# NaNoWriMo begins tomorrow. Who's doing it this year? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [October 31, 2020, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435 "2020-10-31T21:21:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/41 "2020-11-03T18:27:38Z")
For what I’m working on, time is probably better than word count. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/42 "2020-11-03T18:39:19Z")
Same. I’m rewriting, not drafting, and if I set a word count I would be beyond frustrated. But I know if I just put my time in, I’ll get the thing done. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/43 "2020-11-03T19:37:32Z")
I think part of my issue is 1) election anxiety. At this point I just want it over. It’s making it hard to concentrate. 2) I’ve been asked to revamp 16 weeks worth of my lesson plans, so that’s 80 lesson plans with completely new content and assessments geared to hybrid learning. That’s a sudden time (and life) suck I wasn’t anticipating. So I think I might copy your guys’ lead and set a goal for an hour a day. I’ll kinda keep an eye on my word count, but really, if I can just plug away at it each day I’ll feel productive even if I don’t hit the magic 50K words. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/44 "2020-11-03T19:55:50Z")
Imagine all you could accomplish in 30 hours. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2020, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/45 "2020-11-03T23:00:17Z")
An hour a day makes sense. I recently retired so I can afford a different kind of goal, but I remember how hard this was when I was still working. Just being able to concentrate for an hour was difficult, though also rewarding when it worked. That said, tough day today given my election anxiety, but I eked out about 1,500 words. Short of daily target, but that’s why I built some margin up already. God, I hope I’m in a great mood tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/46 "2020-11-04T02:12:01Z")
I really underestimated how distracted I would be tonight. 😳 ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/47 "2020-11-04T02:13:55Z")
Same. I can’t concentrate on anything. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/48 "2020-11-04T03:44:24Z")
Yes. I wrote a little this morning, but I’ve been useless since early afternoon. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/49 "2020-11-04T08:22:24Z")
I wrote today after all. Not many words, but a lot of story problems were figured out. Very happy with the way this is going. Though I have to do an action scene next, and I hate those. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2020, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/50 "2020-11-04T15:42:10Z")
I think this was a bad year to attempt this. After not sleeping very well (obviously), I’m finding it difficult to do anything other than watch the election returns. I’ll try to work on my lesson plans, but right now my book doesn’t hold much interest. > [@GuanoLad](#): > > Though I have to do an action scene next, and I hate those. Interesting, because those are what I love to write: they did this, then this, then this happened, and such-and-such responded so-and-so… it’s easier for me to write that than inner discourse or… I don’t even know what it’s called. Have you ever read Ian McEwan? Take _Saturday_. It’s sort of like that: pages and pages of description, using a wide and colorful vocabulary that I certainly don’t posses. I’m deeply envious of writers who can do that. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/51 "2020-11-05T01:34:13Z")
I did a minimal amount of writing today, maybe 15 minutes. Better than nothing, I guess, and I had a lot of deeply anxious clients and students to talk down. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/52 "2020-11-05T03:41:07Z")
I managed 1,400 words today, but my heart was not in it after the long night (and subsequent day) of election return watching. I’m going to guess that a lot of NaNoWriMo participants were feeling the same way. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/53 "2020-11-05T04:00:12Z")
Yeah, it was a tough day. No writing for me. I had the election hangover combined with a whiny baby all day. And then I hurt my hand and decided to give it a rest. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/54 "2020-11-05T04:13:17Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > > [@GuanoLad](#): > > > > Though I have to do an action scene next, and I hate those. > > Interesting, because those are what I love to write: they did this, then this, then this happened, and such-and-such responded so-and-so… The best action scenes also move the plot forward. I am really good at moving plots forward, but usually I do it through conversations or character moments, not through aggressive stunt tactics. Any decent action scene gives you a sense of place, clear goals, and a progressive escalation of stakes, and involving a story in that at the same time is so hard! It doesn’t help that I have no understanding of tactical strategy. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/55 "2020-11-05T04:39:48Z")
I didn’t get shit done today. ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/56 "2020-11-05T04:49:26Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > So, as I mentioned, I’m writing screenplays… Hope this helps… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hbUjy7w93l8/hqdefault.jpg "03 How To Write A Screenplay Paris When It Sizzles 1964") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbUjy7w93l8) ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/57 "2020-11-05T15:59:16Z")
My insomnia has returned with a vengeance, so I spent several hours in the middle of the night writing like mad. I don’t have the word count in front of me, but it was several thousand words. Unfortunately I feel like I burned through some of my best ideas, and to some extent I not only feel drained but have hit a bit of writer’s block. I have to actually be in the classroom today, and I have a late evening meeting so I may not get much done. But I’m glad I got some of it done, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/58 "2020-11-05T16:14:06Z")
It’s something! I’m about to teach now, but I have a block of time between clients later today that may work if not too many errands emerge. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/59 "2020-11-06T01:25:13Z")
I’m back to writing today, after taking yesterday off to follow election coverage. I wrote 1800+ words today, which I think is my highest daily total in twenty years or more. I find that disabling the WiFi on my laptop while I’m writing helps to minimize distractions. What sort of background sound do you guys prefer while writing? Silence, white noise, music? I usually listen to Mozart, which somehow helps keep the words flowing. I can’t tolerate any music that has lyrics in English. The words in the lyrics seem to interfere with getting my words out. Music with foreign lyrics aren’t so bad, even if I can recognize some of the words. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2020, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/60 "2020-11-06T01:28:29Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > What sort of background sound do you guys prefer while writing? Silence, white noise, music? In the Old Days I would have a few classic rock albums that I would put on rotation and listen to in the background: Eddie Money, Queen, Beatles, Devo (don’t judge me), Foreigner, Styx, etc. Having those albums in particular playing in the background seemed to help. I actually haven’t tried it yet this year, thanks for reminding me of that. Maybe it’ll help. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435.md?page=4)