# The NaNoWriMo Support Group for Novice Novel Writers with Too Much Time Thread! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 7, 2004, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081 "2004-10-07T19:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/101 "2004-11-01T19:50:42Z")
> [@js\_africanus](#): > > African or European zombie? North American, actually. Mid-Atlantic to be precise. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/102 "2004-11-01T19:54:29Z")
> [@lno](#): > > North American, actually. Mid-Atlantic to be precise. I’m not sure where “Mid-Atlantic” actually is; but, if it is anywhere near the home range of the Monticello Hopping Zombie, your main characters are totally fecked. ---
**Author:** ![lno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a8b319/32.png) [@lno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lno)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/103 "2004-11-01T20:06:26Z")
Chesapeake Bay, et cetera. Powhatan zombies, but I don’t think they hop. ---
**Author:** ![Draelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@Draelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Draelin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/104 "2004-11-01T20:48:59Z")
> [@IrreverentTone](#): > > For the first two words in my novel. I misread your Chapter One as Clutter Won. Actually, I got a large portion of plot out of that misread, too. “Chapter One” are my first two words. “Clutter Won” is a description of the battle I had with my house last night. 🙂 Oh, and **Ino** , New Jersey zombies, at least, proceed at a general mosey-pace, unless they’re in the mall, in which case they can motor like nobody’s business. Just in case your characters need to go a’travelin’. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/105 "2004-11-01T20:50:48Z")
Is that near the Virginia Piedmont? I’ve read that the Virginia-Piedmont (Gang) Green can shamble at 20 SPM (shambles per minute) with an average forward-vector shamble step of 13" on clear, level ground. Back of the envelope calculations give me about 22 feet per minute of forward travel. (We know that a lot of lateral “noise” is included in the shamble as a result of the damage to the inner ear of the zombie.) If I’m calculating correctly, that gives me about 1/4 mph for the Virginia-Piedmont (Gang) Green. Note the distinction from the Virginia-Piedmont (Sea-Foam) Green. These zombies can travel upwards of 60 mph, as they still retain the ability to drive. They are generally easy to spot by their erratic, weaving driving; their propensity to blare country music at speaker-blowing volume; and their bizarre tendency to eschew eating brains and instead obsessively insist on voting for Pat Buchanan. While their politics are extremely caustic and should be avoided at all costs, given a pen and a piece of paper with any possible variation of the words “pat” and “buchanan,” they will happily spend hours checking off the “ballot” and asking about “recounts.” ---
**Author:** ![lel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8797f3/32.png) [@lel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/106 "2004-11-02T02:59:42Z")
Geez, here I was going to talk word count, and y’all are talking mid-Atlantic zombies. 1,690 words down, a whole lot to go. I’m pretty on schedule, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/107 "2004-11-02T03:02:08Z")
830 words. And counting. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/108 "2004-11-02T03:02:33Z")
991 words, which in all honesty is better than I thought I’d do for the entire month. ---
**Author:** ![smartini](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/22d042/32.png) [@smartini](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smartini)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/109 "2004-11-02T03:12:48Z")
0 words :eek: but that’s about par for me, I’ll get there 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/110 "2004-11-02T03:42:41Z")
So I did end up joining. 1056 words for me so far. And for anyone who’s obsessive about how well they are doing [NaNoWriMo Report Card](http://erikbenson.com/nanowrimo-report-card.xls) It’s for excel and figures how much you’ve done and how much you have to go as well as other nifty things like that 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/111 "2004-11-02T03:58:18Z")
924 words ☹ I’m off to a slow start, due in part to a loooooong exposition. I’m also hashing out various details as I go along. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/112 "2004-11-02T04:31:20Z")
You want slow? Try 334 words, kids. ☹ Mind you, I have loads of free time tomorrow, so I’ll probably catch up. ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/113 "2004-11-02T04:38:04Z")
**js\_africanus** - Now you just need to find a way to work your zombie taxonomy into your NaNo. Think of the wordcount! I’m on 2379 right now, which is a-ok. If I can keep it up, I’m golden. Of course, if I can’t, then I’m screwed. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/114 "2004-11-02T04:43:38Z")
Beginning my novel has reaffirmed two things: one, I can’t write dialogue to save my life; and two, it’s impossible for me to write a long sustained scene. I’ll write a few hundred words and want to move on to another chapter because I _cannot_ keep it interesting. Too many years of 700-word school essays, probably… ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/115 "2004-11-02T04:51:49Z")
Well, 1590 words down. I’ve already taken a few unexpected twists and turns just in my prologue - I learned that my hero (of this part of the piece, anyway) has a friend/roommate with a quick tongue and carefree spirit - a dramatic foil for the contemplative and smaller hero. I also met the overbearing and self-righteous head-boy who has been the bane of their existence to date. And it turns out that their master is the lone survivor of his clan, which was nearly wiped out by the dreaded Black Lotus organization. Or is he? Later this week I have a feeling we’ll see the Black Lotus realize that the master is still alive, and send an assassin squad to wipe out the monastery. But not before our hero learns the truth of his origins from the master, who lays dying in his arms. Hastily written novels about ninja revenge kick ass. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/116 "2004-11-02T05:20:48Z")
2064 and it’s time for bed. I have discovered that Angie Schneider will follow a trail of Ben and Jerry’s, but I can’t keep this up. I’ll get ants! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/117 "2004-11-02T05:43:24Z")
You pikers! You are actually taking the time to, you know, name your characters! Next thing you know your story will have a plot! (Sigh. I’m going to sign up as well…3700 words so far.) ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/118 "2004-11-02T05:58:27Z")
I’ve got about 1950 right now. I would have more, but I have to knit, too, or Christmas will be a very sad one. I’m not too worried about my plot holding up, as all that’s happened is an opening scene and my main character has taken a shower and driven to school. ---
**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 2, 2004, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/119 "2004-11-02T06:21:01Z")
I’m in, too. So far I’ve got 1300 words of the climactic battle scene. This is known as eating the frosting first, and is probably a very bad sign. ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081/120 "2004-11-02T07:09:26Z")
I’m calling it a night. Net wordage for day one: 1912. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-nanowrimo-support-group-for-novice-novel-writers-with-too-much-time-thread/268081.md?page=7)