NaNoWriMo 2010 - Day 5

[ladyseishou]

Day 5 - 25 days remaining

I do a first draft as passionately and as quickly as I can.
I believe a story is valid only when it's immediate and passionate,
when it dances out of your subconscious.

If you interfere in any way, you destroy it.

- Ray Bradbury



A popular writing aid that is a favorite for many Wrimos is Dr. Wicked's web site: Write or Die, a particularly fiendish creation wherein you type in a word count goal and a time and start to write. Simple enough, right?

Well the catch is that if you stop writing there are evil consequences that range from annoying pop-ups that remind you to keep writing to a mode that will actually erase your hard work if you dally too long.

I think what work bests about this method is the incentive it provides to keep you writing, that the fear (or annoyance) of "punishment" actually acts to beat down the voice in your head that urges you to stop, rewrite, rethink, redo... In other words, it helps you help yourself to kill your "inner editor" so that the words of your story can flow, immediate and raw, passionate and real.

And there will be typos. For me, lots of typos. And your characters may not stick with your original outline, change sex, and adopt a new point of view. But if you give them the chance, who knows what new really cool stuff you'll discover?

Today's Word Count: 8,333! Did you beat it? Tell us about it! Excerpts? Questions? Frustrations? Amusing typos?

...Keep Writing!

Comments

Up over 11000!

[kallistixf]

So I went crazy and put a whole chapter up on my journal: Muses, Moirae, and a TWIST.

I'm not wild about punishment-based approaches to motivation.... for me they just add stress and negativity. Different strokes for different folks!

Re: Up over 11000!

[ladyseishou]

I agree about the stick approach to things. Doesn't work for me either - in fact I tend to freeze up like a deer caught in the headlights. I like carrots. Well, I like carrot-shaped chocolate better. But as you say, different strokes...

Looking forward to reading your chapter!

[aviekokyre]

I'm at 8036 at the of day 4. Most of my writing has been during 15 min. word wars. While not quite Write or Die motivation, there is that boost of motivation for writing for a set time and an average word count to beat or match. I keep track of my word counts on a scrap piece of paper. I'm averaging the 450-550 range depending on how my fingers feel.

[ladyseishou]

A beautiful word count! And a game of rivalry works too! I think that it's built into the animal to want to best our fellow man at something/anything. I have to admit that I have a bit of the competitive urge myself ;-) And for me, I think I work best moving towards something than running away from something. But as kallistixf says, different strokes for different folks :-)

[dark_kana]

Hmm... I'm not sure if that method will motivate me. But as kallistixf said : different strokes for different folks.
I'm actually not sure what helps me best. Perhaps it would be locking myself in my room for at least an hour every day, and just write. Not thinking but just writing and letting the words flow. But then again, my mother would kill me if I try doing that for an entire month... ^_^"

Current word count : about 20 or so more than yesterday. 9.104
And currently a little stuck. But I'm sure I'll manage to get something on paper. ^^
Frustrations? Yeah, a little bit. My MC is not telling me which way she wants to go next. *grumbles* She's currently making fresh orange juice, and her mother is making toast, but she refuses to tell me what to do next... And she's in a silent mood... *shakes head* ^^

[ladyseishou]

How open are you to a little random stuff? How about trying the Room/Location Generator at Seventh Sanctum here - for inspiration or just maybe for a smile/giggle contemplating how your character might handle the idea that she had an appointment to meet someone at the "Clockwork Tower of Lucidity"?

Good luck! I know that you and your MC will work it out!

[charamei]

This, pretty much.

Nearly at 7k, though, and I'll break 8,335 by the end of the day. I'm looking forward to being able to write myself an actual buffer this weekend - that'll make next week much less crazy.

I went to my first ever write-in last night! Thirty people, typing like crazy. There wasn't much time for chat (I arrived late because my working hours are silly), but the atmosphere was terrific.

[ladyseishou]

Hmmm, your link needs a quotation mark chopped off the end to work. That said, I think that you're doing really well. The writing may not be as pretty as years before but it seems to me that you're working through a lot of stuff while writing this year's story. Was the earlier NaNo story written with an outline or more prep work?

And I wouldn't worry too much about it. A writer's style of writing is something that is constantly in flux sometimes depending on what books you've read lately, or the latest movie or TV show, conversations with friends or a even a bad day. Be patient with yourself and see what happens.

[scifisentai]

16,537. And one of my background pairings just changed on me. Which is confusing because I'm usually pretty solid on them, wth brain. o_O

[ladyseishou]

Hey, characters will do what they need to do - you're a good writer to give them the chance to show you what they got. And BTW, freaking awesome word count!

[lassarina]

I got to 8340 last night, and hope to get 3330 today to put me 2 days ahead :)

[ladyseishou]

Nicely done! Right on the money! Good luck with the writing today!

[dreamingpixels]

I blew yesterday's word count right out of the water - I wrote seven thousand words yesterday (O_O) for a total of 20,056.

[kallistixf]

wow! impressive!

[venetia_sassy]

1751 words today by sheer persistence. My brain did not want to cooperate. I'd really like to get ahead on word count so I could spend a day just plotting out the new elements that have appeared, working on the timeline, etc - but that was not happening today. If I'm still feeling like this tomorrow I might try the Write or Die. Whether it works on a frozen brain or not ... we'll have to see.

Total Word Count: 8951

[ladyseishou]

Fantastic word count! Sorry to hear that it was a tough day though. I hope that Write or Die will help thaw out the freeze! Good luck!

[angrboda]

I can smell 20K! I can't believe how well it's going this year. I swing back and forth between hating and loving my story, and my characters are totally not doing what they're supposed to all time, but I feel like I'm getting there. And the more I write the more I feel like the end of the first draft which I started last year is within sight. And that's a really awesome feeling.

I haven't used that sort of tool, I would find the punishments to be too distracting. Instead I try not to get myself too mired down in writing. I limit the time I spend on it. I can't sit down and think, "I have to write 3000 words now." That becomes completely impossible.

Instead I sit down and think, "I have to write concentrated for 15 minutes now. Then I can go do something fun." And in those 15 minutes I can average 7-800 words. So then it's just a question of taking out 15 minutes of the day a few more times during the day.

Previous years I've had trouble with burning out. I'd write and write and write in an effort to get as far ahead as possible, and do 15K in two days or stuff like that, and then the next day barely managed to get 500 words out if any because I was just SO sick of it all. I have avoided this so far with putting another limit on myself. I did 5K the first day (note I haven't been to work this week. On holiday) and then allowed myself only 3K the next day, then 5K the next and then 3K and so on and so forth. When I go back to work again on monday, I'll take down a little more to 2K on work days and 5K on not workdays. So far I haven't felt any signs of being burned out, and all in all, I think it's actually resulting in me churning out the words even faster this year than previous years.

If all goes well and I can keep this scheme up when I go back to work, I should reach 50K with record speed this year.

[ladyseishou]

That's what that smell is, eh? May I say, it's pretty awesome! And it sounds like you've found a great system to manage burn out - kudos! as burn out can be a major problem.

Ah, love and hate, know it all too well myself. For me, I revel in the love and write through the hate knowing that love for the story will be right around the corner again. And chocolate too. Never underestimate the power of bribery. I like your 15 minutes plan!

[tyffi]

I tried Write Or Die last night, and now I'm dealing with a grandfather I didn't even know of, and my MC started making out with a minor character who's already more of a main character, but who was in love with my MC for the last ten-or-so years, and now I have to make something out of it - they are actually quite cute together. LOL

On the bright side: those unwanted events came along with some extra words - Grandpa alone was kind enough to bring 800 extra words instead of flowers - so now I'm at around 16K and that feels quite awesome.
However, I don't know what to do with my two love birds. They weren't supposed to happen. So much for "You are the writer, you make your characters do what you want". *sighs*

[ladyseishou]

Cheers for unexpected visitors and a 16K!word count! And that's the way it goes sometimes with those sneaky minor characters, you invite them in for a little visit and then they end up stealing the story!

[tig_b]

My draft is very full of typos, although the main charaterers are mainly behaving themselves.

I am up to 6,763 words!

[ladyseishou]

That's great progress! And I hope that your characters aren't behaving themselves too well - every story needs a bad boy (or girl) and a bit of fight in it ;-)

[patupaiarehe]

Write or Die is a life saver for me! Sitting on 9,485 and trying to churn out another couple thousand. Going to visit my boyfriend over the next couple of days so I probably won't get much writing done then.

[ladyseishou]

A fantastic word count! I say, if it works, it works!

So no writing for the next couple of days, hmmm? Well at least have fun! And keep in mind that everything is fodder for a writer's work ;-)

[rhonda]

I'm only at 7,479, but I'm still moving forward! I think part of it is, this is my first NaNo and I was doing MY deer impersonation for the first few days! I think I'm improving, though, and I feel much more comfortable! I like watching the NaNo Stats change every time I take a break and upload my current number!

[ladyseishou]

Very close! Not bad and it's your first NaNo! And I agree, watching the stats fill in is very gratifying :-)

[elanor_pam]

Woo! I managed to write 2445 words today, enough to make up for yesterday's fail. On the other hand, I couldn't actually move ahead on my main story, so I moved on to a side project. I'm not sure it's valid, but at least I was able to push myself into typing away, even if it's for a different story.

Unfortunately, tomorrow I'll be studying from 8am to 5pm, and adding commuting time, plus sleeping time, I'll be sans roughly 18 hours of writing time. :( I'll see if I can get further ahead today, at least.

[ladyseishou]

Valid enough it seems to me especially if you end up merging the two story lines/possible sub plot together later while revising the rough draft. And you're right - sometimes when we "go through the motions" it loosens something up inside and gets the writing going.

Good luck with the studying!

[twistingthetale]

My count is now 9170, with 1729 words yesterday and 2181 today. The prologue and first two chapters are finished, so I've got a fresh start with Chapter 3 on Day 6 :) The penultimate paragraph of Chapter 2, with the werewolf reflecting on its killing spree from the night before:

The creature killed and partially ate the weakest member of the herd, and inflicted injuries on two more that were so severe that it knew that they would not be able to recover. Exhausted, it dragged its weary limbs to a nearby stream and bathed in the cool water, washing away the blood and sweat that had soaked into its hair. Afterwards it followed its scent trail back to the spot where its clothes were buried, and sank to the ground to await the equally painful transformation back to its human form. For an hour it slept, curled up and as peaceful as a newborn puppy. It awoke as an adult human, naked and in a great deal of pain as its limbs shrank back to their normal dimensions. Somehow it found enough energy to dress itself and go back to the village, where it climbed into bed and sank into a long but restless sleep.

[ladyseishou]

Wonderful word count and a fresh chapter for tomorrow, beautiful!

Wow, it seems that it sucks to be a werewolf. Nice writing!

[medicalmouse]

I wrote 2049 words today, which means I broke 10,000 total - yay! (I'm at 10,246.) And actually, that doesn't even count two earlier sections I rewrote. I know we're not supposed to, but I wound up changing the premise of my novel slightly - it went from being more or less a mystery into a horror story, so I wanted a few of the earlier scenes to better reflect that. I also finished up a detailed outline for the rest of the novel. Yay for productivity!

As for Write or Die, I've heard of it, but I'm not overly fond of it. I do much better with the carrot than with the stick, which is why I'm bribing myself with Halloween candy instead.

[ladyseishou]

Cheers for 10K! Hip, hip, hooray!

And a wag of the finger for the rewriting but I'm very happy to hear that it worked out nicely for you!

[fadedwings]

I used the desktop version of Write or Die a lot last year for NaNo but I haven't been using it this year. I like it but I usually use it on a fairly gentle mode and just do it to keep myself from getting too distracted.

Today seems to have been my best writing day so far. I managed 4,508 words today bringing me to a total of 11,718! I'm pretty happy about this. I wanted to get at least a day ahead today and I did :)

[ladyseishou]

You should be very proud of yourself! A fantastic word count! Seems to me that whatever you're doing this year is working out great! Keep it up!

[hopeoubliette]

Today's wordcount: 3274
Total wordcount: 15558

RAWR! XD

[ladyseishou]

Beautiful, beautiful word count! Cheers!

[delwyn_cole]

Wow, I should do that more often. Set the time at two hours, and wrote 5,192 words on the normal punishment but strict grace period. That put my total word count at 11,476, and I'm nearly back on track for the 100k that I'm attempting this year. I'm going to try to get another couple hours of work done, but probably not at quite the breakneck pace that Write or Die forced out of me.

Plot stayed mostly on track, though I think I managed to pick up a subplot I hadn't been thinking about, and I swear that one of my secondary characters is in love with the MC. That wouldn't be a problem if the MC weren't straight and married and the secondary character not only not his wife, but a guy. Oh well, should provide some tension, especially as Stephen (MC) genuinely likes Sender (secondary character). It would probably help if Stephen stopped flirting back, though.

[ladyseishou]

A fantastic word count! It certainly seems that Write or Die works for you! And a bonus subplot! And yeah, unrequited love is a great source of tension - popped up in my story unexpectedly too!

[ohlalo]

I seem to be in the minority, here, but I've got to say, I love Write or Die! For some reasons the whole screen-going-red, ugly-noises-playing is a great motivator for me, although I couldn't tell you why. Apparently I do just fine with the stick. I even bought the desktop version and have used it a lot this time around. I managed 1752 today, for a total of 8431. Still nicely on track, even if I'm not blowing it out of the water.

Last bit I wrote, that had me giggling:

The boy - Pipra, his name was Pipra - pushed himself up onto his hands and knees and moaned feebly, shaking. Another body emerged from beyond the bubble that was the room’s walls, a man who stood over Pipra’s prone form to say, severely, “What have I told you about possessing something before you know what it is?”

“Oh my gosh, don’t lecture me,” Pipra said, “I’m totally going to throw up.”

[ladyseishou]

A solid word count, right on the money with change! I suspect Write or Die is one of those love or hate it kind of things and I'm happy to hear that it works for you and that's all that matters!

Poor Pipra!

[cypher]

Finished the day at 9544! I felt like I was struggling to keep on track all day, but I got there eventually.

I haven't used Write or Die yet for this NaNo, but I'm thinking I might break it out this weekend -- it does a great job of making me stop stalling and just put something down!

[ladyseishou]

A beautiful word count! I'm sorry to hear that it was tough going today and hope the weekend is easier for you! If you've used Write or Die before and it helps, I say go for it!

[insomniac_tales]

My problem this nano is tenses. I intended to write in both past and present tense, but as I'm writing it's getting all jumbled up.

Hovering at 9,576.

"Women would put rocks in their pockets in those days. It was the fashionable way to take your own life." She's never told this story and she's surprised to find it so difficult. "I felt hopeless. Lost.

"I didn't want my life to change and I couldn't disappoint the people around me. Either I married the stranger chosen for me or I died. These were the choices I had. I took the one I could make with my own power."

Severine fell into another bout of quiet. "There was a young woman waiting by the river bank. She had honey blonde hair, warm eyes. Otherwise she was relatively unremarkable." She paused to smile as Reese realized who she was talking about.

"Claudine?" It was the only interjection Reese would make.

She nodded. "I didn't know her at the time. I didn't realize it until recently. She's been interceding in my life a good deal." Severine allowed herself another private smile, a moment to relish what might have been her last day. "She convinced me to stave off death and wait until my talent emerged.

[ladyseishou]

Great word count! I wouldn't sweat the tense mix-up - easily fixed later. I suspect that the tense reflects the story as you see it through the character's eyes at that moment. I noticed today that I switched off between first person and third person limited. It was something that just made writing the story easier for now and kept the writing in the groove.