NaNoWriMo

Fun Stuff for Write Stuff Wrimos:Here are some ways the Write Stuff WriMos can have a little fun outside of actually writing:

  • List your word count here. This way, others can tell, at-a-glance, how well, (or NOT well), you’re doing. There will also be a contact link so that you can bug that writer into getting back on track (if the writer chooses to leave a contact link). If you’re participating in the program and would like to have a word count graph, as shown on this page, either email Karen at writestuff at take2max dot com, or leave a comment here. If you would like to have a contact link so that people can “bug” you (and yes, that includes me), then please leave that information in your request (either a link back to your blog with your contact info located there, or however you want to do it. It might be best to email me your contact addy so you don’t get picked up by spam bots). To be fair to everyone, I will need to verify your participation in NaNoWriMo in order to put a word count graph on the page. This means I’ll need a link to your NaNoWriMo profile page when you request a graph, please. Here is a link to my profile page so you’ll know what I’m asking for.
  • NaNoWriMo Carnival. Every Saturday in November, I will post links to NaNoWriMo excerpts submitted by NaNoWriMo participants. It’ll be structured like the Creative Carnival - various links will be provided to WriMo excerpts. So, if you’re playing and would like people to see a bit of what you’re working on, submit your links here (beginning in November - all submissions received before November 1st or after November 30th for the NaNoWriMo Carnival will be rejected) and I’ll get those together to post Every Saturday. (Please, only post 1,000 words at a time. Anything longer and people tend to jump and skip). It might be helpful to post a short intro to your excerpt so visitors know a bit of what’s going on before reading something off-the-wall. :)
  • There will be a NaNoWriMo contest. Beginning November 9th, WriMo participants will have a chance to submit a link to their best NaNoWriMo excerpt. Visitors will then vote for the one they think has the best potential of becoming a full-fledged novel. The winner will receive a $20.00 gift certificiate to Amazon.com OR one year’s subscription to Writer’s Digest - winner’s choice. (Again, to be fair, I will need a link back to your NaNoWriMo profile page to verify you’re participating. Please leave a link to your profile in the comment section of the sticky note that will appear November 9th. Thank you).
  • Mini-prizes will be awarded to WriMos for reaching certain word count goals. (You must have a word count graph on this page in order to be eligible for these mini-prizes). The first person to reach 25,000 words will receive a $10 gift certificate to Amazon.com. And the first person to reach the 50,000 word goal first will win a Write Stuff journal. (I would love to award more prizes for word count goals, but I’m not made of money. If you would like to donate a prize to WriMo’s when they reach a certain word count, please email me. If you know of anyone who would like to hand out promotional material, or you would be interested in donating a gift to encourage fellow Write Stuff WriMos, please email me! Thanks so much guys!)

______________________________

Attention Write Stuff Readers/Writers:

There will be a special Write Stuff forum on the NaNoWriMo website. This will be a great place to offer support and camaraderie for other Write Stuff/Wrimo participants.

NaNo will be HEAVILY promoted on this blog and if you’re not joining in, I warn you, you’ll feel left out. I simply can’t describe the sense of community one feels when taking on this challenge. I can’t promise you’ll finish 50,000 words in 30 days, but I can promise, it’ll be one of the best writing experiences you’ve ever had.

Join and find out what it’s all about.

So I’m wondering, DO YOU HAVE THE WRITE STUFF to become a novelist?

Prove it. icon_typing.gif

Karen
Write Stuff Administrator

______________________________

What is NaNoWriMo?

National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word [just 1,667 words a day!]) novel by midnight, November 30.

Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over talent and craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It’s all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.

Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that’s a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.

As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and — when the thing is done — the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.

In 2005, we had over 59,000 participants, 9769 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.

So, to recap:

What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month’s time.

Who: You! We can’t do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let’s write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era’s most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from your novel at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: Sign-ups begin October 1, 2007. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.

Have more questions? Read the FAQ’s.