Obligatory NaNoWriMo post

[cjsmith]

Yes, I really really really want to.

No, I absolutely can't justify it, not sanely. I'm out of town seven days in November, I'm calling two square dance weekends (one long), I work at a startup where we have a deadline...

Therefore I propose a set of guidelines for myself.

1. If by October 31 I do not have enough square dance material already written, imported into CSDS, and backed up electronically in two places, for all events at which I will call during November, I am not allowed to start NaNoWriMo.
2. In addition, if by October 31 I do not have a plot outline, including character names, key turning points for all subplots, and all worldbuilding complete, I am not allowed to start NaNoWriMo. (None of this "figure it out on the fly" crap. I write much faster to spec, and I need speed.)
3. If at the end of any day during November I am behind on word count when compared to the nominal 1667 words per day for NaNoWriMo, I am out of the race. (None of this "catching up" crap. Extra energy in the latter part of the month is reserved for the deadline at work.)

Hold me to it, people. I'm not going to lie about what I've got done. Public Shaming if I feed the addiction rather than honoring my obligations.

Comments

[lkeele.livejournal.com]

You and me both, girlfriend. I signed up to, and I believe I'm stark ravers to do so, as I also plan on finishing the rough draft of my dissertation in November, despite the fact that I'm still quite behind on it, and did I mention I'm in a short story contest from Oct. 25th to Nov 1st?

Craaaaaazy.

I'll hold you to your promise, if you keep reminding me DISS COMES FIRST in November. Despite the fact that DissMoWriMo doesn't have a cool web site.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

To be absolutely 100% honest, the major reason I signed up this year (to "win" or "lose" rather than sitting it out entirely) is that I'm pretty sure that if I didn't, my username would be released for public consumption. With a name like mine I know that means I will lose it.

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Hold me to it, people.

Only if you hold me to my 10/31 obligations of a lab report, term paper rough draft, and sufficient study for two tests. :-)

Public Shaming if I feed the addiction rather than honoring my obligations.

Time in the stocks or wearing a giant red letter of some sort? ;-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Oh, scolding will do. You?

[quasigeostrophy.livejournal.com]

Resulting grades would probably be sufficiently punitive, but feel free to verbally thrash me if necessary. :-)

[nosrednayduj]

Another friend of mine, acw, is just now finishing up last year's :-) He missed the 50K word deadline, and then did nothing for 8-10 months, and is just now wrapping up. NaNoWriYr.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Hey, it works! Every time I do this I learn something, whether I do it "right" or not. (My last year's entry was a lot of silliness and random creativity; it certainly wasn't cohesive enough to count as a novel. Still it was a good exercise.)

[jcgbigler.livejournal.com]

Curse you! I was blissfully unaware of NaNoWriMo (http://www.nanowrimo.org/modules/cjaycontent/index.php?id=2) until just now.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

*mad cackle*

It takes over various corners of LJ each fall. I've done it for a handful of years now. This time around, though, I have double the usual amount of square dance calling commitments and work isn't exactly slack, so I'm a bit worried.

[layer.livejournal.com]

you know i will. this will be my second year in nano-recovery and i consider it my duty to help other people face their addiction given how many people i am personally responsible for getting hooked in the first place.

...though i may take advantage of the nano-energy to dabble a bit in a non-fic book i've been trying to get back to...

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I hear ya. Also, if you want to be off any nano-filter of mine, just let me know. (I think you're still off from last year, actually. I didn't think to filter this post.)

[aliceinfinland.livejournal.com]

I am so pleased that someone else thinks the rule of "no work before November 1" is crap. I have done some actual writing, because there's no point in not going with the urge, and a lot of thinking. Same way as you, I won't let it ruin anything else I'm doing, and I think your "no catch-up" rule is a good one.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

At least "no work before November 1" isn't a NaNoWriMo rule. The only related rule I know of is that no actual writing done before November 1 counts toward your 50K. Many, many people do plotting and worldbuilding ahead of time.

Good luck with your novel!

[ericainohio.livejournal.com]

I'm impressed as hell, CJ. Look! Someone who can actually plan their commitments and has willpower! *says the woman who is over-committed in a horrific way currently*

Now, off to ponder how to accomplish that Public Shaming... ;-)

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

I haven't proven the willpower part yet! *sigh* I really do hate November and how it's always so darned overcommitted. Then I fall over the edge into December and suddenly realize AIIIIEEE THE HOLIDAYS...

[moriamerri.livejournal.com]

oh, aint it the truth! The end of the year holidays can really gang up on a person (what with Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, and the various parties, events, music, presents, resolutions, etc.)

HOWEVER: you have 2 big advantages:
1. you've seen the holidays a'coming -- so you can take a little forethought to make a plan to navigate through a few of the more cumbersome holiday tasks/dilemmas...
2. you are obviously a woman capable of Amazing Planning. The plan you just posted regarding writing proves it beyond any possible doubt.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Somehow I'm always surprised when the end of the year hits. It starts as early as my birthday: in September my brain is still in summer, and then when the month flips over, all of a sudden October 6 "will be here in less than a week". Then I realize I didn't think about Halloween at all, so for yet one more year I'm going to skip the costume contests and such. November's always packed, what with a coupla square dance things and NaNoWriMo. When the month flips over again I realize I have ten obligatory social events plus the ones I'd actually enjoy, and that doesn't leave me a lot of Christmas prep time. :)

[wordripples.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this. After a little thought, I've decided to give it a go! I've got nothing to lose but November, and I've been oversleeping anyway.

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! Good luck with it! I find it fun, and it's a great excuse for unbridled madcap creativity. (Editing can come later, heh heh.)

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

distributed conscience!

[cjsmith.livejournal.com]

Whatever works! :-)

I'm ready for one of the square dances, but have a fair bit of work to do on the other. This weekend had better be very productive if I'm to do NaNo.