NaNoWriMo 2009 Day 11

[ladyseishou]

Day 11 - 19 days remaining

When I have commenced a new book, I have always prepared a diary, divided into weeks, and carried on for the period which I have allowed myself for the completion of the work. In this I have entered, day to day, the number of pages I have written so that if at any time I have slipped into idleness for a day or two, the record of that idleness has been there, staring me in the face, and demanding of me increased labour, so that the deficiency might be supplied.

- Anthony Trollope



And what would your diary say about your day today, Nano Writer?

Today's quotation was submitted by Nano Writer angryoldhag (thanks!).

And so the day's word count is 18,333... it seems that a bit of writing every day does indeed add up! For all the Nano Writers who have kept up (and in some cases blew past the daily count): I say well done!

And for our Nano Writers who are a little (or a lot) short: don't give up! All is not lost! What's important now is to try to write something every day so that when you do have more time (over the weekend? during the holiday break?), your story is all warmed up and ready to fly! Just a few words - a sentence or two - keeps it fresh and alive.

So here's my challenge in honor of the day's date: 11/11...

Open up your notebook or word file and write 11 words today! That's it. Write 11 words that describe what your protagonist did today or what the next scene in your story is supposed to be about, really anything that you want to say...

And if you don't have more time than that (what are talking about here? maybe a minute or two?), stop there. Yeah, that's it. But then tomorrow, do it again. But this time how about 12 words?

If you've got a little more time today, try something a little tougher - how about 111 words? Open up the Write or Die page, type "111" in the word goal box and tell us how you do!

And for everyone else: try writing 1,111 words! Can you do it? Easy enough? Then how about 556 more? Congratulations: you've hit the daily word count target!

The important thing here Nano Writer, is to keep writing!

Comments

[geminianeyes]

I know what mine would say (think I'll actually write it down in my blog later):

We hit a stumbling block somewhere around 26k. I hated what I wrote, but there was no way I was going to remove 1k worth of words to make it work. I'll figure out how to make it work later. This scene is essential, but it won't make or break me.

The twist we saw it coming once we decided to roll with it. Not bad, and it does set up some alone time for those two characters. The fun part would be to see what happens in the end. Is it true love, or just a lustful pairing?

Ok back to work.

XD

[ladyseishou]

Very good that! and exactly right: "I'll figure out how to make it work later." Yes!

[mushroom_of_doom]

I love your posts. They are inspiring ^_^
I'm going to post a link to this one (crediting you of course) to share with one of my NaNo buddies who is having a little trouble staying inspired.
<3

[ladyseishou]

Thank you very much! And I say the more the merrier! because really we inspire each other!

[eien_herrison]

If I were keeping a diary, mine would say:

Felt lethargic today, didn't even look at any writing until about 6:30PM. Spent most of the time playing the sims, but have now managed to break 30k. Unfortunately, I'm on page 10 of a chapter and approximately halfway through my plotted outline, which means I'm going to have to do some padding before the section I'm currently writing. If I keep to the same pace, I'll have 20 pages written, far below the 28 I've had with other two-parter chapters. Found a couple of good places my main character can visit with his girlfriend, so that should help.

Did I mention I've broken 30k? Aside from 2008, I've done this every year since 2003, and this is the furthest I've gotten. Plotting and being unemployed really does help.

I've written almost 2.5k so far today, and I'm potentially able to be able to get another 1k of writing. I'm already starting to plot out the next chapter in the sequence, although I do have to question whether they'd count -- the outline for the current chapter(s) is over 3k words long.

[eien_herrison]

Small edit: reached 32k, and write about 4.5k tonight in approximately four hours.

[geminianeyes]

WOOHOO! That sounds really great, breaking 32.5k. :D

[eien_herrison]

Thanks :) Your wordcount is going well, too.

[geminianeyes]

Hahaha, not really. Friend's mom passed away, so I've been neglecting Nano in favour of that. :3

[eien_herrison]

Sorry to hear that -- I think it's one case where real life is much more important that NaNoWriMo. Hope everything works out okay for your friend.

[geminianeyes]

Thanks.

[ladyseishou]

Absolutely fantastic word count! And I don't know why the writing that you're doing for an outline wouldn't be eligible for your word count, especially if you write "into it" (adding the narrative bits into the right places of your outline). Think of the outline as the skeleton for your story and the narrative is the muscle and skin. As I understand it, as long as it's written on or after November 1st, it counts!

[eien_herrison]

I'm quite surprised by how far I've gotten in such a short amount of time. I'm hoping to break 40k by tomorrow -- I'm heading to my parents' house for the weekend and I don't think I'm going to get much writing done.

I'm doing my best to keep my wordcount to purely story, but if by some mysterious circumstance I don't make it to 50k, I've got 6k worth of outline. I am using the outline as a plan rather than bulking it up (probably making for a more difficult writing experience) but hey, it's working for me :D

[angryoldhag]

Didn't write nearly as much as I wanted to, today. Just reached 28k. This is actually supposed to be the exciting bit but I can't get myself to write it.

[ladyseishou]

So back off. Maybe write a little back story that can be fit in somewhere later. Something that will take you to the exciting part and carry you over into it.

I had a similar problem with a scene where my protag was supposed to be arrested, seemingly betrayed by a good friend. I got around it by working on the part that actually comes after and then backed into the earlier scene. But YMMV.

Good luck!

[twistingthetale]

I guess I would have to write myself a reminder to not move the next couple of sections along too quickly, but to quietly celebrate reaching 20057.

[ladyseishou]

Why quiet? *takes out a shiny, feathered and fringed blow-out/noisemaker thing and makes a celebration sound* Yeah! 20K!

[twistingthetale]

:D It was heading towards midnight when I finished writing, so I don't think my neighbours would have been very happy if I'd started cheering!

[dragonscrawl]

I think I'll be hanging out at the 23k range for the rest of the evening (no thanks to you, studying). If I could count words from note taking, I'd be making more progress, but that's not novel writing so no. And alas, my diary would say much the same.

And because this is otherwise a rather dull comment, an excerpt:
As the silence stretched on, Samuel felt nerves settle on him once again. It wasn’t like he could flee what responsibilities he had here on the Infinity. But without the others helping like they had been up to this point, even if they hadn’t know they’d been helping, there was no way Samuel could manage this at all. “So…this whole time,” Kit ventured at last, “you really were the groundsider I thought you were.”

“Yes.” Her question did nothing to settle the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. Never the sort to forge ahead without first considering his course, Samuel knew that he’d just have to take chances he would not normally take to get through this. “If I had had my way, I would not be sitting with you know. You would have a captain who at least knew about commanding an airship. But this was, in effect, an order I was given and could not disobey.” Only George was likely to understand that, but had to get the others to understand. “Never did I set out to lie about my experience, unless you count lying by omission. I only sought to complete the task I was given.”

“That much I get,” Kit said. “What I don’t get is why you didn’t say this to begin with?”

It was the first sign that any one that hadn’t known weren’t going to turn from him after the confession he’d made. “Would you have had faith in me as a captain if I had? Or would you have second guessed every order, believing they came from a man who had no idea what he was doing or how to reach his own goals?” Silence was his only answer. “You see? I may not be much of a captain, but I know something of people. A remnant of all the years I’ve spent learning my father’s business, you might say.”

[ladyseishou]

Very cool insight on Samuel's part! I like the exchange! And you know I like that word count! Good luck with studying!

[tachycardiac]

I did the first 1111 in Write or Die and then managed another 740 in another session. It's amazing, really, how motivating flashing colors and aggravating noises can be. I was hoping to get a little more than that done, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen, what with the studying for a test I've got to do.

[ladyseishou]

Hey you met the challenge and won big time! That's fantastic! Go and study while your neurons are all fired up and doing the synapse thing! Good luck on the test!

[insomniac_tales]

Dear Diary,

I should really be working on this paper that's due tomorrow, but A) I'm not in the right mind frame for it and B) nano is finally happening after two days of mediocre writing.

I got a little hung up on the idea of writing chronologically and frankly that almost never works for me. I have to write what's interesting and with me for the moment and if that happens to be Floyd and the bookstore or Jerry's battle on the town council then that's what I should write.

I can go back later and work on Frances' cute little girl crush and Madelyn's first day of her new life. I have to give them time to stretch their wings and figure out what they want to say in those chapters. For now, Floyd and Jerry are talking and I'm just going to let them.

We passed 26k today and man, that just feels awesome.

[ladyseishou]

It really is awesome! And I'm so glad to hear that you have hit on the secret that a lot of writers take for granted - to write the really interesting/fun/dramatic bits first. It takes full advantage of your enthusiasm and puts it to good use!

[withorwithoutyou]

I think I need to work on this. Looking over the past couple days, I think I've been getting hung up on writing things in order. Time to change that *cracks knuckles*

[withorwithoutyou]

Today I only managed about 1700 words, so I'm feeling okay with that. Normally I shoot for 2000 or 2500 a day, but I've got a legitimate excuse (lol!)
In any case, it's going pretty well. Today, my character and her family got closer to each other, faced a bit of trauma, and then watched as her mom went into scary mother bear mode. A few secondary characters popped up, and at least one or two of them's going to show up again I think.

And, I'm nearly to 26,000 words, so I'm going to go do a happy dance because of that. Or rather, I would if I weren't so darn tired. pfft.

[withorwithoutyou]

And that I tried something new and did the majority of my writing by hand, in honor of the pep talk that went out a few days ago. It was surprisingly therapeutic.

[ladyseishou]

Very cool!

[withorwithoutyou]

You know, it surprised me how much fun it was. I'd done a little bit of that last year, but just random little things here and there. Yesterday I remembered how much fun I'd had hand writing things, even when I was writing stories as a little kid. It was a lot of fun.

[ladyseishou]

Fantastic word count! *does a happy dance in your honor*

[withorwithoutyou]

Lol!

[xyndarella]

My diary would tell everyone that I am falling behind. I am not writing as much as I would like to and had a spike in my word count, which allowed me a days break from typing. Tsk tsk, I know. I find that since all the storms started over the last few days, I am not that confidant about keeping my computer on to type and I am lazy when it comes to writing on paper.

My word count reached 18,349 but I am pondering rewriting the last 3k words. I know that I ought to just let them be, but I honestly just rambled on to reach the numbers that I needed and it's totally thrown me off my story. I'm not sure what to do. Editing is bad but I sort of feel like I'm cheating myself by keeping the content. I'll be aiming to rewrite the passages during the times where I can't have any appliances on.

Lest We Forget

[ladyseishou]

Please don't rewrite! What you think is rambling may actually have some merit later on. If it is throwing you off, hide it somewhere and continue on with what you think you need to write instead. If it make you feel better about it, boost your goal to 50K plus the ramble part. Trust me when I tell you that I have deleted/edited my writing in the past and have regretted it terribly.

And good luck with the storms!

[withorwithoutyou]

Hey, hold up on the re-writing, leave the words there, but if you don't like them set the font for that section as white. You won't have to look at it, and you'll keep that whole inner editor thing from going haywire.

When something like that happens to me, I just pretend that I've already rewritten it satisfactorily and then keep writing, lol.

[xyndarella]

Ooh, that's a good idea. Thank you!

[withorwithoutyou]

Lol, no problem. Good luck ^^