It's The Memories More Than The Words
Today I finally went back and listened to all of the back podcasts of Wrimo Radio. For those who haven't listened to Episode Number Three, I highly recommend it. In fact, I wish various chapters of the podcast were available on mp3 because the episode contained the greatest few minutes of Wrimo Radio in the two years it's been going. The part that I'm referring to is where the woman gives the pep talk.
In it she talks about Team 2006 as a whole. And while I've often referred to Team Chicago in regards to the city v. city word wars, I've never really thought about all of NANOWRIMO as a team before. Sure we all want to see each other succeed (though I do have to admit there are a few people I wanted to see fail, I'm not going to lie or name names) but to think of all of us united by a year is an amazing concept.
She talks about WRIMOs past and WRIMOs future and how each year is a little different and each person who participates, for one year or those who have competed in all seven (like the woman interviewed on the front page of nanowrimo.org today), leaves a mark on the entity that is NANOWRIMO.
Being as I've been doing this for three solid years now (and four total), I have actually seen people come and go and it's sad. And now there are the retirement threads starting all over the site since the month is drawing to a close. I wish I could find the actual thread to link it but there's one in particular that even in its depressing nature is uplifting.
I found it in all places the Ontario::Toronto lounge (see it's a sort of friendly competition so I actually care about them as people) under the topic, "Retiring from Nano next year... ?"
One of the members of team Toronto starts the thread out like this:
"This has been my sixth year doing NaNoWriMo. I won the first year, lost the second, and I've won every year since then. And each win has always been a struggle, but I've always seemed to manage it.
And now, I'm thinking of retiring from NaNo.
This story that I've written this year is one that finally feels like I could mold it into an *actual* piece of coherant fiction. It took me six years to push through the garbage in my brain to get to a story worth telling. And I guess, that is what Nano is for?
Anyway, I'm sure I'll change my mind next year when November 1 arrives and I start itching to write, but for now, I think I will retire."
It's always sad to see anyone go (even if they are contributing to a word count total that's kicking your city's butt) but I think if there's any reason to go, she's found it. If you've accomplished all of your NANOWRIMO dreams, the only reason to go on is for the comraderie, the fun, and the memories.
I know of people who just hang around the forums and the chat room with no intention of finishing their novels (some don't even bother getting word count) just to be a sort of watchful alumni guardian angel. And these people are every bit as much of the community as those of us who are striving for 50,000. It's one of the things that makes NANOWRIMO great. Only the most hermit Wrimos among us don't feel something about the group that attaches them for life.
Once a Wrimo, always a Wrimo whether you're writing in November or not!
Personally I have no desire to retire after this year despite the fact that I accomplished everything I wanted to do in 2004 (write a novel from beginning to end in 30 writing days even if that stretched into December a bit) and that this year's novel had been a serial adventure in pulling teeth (I still don't know what the final obstacle is going to be and right now the characters are just fighting with each other). I don't do NANOWRIMO any more for some sort of 50,000 word challenge. I do it for the people and for the fact that nothing brings my thoughts of where I am in a given year in my life together more than NANOWRIMO.
For that reason, I'll be doing NANOWRIMOs until the site no longer exists or until I'm no longer alive in a November (or at least too feeble to have the energy to write). One day, I picture someone going through my things and finding 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 Lulu bound completed and unedited or half-completed speed novels written in November.
NANOWRIMO is my macro journal. I keep all of my thoughts on LiveJournal throughout the year (though most years better than this) but it takes NANO for me to get every one of them on paper.
And for that, if nothing else, I'm thankful to November and all of the people who I come in contact with that month, I'm grateful to NANOWRIMO and I'm not going to retire no matter how many times I'm beat.
---
Speaking of Teams, I really did choose the right 1 v. 1 partner for the Chicago v. Toronto challenge. I know I said this before but Greensong is awesome.
She actually NANOmailed me to make sure I was still writing when I went through that big break last week. And today we've been battling nearly number for number on our way to 50,000.
Right now, we're both in the 44,000s. Though I have one more hour tonight where I can beat her word count for today (I will have a one hour advantage at the very end if you want to talk about sprinting for victory if we're in shouting distance). And when I put 1,000 words between us, I will actually be entirely back on track with the 45,000 recommended words by midnight tonight.
See, it's this sort of thing that makes NANO great. When else would that last paragraph ever be written? Anywhere?
---
Oh and before I forget, congratulations to my one and only first year participant buddy Svenny (well he's Michael like me but that's his name on LiveJournal) who beat 50,000 in his first year today!
Now I'm proud of most of my buddies when they cross the line but especially him. I feel like the proud papa of a newbie even if I didn't necessarily inspire him to participate (though I think the first time he expressed interest in doing NANO this year was in my LJ last November).
Only four people and me left to cross the finish line on my writing buddy list. And the next one looks big as well. COME ON SHANU (who wrote 38,000 words last year but just gave out)!
---
TOTAL CURRENT WORD COUNT: 44,783
In it she talks about Team 2006 as a whole. And while I've often referred to Team Chicago in regards to the city v. city word wars, I've never really thought about all of NANOWRIMO as a team before. Sure we all want to see each other succeed (though I do have to admit there are a few people I wanted to see fail, I'm not going to lie or name names) but to think of all of us united by a year is an amazing concept.
She talks about WRIMOs past and WRIMOs future and how each year is a little different and each person who participates, for one year or those who have competed in all seven (like the woman interviewed on the front page of nanowrimo.org today), leaves a mark on the entity that is NANOWRIMO.
Being as I've been doing this for three solid years now (and four total), I have actually seen people come and go and it's sad. And now there are the retirement threads starting all over the site since the month is drawing to a close. I wish I could find the actual thread to link it but there's one in particular that even in its depressing nature is uplifting.
I found it in all places the Ontario::Toronto lounge (see it's a sort of friendly competition so I actually care about them as people) under the topic, "Retiring from Nano next year... ?"
One of the members of team Toronto starts the thread out like this:
"This has been my sixth year doing NaNoWriMo. I won the first year, lost the second, and I've won every year since then. And each win has always been a struggle, but I've always seemed to manage it.
And now, I'm thinking of retiring from NaNo.
This story that I've written this year is one that finally feels like I could mold it into an *actual* piece of coherant fiction. It took me six years to push through the garbage in my brain to get to a story worth telling. And I guess, that is what Nano is for?
Anyway, I'm sure I'll change my mind next year when November 1 arrives and I start itching to write, but for now, I think I will retire."
It's always sad to see anyone go (even if they are contributing to a word count total that's kicking your city's butt) but I think if there's any reason to go, she's found it. If you've accomplished all of your NANOWRIMO dreams, the only reason to go on is for the comraderie, the fun, and the memories.
I know of people who just hang around the forums and the chat room with no intention of finishing their novels (some don't even bother getting word count) just to be a sort of watchful alumni guardian angel. And these people are every bit as much of the community as those of us who are striving for 50,000. It's one of the things that makes NANOWRIMO great. Only the most hermit Wrimos among us don't feel something about the group that attaches them for life.
Once a Wrimo, always a Wrimo whether you're writing in November or not!
Personally I have no desire to retire after this year despite the fact that I accomplished everything I wanted to do in 2004 (write a novel from beginning to end in 30 writing days even if that stretched into December a bit) and that this year's novel had been a serial adventure in pulling teeth (I still don't know what the final obstacle is going to be and right now the characters are just fighting with each other). I don't do NANOWRIMO any more for some sort of 50,000 word challenge. I do it for the people and for the fact that nothing brings my thoughts of where I am in a given year in my life together more than NANOWRIMO.
For that reason, I'll be doing NANOWRIMOs until the site no longer exists or until I'm no longer alive in a November (or at least too feeble to have the energy to write). One day, I picture someone going through my things and finding 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 Lulu bound completed and unedited or half-completed speed novels written in November.
NANOWRIMO is my macro journal. I keep all of my thoughts on LiveJournal throughout the year (though most years better than this) but it takes NANO for me to get every one of them on paper.
And for that, if nothing else, I'm thankful to November and all of the people who I come in contact with that month, I'm grateful to NANOWRIMO and I'm not going to retire no matter how many times I'm beat.
---
Speaking of Teams, I really did choose the right 1 v. 1 partner for the Chicago v. Toronto challenge. I know I said this before but Greensong is awesome.
She actually NANOmailed me to make sure I was still writing when I went through that big break last week. And today we've been battling nearly number for number on our way to 50,000.
Right now, we're both in the 44,000s. Though I have one more hour tonight where I can beat her word count for today (I will have a one hour advantage at the very end if you want to talk about sprinting for victory if we're in shouting distance). And when I put 1,000 words between us, I will actually be entirely back on track with the 45,000 recommended words by midnight tonight.
See, it's this sort of thing that makes NANO great. When else would that last paragraph ever be written? Anywhere?
---
Oh and before I forget, congratulations to my one and only first year participant buddy Svenny (well he's Michael like me but that's his name on LiveJournal) who beat 50,000 in his first year today!
Now I'm proud of most of my buddies when they cross the line but especially him. I feel like the proud papa of a newbie even if I didn't necessarily inspire him to participate (though I think the first time he expressed interest in doing NANO this year was in my LJ last November).
Only four people and me left to cross the finish line on my writing buddy list. And the next one looks big as well. COME ON SHANU (who wrote 38,000 words last year but just gave out)!
---
TOTAL CURRENT WORD COUNT: 44,783
posted by incendiarymind at 8:05 PM
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