National Novel Writing Month 2007

October 23, 2007 9:31 AM

Only eight days before National Novel Writing Month kicks off. Is anyone participating? If so, share within, please.

I went ahead and created a MeFi section in NaNoWriMo's forums, just in case there are others who are down with the sickness this year.

posted by cog_nate to MetaFilter-related at 9:31 AM (66 comments total)

Man. This is the first time in years that I haven't even thought about nanowrimo. I'm thinking I probably won't be doing it, then, but good luck to this years crop of crazies.
posted by cortex at 9:40 AM on October 23, 2007

As always, I will sign up and then not write a fucking thing.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:44 AM on October 23, 2007 [3 favorites]

I'm kind of excited to try this year. The past few years I've thought about it, I was both in school and working so it was way too easy to say "oh, next year I'll be more serious about it." I might actually write something this year.
posted by zorrine at 9:46 AM on October 23, 2007

I've never tried, but always wanted to...and I really have no excuse, because I have the idea for a novel. Well, the hectic job and the incredibly active 2 year old might be excuses, but this is worth a shot...

So yeah, I think I'll sign up.
posted by never used baby shoes at 9:48 AM on October 23, 2007

I'm actually starting a new novel, and I'd planned on starting it on November 1, and I hadn't even thought of NaNoWriMo. I guess I'll sign up and write in tandem, although I don't expect to finish by the end of the month.
posted by Bookhouse at 9:52 AM on October 23, 2007

I'm toying with the idea of doing a Twitter novel. THAT oughta be obnoxious.
posted by padraigin at 9:53 AM on October 23, 2007

Argh. Yes. No. Maybe. We'll see.
posted by motty at 10:10 AM on October 23, 2007

How about an SMS Novel?

"Call me, ishmael."
posted by Jofus at 10:12 AM on October 23, 2007 [4 favorites]

Yeah, I'll probably give it another go. It'll give me something to do at work.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:18 AM on October 23, 2007

I won't be writing a novel, but I will be asking some hypothetical AskMe questions under the guise that I am. 'Tis the season.
posted by 0xFCAF at 10:20 AM on October 23, 2007

Maybe this year I'll actually do it. Maybe.
posted by Terminal Verbosity at 10:22 AM on October 23, 2007

I'm not doing it, but good luck to all who are.
posted by sleepy pete at 10:23 AM on October 23, 2007

I'm in as usual (#2000), but Alvy's got a point...it's more difficult now that I've got a job where I actually have to do stuff.
posted by gnomeloaf at 10:32 AM on October 23, 2007

I wonder if I can convince Matt to pay me to nano Mefi: The Novel though. Hmm.
posted by cortex at 10:35 AM on October 23, 2007

I tried a few years ago, wrote about 3 pages then forgot all about it.

I'm going to try and actually do it this year, thanks for the reminder.
posted by wilde at 10:35 AM on October 23, 2007

I've never understood the logic of running nanowrimo in November -- it's thirty days, it does include a long weekend but it's one during which nearly everyone travels, it's TV sweeps month (!)...really, could a more doomed time have been chosen for this?
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:37 AM on October 23, 2007

"I wonder if I can convince Matt to pay me to nano Mefi: The Novel though"

It would start strongly but it would not..etc etc.
posted by Jofus at 10:38 AM on October 23, 2007

kittens for breakfast, the guy who started it is on record as thinking the clusterfuck nature of November was an asset, given the madness of the proposition in the first place.
posted by cortex at 10:41 AM on October 23, 2007

I managed it last year, but this year'll be harder. I'll probably try anyway.
posted by loulou718 at 11:13 AM on October 23, 2007

I'm gonna do it this year. I'm gonna do it if I have to nail my hands to my desk. And I hope I don't have to because that's an added challenge I don't really have time for.
posted by katillathehun at 11:15 AM on October 23, 2007

I haven't done it since 2001, but I've been toying with the idea of tacking that mess of a story again this year. In 2001, I was running out of time and wound up throwing in a "sing the national anthem" contest, in which each character was quoted singing the whole thing (there are multiple verses) in order for me to meet my word count. I think I'll leave that part out this time around.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:57 AM on October 23, 2007 [1 favorite]

Heck, I'm in, (if any thing it gives me a hard deadline on thesis revisions.)
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:09 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm thinking seriously about it. So is my mom, which makes for interesting competition.
posted by Biblio at 12:19 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm in this year. Is anyone actually going to be sharing what they write? There are actually few mefites i'd enjoy reading.
posted by empath at 12:31 PM on October 23, 2007

That's not very empathic of you!

*Runs off sobbing, clutching manuscript of "Alfie Asterisk: Portrait of a Ladies' Man and World Muay Thai Kickboxing Champ" close to chest*
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 12:50 PM on October 23, 2007

It seems their forums have imploded.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:52 PM on October 23, 2007

"I'm in this year. Is anyone actually going to be sharing what they write? There are actually few mefites i'd enjoy reading.
posted by empath at 12:31 PM on October 23"

If you would like to mention a few names, empath, this could turn into a fascinating thread.
posted by Cranberry at 12:58 PM on October 23, 2007

MeFi: the novel
posted by Lynsey at 1:00 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm doing it, with the caveat that I'm not actually writing a novel, I'm working on memoir-ish essays and stories. But I'm shooting for 50k words worth of them in November, despite the fact that I'm homeschooling a six-year-old and also the mother of a 3-year-old and an 11-week-old whose birthfather has just declared his intent to contest the adoption and seek custody. I figure it will keep my mind off things. Or it will be 50k words of weeping and wondering how we'll pay the lawyer.

I'll check out the MeFi forum at the NaNo website.
posted by not that girl at 1:00 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm doing it again, sixth time, hoping for my second win.
posted by Lucinda at 1:27 PM on October 23, 2007

Oh, is it almost National Make Me Feel Like A Goddamn Failure Month again? Gracious, how time flies!
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:56 PM on October 23, 2007 [2 favorites]

I have a mushy idea in my head. Maybe! Has anyone ever tidied up a nanowrimo novel into a "real novel"?
posted by By The Grace of God at 1:59 PM on October 23, 2007

Tried it a couple of years ago, finished in fifteen days. The local NaNo chapter was somewhat annoyed. Thinking about trying it again, although work is heavier this time around.
posted by Paragon at 2:06 PM on October 23, 2007

Grace of God, the FAQ lists NaNoWriMo novels that have been published.
posted by not that girl at 2:28 PM on October 23, 2007

This is going to be the first year that I won't be doing it. (Currently attempting to finish the fucked Capstone to get my Master's. )
posted by sperose at 3:19 PM on October 23, 2007

This will be my sixth time, going for my sixth win. I'm doing kind of an Elizabethan ghost story this year. I want to finish in three weeks this time, though, because I want to laze around on the last week playing Super Mario Galaxy.

I thought it was coming out on the 21st but I was mistaken, it's the 12th. But I can't do it in 12 days. So. I will not open the shrink wrap on the game until I have [legitimately] written 'The End.'
posted by tomboko at 3:23 PM on October 23, 2007

I've been writing my novel in MetaFilter.
posted by mullingitover at 3:51 PM on October 23, 2007

I prefer to call it "November."
posted by ikkyu2 at 4:24 PM on October 23, 2007

I did it for the first time last year, but wont this time. Damn thesis keeps getting in the way.
posted by dhruva at 4:41 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm in! This may not end well. ; )
posted by misha at 5:18 PM on October 23, 2007

I prefer to call it "November."

Duly noted. Have a pleasant month.
posted by cog_nate at 6:04 PM on October 23, 2007

I missed an indefinite article in that sentence.

there are A few mefites i'd actually be interested in reading.
posted by empath at 7:42 PM on October 23, 2007

Wow, Sara Gruen is a NaNoWriMo success? Neat. We can't keep her books in the store these days; I just sold a copy of Flying Changes this afternoon.

*toys with idea of doing a personal NaShoStoWriMo*
posted by mediareport at 7:50 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm considering it but haven't decided.
posted by dobbs at 8:20 PM on October 23, 2007

I'm in. Maybe after I finish the move from Asia to USA I'll get a little planning on paper before the month starts.
posted by jaruwaan at 9:26 PM on October 23, 2007

November is going to be brutal, but yeah, I'm in.
posted by dreamsign at 10:34 PM on October 23, 2007

I totally work for them now. Order stuff and I'll mail it to you and write "MetaFilter, damn yeah!" all over the package.

This may not actually happen.
posted by hototogisu at 11:45 PM on October 23, 2007

Yep, going for my 4th win! Got the wife doing it to, though I suspect she just thinks doing it will be easier than helping me through it. She's probably wrong, BTW.

Might even print up a copy this time. That reminds me - I'd better settle down on a story before too many more weeks go by...
posted by freebird at 12:16 AM on October 24, 2007

Not That Girl: I think not doing a "real novel" is totally OK. My second year I did a 50K-word Choose-You-Own-Adventure, and it was a lot of fun. I won just as much that year as I did the others, as measured by critical acclaim and total number of nubile groupies.
posted by freebird at 12:18 AM on October 24, 2007

Ha. I did it for the first time and won last year and part of my novel was a choose-your-own-adventure. I've been telling myself not to do it this year because I know I'm a lot busier than I was last year and I just barely squeaked in maybe a half day before the deadline. Still, part of me is thinking about it.
posted by juv3nal at 4:51 AM on October 24, 2007

Have never been tempted before, but considering it this year.
posted by methylsalicylate at 6:48 AM on October 24, 2007

I'm still undecided. I tried to get all my schoolwork done ahead of time so I'd have as much time as possible in November, but here I am with only one weekend left and I'm nowhere near close to that goal. But it just seems wrong not to be doing it.

Good luck to you all!
posted by lilac girl at 7:39 AM on October 24, 2007

This is the first I've heard of this. I used to be a fairly prolific writer, but I succumbed to the usual pressures (time, dissatisfaction, lack of motivation, churning out crap). I think I might try it out to see if I can write at least a chapter or two before I drop off and never think about it again.
posted by Dr-Baa at 8:25 AM on October 24, 2007

I'm doing it, again, but I've never crossed the finish line.

This year I figure I'll use it as sort of a freewriting ramble and see what comes out the other end.
posted by Gucky at 9:21 AM on October 24, 2007

I'm in. I tried it two years ago and failed out after about the tenth of the month. I'll be posting segments as I write them on my site (linked in profile). I think it'll be a ghost story. I think.
posted by fuzzbean at 12:27 PM on October 24, 2007

"This was the worst day of Maurice's life--in his right hand he held the winning ticket for the Ohio MegaBillions Lottery; in his left hand he held his right hand, severed at the wrist."

That is not how I'll start my novel. I'll try it again I suppose. Was 10% done last time before entering a terrible cycle of rewriting.

This time it's all about pretending my delete and backspace keys don't work.
posted by JeremiahBritt at 12:34 PM on October 24, 2007 [3 favorites]

"This was the worst day of Maurice's life--in his right hand he held the winning ticket for the Ohio MegaBillions Lottery; in his left hand he held his right hand, severed at the wrist."

Shit, I think that's great! Is that from an extant novel?
posted by cog_nate at 12:44 PM on October 24, 2007

No. I like to write short Bulwer-Lytton style opening sentences when I am bored. Also, "Maurice" is the kind of name that lends itself to hilarious amputations.
posted by JeremiahBritt at 12:51 PM on October 24, 2007

I'm hoping the third time signing up is the charm.
posted by ejaned8 at 5:11 PM on October 24, 2007

I tried doing it two years ago, but I only got about 8,000 words done before I gave up. I do wish it were some month other than November, as I lose three days' writing time because of Thanksgiving.
posted by Godbert at 11:19 AM on October 25, 2007

I'm in.
posted by MasonDixon at 8:04 AM on October 26, 2007

hototogisu: Yes, it does.
posted by cog_nate at 3:04 PM on October 26, 2007

Still on the fence...
Heh. Their site is like molasses right now, but that'll change when people start dropping out.
posted by juv3nal at 4:29 PM on October 29, 2007

I haven't tried for real in YEARS, but may give it a go. If, come Thanksgiving, I'm 8000 words in and about to cut off an arm, well... so be it.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 1:03 PM on November 1, 2007

I found out about it on October 25, and decided to slap together some ideas and give it a go. It's going roaringly well right now. 36,000 words and counting. I hope that Thanksgiving week doesn't submarine my progress.
posted by reenum at 10:16 AM on November 19, 2007

reenum, you're way out in front of me. I'm keeping pace at around 32,000, might take a hit Thursday but have Friday off so I'll definitely be able to catch up (and maybe even brew a little beer that day).
posted by cog_nate at 7:00 AM on November 20, 2007