NaNoWriMo Support Group discussion

Are you having a hard time with were you are at your book? Are you just STUCK? Well see if we can help! Maybe explain what's going on. Why you feel like your stuck. you know, stuff like that!

Having such a hard time just chugging through nanowrimo, by this time I have already given up

Don't give up Meghan! I don't know what time of day you have chosen to write, but for me, I like to get up early before my first cup of coffee and just hammer it out. You would think it wouldn't help to be half asleep, but it's done wonders for me.

No plot, big problem.

Meghan, I agree, please don't give up on your novel. If you can't make it to 50k by the end of the week, so be it. That's ok. Keep writing in your own pace. I decided for that as well. What helped me keep at it was 750words.com, have you heard of that? You write at least 750 words every day, that keeps you on track. And I can tell you it will get easier to come up with 750 words or more every day.

Keep up the amazing work! The end of NaNo may not be the end of your story.

Amen! Couldn't have said it better! :)

Meghan wrote: "Having such a hard time just chugging through nanowrimo, by this time I have already given up"

Totally feel you. I wrote a blog post recently that may give you a few pointers.
http://www.jtschaad.com/how-to-nanowr...

As most of you might know I wasn't able to finish my own book, do to laptop failure and me being picky about what try of program i like to write with. But I was thinking of maybe getting over me being picky and maybe start another story. So? what do you think?

Go ahead!

No matter if it is the same story or a new one what matters is that you keep writing!

what about you (and me) do another nano this december? or at least as far as we get... i didn't finish either.

:D haha That would be great! But I think my goal is going to be a lot lower, that way I don't stress to much and feel like it's possible! XD

To paraphrase a friend: Make them dance.

Stein & Victoria,

I also have a lot to write, I did write my 50K words and got to the end of the 2nd part of a 3 part novel.

Editing will have to be postponed 'till January as December will be used to write the extra 20K + words needed to finish.

In either of you would wish to keep on, share progress and encouragement, I'm all for it.

Yes! I would love to! And I'm glad your still going for it too! good work and congrats on winning?

yeah i am all for it! but i gave up really early lol at 3k or so...

I just barely made it, 50,250 words, including "Comments, notes, and dedication.

Today I went to the beach (I live in Cancun) with my kids, while they swam and played on the sand I wrote on my notebook the beginning of the next chapter of the NaNovel, while getting a slight sunburn.

That sound nice to write on a beach. I've only been twice.

I got slightly sunburned but it was nice to write with the sound of the waves and the seagulls and with the kids so busy having fun they didn't have time to interrupt

My first novel took 35 years to complete. I got so busy with work (teaching) and couldn't think of an ending until I retired. Then I had time to put the book together with a great ending. I added a Prologue and Epilogue to have the story like I wanted it. I wasn't pressed for time because I self-published when I had it together. Of course, it's up to my heirs to profit from my work.

:D Hey at least you got id done Joseph! so what was doing NaNoWriMo like for you? compared to having all the time you needed? did ya like it? how many words did you get in?

Okay, you guys get to help me, I am at a situation.
Long story short, I am writing a genealogy cozy. My MC, her grandmother was adopted when she was around 4/5 years old. jump to today, the MC's son found an old newspaper article talking about the grandmother's mother being missing. They start the search, and find out the father of Sadie (MC's grandmother) had been a bigamist, and was married to both his first and second wife at same time. Ends up the second wife MAY have killed the second wife (and mother to Sadie) Anyway, the MC is at home alone when she gets a phone call, whom should she get the call from (this will take the book in whatever direction the phone call leads)
1) her daughter (who is 15) school, her daughter is sick
2) a genealogist saying they have found something interesting
3) someone saying her husband has had an accident
4) Sadie's nursing home (she is 90-93) has had a heart attack/stroke, or whatever

what say you??

2, or three sound good to me! :D

I like 3 :3

I like 2 and 4.

I believe that in 2 you have much more freedom.

Joseph wrote: "My first novel took 35 years to complete. I got so busy with work (teaching) and couldn't think of an ending until I retired. Then I had time to put the book together with a great ending. I adde..."

I admire your perseverance, 35 years!

A project I started 4 years ago is still gnawing at my consciousness, but I have not been able to do much with it. It took enrolling in NaNo to push the current Novel into an acceptable first draft, but I cannot think of tee way to revive the old novel attempt, the beginning is there but the heart of it is still not clear.

I cannot imagine how you kept yours alive for so long.

Uh... I have lots of proto-projects and have to focus on one at a time to get anything done. My current project is a book of Biblical Poetry. Then I could either edit a book about a mentally disabled man of Mexican descent; start a trilogy about a Swedish girl (Grace Anderson) which is a little like a Narnia-for-Adolescents; and a sequel to "Brazil." Then I have notes for various short stories I'd like to write... But I have to focus on one thing or else I'll never get anything done...

Maybe do a short story and then decide on a long term one?

Victoria, I'm thinking for the rest of December I will only write short stories if I write anything at all (outside of short stories for Good Reads contests). So I guess I'm taking your suggestion. I admit, I'm doing so mainly because I want a break from my book...

that's good! sometimes its just good to get all our small ideas out so when your writing your main one you don't have the other ones nagging your mind. also breaks or good! but be careful that you don't take to long of one ;)

Yeah-- I will have to bear that in mind. "There is plenty of rest in the grave."

I haven never been able to write a short story, every time I try it always ends up too long, how do keep it short and simple but a good storyline???

I say go ahead and write away and then when you are done, take the best parts and use them for a short. or I have seen people just take a seen from a story they have. short stories i feel are like the shadow of a book, even though they can be they are rarely a full story beginning to end, their more like a piece of a story.

I am not quite sure how it is in English but for German short stories there are a bunch of quite clear criteria to stick to to make it a short story.
Things like the plot starting without introductional things. Just jump right into the chaos. Characters are few and hardly described. You don't tell thoughts, more outer action. You have an open ending that keeps the reader thinking/wondering/going mad coz they won't get a clear ending...
Is that similar for English short stories? If so, then this would be a way to shorten your story. Throw out everything that does not belong there according to these criteria. If you feel uncomfortable with it, make a two-version-story.

Actually, I am working on a short story myself at the moment that I would like to submit to a writing contest. I still need to find a reasonable climax before the surprising end ;)

I never thought about taking something from one of my stories, there are lots of side stories that I could take out of them, thank you alot. I'm taking the class in a couple of weeks and its going to be on poetry and short stories so i'm glad i was able to get some idea of how to write them.
Good luck on the contest, I hope you win :)

Haley wrote: "I never thought about taking something from one of my stories, there are lots of side stories that I could take out of them, thank you alot. I'm taking the class in a couple of weeks and its going ..."

I bet it will be amazing!

SteinFussel wrote: "I am not quite sure how it is in English but for German short stories there are a bunch of quite clear criteria to stick to to make it a short story.
Things like the plot starting without introduct..."

thanks that is even helpful for me!

I guess... I hope nobody minds but I am going to describe my own cure for writer's block (I know I've discussed it before)... I go around wherever I go with a mini-notebook. Whenever I have an idea--however trivial-- I write it down. Then when I want to write, I get out my notebook and find an idea. Sometimes, if one is not enough, I combine other ideas into it. Then the story pretty much writes itself. I know I have explained this before, but I am convinced it works.

^^^ thanks a good idea!!!!!!

Jenny wrote: "I guess... I hope nobody minds but I am going to describe my own cure for writer's block (I know I've discussed it before)... I go around wherever I go with a mini-notebook. Whenever I have an ide..."

I do that when I'm out and about. I'll see places, people, and situations, and then they get me thinking, and I write down my ideas in there :) It's an awesome story idea starter.

Okkkay, I feel like Izobella ( lead character) is living in my brain and shouting at me (even though that makes me sound like a crazy person haha) The big issue i'm having is that everything that is passing through my mind is all garbled and I can't focus on any idea to write down. I do the same thing as Jenny with the notebook, but even when I try to get that down on paper It suddenly turns into another thought and another and I can't focus! i'm getting so frustrated, I'm not sure if anyone else goes as crazy as me but I just have too many ideas going through my head!
poo.

when I come across that problem I try to just write one word and carry it on from there then I may end up writing something I wanted or something I didn't think of before, thats what happened with one of my novels and it turned out to be a good idea. so try taking it word by word.
Or you could try taking a sentence or word from you idea, just a phrase or word to describe it then write something to go along with what you were thinking then you can sort it out as you see it on paper/computer

Sarah Louise wrote: "The big issue i'm having is that everything that is passing through my mind is all garbled and I can't focus on any idea to write down. I do the same thing as Jenny with the notebook, but even when I try to get that down on paper It suddenly turns into another thought and another and I can't focus! "

You could write everything, such as it is coming out of your mind, not worrying about how it sounds or how it looks on paper. Later you can go back to your garbled writing and separate the ideas and shape them into what you need in order to continue the story.

Yesterday I wrote a short story about a woman I saw skating where I go exercise in the morning (an outdoor track). I still have to write the end, just two or three lines. I'll see if I can get inspiration today.

I had to get up from bed at 11:30 last night to write. I had a jumbled dream that I had to put down in writing before I forgot about it. As many dreams, it is strange and unfinished, but it is the start of a story.

Oh man!!!! Almost all my stories are based on dreams I've had! I have this "dream book" on my dresser, and when I've had a really vivid dream, I write it down.

I usually don't remember my dreams, that is why I had to get up while I still had one fresh in my mind.

I'm writing books seperately from NanNo, would it be appropriate to ask for advice about them here? ._.

I don't see why not, we can all benefit from the answers to your questions.

Yeah of course you can! This is more of an author/writer advice group that also does a lot of stuff during NaNoWriMo :)

Thanks for the advice guys. I've finally broken through my block. I'm taking a different approach right now. I'm writing out all of the plot POINTS so I jump around and write a bit here and there. Only after that do I write how one point got to the next. It seems to get a lot of the vital stuff, which is the stuff I think of most out of the way so I can focus on the smaller parts.
Just thought I'd share that tip.

Last night I sat down with my critique group and figured out why I couldn't get past my opening. Not only did I have the wrong things happening before my story started, but I had the wrong motivation for my hero.

Can't wait to write tonight! Only the Gators are shooting hoops at 10pm... Maybe I can do both!