Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

Who participates in NaNoWriMo? Who has won? Who has failed? This was my first year. I failed. Trying again. If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo click here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/

but the link goes on about 2010
and says its a bout month just writing in novemebr- its april so this is to early?

Madeline wrote: "Who participates in NaNoWriMo? Who has won? Who has failed? This was my first year. I failed. Trying again. If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo click here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/"
I'm in. I was just thinking about this today.

Afsana wrote: "but the link goes on about 2010
and says its a bout month just writing in novemebr- its april so this is to early?"

Some of us are NaNo freaks. I've been planning my novel for November since...the end of NaNo last year. Haha.

Oh, and btw, I failed this past year, but it was also my first. I mean, I could have done it if I tried hard enough, but I felt the book was going nowhere and it was worthless to go on with a book that didn't have a point.

i tried in november but failed as well. I'm still thinking bout trying again.

What's there to lose?

Can you really write a well-planned novel in a month? My first novel took 3 months of writing and 9 months of editing.
When does someone start planning a novel? Jeffrey Deaver said he researches his book in the first two months.

You can plan your novel for as long as you want before NaNo. You write like crazy during November. It's not really meant to be the best book ever...you can edit and revise/rewrite after November if you really like the story. If you don't like it, then you just had a month of writing practice. That's just my opinion, I see what you are saying, though.

maybe i'll try it again.

Spiffy.

for those who do the November writing insanity, where do you do your writing? I have not taken my computer out of my apt yet, so in my home with the tv on.

I won nano in 2009 and 2010. In 09, I wrote a story that I'd been thinking about for several years but just needed the incentive to write down. I am in for 2011 too. (I write the majority in bed actually!)

I've been participating since 2004 and have won each year. It's been a marvelous challenge. I tend to write at home in front of my tv and computer and at work during very slow periods, (I work the over night shift.)

i take it more then one winner?

yep.

You win if you write at least 50,000 words during the month.

It's actually a lot of fun, even though it can get crazy and stressful at times. :) My first year was 2009, and I won. So my story was just okay and my writing was terrible, but who cares? I wrote a novel. :) I got the free proof copy they offered, which was pretty amazing. To actually have a book printed that had my name on it and that I wrote.

I tried again last year, but didn't win. I'm definitely planning on trying again this November. I need to start thinking about a plot.

I must admit that I've never heard of this...

I'm a long-time WriMo - since 2003. You're not trying to write great literature doing NaNo. The idea is just to WRITE. You have to write an average of about 2000 words a day to make it (1667). As Chris Baty, the founder, is wont to say, yeah, you write a lot of crap. But you write a LOT of words and start developing a habit of writing. And you can really mine the crap for some diamonds in the rough later.

NaNo is great for de-mystifying novel writing, making it something that anyone can try and have fun with. It also turns the solitary craft into a social thing. Write-ins are the best! That's where several WriMos from your local area get together at a coffee shop or where-ever and all write, make up challenges, do word sprints...

The whole thing is a wonderful, magical insanity, and it really is easier knowing there are thousands of other lunatics doing the same crazy thing at the same time as you.

I have participated twice and won twice (2009 + 2010). I am however still struggling with the rewrite of my 2009-nano...

I think this is something I will have to try this year...thanks for the info everyone.

I had a great time with NaNo - it was the first time I'd legitmately participated, and it was such a great feeling to win. Now I just need to finish the thing. And edit. And revise. And edit some more ...!

Sadly, I have a nice little collection of unfinished novels (although over 50,000 words) from my years doing it. But I do have 6 that I intend to finish, especially this past year's, the title and synopsis for which were 1 of 30 picked by professional cover artists to do a cover for - see my avatar on here. I'm in the midst of some major research and getting underway with starting a new first draft from scratch - but November provided me a lot of good ideas I'll still be using!

Oh, I remember! The horror story about the world running out of coffee! *shiver* That sounded great. And congrats on that cover - it's terrific.

I've only done Nano twice but I can't imagine November without my writing marathon.

Hannah wrote: "I've only done Nano twice but I can't imagine November without my writing marathon."

I'm with you on that. It's my social life, too. I would put the Region of Austin, Texas up against any place for both fun and serious participants, and our ML is so good at it that I live in fear of her deciding to give it up. You can attend a write in of some sort just about every day in November. The 12-hour (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) lockdown is mind-expanding.

I'm going to do it (attempt) this year purely for the goal achievement. Just so I can scratch NanoWriMo off my bucket list.

Madeline wrote: "Who participates in NaNoWriMo? Who has won? Who has failed? This was my first year. I failed. Trying again. If you haven't heard of NaNoWriMo click here:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/"

Many people who start, start way earlier than november, it's not considered cheating!

Sonya wrote: "for those who do the November writing insanity, where do you do your writing? I have not taken my computer out of my apt yet, so in my home with the tv on."

Awesome! IT MUST BE FRAZZLING BUT REWARDING to win!

Hannah wrote: "I won nano in 2009 and 2010. In 09, I wrote a story that I'd been thinking about for several years but just needed the incentive to write down. I am in for 2011 too. (I write the majority in bed ac..."

COOL! COngrats

Laurie wrote: "yep."

WOW! AWESOME! Is it published?

Mark wrote: "I must admit that I've never heard of this..."

HAve to pull an all-writer (nighter... lame literature puns ftw!)

Tracey wrote: "I had a great time with NaNo - it was the first time I'd legitmately participated, and it was such a great feeling to win. Now I just need to finish the thing. And edit. And revise. And edit so..."

GOOD LUCK!

NaNo doesn't get you published - although Water for Elephants started out as a NaNo book, iirc! - but it's a great kick in the pants toward it.

Madeline wrote: "GOOD LUCK!"
Thanks!!