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Goodness, I wish I had the self-discipline for this. Last time I tried writing, I gave up around the 7,000 word mark. I also have the same PbP-style problem as Eldan. Nonetheless, I'm trying anyway.
My current concept is one in which a group of people wake up in this mysterious area filled with deadly monsters and hazards. They find various weapons and hone the strange powers they have been somehow granted in order to defend themselves. They eventually find out that the only way to escape is to find the powerful artifacts guarded by the aforementioned monsters and hazards. The only catch is that there are only five artifacts, which means only five of them can escape. The narrative will examine not only the characters' struggles against the challenges they face to get the artifacts, but also the alliances, betrayals, and rivalries that are created amongst themselves.
Although the concept is pretty much finished, I'm still trying to think of specific characters and monsters, as well as a good magic system.
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I am a:
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Two-handed martial reach weapon. I do d10 weapon dice, weigh 12 pounds, and belong to the Axe group.
Many, many thanks to kpenguin for the amazing avatar.
I always feel weird talking about my novel ideas because everyone here has such high concept ones and I generally don't. My novel last year was about some students at a boarding school in rural Pennsylvania and my most developed idea this year is about a college student who studies abroad in Spain and tried to figure out what to do with his life (so original).
The Catcher in the Rye was about a boarding school student fooling around in NYC. The Great Gatbsy was about rich people partying on Long Island. The Sun Also Rises was about American and British ex-pats drinking in France and Spain (primarily Spain). Yours are actually the "normal" literary concepts that are seen in "mainstream" literature.
Contrary to all of you, I don`t plan to work on a 50,000 word novel, but I might not be able to resist the temptation to try (and I would most likely fail).
My plan is to focus on short stories - finishing unfinished stories and starting unused ideas. I think it would be much easier to reach the 50,000 word mark that way, but that`s not the point - I want an excuse (I`ll keep track anyways).
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Originally Posted by Sanguine
The world is an animistic one where all magic is done by invoking contracts with relevant spirits.
I thought on a similiar idea for a world I plan to sometime use for some RPG system. Humans can cast very specialized magic after much effort and training, but to cast spells of many types you have to somehow convince a magical being to give you the initial power. You can train your powers normally after that.
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Originally Posted by Dumbledore lives
I guess I just have trouble righting a lot about a little, in that all my stories have a relatively small word count
I actully think it`s a good thing. I take a minimilist approach to writing, I don`t like when plots and descriptions stretch, but I do tend to take it too far (which makes this challange even harder for me).
The first time I tried this was 2010. I wrote one sentence, re-wrote it six or seven times, then gave up.
If I manage to think of a cool idea and have a few things sketched out in time, I might give this a shot this time around.
Go on, do it I think Castaras is considering it, and I'm doing it for definite, so there's always the possibility of a UKitP End-of-NaNoWriMo party on November 30th
Go on, do it I think Castaras is considering it, and I'm doing it for definite, so there's always the possibility of a UKitP End-of-NaNoWriMo party on November 30th
Surely a UKitP end-of-nano party should be planned in the UKitP thread?
In any event, maybe. I can't write much if I don't have the faintest clue what I want to write.
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Thanks to Serpentine for the half-elf sorceress avatar.
My plan is to focus on short stories - finishing unfinished stories and starting unused ideas. I think it would be much easier to reach the 50,000 word mark that way, but that`s not the point - I want an excuse (I`ll keep track anyways).
Is that allowed? In that case, I might go for short stories as well.
“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
Is that allowed? In that case, I might go for short stories as well.
Technically it is probably against the rules, but I think the spirit of thing is to intensively write fiction for a month. Being ineligible for the minor prize they give out isn't really a big deal.
Technically you can be eligible for their minor prize by copying wikipedia articles until you get your word count and then replacing all the letters with Q. Which is kind of missing the spirit of the thing. You can enter your short stories as long as added together they reach 50,000 words.
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You, too, could have a trophy case this intense! Participate in Iron Avatarist! Do it, or I'll start sending you drunken PMs.
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I am not brave enough to say something outrageous and be serious. You'll be happier if you assume I'm joking.
Stoats legit King Arthur by The Succubus.
The Catcher in the Rye was about a boarding school student fooling around in NYC. The Great Gatbsy was about rich people partying on Long Island. The Sun Also Rises was about American and British ex-pats drinking in France and Spain (primarily Spain). Yours are actually the "normal" literary concepts that are seen in "mainstream" literature.
Well, right, but it seems that trying to write those kinds of books is seen as pretentious, and it feels weird talking about those kinds of ideas when everyone else is writing about very imaginative science-fiction or fantasy type stories and I generally aim for very small, character-based stuff.
Well, right, but it seems that trying to write those kinds of books is seen as pretentious, and it feels weird talking about those kinds of ideas when everyone else is writing about very imaginative science-fiction or fantasy type stories and I generally aim for very small, character-based stuff.
It might be because a good portion of those books are semi-autobiographical. Many young people, for example, have had the thought of writing a novel about their college years cross their minds. I know I did--until I realized that my college exploits might not be that interesting, and I probably can't write a novel . However, if you are a budding Fitzgerald (This Side of Paradise), you can pull it off.
Still, most of the great novels are based off of ordinary people and are character-driven. That's because the authors are writing about what they understand. S.E. Hilton, for example, didn't know anything about Elves or Spaceships, but she did understand classist bullying in her high school, so The Outsiders was born. Anyway, the last thing the world needs is another fantasy or sci-fi novel
Technically you can be eligible for their minor prize by copying wikipedia articles until you get your word count and then replacing all the letters with Q. Which is kind of missing the spirit of the thing. You can enter your short stories as long as added together they reach 50,000 words.
“Not a promise, not an oath, or a malediction or a curse,” I said, sounding calm, probably inaudible in the midst of the screaming. “Inevitable. Wasn’t that how she put it? I told them. Warned them.”
-Taylor Hebert. Yes, I'm a proud Skittle.
Hmmmm. On the one hand, first semester of college. Crazy.
On the other hand, I already have a story flailing about and wanting out.
On the third hand, I'm on a slumph where I can't seem to write profusely.
On the fourth hand, holding myself up to a stringent standard might help with that.
On the fifth hand, again, college. Crazy. Time management is still fuzzy.
On the sixth hand. NaNoWriMo. I did it twice and both times won, I can do it again.
As I recall it, freshman year of college isn't that bad. Cut loose, have fun while you still can and aren't working full-time. Do it while you can still pull all-nighters.
Another idea I had was a mystery novel set aboard The USTPS*: Persephone, a former cargo cruiser turned into a parole ship for rehabilitating criminals. Travel between stars can take weeks or even months and communications with a ship in FTL is impossible, so once they set out they are on their own.
*United Solar Territories Parole Ship.
Characters include a robotic chef who killed their former owner in self defence after the owner tried to kill them the day robots received equal rights with organics.
A former scam artist who finds himself in the position of acting security chief after his superior and parole officer is murdered.
An overly officials executive officer whose past holds certain secrets that could p rove vital to the case.
A Cyclopean pseudo avian who seems to fear everything.
And ,well ,I'll have to find my notes, but that's what I got so far.
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Originally Posted by Calanon
Raven_Cry's comments often have the effects of a +5 Tome of Understanding
Well it's not really post-modernism. They want you to obfuscate your text when you submit it to the website. Plagiarism and all that.
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bees
You, too, could have a trophy case this intense! Participate in Iron Avatarist! Do it, or I'll start sending you drunken PMs.
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I am not brave enough to say something outrageous and be serious. You'll be happier if you assume I'm joking.
Stoats legit King Arthur by The Succubus.
NaNoWriMo are one of those things that I absolutely love to bits and desperately want to participate it, but I just don't manage. I guess that's what t's good for; getting over that grind that actually sitting down and writing the words present. That's the achievement here, and it's certainly something I want to achieve.
I have tried before, but I've never gotten over 5,000 words.
Now, unfortunately, in Novemer I'll be writing an essay for my literature course, and I assume that will take all the time and energy I can devote to writing already.
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Quoth the raven, "Polly wants a cracker."
Canon is the official state of a story. Cannon is a ranged weapon. Just thought you'd like to know.
Pony avatar by the Great and Powerful DirtyTabs. Lotsa hugs!
NaNoWriMo are one of those things that I absolutely love to bits and desperately want to participate it, but I just don't manage. I guess that's what t's good for; getting over that grind that actually sitting down and writing the words present. That's the achievement here, and it's certainly something I want to achieve.
I have tried before, but I've never gotten over 5,000 words.
Now, unfortunately, in Novemer I'll be writing an essay for my literature course, and I assume that will take all the time and energy I can devote to writing already.
ahem.. that essay you are going to write..
it has words in it, yes?
doesn't that count?
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a triple cheer for Wojiz, for making me my very own Avatar...
Well, I have been kicking around this concept of a tutor/attempted reformed white-collar criminal, the evil mastermind he essentially brought up, and how he learns to betray her. I'll give it a go, maybe. Heck, as it's NaNo, I can even continue to call him Sam Tailor without worrying.
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Under key and in disgrace from her costly caper -
That's where old Ms. Wenceslas read the daily paper.
Though she never said a word, she felt sick at bottom:
Those brushstrokes she had seen before. She knew them when she saw them.
(But who knows. She has had audience with the King, and the oobleck has to be cleared up somehow.)
I want to try but I doubt my ability to actually do much of anything worthwhile. I've never written much. And I don't think I can do dialogue. Or plot. The only thing that I would consider myself good at would be ideas for somewhat creative settings. Other than that I don't think that I will do very well at all.
I want to try but I doubt my ability to actually do much of anything worthwhile. I've never written much. And I don't think I can do dialogue. Or plot. The only thing that I would consider myself good at would be ideas for somewhat creative settings. Other than that I don't think that I will do very well at all.
My advice is to use this as a learning experience... even if you only write three thousand words, that could well be three thousand words more than if you hadn't taken part- and from my experience, doing it along with other people will spur you on to even greater efforts.
My advice is to use this as a learning experience... even if you only write three thousand words, that could well be three thousand words more than if you hadn't taken part- and from my experience, doing it along with other people will spur you on to even greater efforts.
This.
NaNoWriMo is an excuse to get yourself writing. The key to becoming a good writer is to write. If you don't write, then you can't learn to become better. Who knows? Maybe you'll find out that you enjoy writing? Or maybe you'll find out like me that every word I put down is torture and the only proper way to do NaNoWriMo is after a couple drinks so that my internal editor sits down, shuts up, and lets me write.
Also, I found out that cursing every other word leads to completely unreadable text that I wouldn't show my mother, but is an enjoyable way to reach my word count for the day.
Thank you. I tried to write a novel once before and got around 7000 words in. It wasn't very good as far as I know. At least this time I have a somewhat solid idea for what to write about. Might as well share it.
First it will be some sort of fantasy. I don't want to do a lot of research. The basic plot will be an innkeeper deciding to go kill a tyrant because he thinks himself to be a good person and good people don't watch others suffer. Other than that I don't know a lot of what will happen.
Thank you. I tried to write a novel once before and got around 7000 words in. It wasn't very good as far as I know. At least this time I have a somewhat solid idea for what to write about. Might as well share it.
First it will be some sort of fantasy. I don't want to do a lot of research. The basic plot will be an innkeeper deciding to go kill a tyrant because he thinks himself to be a good person and good people don't watch others suffer. Other than that I don't know a lot of what will happen.
Also any advice for creating names?
Make them up. Put syllables together until it sounds like something that someone might say. Pick a letter, think of names starting with it, then twist a syllable or two, or don't. Names are easy and don't matter, you can always find and replace if you find one you like better.
One other thing, a good fantasy novel will require a ton of research. Heck any novel requires a ton of research, though for NaNoWriMo it is less required, though nice. If you worry at all about getting anything accurate you'll want to look it up, even a cursory glance at the Wikipedia page. This leads to more delving, more googling, and eventually you spent an entire day finding out about chickens. Not a random example, I did it once. I mean the story was about chickens but the point stands, research is key and almost impossible to avoid, though you will make mistakes.
I figure any writing is good writing though, so don't give up just because it seems like a lot, any amount is progress. Personally I'm awful at writing anything more than maybe 10 pages, and even that is a stretch, I do best with collections of inter-related stories, but I'll try something different, try to write one story just to see if I can.
If you're ever in a situation where you can't survive, go for the broke and fill all of creation with chickens. Just imagine the reaction of people halfway around the world when every square inch of space in their world is suddenly and completely full of chickens.
I will be taking part. My story takes place in an alternate world where Greece lost the second Greco-Persian War, Africa is a bunch of tiny islands, and the Aztecs live in the Arabian Desert.
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The above post made a lot more sense in my head.
I want to try but I doubt my ability to actually do much of anything worthwhile. I've never written much. And I don't think I can do dialogue. Or plot. The only thing that I would consider myself good at would be ideas for somewhat creative settings. Other than that I don't think that I will do very well at all.
NANOWRIMO doesn't leave you in the lurch just like that
there are forums dedicated to whatever genre you decide to write in, and dedicated to asking for help when you get stuck..with people sharing and exchanging ideas and ways out.
also, you can join a smaller group on a chat..and have timed challenges... basically you agree with others to write whatever comes to your mind within a set timeframe..can be anything from 5 minutes to an hour or so..and then compare how many words you and the others have written..it's a great challenge and spurs on your "speed-writing".. making it easy to overcome hurdles and such.. and it doesn't matter at all if what you write in those minutes makes sense or is correctly phrased.
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a triple cheer for Wojiz, for making me my very own Avatar...
NANOWRIMO doesn't leave you in the lurch just like that
there are forums dedicated to whatever genre you decide to write in, and dedicated to asking for help when you get stuck..with people sharing and exchanging ideas and ways out.
also, you can join a smaller group on a chat..and have timed challenges... basically you agree with others to write whatever comes to your mind within a set timeframe..can be anything from 5 minutes to an hour or so..and then compare how many words you and the others have written..it's a great challenge and spurs on your "speed-writing".. making it easy to overcome hurdles and such.. and it doesn't matter at all if what you write in those minutes makes sense or is correctly phrased.
Exactly. The problems you're facing are exactly the problems NaNo is designed to overcome: you're afraid that anything you write will be crap, so you never write anything.
NaNo's solution to that is to not worry about the quality of what you're writing. You're pounding out 50,000 words in a single month, everyone's novel is probably going to be crap. But don't think of it as having written something bad, think of it as having taken the first step towards writing something good. Once you have a first draft, you can go back and revise and edit. The second draft will come much easier than the first, because you can watch your masterpiece improve with every change you make.
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The above post made a lot more sense in my head.
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Re: National Novel Writing Month
I think Castaras is considering it, and I'm doing it for definite, so there's always the possibility of a UKitP End-of-NaNoWriMo party on November 30th
. However, if you are a budding Fitzgerald (This Side of Paradise), you can pull it off. 
