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Look--Moe just stepped on the keyboard and made a word! He thinks he's people!

So I’m thinking about NaNoWriMo, which is the ridiculous nickname of the National Novel Writing Month contest. While it seems an easy-breezy time compared to the 3-Day Novel, NaNoWriMo demands that you meet a word count of at least 50,000 (the 3-Day averages out to half that). Also, there’s no winner, or rather, everyone’s a winner!!! (assuming you finish.)

I’d forgotten about this contest until I popped by Rebecca’s site. I’ll recycle here what I said there, which is that I’d love to have completed the challenge, but I’m not too shit-hot on the idea of actually writing six and a half pages every night for the next month. That’s not good times, so far as I remember. However, the 3-Day Novel, for better or worse, always got me back into fiction in a big way, which is a kickstart I need very badly right now.

What do you think? Tell me what to do. And if you’ve got the yarbles, suffer with me.

Comments

Rebecca said…
For the record, the best I've ever done was in my first year, three years ago. I got just over 12,000 words then, and slightly less than that last year. So I was nowhere near the goal - so what? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I say go for it!
Anonymous said…
Dude, I will do this with you, if you like.

However, remember that I suck at writing.
Jay said…
I'm still trying to finish up the letter to my grandmother that I started in August. It's coming along nicely, I think. That first paragraph was mostly filler, but this second one, she's golden.
Anonymous said…
50,000 words?! Have I written that much in my entire life, cumulative?

Jeez. If you think it will kick start you, though, go for it. Even if you don't get to 50,000, maybe you will find an awesome new storyline and inspiration.
Dave said…
At this point, definitely leaning towards doing it. I had the thought on the walk to work this morning that it would be fun to try some kind of genre novel. I’m thinking horror right now because it strikes me as the easiest to do (though I’m probably wrong). Going the genre route means I don’t have to worry about it being important or timely or anything. It’s not big-L literature, or small-L literature, or even no-L literature(?), it’s just whatever it is.

Also, if I decide to do this on an annual basis I can switch up the genre each year. Maybe a kids book next year, sci-fi after that. Slowly but surely I’ll work my way up to my first erotic novel, which will go something like this:

So he stuck it in. And she was like, “Oh yeah! Oh God! Come on, baby—stick it in!” And he was like, “I already did.” And she was like, “Um, sure you did…”
Beth said…
Dave, you should write a 50,000 word novel in the genre of "Beth's thesis." And then can I borrow it?
Anonymous said…
Given Dave's penchant for the erotic, Beth, you might want to reconsider.

I chatted with Dave today (telephonically) and I will join him in his quest to write.

I have a feeling that this is going to suck, as I will probably have 1 less week to do it than Dave, as I'm hoping to go on a cruise.

In that vein..
Anyone know any good 7-day dealies that we can go on?
Beth said…
Jorge, why don't you write your 50,000 word novel in the genre of "Beth's thesis." Then, I can meld together yours with Dave's (removing any of the erotic stuff) and voila!
Dave said…
Jorge is the man for joining me in my pain.

Beth: What about the Mr.? He doesn't have any plans for all of November, does he?
Rebecca said…
Bwahahaha - it would appear that my dastardly plan to suck random aquaintances into this event is working!

Beth: I would be pleased to contribute whatever word count I end up with towards your thesis. Can you do anything with Firefly-esque sci-fi?
Anonymous said…
Glad you and Jorge are doing it --as well as participating in the contest. Can't wait to read the results. Genre is good.

I'll be unemployed and back in the country on Oct. 24th so I'm thinking about it, but first I have to get some time to write detailed comments about a good short story I read months ago.(It's not totally my fault, though, as warlords are agitating. Once back in Halifax this is a less viable excuse.)
Beth said…
Dave: I will pass the website onto the Mr. He's a grad student, so he could take a month off and I'm sure no one would notice.

Rebecca: Thanks! I'm pretty sure I could work some Firefly-esque sci-fi into it. I'm pretty sure that no one ever reads the whole thing anyway, so maybe I'll even stick Dave's erotic children's book in there too! =)
Anonymous said…
Dave, I just thought about your title.

Is Moe Soylent Green?
Dave said…
Um... keep thinking
Anonymous said…
Fuck it. I'm back in the saddle. Just give me a page. A page is enough. Take genre seriously. And don't write any shite! Remind me to send you the Big Laffs that were the fruit of my abortive collaboration with Put and Beebs.
kris said…
Oh yeah. You definitely should do it. I, on the other hand, would absolutely not make it. I find it difficult to even do Flash Fiction Friday. Hell, I find it hard to blog three times a week.

You are a stronger woman than I. DO it.
Anonymous said…
Hey.
Did you ever finish your 50000 word novel?

Because a guy I know is STILL THINKING ABOUT HOW THE FUCKING STORY ENDS.

Yes.

I tell him to calm down a lot.

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