# NaNoWriMo Warm-Up Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2010, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762 "2010-09-14T19:46:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/81 "2010-11-03T06:10:40Z")
I’m not even attempting to separate anything into chapters. I can separate sections fairly easily, but I have such a poor eye for chapter separation that I’m just not even going to bother. I might go back and make an attempt at it later, but that’s going to be well after November 30th. Besides, Terry Pratchett doesn’t need no stinkin’ chapters, and neither do I! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/82 "2010-11-03T13:37:23Z")
I don’t grok chapters, either. I just use scenes – any time I have a break in location or time or POV, I start a new file – which I just number sequentially. And if I discover I should have had another scene or more in between previous ones I just add letters. (1, 2, 3, 3b, 3c, 4, 5 etc) After I’m done is soon enough to decide where chapter breaks belong. ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/83 "2010-11-03T13:44:52Z")
Arg…my stupid tendonitis in my wrists (Left, mostly) is choosing now to flare up, BADLY. Only 2000 words so far, but that was barely an hour of typing. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/84 "2010-11-03T16:19:11Z")
Last night I hit the 5000 word mark and knew I was good for today at least. I’ve got a half day at work (I took Weds and Friday afternoons off all this month for NaNoWriMo. I am also eyeing next year’s calendar and thinking I just might take the whole month off next year.) In my pre-work, I discovered that the Qu’ran doesn’t lend itself to a standard narrative format for easy sequeling. So, I’m wrapping a story around how the person who gets the sequel reacts to it and I unintentionally have started a massive plot to suppress it I think. This was unexpected but I like where that end is going. Unfortunately, it’s made me more hesitant to writing the Qu’ran part so I’m starting to drag my feet when it comes to that part and I’m going into painful detail about my MC’s morning routine instead of getting into the meat of the story. But, on the plus side, I’ve definitely got a character arc and I just need to rein in the plot soon before it explodes into something much huger. That said, I’m now trying to think of a title. “Qu’ran 2” is just a bit too short, I think it needs a bit of a tag to it. “Qu’ran 2: Electric Boogaloo” is too obvious. “Qu’ran 2: Back on the Streets” has a nice ring to it though. ---
**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:** [November 3, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/85 "2010-11-03T18:34:30Z")
I think I hate you all. I have about 1700 words written, and most of those are either notes or stuff that was previously written (most of that is stuff that was written but not typed). I can’t seem to manage to write at work - we don’t have a break room so I can’t escape. On the other hand, I’ve been focusing on ‘character studies’ and most of them go in one of the stories. I’m hoping to get today’s quota done tonight and write a shit load this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Clockwork\_Jackal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Clockwork\_Jackal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clockwork_Jackal)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/86 "2010-11-03T18:39:48Z")
I…haven’t even had a chance to start yet. I kinda just…don’t know where to begin. I write a little, I think “this sucks” and delete everything. Maybe I should just start in the middle? Writing a beginning is always the hardest for me. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/87 "2010-11-03T18:42:53Z")
I’m a bit miserable about this. I know my story, I know the plot, I even have a pretty good idea of how the first chapter will go. But I simply can’t make myself start writing. It’s frustrating and more than a little embarrassing because I was so hyped up to start in October. ---
**Author:** ![Koldanar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@Koldanar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koldanar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/88 "2010-11-03T18:45:37Z")
> [@Clockwork\_Jackal](#): > > I…haven’t even had a chance to start yet. I kinda just…don’t know where to begin. I write a little, I think “this sucks” and delete everything. Maybe I should just start in the middle? Writing a beginning is always the hardest for me. My story started with nothing but a hook for interest, and how I thought I would end it. From there I mapped out the first, eh, 6 chapters? then A few in the middle, and left some notes for the end. That’s been enough for me so far, as my 2000 words is still the dang prologue. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Real\_Regency\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@The\_Real\_Regency\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Real_Regency_Elf)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/89 "2010-11-03T22:29:23Z")
Got 4200 words in so far but am suffering from a structure crisis; namely, should I really start every chapter with a flashback as I originally planned? I asked for advice on the forums a little while ago but have no answer yet. And the site is maddeningly slow. Sigh. Other than that, the writing is going fairly well. **Clockwork Jackal** , I’ve jumped ahead in my stories before when the storyline got bogged down. It wouldn’t hurt to try starting it in the middle if you have a better idea of the plot for that section. Go for 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:** [November 4, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/90 "2010-11-04T23:50:13Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > I’m a bit miserable about this. I know my story, I know the plot, I even have a pretty good idea of how the first chapter will go. But I simply can’t make myself start writing. It’s frustrating and more than a little embarrassing because I was so hyped up to start in October. Just start writing. You’re going to have to write some crap before you start writing good stuff. Hell, I write stuff that’s half crap, an eighth awesome, and the rest is just mediocre. You can always go back and fix it, but that’s assuming you have something to fix. Use Write or Die or just tell yourself you’re going to write a page / write for half an hour / whatever. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2010, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/91 "2010-11-07T21:08:30Z")
If anyone feels like they’re spinning their wheels, I want to suggest using a quick activity from \*\*Novel Shortcuts \*\*by Laura Whitcomb: write your bookjacket in less than 300 words. This should help you think about the important parts of your book. I did it, and came up with the following. This is a sequel to last year’s novel, so here’s that first **Pull** [spoiler]Caitlin Cross was five the first time she stepped into the afterlife and brought someone back with her. Twenty-five years later she’s discovered the limitations and rules to her gift, and makes a living rescuing people who died young. Between her work, raising a foster child who shares her abilities, a neurotic ex, and a lover who stubbornly refuses to leave the afterlife, her plate is full. But when a police detective seeks her help in a serial murder case, she can’t refuse. Not when the killer is targeting kids. Not when the killer is helped by someone like her who is breaking all the rules… [/spoiler] **Push** Months after helping to put down New Hampshire’s only serial killer\*, Caitlin Cross finds herself dealing with a new set of challenges. She and a now living Kyler are expecting, and trying to cope with the issues raised by both her surprise pregnancy and Kyler’s long overdue resurrection. But they’re not the only ones with new problems. Someone like Caitlin has been dragging people out of the afterlife, and they’re not happy about it. When one victim’s unhappiness explodes into fresh tragedy, Caitlin vows to find out who is behind it before anyone else gets hurt…even if learning the truth drives a wedge between her and Kyler. Go ahead and try it. It’s kind of fun. - Officially there have been no real serial killers in NH, but one is suspected to be responsible for deaths and disappearances in NH and VT. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762/92 "2010-11-09T02:53:11Z")
Somehow I managed to really push it today and wrote a ton over 6500 words bringing my count up to 25008. A little more than half way to winning and it feels good. I got some motivation due to some competitive rivalry between my home region vs Chicago and England:Other. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nanowrimo-warm-up-thread/553762.md?page=4)