# NaNoWriMo 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312 "2011-10-30T21:00:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/1 "2011-10-30T21:00:08Z")
I can’t believe there isn’t a thread already, but I couldn’t find one so… So, who’s going for it this year? What are you writing? Have you done it before? I am. I’m silvercat17 at the official site. I’m not worrying about word counts, as I’m writing scripts for a comic. And probably some porn. The word count always kills me because I can’t write much on the computer so I write in longhand and then have to waste time typing it up (I know, I could count manually, but I’m too anal to estimate). ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/2 "2011-10-31T02:55:59Z")
There’s no way I’ll have time to try it this year. I need to finish at least two game scripts this fall, maybe three, to have them ready for next year. My scripts often run 60 pages each (though that isn’t all text), so that’s going eat up pretty much all of my writing time for a while. Maybe I’ll have time to write that short story that’s been nagging at me over Christmas. I’ll be cheering you on, though. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![MobiusStripes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@MobiusStripes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MobiusStripes)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/3 "2011-10-31T03:10:13Z")
I’m in. Year 8 for me. A tale about the outcome of reincarnation and what happens when you can control it. It’ll probably have space ships too. Flying cars if I can wing it. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/4 "2011-10-31T03:15:57Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > There’s no way I’ll have time to try it this year. I need to finish at least two game scripts this fall, maybe three, to have them ready for next year. My scripts often run 60 pages each (though that isn’t all text), so that’s going eat up pretty much all of my writing time for a while. Maybe I’ll have time to write that short story that’s been nagging at me over Christmas. > > I’ll be cheering you on, though. 🙂 Well, there’s your ‘novel’! **Mobius** that sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/5 "2011-10-31T03:17:41Z")
I’m in. I’ve tried a couple of times, but wasn’t able to finish. I have an idea for a novel, and unlike most of my book ideas, it’s actually of manageable length. The only problem is, I’m horrifically behind in my SQL class and have been sick, tired, and sleepy for the last week with no end in sight. So, we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/6 "2011-10-31T03:30:37Z")
I’m in. This’d be time #3 for me, though I haven’t made it all the way through yet. (Did finish ScriptFrenzy two years in a row though.) ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/7 "2011-10-31T04:28:01Z")
I’m in. I have nothing. Every other year, by Halloween, I think I’ve had at least an idea - a character or opening line or plot or concept or setting or something, some vague clue about what the hell I planned to spend 30 days writing. I have nothing. I have 26 or so hours to come up with enough to get started on the first 2000 words and I’m a complete blank. I’m “amarinth” on that site as well. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/8 "2011-10-31T05:26:02Z")
I’m in Amarinth’s boat- Usually by this point I have the whole thing at least outlined. Now? I’ve got nothing. Well, not ‘nothing’. I’ve got the ‘B’ and ‘C’ plot to the story, but I don’t have an ‘A’ plot! I’m trying to write a hard-boiled noir mystery, but I actually can’t come up with what the main thrust of it will be, just some of the characters and a lot of … Well, as mentioned- B and C plot. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/9 "2011-10-31T05:39:03Z")
> [@ArrMatey](#): > > I’m in Amarinth’s boat- Usually by this point I have the whole thing at least outlined. Now? I’ve got nothing. > Well, not ‘nothing’. I’ve got the ‘B’ and ‘C’ plot to the story, but I don’t have an ‘A’ plot! I’m trying to write a hard-boiled noir mystery, but I actually can’t come up with what the main thrust of it will be, just some of the characters and a lot of … Well, as mentioned- B and C plot. \ The Family Heirloom A P.I. is hired to recover a family heirloom, a piece of jewelry that was accidentally sold at the estate sale of an elderly accountant. The catch is that the piece is really just costume jewelry. Its only worth is a set of numbers engraved into the back of the fake stones. They’re the key to the cipher the old man used to encrypt the books he kept for a mobster. The Feds want it, the Mob wants it back, and the Dame who bought it has no idea how much trouble is heading her way. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/10 "2011-10-31T12:18:19Z")
I’m in for my 4th year; hoping for my 2nd win. [Here’s me there](http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/paleogamer). ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/11 "2011-10-31T14:04:25Z")
I won’t be writing a novel because my vague ideas aren’t ready yet, but I plan on getting into the spirit of things by doing a writing exercise each day in November. How else will I ever get good and confident enough to write a truly terrible novel? 🙂 How does that website work? Should I be on there instead of just writing on my own? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/12 "2011-10-31T15:32:31Z")
The website is for tracking your progress. You can write anywhere you want and upload it to the site later, and it will validate it. (Or you can waste your writing time reading the forums.) Meanwhile, does anyone else care to consult the Crystal of Clichés? Are you still scrambling, **amarinth**? Give me a genre, and I will try to find you a bad plot. Be warned–I had to sift through an awful lot of “Sparkly Vampire, P.I.” plots to find the contents of my last post, and I may just grab whatever floats to the top next time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MindWanderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@MindWanderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindWanderer)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/13 "2011-10-31T17:43:49Z")
I’ve got to 50k words twice out of three tries now. This year I am trying a Hard SF story that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about, but my number 1 worry is that I’ve not given myself enough creative freedom to put down 50k. We will see if that is the case or not. I haven’t got a title yet, but I’ve been trying them out (Donuts on Mars, or Space Beat are two of my ideas.) Its basically a FBI chase flick (ala the Fugitive) in space, but with a realistic approach to space flight and maneuvering. I was going to not do this story and come up with something that I can just write like crazy with, but I kept coming back to this idea, so I’m going to try it. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/14 "2011-10-31T17:51:50Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > \ > > The Family Heirloom > > A P.I. is hired to recover a family heirloom, a piece of jewelry that was accidentally sold at the estate sale of an elderly accountant. The catch is that the piece is really just costume jewelry. Its only worth is a set of numbers engraved into the back of the fake stones. They’re the key to the cipher the old man used to encrypt the books he kept for a mobster. The Feds want it, the Mob wants it back, and the Dame who bought it has no idea how much trouble is heading her way. Thank you very much! Won’t be using this verbatim, but it does solve some serious ‘hm, what do I put here?’ issues in the ‘A’ plot! ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/15 "2011-10-31T18:59:04Z")
I’m in. I wussed out last year, but that’s given me twelve months to refine my outline and plot. Now I’m set. We had a kickoff event Saturday night with some local folks. It was a younger crowd than I expected, but fun. ---
**Author:** ![liberty3701](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@liberty3701](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/liberty3701)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/16 "2011-10-31T22:20:52Z")
This is my first year doing it. It is a perverse way of helping with my (non-literary) dissertation because I’ve had such a hard time writing over the past year or so. I’m ‘whatsherbutt’ on the website. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/17 "2011-10-31T22:49:40Z")
Same name on the website. I’ve done it before and finished either once or twice. I’m going to be a heretic this year and go mostly non-fiction. (There’s a forum for heretics. I think it’s called something like Outside the Box.) In an effort to embrace my AHHD-PI, I’m doing something called a thousand beginnings. Some of them will be fictional. Mostly I’ll be clearing my mind (ha!), my desk, and my computer of random notes about interesting things that I’d like to write about. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Tyger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Silver\_Tyger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Tyger)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/18 "2011-10-31T23:00:55Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > Same name on the website. I’ve done it before and finished either once or twice. I’m going to be a heretic this year and go mostly non-fiction. (There’s a forum for heretics. I think it’s called something like Outside the Box.) Yeah, that’s where I am. I don’t think I’ve ever followed the ‘rules’ for Nano. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/19 "2011-10-31T23:10:45Z")
I have sympathetic characters and beautiful settings but no plots. I’ll be watching from the sidelines. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2011, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312/20 "2011-10-31T23:38:55Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > I have sympathetic characters and beautiful settings but no plots. I’ll be watching from the sidelines. Me too, kinda. I have more than enough plots, but they’re not meshing into anything coherent. Also just started with a new writing group (blatantly ineffectual excuse alert) and I have to complete a short story by the end of the month, which will require some research. And the fates have decreed that I should have social life, peverse bastards that they are. I’ve completed three times (and another on SoCNoWriMo). Same username there, I will probably drop in to the forums. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-2011/601312.md?page=2)