Wednesday 23 November 2011

NanoWriMo 2011 - Almost there!


Current Day: 23
Word Count:  40,014

Almost there!

With just over a week to go until the end of the month, I'm sticking to my daily word counts and still enjoying the whole NaNoWriMo experience. Why didn't I try this before?

First of all I'd like to say a special thanks to AshHadAns. In my last update, I was fretting about dialogue and worried that it wasn't coming naturally to me. I was re-reading and nitpicking and doing all the wrong things, and then this piece of advice:

I have a lot of problem with dialogue, too. I kept going back and obsessing over what I had already written that it was really slowing my word count down. So now I just write it as it comes out and don't look back. At the end when you do your edits then you can re-read it and see how it flows and if stuff needs to change. The whole point of NaNo is not to produce a publishable ready book, it's just for the word count. And that thought has really helped my writing a lot. I'm getting through the story faster and skipping to my favorite scenes and shooting them out in just a couple days each.

Totally worked for me - thanks!


Will I make it to 50,000?

The word count shouldn't be a problem. I still have so much of my story to tell (probably too much - more on that later), but I'm away this weekend, and I won't have time to write. Well, I will, but I don't know how well I'll be received if I shut myself away in my room and write for the whole weekend. Hopefully I can sneak an hour or two, though. Even if I don't get to 50,000 I plan on sticking with this thing and finishing it. I've had a lot of fun with it, and I've kind of got a book crush on my own book boy (I still haven't given him a name - ridiculous, I know!) I have to find the perfect name. Sometimes I'm so turned off characters in books because they have the wrong name, although I get over it if they're hot enough!

I Go Round in Circles

I thought that writing 50,000 words or getting anywhere near it would be impossible for me, but I haven't even gotten to the fun part of the book yet, and I'm at 40,000. I'm well aware that there's a lot of trash in there though - abandoned story arc's, a lot of notes to self and TK's. I'm also concentrating way too much on the relationship, which is fun, but I've definitely been drifting way too much into soppy territory at times. Both characters have said a couple things that have made me cringe! I'm still avoiding Insta-Love, but I've given into Insta-Lust. Hey, it happens! Still, this is something of a summer romance situation, and they tend to happen quickly. 

Also, I now totally get what authors say about their characters talking to them, invading their dreams, invading their lives! They totally do that!


The Paranormal Element

I've been concentrating so much on all the relationship stuff that CHAOS has turned into something of a contemporary romance, which, er, its not meant to be. I want the paranormal element, and it is still there, although I can't write detailed account of this particular paranormal element here without research, because I don't really know what I'm talking about.  Still, the relationship stuff is cute, and the boy is cute, and I've just discovered that he's been hurt pretty badly in the past. I didn't know that about him before. This led me to some very interesting discoveries...


What do I do if I get there?

I have a question. OK, this is probably explained on the site somewhere...If I do get to 50,000 do I just automatically become a winner with my word count or do I have to verify it somehow? I could probably figure this out myself if I looked for an FAQ or something, I know...



That's all for now! 

I will update next week when I'll either a be a winner or a loser! ;)

To anyone else taking part let me know how your NaNo is working out! Good Luck in the final week!

14 comments :

  1. I gave up really early on so am very impressed that you stuck with it! Really hope you make it to 50k

    The Cait Files

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  2. Congrats for coming so far! I definitely think you can make it :). And lol, I think everyone has a crush on the male characters create! :P Though it's a little odd he still doesn't have a name. But that gives you time to pick the perfect one! :D Good luck with the rest :).

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  3. @Cait - Thanks! I'm surprised I've stuck with it, really. Signed up in 2009, but haven't written a word until this year!

    @Liz - Lol! He does have a name, just not a first name. I'm calling him by his surname. It seems to have stuck since I can't seem to call him anything else now. Still need to think of a first name for him, though! :D

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  4. Wow,..GO, Leanna!! It's so cool to see so many people take on this challenge---and ever more impressive to see awesome people like you accomplish so much with it! I hope we'll get to read your work someday! :D

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  5. Wow! I am so proud of you! I completely gave up once I got sick.....it totally took the wind out of my sails. I bet you will reach the goal of 50,000; either way, I am so impressed. Well done!

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  6. You copy and paste your story into the box thingy that will be available on the last day, and when it's done counting your words (a few secs) you're a winner, and it gives you all the winner stickers and such. Whether you want to save it on the site or not is up to you :)

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  7. Thanks for the nice comments!!

    Thanks Simay! <3

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  8. If you get to 50,000 and paste your novel on NaNoWriMo CreateSpace will offer you a free printed proof. At least they have done that in previous years. Congrats on your word count. NaNo has really helped me to get the story down and leave the editing until later.
    Ann

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  9. Congrats hun! I totally believe you can make it! Backing you 100% good luck :-)

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  10. I love reading about your writing adventure!! It must feel so wonderful to have accomplished so much in such a short time :-) I'm sure the last 10,000 will be a breeze!!

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  11. Aww, I'm so glad that I helped you! One of my friends gave me that advice when I I was really struggling in the beginning and I just took it and rolled with it. I now have two complete sections of the book done because of it, I just need to connect them somehow.
    As for validating and winning, you can validate starting tomorrow. Go to the 'edit novel info' section and click the 'I am ready to validate my novel' part. Then you just copy and paste your story in there and it will validate it. Be warned, sometimes the count on there is off of what your count may be on whatever program you use to write. Mine actually added a few words.
    And the CreateSpace award is different this year. Instead of getting one free proof, you have to PAY for the initial proof copy and then you get five free copies of your book after you approve the proof. The proof is really cheap, though. I think I calculated that even with shipping mine will be less than ten dollars. So six books for ten dollars is pretty good. You also get half off of the Scrivener program if you win.
    Good luck! I am currently at around 43,000 but I'm getting so twitchy over being done that I am starting to run out of steam. I just lose my concentration so easy! I don't care if I have to stay up all night on November 29, I am winning this dang thing!

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  12. ^^ Thanks for all the info! I didn't know anything about the CreateSpace award! I hope you get to 50K! I think I'll be staying up all night on the 29th!!

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  13. Congrats! 40,000 words is super impressive. I'm so proud of you :) I agree on the importance of a hot guy name. I've been turned off from book guys before because of their name (but, you're also right, I can get over it if he's really hot). It will come to you :)

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  14. Go you! I will probably never do NaNo because I don't write :( But I'm so happy and proud of you! :)

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