The Midway Pep Talk For Everyone
Sometimes NaNoWriMo can be a lonely place. Now, of course, being a four time participant, I've managed to pick up a lot of internal people along the way but to the outsider it's still sort of a weird thing to do to write 50,000+ (I'm aiming for 60,000) words in one month. And there are, of course, some people who won't let you forget the fact that it's not a normal thing to do.
But one thing that I found today is that when people find out those words serve a noble aim, they get behind you 100%.
I told the girl who told me that I am not going to write her into my novel (shame because she would make an interesting part of a composite character) that I was the team captain for Chicago in our word war against New York City (I don't tend to mention Toronto because no one hates Toronto), she suddenly became incredibly excited about the prospect of every word I type.
"You need to beat New York City," she said, "put them in their place and show them what an awesome city we are."
I wish I could singlehandedly beat New York City. But it's the team that's really doing it. I feel like I've barely contributed the last couple of days.
And then I talked to my friend Kim toward the end of the work day. Kim is an incredible writer (though she writes short-form fiction and not long-form fiction) who is actually part of the Second Story group. If you get a chance to see this group of writers, they are incredible. I recommend their monthly readings at Websters Wine Bar as one of the best excursions in Chicago. So I always worry that people like her will be weary of speed writers.
She's actually extremely supporting of the endeavor.
As I was describing to her the plotline for this novel, she actually said it sounded like a great idea. I get that a lot. I just hope that I'm doing the unique perspective of having a Netflix clone envelope narrate it justice. I always worry that my prose doesn't exactly match up to my mechanics.
If I could ever get the two to coincide, I could actually probably write the other 11 months a year.
When I told her about the word war, she was equally excited about it and equally as keen of Chicago beating New York City.
It's funny that the NaNo powers that be are always saying, "tell your friends you're writing to keep yourself going and make sure you finish." Well, if you tell them that you're doing their honor a favor by writing, it really doubly makes sure that you finish writing. And that you don't stop writing until 11:59:59 on November 30 to boot.
Oh and if you tell them the money raised goes to literacy programs and such, they'll really think you're not just on a writing ego trip. :)
---
I finally cracked 30,000 tonight (30,306).
I wasted a lot of time. I came home from work and took a nap. Then I woke up and watched the Democratic debates (I was an Edwards supporter but Bill Richardson really impressed me tonight as did Joe Biden - if only he didn't go around making racist comments - so I may switch to one of them). Then I watched "The Office."
So 8:30 p.m. rolls around which is usually when I start writing on a Thursday.
And I had the best intentions to do so on this particular Thursday as well. But then I went to check the word war real time standings (one of the Toronto participants made this incredible app that updates at the same times as the NaNo site) and there was a chat room added.
I ended up in the chat room until about 10:00 p.m. at which time I said, "I really have to go and actually write something tonight before I end up with my first 0 writing day of the month."
And I did write. I finished Chapter 11 (or as I like to call it the bankrupt chapter) in which Tabitha, looking for her boyfriend in Pilsen, finds out about the party that will bring all of the characters back together. It's not the most action filled chapter I've written (though the dialog is sort of funny) so I think it goes right along with my tradition of writing Chapter 11s that are spaces to breathe with how boring they are - hence why I call them the bankrupt chapters.
Though I can't say I wasted all my time in the chat room. I actually was writing the mid-month pep talk for the Chicago Word War team.
Which read as follows:
If you're reading this, you've made it to the middle of November. No matter how many words you've written, that in itself is an accomplishment. Many writers don't even make it close to here (as you might notice the site has gotten a lot faster). This unfortunately, seems to include some of our team.
If anyone knows the whearabouts, of the following people and their NaNoWriMo status, please let me know (or post it here in the forum): Hats, joycer, KimmyKatt, robinmj, Sandylul, stacykathryn, and superberg. The odd thing is, none of them are really even that far behind since they all started out pretty fast.
I know some of you are at 50,000 already (congratulations esepecially go out to smwalter who has already finished her novel and written 50,000 words).
We are still rocking away as Team Chicago and have 22 of our writers ahead of schedule. 29 out of 55 have broken 20,000 (and a 30th is just behind).
But despite our rocking at the top and in the middle, there is something worrisome. #35-#45 on our list (and I'm just going by the numbers on the Elumir's rocking: http://www.elumir.com/nanowrimo/) seem to be falling by the wayside a bit and losing ground on their New York City and Toronto counterparts.
I don't know if anyone actually said this, but at least in the case of word wars, "wars are won and lost at the margins."
I know it may seem to some of you in that range like 50,000 is a long way away, but take heart. For one thing, look at all the people up at the tippy-top. A lot of them have written more than the 35,000 or so words that you are from the finish line. Thanksgiving is not in the rear view mirror yet for us (though I know if your family's like mine around the table, sometimes you wish it could be). And Canadian Thanksgiving is over!
But even if you don't think you can make 50,000, there's still wonderful personal bests to achieve and maybe that perfect scene to write. NaNoWriMo isn't just about the people who write 50,000. It's about the people who write 20,000 and 30,000 and 40,000 as well. And even those who just write 10,000 words in the last two days to prove they can.
An internet friend of daevient and I (at least I think he's daevient's LiveJournal friend as well) wrote 40,000 on November 29 and 30 locking himself in a Kinko's. So anything is possible.
And if you need motivaton, it's a little scary. We've had our lead over Toronto sliced almost in half. The reason? Some of the people who might have otherwise been left for dead have come back and are writing with a flouish (padys and Litharukia).
You might think the people at the top of the list are where the difference is made. Really, it's the people toward the bottom of the list who make all the difference in the close one.
In the immortal words of Peter Gabriel (though sung by Kate Bush), "don't give up, you still have us."
Even if you're not cruising to 50,000, remember we're all going through the same thing and we're here for you. And your words count just as much as anyone's. And in the end, you guys can be the difference maker. How much power is that? Don't abuse it. :)
Joycer has actually checked and said she had been handwriting her novel so that makes me breathe 14% easier.
I think I did my job as captain there. That's the other thing the people at work told me. That I need to get the people who stopped writing to start again. I hope I can accomplish that as Toronto has a couple of people who have started again mid-month and if they write like they wrote last year, Chicago may be in serious trouble.
---
Speaking of mid-month. I think I'm going to write from midnight to 12:45 a.m. like I did back on the first. I think it's a fitting way to start back up again.
I don't think I'll get the same 1000 words I did back then though. Things are just going a bit slower as I move into the "Dead Zone": 30,000 to 40,000 words. It's a scary place and I hope everyone reading this gets through it. Even if you're from New York City. I just hope you New Yorker get through it on about November 28.
Speaking of which, I didn't forget the link from yesterday: http://jaybizz.blogspot.com/.
This woman is seriously amazing as not only is she the only other NaNo blogger that seems to blog daily but she's also leading Team New York City with over 100,000 words. And I thought I was verbose!
But one thing that I found today is that when people find out those words serve a noble aim, they get behind you 100%.
I told the girl who told me that I am not going to write her into my novel (shame because she would make an interesting part of a composite character) that I was the team captain for Chicago in our word war against New York City (I don't tend to mention Toronto because no one hates Toronto), she suddenly became incredibly excited about the prospect of every word I type.
"You need to beat New York City," she said, "put them in their place and show them what an awesome city we are."
I wish I could singlehandedly beat New York City. But it's the team that's really doing it. I feel like I've barely contributed the last couple of days.
And then I talked to my friend Kim toward the end of the work day. Kim is an incredible writer (though she writes short-form fiction and not long-form fiction) who is actually part of the Second Story group. If you get a chance to see this group of writers, they are incredible. I recommend their monthly readings at Websters Wine Bar as one of the best excursions in Chicago. So I always worry that people like her will be weary of speed writers.
She's actually extremely supporting of the endeavor.
As I was describing to her the plotline for this novel, she actually said it sounded like a great idea. I get that a lot. I just hope that I'm doing the unique perspective of having a Netflix clone envelope narrate it justice. I always worry that my prose doesn't exactly match up to my mechanics.
If I could ever get the two to coincide, I could actually probably write the other 11 months a year.
When I told her about the word war, she was equally excited about it and equally as keen of Chicago beating New York City.
It's funny that the NaNo powers that be are always saying, "tell your friends you're writing to keep yourself going and make sure you finish." Well, if you tell them that you're doing their honor a favor by writing, it really doubly makes sure that you finish writing. And that you don't stop writing until 11:59:59 on November 30 to boot.
Oh and if you tell them the money raised goes to literacy programs and such, they'll really think you're not just on a writing ego trip. :)
---
I finally cracked 30,000 tonight (30,306).
I wasted a lot of time. I came home from work and took a nap. Then I woke up and watched the Democratic debates (I was an Edwards supporter but Bill Richardson really impressed me tonight as did Joe Biden - if only he didn't go around making racist comments - so I may switch to one of them). Then I watched "The Office."
So 8:30 p.m. rolls around which is usually when I start writing on a Thursday.
And I had the best intentions to do so on this particular Thursday as well. But then I went to check the word war real time standings (one of the Toronto participants made this incredible app that updates at the same times as the NaNo site) and there was a chat room added.
I ended up in the chat room until about 10:00 p.m. at which time I said, "I really have to go and actually write something tonight before I end up with my first 0 writing day of the month."
And I did write. I finished Chapter 11 (or as I like to call it the bankrupt chapter) in which Tabitha, looking for her boyfriend in Pilsen, finds out about the party that will bring all of the characters back together. It's not the most action filled chapter I've written (though the dialog is sort of funny) so I think it goes right along with my tradition of writing Chapter 11s that are spaces to breathe with how boring they are - hence why I call them the bankrupt chapters.
Though I can't say I wasted all my time in the chat room. I actually was writing the mid-month pep talk for the Chicago Word War team.
Which read as follows:
If you're reading this, you've made it to the middle of November. No matter how many words you've written, that in itself is an accomplishment. Many writers don't even make it close to here (as you might notice the site has gotten a lot faster). This unfortunately, seems to include some of our team.
If anyone knows the whearabouts, of the following people and their NaNoWriMo status, please let me know (or post it here in the forum): Hats, joycer, KimmyKatt, robinmj, Sandylul, stacykathryn, and superberg. The odd thing is, none of them are really even that far behind since they all started out pretty fast.
I know some of you are at 50,000 already (congratulations esepecially go out to smwalter who has already finished her novel and written 50,000 words).
We are still rocking away as Team Chicago and have 22 of our writers ahead of schedule. 29 out of 55 have broken 20,000 (and a 30th is just behind).
But despite our rocking at the top and in the middle, there is something worrisome. #35-#45 on our list (and I'm just going by the numbers on the Elumir's rocking: http://www.elumir.com/nanowrimo/) seem to be falling by the wayside a bit and losing ground on their New York City and Toronto counterparts.
I don't know if anyone actually said this, but at least in the case of word wars, "wars are won and lost at the margins."
I know it may seem to some of you in that range like 50,000 is a long way away, but take heart. For one thing, look at all the people up at the tippy-top. A lot of them have written more than the 35,000 or so words that you are from the finish line. Thanksgiving is not in the rear view mirror yet for us (though I know if your family's like mine around the table, sometimes you wish it could be). And Canadian Thanksgiving is over!
But even if you don't think you can make 50,000, there's still wonderful personal bests to achieve and maybe that perfect scene to write. NaNoWriMo isn't just about the people who write 50,000. It's about the people who write 20,000 and 30,000 and 40,000 as well. And even those who just write 10,000 words in the last two days to prove they can.
An internet friend of daevient and I (at least I think he's daevient's LiveJournal friend as well) wrote 40,000 on November 29 and 30 locking himself in a Kinko's. So anything is possible.
And if you need motivaton, it's a little scary. We've had our lead over Toronto sliced almost in half. The reason? Some of the people who might have otherwise been left for dead have come back and are writing with a flouish (padys and Litharukia).
You might think the people at the top of the list are where the difference is made. Really, it's the people toward the bottom of the list who make all the difference in the close one.
In the immortal words of Peter Gabriel (though sung by Kate Bush), "don't give up, you still have us."
Even if you're not cruising to 50,000, remember we're all going through the same thing and we're here for you. And your words count just as much as anyone's. And in the end, you guys can be the difference maker. How much power is that? Don't abuse it. :)
Joycer has actually checked and said she had been handwriting her novel so that makes me breathe 14% easier.
I think I did my job as captain there. That's the other thing the people at work told me. That I need to get the people who stopped writing to start again. I hope I can accomplish that as Toronto has a couple of people who have started again mid-month and if they write like they wrote last year, Chicago may be in serious trouble.
---
Speaking of mid-month. I think I'm going to write from midnight to 12:45 a.m. like I did back on the first. I think it's a fitting way to start back up again.
I don't think I'll get the same 1000 words I did back then though. Things are just going a bit slower as I move into the "Dead Zone": 30,000 to 40,000 words. It's a scary place and I hope everyone reading this gets through it. Even if you're from New York City. I just hope you New Yorker get through it on about November 28.
Speaking of which, I didn't forget the link from yesterday: http://jaybizz.blogspot.com/.
This woman is seriously amazing as not only is she the only other NaNo blogger that seems to blog daily but she's also leading Team New York City with over 100,000 words. And I thought I was verbose!
posted by incendiarymind at 9:15 PM
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