Pages

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Wait- NaNo starts in HOW MANY days?!?



It happens every year- I start getting e-mails from NaNoWriMo or my local ML and I think "Yeah, yeah- you guys are suuuuper early with this.  I've got other things on my plate."  And I go back to life, blissfully unaware of the rapidly passing days and how precious little time there really is before November 1st.

Then at some point I take a look at the calendar- usually because I'm trying to figure out how many awesome Halloween-esque activities I can fit in before my favorite holiday- and I realize: November 1st is the day after Halloween!  And then, inevitably, panic sets in.

I think: "But all I have is an idea!  A vague idea- one that's as amorphous as the weird and quickly forgotten dream that it came from!  I can't get 50,000 words out of that!"

Or: "What about the characters- I don't know who they are!  Even my MC is just a blob of random thoughts and plot points, how am I going to flesh her out?"

And: "My setting is too complicated!  I can't build an entire world in 30 days!  I don't know the rules, I don't know how anything works, I don't even know what it's called!"

And, of course: "What the heck makes me think I can write an entire novel in a month, anyway?  That's insane!"

The bulk of these will plague me throughout the entire month and I will beat them down with the awesome power of pep talks, NaNo videos and sheer stubborn will.  But that last one- that I have an answer for.  It is insane, absolutely.  And I know I can do it because I've done it before.  Four times, actually. 

And yeah, maybe I've never done anything with those fledgling novels (unlike so many bloggers I know who have gone on to publish theirs) and maybe I still don't know if I ever will- doesn't matter.  Every November has been the absolute time of my life.  So yeah, of course I'm doing it again!

But, I'm always looking to make the experience even better for myself.  Do more research ahead of time, plan my schedule better so it's less insanely anxiety-provoking, come up with better rewards to keep me trudging along and the like.  And this year, I want to link up with all the awesome bloggy friends I've made. 

My writing buddies list is absurdly small and there's no good reason for that given that so many of you do NaNo.  I want to be your writing buddy.  I want to engage in word wars with you.  I want your rapidly growing word count widget to make me green with envy and drive me to race to 50k. 
To Be My Writing Buddy!

What do you say?  Will you be my writing buddy?  I promise it will be extra fun and awesome for you if you do!  I'll cheer you on when you feel like quitting, celebrate it when you figure out how to kill off your villain (or your lovely characters, even if I really like them) and throw a virtual party with you when you cross 50K. 

Seriously- it'll be great.  Just leave me your NaNo username in your comment and I will find you and friend you!  Or, just find me on NaNoWriMo: my NaNo name is Bevimus.  *Smiles*

Talk to you awesome novelists soon!

25 comments:

  1. I would be your writing buddy if I was doing NaNo this year! I was thinking about it but I just don't think I can manage it. But I had a blast too last year. Good luck and I hope you have another amazing month!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Julie! And I hope your 2nd debut goes really well!

      Delete
  2. Sorry, not doing it this year, although I've participated in the past.
    Don't panic. You still have more than a week to get your act together. And if not - just fake it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you've got MORE than enough on your plate without tacking another NaNo on there! And I know I'll find a way to figure it all out as I go. Thanks Alex!

      Delete
  3. I just added you! This is the first year I'm writing from an outline instead of pantsing it. I am very excited about that.

    See you online!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Katherine! Wait a get an outline! I don't have one yet...

      Delete
  4. Hey Bev, I'm hearing you! I'm seriously screaming inside at all I have to get done to clear my desk for Nov 1...well, actually my desk is being built! Dearest hubby is building me a proper office. Hopefully it'll be ready!

    I've done NaNo for 4 years straight. I haven't signed up yet but better get over and do it. My username is 'parisden'. I'd be happy to gaze at growing word counts with you. At the end of November the WEP blogfest will be about what you accomplished/didn't accomplish in November. Hopefully, we'll accomplish a WHOLE NEW NOVEL TO EDIT!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just added you! Here's to a whole new novel!

      Delete
  5. I'll be your buddy. I'm Calimero at the NaNo site. ☺

    I don't have my idea completely fleshed out yet either. I'd better get on that...

    Happy Thursday!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Haha-LOVE you I want you to be my writing buddy pic. I'm still on the fence this year. I have an idea, I want to leap into it head first, but I have 2 MS's I was supposed to finish revising before NaNo and um...I'm running out of time!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you can do it, do it! if not, we'll be cheering you on in your editing!

      Delete
  7. Hello, Beverly! I saw you added me as a buddy and I added you, too. Looking forward to crossing 50k with you! One week, woohoo!! :)

    Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines

    ReplyDelete
  8. I added you! This is my first year and I'm going through all the panic you described.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I don't think I'm doing NaNo this year. I've signed up for some health webinars that will keep me busy. Have fun and good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Already added you! :) My NaNo name is Lara Lacombe--pretty creative, right? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I can't wait to start! I have to grab my badge, too. I'll be looking for you - write up a storm!

    Diana at About Myself By Myself

    ReplyDelete
  12. Good luck on your project!!! I have a beginning, an end, and a handful of pictures on Pinterest -- that's it. No matter. I don't call myself a half-panster for nothing. Lol!

    Added you! I'm katci13 ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  13. I still haven't decided. I keep wondering if I can do two. Rewrite book 3 and start a completely new novel? I hate to miss a challenge. Will let you know . . .

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm going to win Nano! This is my first year as Royme. Royme is also my Nano name and I wish you the best of luck Bev.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Added you! I'm finally doing NaNo for the first time. Can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I've just added you :) - my NaNoWriMo name is REPattinson1. This is technically my second year of NaNoWriMo, but given that I only managed to write a pitiful 1,000 words last year before giving up, I don't tend to count last year lol - here's to (hopefully) completing the challenge this year!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment! I will love it and hug it and pet it and call it George. Or, you know, just read and reply to it. But still- you rock!