September 27, 2001

8:04 AM

NaNoWriMo... Yes, boys and girls, it's time to prepare for the National Novel Writing Month! 50,000 words in 30 days. Are you up to the challenge? I'm taking the plunge... [Via Caterina.net]
posted by silusGROK (27 comments total)

I wonder if it would be cheating to put together an outline before the November 1st start-date?
posted by silusGROK at 8:06 AM on September 27, 2001

"Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over talent and craft." From 'Overview'. Could be an interesting time to debate carefully considered/meticulously structured works and freeform outbursts of creativity. ie was Kerouac genius or hack, .On the Road having been reputedly produced in three weeks of frenzied production.

Also makes me wonder is it within the rules to use benzedrine to fuel the fury? (not in the FAQ)
posted by hug99 at 8:14 AM on September 27, 2001

If you are interested in this sort of thing, in Canada, we do it in 3 days. And they publish the winner.
posted by kristin at 8:34 AM on September 27, 2001

It should be called National Bad Novel Writing Month. That's what most people will get when they write a novel in a month.
posted by kindall at 8:40 AM on September 27, 2001

If only one good novel comes from it, it will be worth it. Of course, it must be mine.
posted by luser at 8:43 AM on September 27, 2001

There aren't enough outlets for hack writers in this artless, commercial world already? Alas!
posted by hug99 at 8:48 AM on September 27, 2001

"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. Because 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. "

That's the point, kindall. Sometimes just creating can be a worthwhile effort. You think every great author wrote a masterpiece straight out of the gates? No way. I've written two or three plays and they've all been pretty bad, and I took a hell of a lot longer than 30 days to write them.
posted by starvingartist at 8:50 AM on September 27, 2001

I'm forming a strong parallel between the million monkeys/million typewriters theory. Theory? Nay, Prophecy!
posted by hug99 at 8:57 AM on September 27, 2001

No problem - My own magnificent entry, 'Cuckold, my Destiny', will be a triumphant thingie in the unpublished world. Plus, I intend to use the word "Wheeeeeee!" in it. Twice.

And a monkey will kill someone, too.
posted by Perigee at 10:54 AM on September 27, 2001

I think Perigee is on track to win, but I recommend sewing up the victory by having the monkey be a poison monkey.
posted by aramaic at 11:21 AM on September 27, 2001

I'm gonna do it. Expect a link to 50,000 words worth of unreadable garbage in a month.
posted by dogwelder at 11:45 AM on September 27, 2001

That's almost 1700 words a day. I can almost picture the steam of consciousness crapfest this is going to produce as people become delirious from the lack of sleep. Hey, now its starting to sound interesting.
posted by skallas at 12:14 PM on September 27, 2001

I'm in. Any aspiring writers in the Los Angeles area looking for a writing partner? There's no way I can pull this off alone.
posted by love unit at 12:44 PM on September 27, 2001

Expect me to recount my ill-fated last days at [insert prep school here], and the week that followed. All over again. And the time's about right too, November, just as it was in the original (Or was it December?).
posted by HoldenCaulfield at 1:23 PM on September 27, 2001

1700 words a day isn't that bad. I wrote over a 1000 words on my blog on Saturday, and I wasn't even trying to flesh my little anecdotes out into full narrative.

I think the key would be to give yourself a few days beforehand to think about an overarching structure, because when you've got that hammered out it's a lot easier to fill in the nooks and crannies.
posted by bjennings at 1:24 PM on September 27, 2001

i'm absolutely in. wheeeeeeeeeeeee! (tm perigee, and the last time i get to use it.)
posted by sugarfish at 1:30 PM on September 27, 2001

This is a fantastically horrible idea. I've already signed up.

Assuming we have a few novels (or at least good tries) come out of MeFiers, ought we set up a Metafilter Literary Corner for the Taste-Challenged?

And pedigree? Your (poison?) monkey won't be able to hold a candle to my Evil Robotic Detective. NOIR KILLS MONKEY! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Hmm. What if we came up with a set of covert MeFi keywords/themes? Just agree, before anyone starts even outlining too much, that certain themes or key phrases are required to make some sort of appearance (perhaps, even, as an un-punctuated string of words in a footnote). Thoughts?
posted by cortex at 3:10 PM on September 27, 2001

This is a beautiful, beautiful idea. Ridiculous deadlines are pretty much the only way I can overcome the grim spectre of Procrastination - I'm glad to see others are the same way!

And it would not surprise me in the least if certain MeFi-influenced novels suddenly turn into rambling diatribes on pancakes and Calvinism around the 25,000 mark. I can't wait!
posted by brookedel at 3:55 PM on September 27, 2001

I'm deffinately in. This is a great idea.

I have been waiting for an excuse to actually use some domains I have registered...I already have a title. Heh.
posted by Benway at 4:41 PM on September 27, 2001

There is a lot to be said of writing. Many people, myself included, often suffer from verbal constipation. The only way to get through it is to write crap for a few thousand words, and then the good stuff flows. As a freelance writer, that's just one of the things I've learned over the years.

Ahhhh.. that was just another 100 or so words of constipation relieved ;-)
posted by wackybrit at 5:13 PM on September 27, 2001

I'm very seriously considering this myself, depending on if I'll be working full-time that month or not. 2500 words a day for 20 days is more than I've ever forced myself to do in a month, but it would be really good practice.
posted by AdamJ at 8:24 PM on September 27, 2001

I work full time..... I go to school full time.... I have a 2 year old child.....
I just signed up.
posted by bradth27 at 9:13 PM on September 27, 2001

i'm an idiot.

i signed up too.

i think it's gonna be the story of one day of one woman who gets herself lost in central park. but after 50,000 words, who knows? for all i know, she'll end up on mars.
posted by meep at 9:19 PM on September 27, 2001

I hate to say it, but it reminds me of a Monty Python sketch (only on record, actually).
posted by argybarg at 9:43 PM on September 27, 2001

My novel, Vonnegut's Wart, will have all kinds of nifty surprises....alien abductions, government cover-ups, elves in my mailbox, and most important of all......
Certs with Retsyn.
posted by bradth27 at 9:45 PM on September 27, 2001

I can see it now...

Anais Nin meets Thomas Harris meets William Gibson meets Richard Scarry.

And it`ll run completely on solar power and the 95% of my work day where the company ignores me.

And taste like chocolate syrup.

Or I`ll just forget about it and go back to my email...
posted by chiheisen at 10:26 PM on September 27, 2001

anybody going to the november 3rd party in nyc (click and scroll)?

swift, goneill, and i will all be there.
posted by gassire at 12:48 PM on October 28, 2001