[NaNoWriMo] Stop posting and start writing

Quoth

Um, technically you're supposed to write more like 1,700 words per day... but to answer your question, absolutely. Do I need to give my sprint lecture again or has everyone gotten sick of it already?

Megazver

Knock yourself out.

Quoth

Ok, how to sprint the Quothtastic way:

Get some kind of timer with an alarm. Set it for at least five minutes and at most twenty minutes; ten minutes is my sweet spot so I recommend you start there. For those ten minutes, write. When the alarm goes off, stop writing. Go do something else for at least another ten minutes, even if you are bursting with more things to say. Especially if you are bursting with more things to say, because you will probably be even more bursting when you sit back down to pick up where you left off. Repeat as many times as necessary to meet your daily quota.

I typically average 250 words per sprint, so I have to do 7 sprints per day to make quota. That's only a bit over an hour of writing. I've never met anyone who averaged fewer than 100 words, which would be 17 sprints or about three hours of writing. Honestly, most people in my groups are faster than I am, and I think once you get into the groove you will be surprised by how much you can accomplish in ten minutes.

It's a beautiful thing because your brain will simultaneously say "it's only ten minutes, I can manage that" and "I only have ten minutes, I have to hurry!" So you tend to feel both less intimidated by the enormity of the task and more pressured to produce rapidly because of the time constraint. It is foolproof.

Dalboz

I need to write down more of my ideas, but as I'm thinking about it, more characters and plot aspects are starting to come together. I've already known for a long time what I want the main theme of the book to be, as well as the main point of the world I want to develop, but had some difficulty framing it into a plot. Now that seems to be coming together and I'm developing more direction. Come Nov. 1, I should have a full map of where I want to go developed, although I'm still torn on how I want to end the novel, which is probably the sticking point. I have the beginning and the theme, but if I don't know the ultimate endpoint, I'm not sure where I'm ultimately going with it.

I also have the cover of the novel in mind, so I need to start brushing up on my Photoshopping skills, or get someone to do it for me.

And remember, kids, http://thesaurus.reference.com/ is your friend.

jacripe

Online thesauri are really the only reason I can consider myself a writer to degrees

InkSplat

Everyone I've ever known who relied on a thesaurus to write was someone whose work I quickly learned to avoid reading. If you write something and use the thesaurus often, it is usually painfully obvious.

Quoth

I tend to rely on a thesaurus only when I can't think of a word that I already know. I look up another related word that I can remember and then skim until I find the one I actually want. But I rarely use it to pad my vocabulary. If you don't know a word in the first place, you probably shouldn't be using it.

On the other hand, the thesaurus can be helpful in teaching people new words, so yay!

Edcrab

I'd discourage the use of a thesaurus, if only so that when you write, you've got a very good grasp of what the words you're using really mean. It can lead to choked up sentences like, say, "rescind your early mandate" instead of "change your mind".

EDIT: DAMMIT QUOTH!

Quoth

Hey Ed, can I write a sequel to Staff Room or are you going to post something else?

Edcrab

There're fourteen Staff Room shorts but none of them have any semblance of continuity (and some of them desperately need rewritten before I'll let Ficlyites see 'em). You'd be more than welcome to add your own I'd be honoured, in fact.

Quoth

Maybe you should post a couple more first... I don't want to make things up and have them not make any sense in the grand scheme of things. Or you can send them directly to me just so I have a sense of perspective.

In other news, I still can't decide what my novel should be about. I fail.

Edcrab

I think you can probably grasp the setting better than you think: you've seen a lot of my other stuff, which all tends to exist in the same universe. And you co-hosted that mini! Maybe I'll post a couple more.

If you're really concerned, you can send me your sequel before putting it up and I'll PASS JUDGEMENT, but that seems a bit silly.

Quoth

I meant more that I don't want to make up students and teachers that don't fit, or that are the same as ones you already have when I can just use yours.

Gandalf_the_Crazed

Yeah, I only ever use the thesaurus to jog my memory -- when I'm like, "The word is on the tip of my tongue here, I just can't quite remember it. I think it starts with an R?" That kind of thing.

Of course, that happens to me a lot, so I'd be pretty lost without a thesaurus.

Edcrab

Quoth wrote: »

I meant more that I don't want to make up students and teachers that don't fit, or that are the same as ones you already have when I can just use yours.

Well... I'll send them your way later tonight, then. Despite having 5,000 students, Hailriver has a surprisingly small repeat cast

Quoth

Edcrab wrote: »

Quoth wrote: »

I meant more that I don't want to make up students and teachers that don't fit, or that are the same as ones you already have when I can just use yours.

Well... I'll send them your way later tonight, then. Despite having 5,000 students, Hailriver has a surprisingly small repeat cast

Are they in your book because if so just tell me where and I'll find it. Likewise for classes and such. I was basically planning to have Cerrekk walk into a classroom full of sullen 'kinetics and have shenanigans ensue.

Edcrab

Yes, but the book isn't available in its entirety! Cerrekk teaches three classes: the "promising" 12-15s who are early bloomers, and the advanced classes for the 16-17s, and he later starts doing an after-hours class- advanced theory/social studies for the senior years- because he decides they're all dumb and in need of a hand.

Oh, and I picture the classes being more like lecture theatres- big steepled seating rows, not fully occupied. And... uh... that's about it.

jacripe

I've got this really big pet peeve about not using words twice in close proximity. Not all words, just the main words. So a thesaurus is pretty helpful with that. Been getting better about over-elaborate word choices, but, to be fair, my needlessly long words came from myself and not the thesaurus. Not that it makes them any better.

EDIT: You know, the funny thing is I've been using the thesaurus to replace my needlessly complicated verbage for simpler shit...

God, does this mean I should just cut my thumbs off and be done with it or what?

Wank

I use a thesaurus if I spot the same word too many times in too short a span. Like seeing three uses of "assess" and replacing one with "determine."

Silvoculous

InkSplat wrote: »

So, I picked up a book yesterday called "Endangered Words" which has a 100 words of the English language that are hardly ever seen/used any more. Some of them are incredibly good at sparking a train of thought and providing some quick inspiration.

The Internet has provided me with a vast alternative.

slacktron

Silvoculous wrote: »

InkSplat wrote: »

So, I picked up a book yesterday called "Endangered Words" which has a 100 words of the English language that are hardly ever seen/used any more. Some of them are incredibly good at sparking a train of thought and providing some quick inspiration.

The Internet has provided me with a vast alternative.

Verily, a most eximious list!

Dalboz

jacripe wrote: »

I've got this really big pet peeve about not using words twice in close proximity. Not all words, just the main words. So a thesaurus is pretty helpful with that. Been getting better about over-elaborate word choices, but, to be fair, my needlessly long words came from myself and not the thesaurus. Not that it makes them any better.

This is what I mainly use it for, mostly just to vary up the word choices a bit rather than complicate things. That and the whole idea where I know the concept I want to express, but the right word is escaping me at the moment. It was how I came up with the title of my novel this year. I knew the basic concept that I wanted in the title, but wasn't happy with what I actually thought up. I used the thesaurus get some other ideas in the direction I wanted to go.

So this year, I'm writing "Payroll: A Novel."

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo

I'm going to take a crack at this this year, couple ideas floating around. Going to try Quoth's sprint method, thanks for posting that.

The one problem I run into is that I can get major plot points down, I know what happens in the beginning, how it ends, and the big plot points that need to happen throughout, but I'm afraid once I hit the writing stage that I'll just end up with little to no in-between material and then everything will feel like it's happening too fast. Anyone else have this problem? Know any solutions?

Plainclothesman

Man, you're not alone there. I suck at pacing more than anything.

I'm going to write a detective mystery this year! Something that needs lots of planning. I'm going to plan the shit out of it. There's gonna be an old dude and like a house and maybe a murder or something (???)

Is anable going to sort out his PA NaNoers site this year? Competing for wordcount on that thing was a great motivator.

jacripe

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo wrote: »

I'm going to take a crack at this this year, couple ideas floating around. Going to try Quoth's sprint method, thanks for posting that.

The one problem I run into is that I can get major plot points down, I know what happens in the beginning, how it ends, and the big plot points that need to happen throughout, but I'm afraid once I hit the writing stage that I'll just end up with little to no in-between material and then everything will feel like it's happening too fast. Anyone else have this problem? Know any solutions?

Sorry, but I have to ask. What is up with your name???

Horseshoe

i'm going to guess that it was inflicted by the admin

Wank

Well, I've got about six pages of planning. Starting to feel ready to write this novel!8-)

Silvoculous

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo wrote: »

The one problem I run into is that I can get major plot points down, I know what happens in the beginning, how it ends, and the big plot points that need to happen throughout, but I'm afraid once I hit the writing stage that I'll just end up with little to no in-between material and then everything will feel like it's happening too fast. Anyone else have this problem? Know any solutions?

All the time. By the final few days of November last year, I was basically making things up as I went along. Brainstorming aloud or on paper really helped me work out most of the kinks in the plot.

What is up with your name???

He was a good little boy.

jacripe

Silvoculous wrote: »

What is up with your name???

He was a good little boy.

Damn... I gotta watch my step in here. Perhaps I should re-read the rules >.>

Quoth

I have decided to write pulp because I think I am decent at that. Indiana Jones meets Lovecraft meets uh Dresden Files?

Silvoculous

jacripe wrote: »

Damn... I gotta watch my step in here. Perhaps I should re-read the rules >.>

I'm only saying, good little boys get Metal Gear Solid 2 demos.

jacripe

Quoth wrote: »

I have decided to write pulp because I think I am decent at that. Indiana Jones meets Lovecraft meets uh Dresden Files?

This'll be interesting. I wanted to do a sort of crime pulp feel to mine. Trying to make it more 70's exploitation, wanton violence kinda shit. We'll see how it turns out.

And shit-fuck. I found my book from last year while I was cleaning up the backups. Should I just delete it and pretend this never happened???

Quoth

Never delete anything. Keep it if only as an example of how much better you've gotten. Also you can always mine it for ideas later.

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo

jacripe wrote: »

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo wrote: »

I'm going to take a crack at this this year, couple ideas floating around. Going to try Quoth's sprint method, thanks for posting that.

The one problem I run into is that I can get major plot points down, I know what happens in the beginning, how it ends, and the big plot points that need to happen throughout, but I'm afraid once I hit the writing stage that I'll just end up with little to no in-between material and then everything will feel like it's happening too fast. Anyone else have this problem? Know any solutions?

Sorry, but I have to ask. What is up with your name???

Name Change thread, wanted the patented Enders callsign, got what I actually think is a pretty witty alternative

I've also narrowed down my novel choices to a cyberpunk murder mystery I've had planned out for a bit or a political space opera epic

Wank

My plot is pretty basic and I'm worried I might actually run out of story before I hit the 50 k mark.

Megazver

Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo wrote: »

I'm going to take a crack at this this year, couple ideas floating around. Going to try Quoth's sprint method, thanks for posting that.

The one problem I run into is that I can get major plot points down, I know what happens in the beginning, how it ends, and the big plot points that need to happen throughout, but I'm afraid once I hit the writing stage that I'll just end up with little to no in-between material and then everything will feel like it's happening too fast. Anyone else have this problem? Know any solutions?

Deface your wall by drawing three lines on it, one below the other, with enough space between that you could pin an index card there. The lines need to be ten to fifteen index cards long. These are your act breaks. What's above the first line is act one, the two lines below that are the two halves of act two, and below the final line is act three.

Write down every scene you currently have in your head on an index card. First, a brief description of what happens in the scene. Then, a one line description of the scene's conflict. No conflict? No scene. Finally, a one line description of the emotional change in the scene. A good story is a string of ups and downs and each scene is a sort of a mini-story. Something has to change by the end of it. A man finally gets a promotion and comes home in high spirits only to find out that his wife has left him. He's in good cheer at the start, he's numb with shock at the end. No change - no scene!

Once you're done, pin all the cards to the wall where you think they fit in the story, step back, look at all the empty space and start crying.

You might ask, why do all this work for NaNoWriMo? You're supposed to just wing it, take the story in your heart and run with it for a glorious hundred pages! To this I say: if you really could just wing it, pulling scene after scene out of your ass on the fly, without breaking a sweat, you wouldn't really be asking for advice in the thread, would you now? Hell, you wouldn't be doing NaNoWriMo.

Quoth

I don't think winging it is essential. It works for some people and not for others. Personally, I've used that method but with post-its instead of index cards so I don't totally deface the wall. Plus I try to track the character development and plot in different columns. And you can have another column to track anything going on with the bad guy that the character doesn't know.

jacripe

Are there any software versions of this? Maybe I should make my own, but the only coding I do right now is stuff for Macs....

Megazver

jacripe wrote: »

Are there any software versions of this? Maybe I should make my own, but the only coding I do right now is stuff for Macs....

Yeah, but it's, like, ninety bucks.

edit: Actually, I think there's more different apps. And they all cost a shit-ton.

jacripe

Shit, I bet I could make my own app in XCode... Wonder if I could do it in Java and embed it online or something.

Hrmmm