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NaNoWriMo - Are you attempting?

So I decided to try NaNoWriMo this year. I don't know if I am crazy or what, but I'm going to try.

Anyone else trying this year? And if you have done it before, how did it go for you and any tips?

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Permalink Reply by Mike DiGrande on October 19, 2009 at 4:15pm

First and foremost, GOOD. LUCK.

I attempted this last year with a big group of friends and none of us ended up finishing. The only way I can foresee people finishing this beast is if they write everyday. Roughly, the word limit breaks down to a little over 1600 words a day. Sticking to that schedule would keep you on pace, but once you're in the thick of it, any little excuse can pull you off track. Here are some pitfalls to avoid:

Back up EVERYTHING. I lost a day's worth of work because I didn't save my project onto my flash drive properly. The stuff I came up with after was never the same
Plan it out. Don't think you'll just be able to "wing it," plan out where it's going. The stronger your ideas are in the planning stage, the easier it will be to say "Okay, my 1600 today should really focus on this scene with these characters." Trust me, planning out my plot lines was the only reason I got as far as I did.
Be ready to make sacrifices. One of the things that tripped me up was my inability to write during Thanksgiving break. I came home and was like "Oh, I can afford to slack for two days or so." Nope. This is a commitment, and staying on track is vital to your success.
Do it with friends. Our group was very supportive and fun to be around, to bounce ideas off of. It helps to know that you have other people going through the same thing with you.
Remember to have fun with it. Know that you have to be diligent, but it IS supposed to be fun. Write a story you'd want to read, or that reflects the things you're into. Don't try to write War & Peace....write what you know and write what you love (If that happens to be War & Peace, go for it!).

Hope you finish, and good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Pam on October 20, 2009 at 12:22pm

Thanks!! I think doing it with a group is a good idea.

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Permalink Reply by Linda on October 20, 2009 at 12:44pm

Thank you for this. I've been trying to find advice online for a while!

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Permalink Reply by Phyllis on October 20, 2009 at 12:12pm

it's on the list of things i want to do for my 101 in 1001...since I just started, I have another November to do it....but I think I'm going to go for it this year. I've got a few story ideas that I've been toying around with, so I think I'm going to do it.

Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Pam on October 20, 2009 at 12:23pm

Yeah!! Good Luck!

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Permalink Reply by Linda on October 20, 2009 at 12:43pm

YES.
I finally got the guts to do this this year as well. I think we're both crazy, but I'm glad there's another NaNoWriMo virgin out there!!

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Permalink Reply by Living with Balls on October 20, 2009 at 1:47pm

what is NanoWriMo?

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Permalink Reply by Mike DiGrande on October 20, 2009 at 1:58pm

National Novel Writing Month. Basically, throughout the month of November, people try to see if they can write a 50,000 word novel. It's demanding to say the least.