# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/101 "2020-11-19T09:54:43Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > I haven’t written anything in a few days. Clearly I’m not going to hit 50k words. I’ll be lucky at this point to do another 10k on top of what I have already. Everything is something, right? I’m aiming for 2K per day and that’s about all I’ve managed so far, I’m at 38K now so on target but some days I’ve really struggled to get the words out. It isn’t good writing either, it’s not going where I intended it to, I got hung up on things that I shouldn’t have, it’s backtracked and contradicted itself…you get the picture. It’s not going to be the story I had in my head, but it’s still happening so I will persist until the end of the month and then probably delete the whole thing! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2020, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/102 "2020-11-19T10:05:56Z")
> [@Lancia](#): > > does anyone know of any novels that switch easily between the first and third person? It’s just like manual transmission. It’s best if you go through second when shifting from first to third. ---
**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 19, 2020, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/103 "2020-11-19T17:12:14Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > It’s just like manual transmission. It’s best if you go through second when shifting from first to third. That made me literally LOL. Thanks, I needed that 🙂 > [@scareyfaerie](#): > > Everything is something, right? True. I think I’m just feeling grinchy right now. Too much self-pity. I used to be able to knock out thousands of words a day without much effort, and now a few hundred just seems like a chore. But progress is progress. ---
**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 20, 2020, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/104 "2020-11-20T05:23:02Z")
About 90 minutes today working on a scene that I have to add in order for the ending payoff to make sense. I don’t love the scene, but it’s serviceable, and I’ll work on improving it 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 21, 2020, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/105 "2020-11-21T04:39:05Z")
I put in at least an hour today, doing minor edits on my rewritten ending and preparing it for submission to my writers group (I’m on the chopping block Tuesday.) Returned to the earlier scene I wrote yesterday, which is really boring. When a scene bores me, I know we’re in trouble. So I’ve been trying to figure out ways to make it more interesting. I have a headache now so I’m afraid I won’t be making much more progress tonight. How’s everyone doing? Hanging in? ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/106 "2020-11-21T11:27:21Z")
With 9 days to go, you don’t have to give up now. Assuming you had written no words, you would have to write a little over 5000 words over the next few days to get to 50000 which can be difficult but is possible, if you have already written 10000, then it is about 4000, so it is still possible. I myself am rather behind not having written the requisite number of words every day, but I have not given up. Just one day of going all out on writing will, I believe, put me within striking distance, so I will keep writing and just keep telling myself how much it would take if I divided 50000 by the number of days left and thinking that at least I don’t have to write at that rate since I am not starting at 0. `//i\\` ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/107 "2020-11-22T05:29:51Z")
I have completed the second draft. It’s way easier when I only have myself to please. Pro screenwriters frequently talk of five drafts, fifteen drafts, or even fifty drafts before it’s done, but they have loads of interfering executives to please. I just have me, and I already liked what I was doing. I spent most of it tweaking things like removing widows-and-orphans, expanding some descriptions to include orientation details so you’d get a sense of place, and making the dialogue more character-appropriate and consistent. I also like to break up paragraphs into beats, so you get a sense of pacing and drama. I like it so much, I’m not sure if I’ll even bother with a third draft, until I get some feedback from outside sources. Which, with my track record, is usually nobody. So, from my point of view, I have achieved my goal, and my NaNoWriMo is done! Yay me! ---
**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 22, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/108 "2020-11-22T05:51:25Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > So, from my point of view, I have achieved my goal, and my NaNoWriMo is done! Yay me! Yayyyy! There’s something to be said for fewer influences on your writing. A review from a few trusted writer friends could be good, but I made the mistake of having (no exaggeration) about 20 different beta readers on this manuscript and it often just confused me, especially when the story was still in development. I wouldn’t do it this way again. Well I admit I got completely distracted tonight by various online arguments, so I’m lucky if I get ten minutes of writing in before I fall asleep. I’m still stuck trying to figure out how to make a boring scene viable. ---
**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 23, 2020, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/109 "2020-11-23T05:19:15Z")
2.5 hours today. A total of 25 hours for the month, which means I’m right on schedule to average 1 hour per day for the month of November. Finished the boring scene and made it less boring. My husband is really good for writing feedback and when I described the scene to him, he said, “Cut this part,” and I did, and it works. I’m getting feedback on the grand finale/resolution on Tuesday, but assuming I get only minor edits (I hope) that leaves me with one single solitary scene to rewrite and I will effectively have a final draft of the book I’ve been working on for six damned years. It’s been a very good month for writing. ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/110 "2020-11-25T02:23:35Z")
Is anyone still at it? Just got the feedback from writer’s group on my grand finale, so that’s 90 minutes of writing time right there. The overall message is that it worked, but there will be a bunch of little things to fix, and I do need to clean it up more. Full speed ahead. ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/111 "2020-11-25T02:37:53Z")
Hope springs eternal, but at this point I’m happy to have thought through the shape and dug out some resources. I think a week during academic break is more realistic at this point. ---
**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 25, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/112 "2020-11-25T02:48:56Z")
Credit should be given for “thinking out the shape.” That’s often the hardest part. ---
**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 25, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/113 "2020-11-25T03:13:28Z")
A little humor for you. [![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FRMfIfX4C9k/X729isP6RxI/AAAAAAAANr0/HGohxJpRkcAiR3ne5maQjZ0BoyAZtdg4ACK8BGAsYHg/s0/2020-11-24.png) ](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FRMfIfX4C9k/X729isP6RxI/AAAAAAAANr0/HGohxJpRkcAiR3ne5maQjZ0BoyAZtdg4ACK8BGAsYHg/s0/2020-11-24.png) ---
**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 25, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/114 "2020-11-25T03:18:21Z")
Its funny because it’s true. ---
**Author:** ![icon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c6cbf5/32.png) [@icon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icon)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/115 "2020-11-26T05:51:11Z")
I am still at it. I have still a ways to go as the NaNoWriMo stats say I need 4000+ words a day to make it. I feel like I still have a chance, especially since I am off until Monday, but it probably will be a near thing. `//i\\` ---
**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 26, 2020, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/116 "2020-11-26T05:56:05Z")
I threw in the towel a few days ago. But I’m thrilled that so many seem to have been making outstanding progress. ---
**Author:** ![scareyfaerie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scareyfaerie/32/3135_2.png) [@scareyfaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scareyfaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2020, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/117 "2020-11-26T17:28:51Z")
I made it to 50K on Monday, a week early. That was only possible because covid meant the music festivals I’d usually be at in November are all cancelled. Still, I hit my target although I wasn’t at all happy with the end result and it’s now ready to go in the bin. ---
**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 26, 2020, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/118 "2020-11-26T18:39:15Z")
A novelist friend told me yesterday that she’s published 5 and discarded 5. ---
**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 28, 2020, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/119 "2020-11-28T05:29:00Z")
Yayyy! I hope you didn’t have to scrap the whole thing. I’m now at 31.5 hours for the month, so whether I finish or not, I’ve reached my goal. I am really close to being finished though. Like, reeeaaally close. ---
**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 28, 2020, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435/120 "2020-11-28T05:43:57Z")
**REQUEST FOR READERS** If anyone wants to read what I wrote this year, and please do, give me feedback, help me improve, etc, [here is a PDF link on my Dropbox](https://www.dropbox.com/s/86b2ymewvgw51ja/Book_1_The_Legend_of_the_Gummi_Bears_v2.0.pdf?dl=0). It’s in A4 size, but that should only matter if you print it, which I doubt anyone does these days. So I should explain a bit. I have loved the Disney TV series _The Gummi Bears_ since I first watched it as a kid, it was totally my kind of fantasy, animation, storytelling, comedy, everything. For ages I have been assuming Disney would reboot it one day, or adapt it into live-action somehow, but so far they’ve done nothing. Eventually I just thought “Darn it, if they won’t do it, I will!” and started to piece a story together, combining some of the existing episodes and connecting them together with new ideas. I realise Disney is famously litigious, and don’t take unsolicited scripts, so this was never intended for them to see it or for me to pitch it to them, this was just for my own sake, to do something for fun with a thing I love, learn a little bit along the way, with no expectations beyond an enjoyable experience, both for me and anyone who reads it. I hope that even people unfamiliar with the show will follow it okay, and those who do know it will pick up on the tiny details, but ultimately I hope it’s entertaining for everyone. It will only take you about an hour to read, and contact details are on the title page if you have any thoughts or constructive critique to share. Thanks, all! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-begins-tomorrow-whos-doing-it-this-year/924435.md?page=5)