On NaNo: "That is One Big Pile of S***"

Wednesdays in this blog’s schedule are reserved for fiction pieces…but National Novel Writing Month is all about writing fiction, so it sort of fits.

To those writers attempting NaNo, whether for the first or fifth time: we’re going to need dedication to the story, support from families and friends, and lots of caffeine, energy drinks, or whatever your wakey-wakey consumption of choice may be.

Photo by: Andreas Gronski, 2004 [from Wikimedia]

The inspiration for HG Wells’ time machine?

We must write, write, write some more to reach that goal of 50,000 words in thirty days. NaNo buddies will smile and cheer us on, and we’ll commiserate with and congratulate each other. It’s a bonding experience we won’t soon forget.

And all along the way, we’ll be writing one big pile of crap.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JFfN5pKzFU?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

You know what, though? That’s okay. Because all first drafts are crap. (Many second and third drafts are crap, too, but that’s a post for another day.)

NaNo is about helping us see we can meet a deadline, write to (or past) a wordcount, and – in many cases – realize we can, in fact, tell a story. Most likely not a great one by November 30…but one that may just grab us by the shirtsleeves and make us keep going, to dip down into further drafts and deeper edits, and make a better story, one worth sharing with the world.

Or, maybe not. Maybe we’ll be satisfied with what we cranked out in those thirty days, and we’ll be inspired from there to take on another project, knowing now that we can do it. That’s okay, too.

So, let’s grab our pens and get comfortable behind our keyboards. We’ve got writing to do!

Are you participating in NaNo this year? Want to buddy up?

8 Comments

itsjennythewren on October 31, 2012 at 05:35

good luck!!! il join in next year 🙂 x

shadetheraven on October 31, 2012 at 06:35

Oooh! I can’t wait to see this story unfold!
As for me, I do hope to participate this year, though it might be a mad text dump in the final week, as I really don’t know if I will have the necessary time for 1500 words per day.
Either way, I will follow your progress with great interest.

Vanessa Chapman on October 31, 2012 at 07:26

Yay! Good luck to us all! I’m NessaJane on NaNo if anyone wants to add me. See you there! 🙂

Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:09

Thanks, Jenny. 🙂

Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:10

I’ll be pantsing a lot of this one, Shade. But it’s the first time I’ve had more than one or two buddies around me, so that should be an experience.
I’m not certain how well I’ll be able to pull off the Stowaways’ story, but it’s always nice to know there are others out there with me. 😀

No worries about the text dump. It’s more about the joy of writing than anything else, these days.

Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:11

Thanks, Vanessa! I think I’ve added you as a buddy already.

Actually, you were one of the people who convinced me maybe I should do NaNo again this year, even with my novel still hovering over my head. I thought your plan of writing very short chapters that fit the daily wordcount was a very good one, so I’m going to try that, this year!

4amWriter on November 1, 2012 at 21:20

I think we’re already buddies. I’m so glad you’re doing it, Mayumi. I remember you saying you weren’t going to–but Vanessa has a way of being very persuasive, doesn’t she? 😉 Good luck this year!

Mayumi-H on November 2, 2012 at 09:34

You, too, Kate! And thanks. 🙂

I’m not guaranteeing a great story or anything…but I thought it would be fun to join in with other folks excited about it, since I didn’t really have any buddies the last times I’ve entered. And Vanessa’s idea was a new one for me. I’ve gotten a bit of a slow start, but this short-chapter approach is kind of fun. 🙂

itsjennythewren on October 31, 2012 at 05:35

good luck!!! il join in next year 🙂 x
shadetheraven on October 31, 2012 at 06:35

Oooh! I can’t wait to see this story unfold!
As for me, I do hope to participate this year, though it might be a mad text dump in the final week, as I really don’t know if I will have the necessary time for 1500 words per day.
Either way, I will follow your progress with great interest.
Vanessa Chapman on October 31, 2012 at 07:26

Yay! Good luck to us all! I’m NessaJane on NaNo if anyone wants to add me. See you there! 🙂
Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:09

Thanks, Jenny. 🙂
Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:10

I’ll be pantsing a lot of this one, Shade. But it’s the first time I’ve had more than one or two buddies around me, so that should be an experience.
I’m not certain how well I’ll be able to pull off the Stowaways’ story, but it’s always nice to know there are others out there with me. 😀

No worries about the text dump. It’s more about the joy of writing than anything else, these days.
Mayumi-H on October 31, 2012 at 11:11

Thanks, Vanessa! I think I’ve added you as a buddy already.

Actually, you were one of the people who convinced me maybe I should do NaNo again this year, even with my novel still hovering over my head. I thought your plan of writing very short chapters that fit the daily wordcount was a very good one, so I’m going to try that, this year!
4amWriter on November 1, 2012 at 21:20

I think we’re already buddies. I’m so glad you’re doing it, Mayumi. I remember you saying you weren’t going to–but Vanessa has a way of being very persuasive, doesn’t she? 😉 Good luck this year!
Mayumi-H on November 2, 2012 at 09:34

You, too, Kate! And thanks. 🙂

I’m not guaranteeing a great story or anything…but I thought it would be fun to join in with other folks excited about it, since I didn’t really have any buddies the last times I’ve entered. And Vanessa’s idea was a new one for me. I’ve gotten a bit of a slow start, but this short-chapter approach is kind of fun. 🙂

On NaNo: “That is One Big Pile of S***”

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