Ramping up to NaNoWriMo

by Nika on Oct.19, 2009, under NaNoWriMo, life, romance, writing

So the call has gone out, and my plot bunnies accepted (on my behalf apparently). I signed up for NaNo. For those of you who don’t know NaNo, NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month. It runs from November 1st to 30th, and the goal is to write a 175 page (50,000) novel by midnight on November 30th.

NaNoWriMo This is going to be my first time attempting NaNo, and I’m hoping life will work with me, not against me!

The issue I face in the next week is to decide WHICH novel the bunnies are going to have me write. The two front running choices, while both RS (Romantic Suspense) are vary different in plot and features. The one I am leaning towards is an RS with a paranormal twist. It would be the 1st book in a potential 3 book series involving a set group of heroes/heroines who are thrown together to preserve life as we know it.

I’ve been fighting with this plot for about a year now, and the thought is… force myself to put it to paper (or computer) for NaNo then I’ll have no excuses as to why it’s not done! I already have all my characters and pairings down in a rough draft… there’s just the issue of figuring out which couple gets to tell their story first!

Anyone else out there taking the NaNo challenge this year? If so, add me to your NaNo buddies list, and I’ll see you on the other side when we emerge into the sunlight screaming that the light is too bright! ^_^

- Nika

:NaNoWriMo

5 Comments for this entry

Amber Leigh Williams
October 19th, 2009 on 10:52 am
Nika, good luck choosing. Last year was my first year and I KNEW I was writing my first paranormal. I’d actually already written several thousands words to get me started with it. I had notes ready to help me get from plot point to plot point. Then NaNo started and my muse abruptly changed her mind, launching me into another paranormal altogether – one I knew absolutely nothing about. I finished the 50K in November then completed the novel at 85K in early January. This year I’m geared toward writing the 3rd book in the series, but when Nov 1st rolls around and I change my mind, I’ll just go with it, lol

I’ll look for you on NaNo!
Nika
October 19th, 2009 on 10:57 am
I’m really hoping to get the 50K down, and then use December to modify it into the 90-100K or so I want it to be! ^_^ And I’m frantically trying to clear my work schedule so my free time is available for NaNo!
Delilah K Stephans
October 19th, 2009 on 12:31 pm
This will be my third year. The trick is to put EVERYTHING in. You can edit it after the 30th. Some other little tricks if it is getting close to the end – Don’t use contractions! Again you can edit them afterwards. Another little trick – use a time zone ahead of you to start and your time zone to end. It can give you up to a day of extra time. Also – don’t concern yourself with editing – just knock out the 1667 words a day.
Chapter titles help too.

My first NaNo was just something I thought I could maintain the count on… the main plot changed halfway through the story – but it was written in a way that I could do it without effecting the whole.
Ann Marie
October 19th, 2009 on 12:34 pm
Likewise on the WHICH NOVEL??? question, which I figure is a better distraction than how on possibly earth am I going to be able to manage this word count. See you in the trenches! (where I am called amgamble.)
Nika
October 19th, 2009 on 4:51 pm
Oooh good point on the time zones… I hadn’t thought of that. I think I’m okay with just pounding it out. I’m going to take the same approach as I do with fanfic. Write a chapter then post it! I figure that’s probably the best way for my personal writing style. Hopefully!

And I’m really hoping the plot bunnies make up their mind before I start!