Under Your Skin
Off-topic Discussion => Random Discussion => Topic started by: yuichen on Oct 29, 2015, 07:45PM
-
November is national novel writing month (or Nanowrimo)! Anyone participating this year?
I did my first a couple years ago and got nowhere near the goal, but it was kind of fun all the same. I'm considering doing it this year with a rewrite of the the same story, seeing that it didn't end up quite what I wanted. It will require a lot of prep first but even if I have to wing a lot of it, maybe later on I'll find myself able to piece things together and have something manageable. Here's hoping anyway! :P
-
I am (although you knew that already). Mostly because I like to be insane and see if I can't do it just to get the dang rough draft down. Last year was rough with work (oh the holidays...they can die in retail...) but this year shouldn't be as bad. Granted not feeling time pressure may be my undoing.
I've tried using an app to help with progress and I recommend Writeometer (Android, not sure which versions support it). You put in your goal and how much time you can dedicate, then set it up to remind you on certain days. Every time you reach your goal for the day, it gifts you a guava (don't ask, I don't know why they chose guavas). You can put in rewards for yourself for a certain amount of guavas. I might end up putting in something like 2 guavas = 1 hour of game time because it's something I will want to do and will help me from getting burned out too early. It can update you on your progress, how many words you need for every day to reach your goal, and so on. Kinda neat. It helped me finish my story-that-wasn't-supposed-to-be-a-story-but-it-ended-up-that-way.
Honestly, winging it gives you the freedom to make mistakes. Whether or not those are bad mistakes or good mistakes is all up to you. It's one of the biggest points I took from college--writing something then scrapping it later wasn't a waste. Rather, you had to write it in order to find out it didn't work. And that is progress. It's so easy to get down on your writing and on yourself, thinking one or the other isn't good enough. Especially so when you're pressed for time and things aren't working out quite right. Knowing that every word written is progress forward--always forward!--helps calm your mind down enough and gives you the ability to say and mean "I can do it!"
At least, that's how it is for me.
-
The app sounds quite helpful :) I remember you mentioned using one but I don't think you elaborated on it.
I already feel a little overwhelmed and I haven't started writing anything since sorting out some details. I think the issue is that I'm choosing to do something far bigger than I am. I don't want it to stop me, mind you, but I have this voice whispering at the back of my mind that I'm going to fail in a big way. I still want to try anyway.
If nothing else, it should be more exciting than the soap opera bullshit of the Cutlers. Even though I love some of those characters :/
-
To be fair, almost anything is bigger than you are, Hobbit-child. :p
And naw, it's not bigger than you are. You just aren't familiar with it yet. Like GGRM's A Dance with Dragons or Rothfuss's Wise Man's Fear, their size could be intimidating at first. But if you ease yourself into it, and stay brave, you'll work through it easy enough. Ignore the hell out of that dumb voice. You got this. The entire thing is a marvelous journey, however it works out.
Lol, to be fair, the telenovela-esque Cutlers are their own species of story. You're allowed to like the characters, no matter the context they were in. They were your creations, after all.
-
Lol, this is true :P Why can't I get leg extensions?? And torso while we're at it.
You know how awful that voice can be though :/ I'll push through it and hope for the best. Not like things can't be tweaked.
-
Well, how's your first day of writing gone so far?
I've hit goal, just feel off about my style again. Kind of clunky and rough. Granted, I expect some of that just because I've been on a hiatus since my mythos story was finished a couple months ago. (Holy crap already it's been a few months.)
Honestly I should just jump back into reading more. I did just finish a short story but the writing was pretty plain and uninspiring. Not sure why the reviewers thought it was super impressive, but I digress. Guess it's time for more Rothfuss! :D
-
Well, I did more than I was expecting to even though I didn't reach the daily goal. Considering how noisy the husband was being it's a wonder I got more than a paragraph. As far as the writing itself, I wouldn't say it was a good start. I picked up from where I left off in that file I showed you, but it feels pretty lackluster. Forced, even. I'm hoping tomorrow will be better with Jay gone to work.
Maybe they liked the story more than the writing style?
-
Eh, I don't know. The writing style was bland and the story was...well, while there were a few little moments where I was wondering what was going to happen next, the main character spent the entire beginning saying "I won't stay here, I don't owe them anything" and then spends the rest of the book getting into the army, marrying a local, attending the local church, dealing with assassins, righting the wrongs of the city, etc. And they keep mentioning this "maddening" thing and I frankly didn't understand what it was, why he had it, what it meant, etc. I just knew what it did. I dunno.
And, from what I read, your story is coming along nicely. I peeked in a few times and the writing was fine. Grand, even. I didn't read anything that felt forced or tight or awkward. Maybe a word or two out of place but that's what it's all about. Not a big deal. I'm sure I have plenty of typos in mine. The main thing is just to write. Get stuff down. Put it down and often. :)
-
That sounds a bit underwhelming, especially if they don't take the time to explain what the maddening thing is :/ They must not have had a good feedback system during the writing process or something, 'cause who would willingly let that go to print with such a gaping plot hole? Goofs.
I know it's not my worst but i'm well aware that it's not my best, either. It doesn't help that I'm not really sure where I'm going right now, aside from a small chunk coming up next. It's only a general idea at that, but I imagine I'll figure it out as I go along. I pulled most of the stuff from last night out of my ass... which was far less painful than it sounds xD
-
They might have but I certainly don't remember them mentioning it. Thought that would have stood out.
Ha, I pull shit for stories out of my ass all the time. I know it's not a painful process, just an odd one. ;)
-
You'd think it would. I can't imagine you'd miss it unless it was just that boring.
-
I think the last thing I read and really liked was Brandon Sanderson's Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell. So I guess the question will be: which Rothfuss story to crack open again? Slow Regard of Silent Things? Name of the Wind? Wise Man's Fear? The Lightning Tree?
-
The Lightning Tree??
I read a little of The Way of Kings this afternoon. Kaladin just became the Bridgeleader.
-
The Lightning Tree is in an anthology called Rogues. Clever little bit of work.
Oh Kaladin. Such an unlikely guy. And yet, really freaking lucky too. Hand in hand I suppose. If you like that book, there's a second one out. Words of Radiance. A little longer than the first one too. You might also like Warbreaker, now that I think of it. The characters and how they interact with the world are quite nice. It's standalone at the moment, but I think he has plans to write more and make it a series.
-
*adds to list*
Ohh okay, gotcha. I don't know why I keep forgetting he did that -.-
-
A few helpful links for those participating for NaNo:
Merriam Webster Dictionary and Thesaurus (For word choice and word research): www.merriam-webster.com
Wikipedia (For research and ideas): www.wikipedia.org (http://www.wikipedia.org)
Writing Excuses (A Brandon Sanderson and others hosted site, very clever and helpful): http://www.writingexcuses.com/ (http://www.writingexcuses.com/)
Behind the Name (Names and name research, accurately and historically accurate): www.behindthename.com (http://www.behindthename.com)
Chaotic Shiny (So many generators, for all kinds of things: stars, religion, peoples, cities, etc): www.chaoticshiny.com (http://www.chaoticshiny.com)
Seventh Sanctum (More generators, place names, people names, etc): http://www.seventhsanctum.com/ (http://www.seventhsanctum.com/)
Donjon (World generators, RPG generators, and the like): http://donjon.bin.sh/ (http://donjon.bin.sh/)
-
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why she's fabulous :P
-
Eh, I have my moments.
Furthermore, I did over 5k words today, and still kind of want to press on. It's coming along easily! It's a miracle! (Watch it dry out by the 15th...)
I am generalizing a lot but I have a TON of time to cover and unless you want to know every time someone sneezes, well...tough. Latter will get more detailed I'm sure.
-
Shhh, don't say that! You might jinx yourself! D:
I'm glad it's going well though :)
-
And so concludes Nano 2015! I'm happy to report both Cadoc and I reached the 50,000 word goal :D
I'm also happy to see it end because now I can relax a little. Here I come, games!