Writers, Have You Heard of NaNoWriMo?

[B00kW0rm]

Hi Everyone,

This is the first year that I will be participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge.

The challenge begins November 1st and end November 30th...one month...to write 50,000 words. The premise of the challenge is that most people have a story to tell, whether factual or fiction. However, a LOT of people get caught up in editing what they've written...as they write...and it prevents them from ever finishing a story.

NaNoWriMo encourages writers (and would-be writers) to "let go" and have fun. Word count, or quantity, is emphasized over quality....because you can always go back (after the challenge ends) to edit.

I don't know if I'll be able to finish the challenge or not, but I intend to have a lot of fun trying! If anyone is interested in learning more about how the challenge works you can visit the NaNo website:
http://www.nanowrimo.org

[bee_pipes]

Hi Everyone,

This is the first year that I will be participating in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge.

The challenge begins November 1st and end November 30th...one month...to write 50,000 words. The premise of the challenge is that most people have a story to tell, whether factual or fiction. However, a LOT of people get caught up in editing what they've written...as they write...and it prevents them from ever finishing a story.

NaNoWriMo encourages writers (and would-be writers) to "let go" and have fun. Word count, or quantity, is emphasized over quality....because you can always go back (after the challenge ends) to edit.

I don't know if I'll be able to finish the challenge or not, but I intend to have a lot of fun trying! If anyone is interested in learning more about how the challenge works you can visit the NaNo website:
http://www.nanowrimo.org


Not to steal your thread, but I wanted to add my own two cents here. I recently saw a circular for another competition:
http://writersdigest.com/competitions

Best of luck to anyone competing.

Regards,
Pat

[B00kW0rm]

Hi Pat

Thanks for the 'writers digest' link:-)!

Will you be competing?

[bee_pipes]

Not this year. I have a ton of stuff, mainly from old letter to family. The audience needs to be changed, and I am finding that to be a bit time-consuming. They are mostly rants that interrupted the letters, or longwinded stories and explanations of what we're doing around the homestead. It does give me a project for the winter when work outside slows down. I did a fair amount of technical writing on a number of jobs and I'm finding brevity is something to work on. My wife says some of my stuff reads like a stereo manual ;D I’ve got an idea for a non-fiction book, but that’s going to be a matter of years.

A sister-in-law just won a competition out in New Mexico, she’s pretty excited. This Saturday she’s going to Albuquerque for an awards banquet for the Southwest Writers to find out if she’s won 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the category Christian Novel. I read her book. Not my genre, but I thought it was well done. This is her first attempt and inspired me. I never thought much about writing – didn’t think I had anything to say anyone wanted to hear. Surprised me when BHM wanted to buy articles from me.

Best of luck to you with your entry, be sure to let us know how you do!

Regards,
Pat

[mike82934]

Never heard of it, but I like the idea. Just signed up.

[bee_pipes]

My sister-in-law just won a competition in the Southwest Writer's Conference 2008 (http://southwestwriters.com/index.php) - in the Christian Novel category. We have a small group that started in town here, I guess there is a similar group in Tennessee - Tennessee Writer's Alliance (http://www.tn-writers.org/Home.asp). Might be additional organizations of a similar nature in your area.

One of our forum members, ToadSticker, has just recently gotten an article published on the web - Topic: homestead income (http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/yabb/forum.pl?board=sel-homesteading;action=display;num=1221908386) and the outfit that published it looks interesting: Helium (http://www.helium.com/items/1185877-homestead-income). Don't know anything about them, but they seem to run a number of contests continuously.

Don't forget BHM (http://www.backwoodshome.com/docs/writerguidelines.html). They are much easier to deal with than Mother Earth, Grit or BackHome. CountrySide is easy to deal with, but they don't pay for articles.

Reagrds,
Pat

[B00kW0rm]

Never heard of it, but I like the idea. Just signed up.

Welcome to the madness, from what I understand, of NaNoWriMo!! This is my first year also:-).

I have several ideas, competing for the award of "Plot that will be written about" but not a single one of them has yet gained the upper hand....LOL.

Good luck:-)!

[B00kW0rm]

Bee Pipes,

Thank you for taking the time to post the additional links!

[roolu]

Hey thanks to all!!! I have been trying to get my novel up and going. One of these should help with that.
;) :) ;D

[B00kW0rm]

Hey thanks to all!!! I have been trying to get my novel up and going. One of these should help with that.
;) :) ;D


Good Luck if you decide to do the NaNoWriMo:-)!!!! It's almost time to start.....Nov 1st!

[roolu]

:D Good thing I already have two chapters written huh?

[zbery1]

After reading this thread I did some poking around on the internet and found this free site where you can enter short true stories in contests. All stories are reviewed, critiqued and voted on by the members. I joined, did some reviews and just this morning entered one of my short stories!

[zbery1]

Sorry ::) meant to enter the addy to the site... *www.fieldreport.com

[roolu]

Ok, I signed up with NaNOWriMo. Wish me luck!!!

[zbery1]

Yes! The best of luck to you. I would like to try that one also but atm I haven't much time for writing. My best friend and neighbor went in for open heart surgery a few days ago and I am running her business and taking care of her home and animals on top of my own job.
My own "novel" has about 16,000 words at present and I know how slow I write. perhaps I can join in the next one at NaNOWriMo. Roolu, I would love to read some of your work. I bet it's good!
Winter is here and it's time to get writing again. I love all the great info in this thread.

[roolu]

well, as soon as I cn firgure out how to get it to load un the site, I'll be good to go. I'm on there as roolu as well, don't know if you can view it or not. I guess we'll see. :D

[roolu]

I have an excerpt up on my NaNoWriMo page now. If anyone wants to read it.

[B00kW0rm]

I have an excerpt up on my NaNoWriMo page now. If anyone wants to read it.

Hi roolu,

I'll check out your excerpt...I hope your NaNo experience is a wondrful one!! *This is also my first year attempting NaNo...so far my word count is 10,500... we'll see how the rest of the month goes:-).

I don't have an excerpt up on my NaNo page yet, but if you like to friend me my screen name is: *Maria_Mae_J.

[roolu]

I'll do that! My word count is around 31,500... something like that.

[B00kW0rm]

I'll do that! My word count is around 31,500... something like that.

That is AWESOME!! You shouldn't have any trouble getting to 50k by the end of the month :-) WAY TO GO!!

[roolu]

Thanks!!! ;D ;D ;D ;D