holy shit, this is in less than a week! I almost forgot about it! Is anyone on ILX doing this this year?
Sarah is still working on her novel she started last year, and has started a new one already. I started one novel last year, gave up on, started another one, and gave up on that one too. I wouldn't do it this year except I actually have a plot I've been mulling over for a while so I may try and write it, using NaNoWriMo for motivation.

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:18 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, ya punk, I was going to start this one! (I am very much in this year again -- though I strongly doubt I'll complete it in five days' time like last year.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess I should try and make an outline. Or maybe I should abandon my plot line and write a terrible experimental novel.

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm doing a solo album instead.

― 57 7th (calstars), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

BTW, 5 days ?!?!

― 57 7th (calstars), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

That would be awesome if I had time I could take off from work just to plow through one this year. I think I'll do it again with my new novel. I can use my first one as a way to relax my brain in between working on the new one. I did get my final word count, but still have a lot of editing to do on last year's novel.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:33 (twenty-one years ago)

BTW, 5 days ?!?!

Yup, 5 days. Not kidding, either.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Ned, do you find it helpful to write an outline first?

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I didn't really have an outline for the last one. I had an idea and then when I started writing it everything changed rather rapidly, but still worked.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm out this year; I have too much work in progress to want to put it aside for a month. I do recommend it, though; it's both more and less hard than it sounds (i.e. the people who scoff at how easy it would be are usually the ones who quit after a couple K; the people who scoff at the idea that you can write anything good in only a month are usually the ones who couldn't write anything good in a year, either).

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 21:01 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm in again, I've knocked last years into almost serviceable shape, too. Should be interesting.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm seriously considering it this year, if I can get over being painfully self-concious about my writing.

― Leon Czolgosz (Nicole), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I actually could try doing it this year, hm. I theoretically have the time.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

I think I have a really good idea, but I don´t know if I want to try and rush it to finish in a month. It´s something that will take lots of thought and planning and accurate writing. Maybe I could quickly write up something and edit the living daylights out of it afterwards...

― A Nairn (moretap), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Worked for me, sort of.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Not sure if I'm gonna join in this year. I made it about halfway last year, and I'm thinking about just going back to work on that manuscript instead. Plus, I've started another story that I'm not sure where it's going to go. Time'll tell.

― Hey Jude, Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmmm, okay, I'm in.

― Huk-L, Wednesday, 27 October 2004 13:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I have no time again this year. Two dreary library essays to write. "Dead dude in a freezer" will have to wait for another year. It will be finished, oh yes, it will be finished.

― jel -- (jel), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 15:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, so. What should I write?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

You know... stuff.

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I down for this, but what if I wanted to write a series of short stories rather than a novel. I don't think I have the attention span for a novel.

― Dale Panopticalis (cprek), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I may just pastiche various ILE posts into a vaguely coherent story.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Make 'em interconnected, Dale. Be bold!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:55 (twenty-one years ago)

No, really. What would you guys like me to write about. I have no imagination for this sort of thing.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 28 October 2004 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Look out the window and note down every detail about the first five-or-so people you see. Pretend they all know each other or are connected somehow. Make up those connections. Pretend they have to deal with a giant baby-eating slug in the next 24 hours. What do they do? What happens? Can they stop the slug or is it bye-bye-baby?

Then start writing.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm just going to post my plot idea here since the chances of me actually writing the whole thing are pretty slim. There is a man. In each chapter, he falls in love with a different woman, and as a result, suffers an accident or illness that causes him to lose a limb. First he loses his right arm, then his left, then he loses his right leg, then his left, and then he loses his head, each time as a direct result of him falling in love with a particular woman. It ends with his torso being kept alive by a variety of support systems in a hospital, and he falls in love with the nurse who has tends to him, who has always been in the background in the hospital each time he has to go in for one of his lost limbs. It is a macabre romance.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I'm going to give this a go this year. I don't do anything anyway, and I haven't written anything since I became unwell, so I figure this will be good. Don't know what I'll write though - I'll see how the spirit moves me.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:03 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, that's one vote for baby-eating slug. Any other suggestions?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:04 (twenty-one years ago)

I am basing mine on "dear [random person I saw today}, I love you"

― luna (luna.c), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Start there, Casuistry, and extrapolate.

Mine involves bizarre cults, unsavory business practices, film crews, shellac and Deef the Wonder Horse!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh and old but faithful beagles. And disorganization. And a mom and pop store struggling against a multinational.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:07 (twenty-one years ago)

You can always write about this

― W i l l (common_person), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)

I need suggestions for interesting ways in which a person could lose limbs. The only one I've thought up so far is that they are at an old-timey dance with a big band playing, fight breaks out over girl, guy tries to punch other guy but misses, gets arm stuck in tuba, arm has to be amputated due to loss of circulation. Others? I need one other arm, two legs, and head.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:24 (twenty-one years ago)

One of the legs should be lost to a steamroller.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Just the one?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

OK.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Also the guy should get trampled by a llama.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)

You got it, dude.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:30 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG you need a scene where, after he's lost the first arm, he's doing a comic routine on people where he lets them shake hands with the prosthetic and OH NO HIS ARM COMES OFF ARRGH only he messes up one day and someone actually pulls his other arm off!

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Dan, no retelling of regular daily events in your life, please.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha ha, yes. He will join the circus as the man with the amazing removable arm, and will fall in love with a trapeze artist. The semi-retarded strong man will accidentally pull his other arm off. Then IN ROLL THE STEAMROLLERS AND THE LLAMAS!!! This book sounds like it will be more humorous than originally intended.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

This happens to everything I touch. At least this is what I tell myself when girls laugh at my penis.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick, you'll be wanting to watch some Guy Maddin films, I'm thinking.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 28 October 2004 20:00 (twenty-one years ago)

C´mon, it´s simple. His leg turns evil and he has to kill it.

― A Nairn (moretap), Friday, 29 October 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

caught in trap...must...extricate...self....

― Begs2Differ (Begs2Differ), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm wavering this year for a few reasons: the last 2 attempts I have failed horribly, Ned's inhuman effort last year made me want to tear my hair out (heh), also I have serious writers block lately and CANNOT IMAGINE UP A THING.

Not even silly things, baby eating slugs or whatever. Its awful!

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

caught in trap...must...extricate...self....

-- Begs2Differ (expresso222...), October 29th, 2004.

because...love you too much... baby....

― Pangolino (ricki spaghetti), Friday, 29 October 2004 02:57 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, I think I have my idea.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 29 October 2004 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 188 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Whoa, that formatted weird. Oh well, it still works.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Chris, Of COURSE I'm gonna do that, but I have to save something exciting for the second half of the book.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 14:45 (twenty-one years ago)

In the second half of the book, it's revealed that the cute kitten has... a brother!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:07 (twenty-one years ago)

I finally started my novel last night! I wrote 1000 words. It's filthy and stupid so far (so no big surprises).

Last year's failed novel started with a man walking in and finding his neighbor having anal sex with his wife on the living room floor, leading to death and dismay. This year's novel starts with a woman catching her husband having sex with the underage au pair on the kitchen floor leading to hilarious hijinks.

I think if I fall into a rut I will write a series of scenes involving people being interrupted during sexual congress; that's my favorite motif anyway. (I guess that one childhood incident involving an unfortunate Mother's Day weighs heavier on my imagination than I thought.)

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought you were going to write a story about SpongeBob SquarePants' blood enemy and the annihilation of Bikini Bottom.

(Suffice to say I think your current idea is more than fine, it is a classic example of, if I have the term spelled right, in medias res.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha I forgot about that idea! Maybe it will be a fever dream in a later chapter.

Right now I'm concerned because I have the main character high on cocaine and, having never done it myself, I have no idea how to describe the sensation. I figure I will get around this by talking massive amounts of shit.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Jesus H, for a second I thought you said TAKING

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahaha yes, because see I'm made of money and I would do that and talk about it in public.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Honesty is the best policy for a presidential campaign! Wait, no it isn't...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm trying to think of a ludicrous idea that a stoned person with some influence might come up with to get out of paying half his savings to a messy divorce. Dance-offs are played out.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The A-Team: The Reality Show

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Claiming his ex-wife was secretly a man the whole time. Then, somehow, proving it.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Just passed 3,000 words. I had an exam today, which seriously put me off my stride all week. Now all I have to do is write a mere 23,500 words per week.

― Adamdrome Crankypants (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 12 November 2004 07:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Piece of cake!

― Matt (Matt), Friday, 12 November 2004 07:26 (twenty-one years ago)

That's only about 120 words per hour. That's nothing. This post will end up being about thirty words and I wrote it in under a minute. so 120 in the hour's remaining 59 minutes should be a piece of cake.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 12 November 2004 07:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Typo on my part ... only 90 words in the rest of the hour. Simple!

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Friday, 12 November 2004 07:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, you're right! I'm renewed. I love you.

― Adamdrome Crankypants (Autumn Almanac), Friday, 12 November 2004 08:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha I just passed 3000 words too! Sigh.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 12 November 2004 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm barely on target. I set up this spreadsheet at the very beginning with my required word totals for each day. I took into effect nights I had shows, my sister visiting, etc. But right now I'm just up to yesterday's word count, so I need to get to work.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 12 November 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Y'all will do fine, just keep working away. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 12 November 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm at just over 5,000 words at the minute.
While I'm pretty certain that the plot will hold up to the 50,000 word length, there's just no way I'm going to get to it by the end of the month unless I start pulling major shifts on it.

I've been surprised by how easy writing becomes when you stop revising every word as you go along. In the past, I'd write 200 words and obsess about getting them to be perfect before I'd continue the story. At the minute I'm just breezing through the plot, albeit not at the rate to do 50,000 words in a month

― Greig (treefell), Friday, 12 November 2004 16:25 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I'm kind of dreading going back and reading this straight through at the end though. Sometimes I'll breeze by a few years in a couple of pages, and then I'll have a scene that lasts 20 pages or so.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 12 November 2004 16:26 (twenty-one years ago)

That's pretty much the trick. Screw perfection, just get everything out and don't look back.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 12 November 2004 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

How y'all doing?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 November 2004 19:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Bailed. Shortly after election day. This was not the right year for this.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 18 November 2004 19:56 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not a novel, but I just reached 12,000 words on the book I started writing on or about Nov. 4. I was definitely inspired by NaNoWriMo to start this project. I confidently project 30,000 words by month's end. But 50,000 seems unlikely.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 18 November 2004 20:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, nice! What is it about -- a fiction piece or something else, as you seem to imply?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 November 2004 20:04 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a bit like Three Men In a Boat - Not to Mention the Dog by Jerome K. Jerome. It's just me rambling on in the first person, using a week-long 70 mile solo backpack trip as the narrative skeleton upon which I can hang all my Christmas tree ornament digressions.

If it is not charming, it shan't amount to a pile of dust. I realize that attempting to be charming in the first person for upwards of 60,000 words is a perilous feat.

Oh well, if no one else reads it, my 80 year old mother will enjoy it, I'm sure.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 18 November 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

It sounds Twain-esque. Good luck with it.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 18 November 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, good luck! I got pretty stuck on my story today. Then luna sent me a list of ideas and I used just about all of them. :-D

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Thursday, 18 November 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Rah for good help!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 18 November 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I just reached 24,000 words. The past two days have been very, very good to me.

― Aimless (Aimless), Saturday, 20 November 2004 20:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Mine's abandoned.

― Daffyd, the only gay in the village (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 20 November 2004 22:10 (twenty-one years ago)

:-(

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 20 November 2004 22:21 (twenty-one years ago)

No time. I'll still write it, but it won't be finished next weekend.

― Daffyd, the only gay in the village (Autumn Almanac), Saturday, 20 November 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Revive!
And I'm done.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 29 November 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Yay! Good to hear. I need to get mine verified today, I suppose!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 November 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I am still at just over 3000 words.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 29 November 2004 14:56 (twenty-one years ago)

You've got until tomorrow -- drink lots of coffee and begin!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 29 November 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I basically took all of last week off. I was sick, I tells ya! But maybe just maybe I'll work on it tonight (but I'm not much over 30k at this point).

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Monday, 29 November 2004 14:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Matt, is yours posted anywhere a body might cast his glims on it?

― Aimless (Aimless), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 01:12 (twenty-one years ago)

nice job matt coastal
told you that you could do it
I DID NOT DO SHIT

― Haibun (Begs2Differ), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 01:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Sarah, get to writing and think of the children!

― Aimless (Aimless), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 01:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Aimless: when it has been knocked into a more or less serviceable shape then I shall link to it from Coastalblog. Time to get with the editing.

Matt: you did indeed, and many thanks for your support.

Sarah: yes! Think of the children!

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 07:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha Ha. I'm at a little over 36k now. I can 14k in one day. Right guys?

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 15:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Congratulations, Matt!

Sarah, you can definitely do 14K in a day.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 15:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Yus. Keep at it Sarah!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Sarah, the secret to "14K in a day" is all in the adjectives. String them like pearls on a rope.

For example: Think of an epithet for each of your characters, such as "rosy-fingered Dawn", "stout Achilles", or "Fingal, last of his tribe". Use it every time you refer to them, or when they refer to each other, as in:

Rosy-fingered Dawn fingered the handle of her bright blue and yellow coffee mug thoughtfully and said to voloptuous Sarah Jessica, "I can't believe that stout Achilles and green-eyed Hera are getting it on on my stunningly white couch this very moment. Eeeeeuuuuw!"

― Aimless (Aimless), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Can I quote you on that, Aimless?

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 18:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I tried to convince Sarah to incorporate Katamari Damacy into her novel somehow, but she didn't bite.

― n/a (Nick A.), Tuesday, 30 November 2004 18:16 (twenty-one years ago)

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