NaNoWriMo

[JSR]

Does anyone else on this board participate in NaNoWriMo? Anyone having a go this year?

It takes up all of my free time when I do it (November is the worst month for my free time), but it's invariably very rewarding.

For those who don't know, NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month. In November, millions of people across the globe set pen to paper on November 1st with the aim of writing 50,000 words towards a novel by the 30th.

It's nothing serious, just a bit of fun, but it's just the excuse many people need to get writing.

They say that there's a novel inside everyone, will this year be the year that yours gets written?

Find out more: www.nanowrimo.org

[Ian]

Re: NaNoWriMo

I guess a lot of us feel we have a novel inside us I do - but as has been hinted at the problem is time and dedication, and confidence of course. Actually as a professional writer I have sometimes amazed myself at how much I can write in a day - around 6,000 words is my record. But that's when you know exactly what you need to write

Oddly enough, I don't really read novels these days...

Ian

[JSR]

Re: NaNoWriMo

It does help to know what you want to write, that's very true.

I started at midnight and got a little over 1,000 words before retiring for the night. When I start writing, I have a tough time stopping. My maximum in the past has been 12,000 in one day but that's more of a rarity. I can average 8,000-10,000 when I'm really on it but, otherwise, I'm content with around 3,000-4,000.

To hit the NaNo target, the daily average is 1,667 - which I think is achievable, even if it's a case of jotting down words during tea breaks.

Oddly, I find I work better by clearing the weekends and splurge through for a couple of days and then write nothing during the week - I use the week to conjure up ideas and allow the characters and scenarios to gestate a little ready for the weekend.

I once did a 120,000 word story in 6 weeks using just the weekends. Social life? What's one of them?

[Ian]

Re: NaNoWriMo

Have you submitted any stories to publishers?

Ian

[JSR]

Re: NaNoWriMo

No, I'm wayyyy too critical of my work for that!

I'll probably go down the indie root some day. That seems to be all the craze at present. I do have a blog/website for my stories, but it's a very low-key affair.

Incidentally, you'll be interested to know that I wrote this morning's 1,000+ words on my new Android phone. I was going to use my 7" tablet but, to be honest, the case with the integrated keyboard isn't conducive to fast typing and the screen isn't exactly the last word.

[Ian]

Re: NaNoWriMo

Do you use Swype or a conventional Android keyboard?

Ian

[JSR]

Re: NaNoWriMo

I didn't use Swype for this (I do use that for emails/texts, but I'm only just getting the hang of it).

No, I bought a near full-size keyboard for my iPad several months back and it works just fine with my phone. Not very portable, but I do have a tiny phone-sized bluetooth keyboard as well. I haven't tried that just yet.

The advantage of using the phone is that it's always with me, so I can read back on what I've written and make corrections whenever any time is available. Dropbox means I can pick up where I left off on any device that handles my .doc files (including the aforementioned tablet).

[Ian]

Re: NaNoWriMo

I haven't used full size external keyboard but I have used a bluetooth mouse with our Android devices - it's rather weird!

Ian

[JSR]

Re: NaNoWriMo

I haven't used a mouse with mine yet (the keyboard has cursor keys), but it is a bit odd to be using a keyboard that dwarfs the phone. I have wireless mice but not a bluetooth one.

Actually, I've checked and my keyboard isn't "nearly full size" as I stated - it's closer to about 75% or maybe even less. It's virtually identical to the size of the keyboard on my 8.9" netbook.

My "tiny" bluetooth keyboard is smaller than my current phone and is more of a novelty than a practicality. I think I'd do better with Swype than I would with that.