# Anyone else doing National Novel Writing Month 2015? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 24, 2015, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671 "2015-10-24T23:28:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/61 "2015-11-11T17:31:40Z")
I am pleasantly surprised to find that my word count is over 10k. I am trying hard not to go back too much and fix as I go along, and I know that I am still falling far behind in wc compared to the challenge guidelines, but I am pleased. The Pokemon belief system sounds awesome! ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/62 "2015-11-11T17:48:59Z")
So I haven’t really written any fiction since my creative writing class junior year of high school. I used to love writing stories, especially as a kid. But my teenage years piled procrastination and self-doubt on top of that. Anyway, for about the past 13 years I’ve had a story kicking around in my head. And by story I mean “9-part sci-fi epic.” But I have yet to put any of that story to paper. Until now. In a fit of NaNoWriMo inspiration I wrote 268 words yesterday. Not sure if it’s a prologue or the first part of chapter 1, but it’s something. Hoo boy. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/63 "2015-11-11T19:25:02Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > So I haven’t really written any fiction since my creative writing class junior year of high school. I used to love writing stories, especially as a kid. But my teenage years piled procrastination and self-doubt on top of that. > > Anyway, for about the past 13 years I’ve had a story kicking around in my head. And by story I mean “9-part sci-fi epic.” But I have yet to put any of that story to paper. Until now. In a fit of NaNoWriMo inspiration I wrote 268 words yesterday. Not sure if it’s a prologue or the first part of chapter 1, but it’s something. > > Hoo boy. It’s 268 more words than you had! Progress! ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2015, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/64 "2015-11-12T03:02:41Z")
Well, I fell off the wagon. I kind of accidentally went out of town. And I did take my laptop, and I did write a little bit the first night, sitting in the dark in the campground deep in a redwood grove. Which was picturesque but cold! And I did a bit more, the next day, but then my battery was flat, and yadda yadda yadda, excuses, excuses. I jumped back on today, but it’s going to be tough to catch up. I’m about halfway to where I am supposed to be. EVERY YEAR! AAARGH! ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/65 "2015-11-16T17:41:06Z")
I am still writing - still behind schedule but what can you do (write faster, I guess) but I am plagued with doubt. What if I am unconsciously stealing from other authors? What if all this is horribly unoriginal and cliche? Aaarrrgh. I guess i will keep writing and hope it’s decent. Maybe Ill get past the self-doubt and find some confidence again. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/66 "2015-11-16T17:56:01Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I’ve been writing about a novel a month’s worth of stuff for the past year, but they haven’t always turned into novels … I write a lot of novellas. But I also sell them on Amazon so not sure I could participate. Not sure if indie writers count as pros or amateurs in Nanowrimo. I don’t worry about it. I’m also an indie who sells on Amazon, and I used NaNo last year to get a good head start on a novel that was published by a game company. I really don’t think they care. If you find out otherwise, don’t tell me. 😃 I’m coming into the home stretch for this year, with 48,100 words as of yesterday. I did kinda cheat, though: that 48,100 includes about 2/3 of a short novel (total length: 62,000 words) and the middle part of something else that may end up as a novella or might make it to another short novel. I’d have kept going on the first one, but I finished it. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/67 "2015-11-24T20:56:50Z")
Welp, I don’t think I’ll be winning this year. I’ve only hit the half way mark as of yesterday. I don’t think I’ll be able to write 25,000 words in a week. ---
**Author:** ![mage-girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@mage-girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mage-girl)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/68 "2015-11-25T06:48:16Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > Welp, I don’t think I’ll be winning this year. I’ve only hit the half way mark as of yesterday. I don’t think I’ll be able to write 25,000 words in a week. I’m sorry. ☹ But you did write 25,000 words in a month, which is amazing for a non-professional writer! Congratulations! Alas, I stalled at 6,600 words. I think I started looking at my feet too much, rather than simply dancing. :o On the bright side, _we still have six days left_! Granted, some U.S. based people (I would guess) are going to lose some of those days due to Thanksgiving. Mom and I are staying home with the cat and having tacos. 🙂 I’m hoping her Netflix DVDs get here in time for the holiday. We’ll finally get to see Jurassic World! My metropolitan area may well get iced in between Wednesday evening and at least Thursday night, so that may not be a bad time to make some progress. Unless we lose power, and I have to resort to writing by hand, which is sooo slow… Try to feel special for what you’ve accomplished. You should! Most people would never write something of that length, just like they’d never knit a sock or personally change the oil on their car. Besides, there’s always next year. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/69 "2015-11-25T14:26:28Z")
I finished chapter three yesterday. 7500 words and still going strong. I’m very happy with what I’ve got so far. Six months from now I should have the first draft done. If you don’t reach 50K this month, don’t stop! The point isn’t to win NaNoWriMo, the point is to write a novel. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/70 "2015-11-25T15:42:13Z")
Thanks for the kind words. Even if I don’t “win,” I do feel pretty proud of myself. And I am glad I did as much as I have! As should everyone else, whether you win or not- the “world needs your novel!” So keep writing! ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/71 "2015-11-25T18:09:38Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > If you don’t reach 50K this month, don’t stop! The point isn’t to win NaNoWriMo, the point is to write a novel. That’s what I’m using it for. NaNo is the swift kick in the ass I needed to stop world-building and start writing. My novel isn’t going to be anything close to finished next week or at 50K words, but I have 50 pages more than I had on Halloween. One interesting side effect: my coworkers found out I’m writing a novel and now I’m some strange exotic creature now because I’m an author. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Bakero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@Bakero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakero)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/72 "2015-11-26T00:05:33Z")
A fellow participant here. I had to skip last year to get more work hours in instead so I’m going full force this year and rewriting my second year novel. It’s coming along a lot better this year although I’m recovering from a sudden downswing. I think it’s picking up again. ---
**Author:** ![Cumberdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@Cumberdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumberdale)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671/73 "2015-11-26T03:05:42Z")
Sadly, I have fallen way short. After about 5000 words I lost my focus. I have been able to do a few hundred words every day or so after, which I do feel is a bit of a victory. I also feel that I am motivated to keep it up until I reach the goal even if I don’t make it until spring time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-else-doing-national-novel-writing-month-2015/735671.md?page=3)