National Novel Writing Month
I’m entering NaNoWriMo - the National Novel Writing Month. The idea is simple - from 0001 on November 1 to 2359 on November 30, write a fifty thousand word novel. The emphasis is on quantity over quality.
Although it started out as national in the USA, it is now very much international. From the What is NaNoWriMo page:Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
Whether or not I finish, it should be fun.
xD.
October 7th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
I did this last year and it was a great thing to do, although I got to about 42,000 - so didn’t quite finish, bah! I doubt I have time this year round though, but I might give it a bit of a go - but there’s no way I’ve got time to do it properly this time round.
October 7th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Are you?? You never mentioned it! Do you have an idea for the novel? How COOL!
*sulks*
Tell me stuff.
I’m eating your soup. So there.
xxxx
October 7th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Hi! Long time no, etc.
I now have you on my Google Reader. I finished a novel of 60,000 words in 11 days last NaNoWriMo (the fact that I had dislocated my knee and was in a cast, and had a laptop, kind of helped). I certainly found that NaNoWriMo made me a better writer; even if I haven’t returned to the story wot I wrote since then, it’s helped me to figure out what I like and dislike about the process.
PS. MAVRICK.
October 7th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I am so, so doing this.
My novel will be called ‘McPhee in Udmurtia’!
October 8th, 2008 at 12:05 am
I keep trying this each year, haven’t got very far each year so far - maybe third time lucky!
October 8th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Alice,
My love! I was going to tell you! Actually - I did. Last night. Hmmm…
All,
It’s funny how many people have heard of this - I hadn’t until I saw it in a paper or a magazine last weekend. And almost everyone - Mike - who I mention it to thinks it’s a good idea. I think the process and just having a go at writing significant volumes of prose in a relatively short period of time is worthwhile whether or not you reach the 50K target.
xD.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:59 am
What’s it about: the story of capitalism?
October 9th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Dr. Johnson wrote Rasselas in a week. So there’s hope for us all!
I tried this a few years back - here’s a sample chapter:
CHAPTER 3
Mohammed Algazar Alfarabalfarab Tariq Averros Averros Avicienna Sin Ibn-Rushd Jones (known simply as ”Averros” to his friends) pulnomarised his Sobraine with the seriousness of existence itself; difficult, after the Soho ‘incident’ left his left hand less than palmate. The rain lashed on the durian and the durra which lined Harvard Yard; leaning against the oriel, ‘Averros’ swigged the last of the orgeat and stubbed the cigarette under his shoe. He winced as his uncinariasis worsened, and downed the last of the cheap bourbon he kept in his pocket.
Lucius Oppenheimer, Harvard’s professor of Xenophile Studies, approached ‘Averros’, brandishing a basket of homogenating xylocarp.
‘Good to see you could make it, old chap. McPhee’s corpse is still warm. I hear you’re the best in the business’.
‘Why aye, see yee Jimmy, I fookin’…ah fook…cummere…yur me best fookin’ mate, yeese are…’
Something extraordinary happened, which was that ‘Averros’ lost control of every single orifice of his body simulataneously. The ‘Errhine Bourbon’ more than lived up to its name, causing him to micturate, defecate and vomit all down his lovely chitons.
‘Ah fook’, said ‘Averros’.
It was going to be a long day…
October 9th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Goodness…
Do go on…
xD.