If you've joined us for the 100 for 100 writing challenge, I want to make sure you know today is day 50! That means you're halfway through, that you've written at least 5,000 words in the last 50 days. Congratulations!
It also means it's time for me to look over the spreadsheet and clean it up a bit. So if you are participating in the 100 for 100 but you haven't logged your words at all yet, please do so today because I'm going to go in and remove the names that have no words logged.
If you weren't able to join us for the 100 for 100 contest this winter, we're planning another one that'll start in January.
Many of you will be kicking off National Novel Writing Month over at nanowrimo.org. I'm so jealous! I'm hoping to participate in 2015 when both my kids will be in school.
Who's doing NaNo for the first time this year? If you've done it before, what tips do you have to offer?
I’m planning on doing NaNoWriMo for the first time, and I could REALLY use some tips. I can write 10,000 words in one day, but I’ve never written 50,000 in a month (I know, not very consistent…) So yes, tips would really be helpful! ;)
ReplyDelete~Aidyl
Wow! Day 50 already?! In a way it seems like I've been doing it forever, but also it seems like just last week I started. Crazy, huh?
ReplyDeleteI would try to do NaNoWriMo, but I'm really busy :( Maybe next year!
I've done NaNo for two years now, and I think that the two tricks that help me out the most are 1. If I really, really don't know how to word what I want to do next, I just leave myself a note with a quick summery of what I want to do, then skip to the next scene I'm able to get going. 2. Writing out big numbers. This doesn't sound like much, but if you are messing with big, complicated numbers frequently, two thousand nine hundred sixty-two is more words than simply 2,962. Yeah, cheating, I know ... ;)
ReplyDeleteHey! I’ve got a question: Is any one out there looking for a writing buddy? I am a in-her-twenties girl who has been writing since she was 14 and very serious about it.
ReplyDeleteIf you’re interested, you can leave a comment on my blog: www.aidylewoh.blogspot.com
Or you can leave me a comment on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AidylEwohAuthor/
Or email me at: aidylewoh(at)gmail.com
Thanks! ~Aidyl
I did NaNoWriMo last year (and was planning to do it again, but decided not to for a few reasons) and it was a blast. :) My best advice will probably come too late, but the thing that made my life so much easier was outlining. Have a good solid (detailed) outline for every chapter, and then even when you're brain-dead and don't know what to write, you can follow what you've already written down.
ReplyDeleteAlso, know your characters. I started developing mine in June (so I had a huge amount of time to prepare) but it's never too late to work out what makes them tick.
So...for me, the two most helpful things were my outline and the fact that I already knew my characters fairly well.
And word wars are super-helpful if you need to up your word count but don't have much time. Grab a writing buddy and see who can write the most words in a set amount of time (I prefer 10-15mins, but some people like to go for as short as 5.)
DeleteDo you have any writing buddies who are looking for a new one?
DeleteAnd thanks for your advice, Olivia! I’m working on my outline now.
~Aidyl
Glad it helped!
DeleteI don't know if she's doing NaNo this year, but here's the blog address of one of my writing-friends. :) Also, if you're looking for a word war or two, I'd be happy to volunteer. I need to get some writing done, even if I'm not doing NaNo. Just drop a note on my blog if you're interested and we'll work something out. :)
Aubrey's blog -- http://bleedbythepen.blogspot.ca/
my blog -- http://olivia-myepiphanies.blogspot.ca/
Do you expect the 100 day story to be complete by the end? I'm only on the second chapter. (yay! Slowest writing ever!)
ReplyDeleteNo, JT. The idea is just to make progress, not necessarily to complete. Mine won't be :)
DeleteWoot!! :D I'm loving the 100 challenge. It's helped me SO MUCH in my writing. I will DEFINITELY be signing up for the January challenge. ;)
ReplyDeleteI've been too timid/lazy/idea-less to join NaNo as of yet. Perhaps next year...? Although....ok, question: Do you have to start a brand-new novel for NaNo, or can you continue with one you're already working on?
Oh, I'm so glad it's helped, Dakota!
DeleteYes, thank you so much! :D You guys are great. :)
DeleteI think you have to start a brand new one Dakota.
DeleteStrictly speaking, the NaNo rules say you must start a new novel.
DeleteBut those are more guidelines than rules, and rebels, as they're called, are welcome too.
I'm being a NaNo rebel this year and continuing a story :)
Haha! ok, thanks for the advice, Kim and Kate. :) We'll see what next year brings..... ;)
DeleteI'm stuck on 2015. That seems so far away, I'll be so old then! Lol. Nano is on my someday too.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I thought 100-4-100 was going to be a piece of cake! It's harder than I expected! I shouldn't take for granted a 100 words a day, it adds up, and there are as there's too much other stuff for even 100. Really, its been an eye opening experience, so thank you!
Maybe in 2015 we can do NaNo together as two old biddies, Tonya :)
DeleteI'd like that!
DeleteI've done NaNo for the last three years but this year, I'm just doing the 100 for 100. NaNo tends to go too fast so it causes me to have a rather bad plot line. I feel guilty about not doing NaNo since I've done it every year and won. (I didn't sign up though. I just wrote the required words.) One year, I did the whole thing in fifteen days. I'm never doing that again!
ReplyDeleteHere's a few of my tips for Nano writers:
1. Set a goal, for example, tell yourself "I'm going to write X amount of words before I get online again. (Or before I get the candy bar.)
2. Try to write at least 2,000 words a day so you get a little bit ahead, especially if you go on a trip for Thanksgiving. I like going for 2,000 words because it's easy to do the math when you're exhausted from staying up late.
3. Try not to get distracted by the internet or anything else for that matter.
4. Don't let yourself say, "I'll do that tomorrow" since getting behind is very bad.
5. Have a positive atitude. If you think you can win, you're a lot more likely to do it than if you don't think you can.
6. Word Wars are a good thing to do. You can get on chat and do some, preferably one that's 15 or 20 minutes long since ten minutes hurries you too much. (at least, that's what happens with me) If you're behind on words, it should be the only non-work/school reason you get online until you catch up.
These are wonderful tips, Jessi! I'm filing them away for my first Nano year :)
DeleteUlp. I'm way behind on where I want to be - I *wanted* to have at least 30,000 words done by the end of 100x100. Only fifty more days left to make up for it. O.O
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to do NaNoWriMo, but I'm pretty sure I'll do 100x100 again. It helped me so much!
I feel super bad about it, but I have had no time to write recently, and when I have had time I haven't had inspiration... I'm just finishing up editing one book and trying to gather ideas and enthusiasm for the sequel now, so maybe it's just not the best time. :(
ReplyDeleteWow, halfway through already?
ReplyDeleteI love the 100 for 100 challenge - it's achievable, and 100 words isn't much, but it still makes me write more on my bad days than I would have otherwise. :)
I'm doing a NaNo YWP this year - only 20k, since I have exams coming up. I'm being a rebel and finishing my story rather than starting it, so I can continue with 100 for 100 and don't have to put aside one novel for another.
Can't wait for November!
I want to do NaNoWriMo but at the same time school gets in the way of me writing a lot in a day let alone a month. I'm loving 100 for 100 though, it doesn't take a lot of time, it keeps me half way focused, and when I really get into writing I could go on forever.
ReplyDeleteNot doing NaNo, this year, but I've heard so much about it I'm tempted. Maybe next year? My little sister (mime) wants to do it next year, so hopefully we'll do it together and tease each other forward. Yep. That should work. xD
ReplyDeleteYou should do it this year! this is my first year (and first time writinf a story over 2,000 words) and i love it! and it is not to late to start! i have such a busy sceduale that the only time i could find to write was in the early morning. Granted, i have had vertigo for the past three days from lack of sleep, but i have 9084 words written! My 1# tio would be to get sombody to do it with you! be bestie is doign this with me and it helps a TON!
DeleteSorry about the spelling! NaNo does that to you.
DeleteUnfortunately, I just don't have enough time during November this year to do NaNo, but maybe next year!
ReplyDeleteThe 100 for 100 has been SO helpful, even though I haven't written as many words as I had wanted to. I can't believe it's already the 50th day!
This is my first year doing the "official" NaNoWriMo, last year I did the YWP because I had a really busy November (not much has changed). However, last year I also did Camp NaNoWriMo in July, as well as Script Frenzy YWP and I did the actual Script Frenzy this year and won all of those, so I have a little experience.
ReplyDeleteMy tips would be:
1. If you don't believe that you can reach your goal, you will never get there. But if you think you can do it, you will make it happen.
2. If you're 'on a roll' keep writing, it's always nice to have a buffer in case you fall behind.
3. If you do fall behind, it's never too late to catch up. - I got the flu during Camp NaNoWriMo but managed to win by writing 40,000 words in the last 3 days and I was in hospital for most of Script Frenzy (I'm not liking the pattern I'm seeing here) but wrote 50 pages in the last 2 days to finish with one hour to spare. This year I can't start until the 9th of November because of exams but I'm still aiming for a win. If you're determined to win you will get there.
4. This year I'm going to handwrite my NaNo Novel to remove the temptation to get distracted on my laptop. Find a way to block the things that distract you, turn off your phone, unplug the internet and just write.
5. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be good, give yourself permission to write rubbish.
6. Don't stress about word choices. If I can't think of a word I just write 'something' in italics and asterisks it (in a similar way to Stephanie's giraffes). If I know vaguely what type of word I need I might just put 'colour' or 'texture' instead just as a reminder to myself.
7. If you get stuck on a scene leave yourself a note and push on.
8. Write.
9. Write.
10. Write.
Good luck to everyone doing NaNoWriMo this year!
P.S. If we are doing NaNoWriMo, can we log the words we write as part of the 100 for 100 challenge?
I've heard of it and wanted to do it, but I'm already so busy :( Along with school, I started a novel for the 100 for 100 words contest and its going so well I don't want to start something else lol. But luckily, the 100 for 100 challenge is running! It keeps me writing even now when school is crazy(even if its only a little bit some day)Plus I surprised myself last week and really kicked into overdrive and was doing way more than 100 words each day.:) I hope I can keep it up!
ReplyDeleteOh no! I forgot to sign up! I better do that....I've never done it before. But I found it last year (I should note that it was in December, so I was all sad I'd missed it by a month). Now I'm super excited! I plan to get a lot done during Thanksgiving Break, or else I wouldn't end up doing anything :)
ReplyDeleteSweetness!!! I cant believe we're already halfway done!
ReplyDeleteI'm doing it. My username is KatsK, if anyone wants to be writing buddies. I did Camp NaNo, first time writing a novel ever, and it helped me write 50,000 words in 30 days, and so that was good. I persevered more than I had before. Although this will be harder, I'm going to be happier and more motivated because I absolutely love my novel idea! I'll also be writing about it once a week on my blog in November.
ReplyDeleteMy profile page is here:http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/katsk
I'd love some more writing buddies!
I'm Nanoing this year! I've done it for four (five?) years now, so I should be filled with tips. Basically, what I'd have to say is:
ReplyDelete1. Keep writing. It's way easier to write 1667 words a day than it is to write 12,000 in a weekend.
2. Write as much as you can on the first day, before the buzz has worn off, and then you'll be ahead of word-count from day one, in case life throws up something unexepected.
3. Don't procrastinate. Give yourself ten (or twenty, or thirty) minutes to write as much as you can before you check the forums/facebook/your e-mail/that fun flash game again. You'll be amazed at how quickly you can get words done.
Good luck to everyone doing Nano!
Thinking about tips for Nanowrimo inspired me to write a whole blog post on it! If anyone wants to read it, it's over here: http://alicesliterarysalon.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/eight-tips-for-nanowrimo.html
DeleteI've added some more things I thought of. I hope it can help people doing Nano for the first time!
1) Yay!
ReplyDelete2) 2015, Stephanie!? Wow, you plan ahead!! :) That's the target year for me to attend ACFW, though, because I'll be *out* of school, so I guess I'm just as bad. :) Maybe I can do NaNo then, too!
ACFW 2015 is a target for me too (if I can't get there before :). It's in DFW!
DeleteI've done NaNoWriMo for 2 years already and I love it. My advice is to just enjoy the experience. It's not about having to write every day - (I don't!) - but it's supposed to be something to enjoy. If you can't think of anything to say, then don't worry about it. 30 days is a really long time - trust me, at the end of the month, you'll have something amazing and you'll feel really proud of yourself because writing a novel in a month is no mean feat and you'll have done it! Enjoy it - don't take it too seriously.
ReplyDelete