Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
I have been enjoying NaNoWriMo, especially the connections surrounding it. My new Writing Buddy and I meet weekly for check-ins and Writing Sprints, and I join other Sprints when I am able. I am writing the origin story of two MCs who have been with me for quite a while and, lately, they have been pestering me constantly. For a few months before NaNo, as I was doing my prep, I HAD to write as the characters were insistent. I have never experienced that before and it has been thrilling! This is my second NaNo and my best as I am so much more motivated and full of words when I am able to write. The downside has been that I have had so many unexpected life events come up this month that have interfered with my writing time. So, I am not participating in high word count goals. Rather, my goals revolve around remaining passionate about writing this story and writing more than I would normally and, in those, I have already succeeded wildly. I am looking forward to finishing November with gusto and, importantly, keeping it going! Thank you for the support and the invitation to share! Happy Writing, Everyone!
I'm so glad you're getting words written and feel motivated to tell your stories even if you haven't had as much time as you'd like. And keep in mind we still have over half of November to go!
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
I was pondering wether to join NaNoWriMo or not. Since any kind of deadlines and timeframes give me a writer’s block, I didn’t join officially, but I’m writing this month with NaNo in mind. So far - a pretty decent progress. The story I’ve started in November is approx 25k, a romantasy. Another one I started before, the progress in November is approx 10k. Not bad, I think.
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
I'm also on the fence about joining NaNoWriMo right now- mainly due to a lack of time. At the moment I'm in the process of expanding my story (it's the basis for a short film script) and is currently only about 3K long. The plot involves a boxing match that suddenly comes to a screeching halt and leaves the audience shocked before they know what hit them. I expect the story to triple in length and develop into a script for a ten-minute short.
Hi Rob! I was in a similar conundrum about NaNoWriMo this year, especially as I have much to do to put my late mother's house on the market. Yet, for me, the decision to join NaNo 2023 was about the goal of writing more than I otherwise would during this hectic time vs. "finishing." I have also benefitted from the community and support around this momentous event. Whatever you choose for yourself, I am glad that you are writing. Your novel sounds thrilling! Happy Writing and a Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, Mary Jo: I hear what you're saying about being busy. I have three priority projects going on at the moment: remodeling our son's home in Mexico City (I'm a retired architect), writing the script for "Down for The Count", and a novel about a political assassination of the leading presidential candidate in Mexico in 1994. I usually aim for at least 1,000 words a day between the script and the novel. I think have never really "finished" a project to my complete satisfaction. It's almost always either a time, or a financial constraint that ends up forcing me to call it <<Finished>>. I will no doubt eventually join Nano, people like you are the main reason.
Woot! “Romantasy”--that’s awesome! Is that a common term that the Clueless One has just never heard, or one of yours? 🤩 Love that! Sums up the majority of the fiction I write. Not this year’s NaNo project, but all my other novels. Congrats on multiple projects!
Yeah, it’s pretty common for the genre (romantic fantasy and fantasty romance), but maybe it’s a new term. I’m a new writer so I don’t really know. I’ve been scribbling for 4 years, connecting with other writers for about a year.
Hey, if you need any alpha or beta readers (a very slow one though!😅) for your romantasies - I would love to swap chapters for feedback! No pressure, it’s just a thought.😅
Right on! I’m actually swamped with swap at the moment. 🤓 But I’m making a mental note. Well, no matter how old or new the term, I’m diggin’ it! It is exciting to be finding breadcrumbs to where OurKind hang out.
Finally ! A page I can post to and don't have to pay. What other fiction writers can I join and read as well? I'm new here and need to know the ropes. I want to post my writings about Barack Obama Jr and Obama Nation. Our adventures and missions in Abilene, Texas, Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Hawaii, DC and a few other places. Mostly fiction but some true. Our underground railroad adventures and righting wrongs in America and around the world. I hope I get a few readers and positive vibes.
Nov 13, 2023·edited Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Alexx Hart
Hi! I’m relatively new here, I’ve been hanging around substack about 2 months. So far - it’s not too great. Still trying to figure out how to find readers among strangers. Writing is a secret I keep from my friends and family, so I didn’t arrive with an existing reader base. The algorythm obviously shoves my posts somewhere deep down.😂 anyways, my stuff is here to read, if interested. It’s a piece of urban fantasy:
Welcome aboard! All of FIctionistas content is 100% free all the time. We are a group of fiction writers writing on Substack, and we have threads like this, guest posts, writing prompt parties over Zoom, and occasional video chats with the group. In addition to co-organizing Fictionistas, I have a fiction Substack that has a paywall on my serialized novels but not on the rest of my content (storycauldron.substack.com) and because of your own interests you might also enjoy my local history substack (unseenstlouis.substack.com).
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
Hi! Still writing but it's sporadic (and word count is low) and very few wins. So just have to look at the fact that I'm still writing as the win, I suppose 🤔
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
All over the place. I just hit 9k words. My goal is not to hit 50k but make dent in this novella. I had about 4k written before, so that’s some progress. Had some serious distractions and mental health stuff come up so I feel I would have more if that didn’t happen. Not editing, just hitting the plot points.
Leave it all for later. Just keep writing. I leave the editing for moments when I feel uninspired to write. Funny enough, the inspiration decides to return when I edit, and I’m back to writing again...🙄😅
Yeah, here you there. I am having a bit of a struggle with motivation (depression sucks) but I am keeping at it. Editing does seem to spark the ideas and the flow for me too.
Woooot!!!! And heck yeah, I don’t edit during NaNo either. Just 🤮 The more writing I edit, the less of that stuff comes out in my first drafts so I don’t worry about it. I also have tons in ALL CAPS where I need to come up with a name or research something or a phrase that is cliche that I need to make cool but would stop my flow to do it. Pffffft. Keyboard-bang on, man!
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
This is my first NaNoWriMo. I took it on as an interesting challenge and because I have had an idea knocking around for a couple of years that I wanted to test out - it's based on a historical figure and I have given a lot of time to thinking how to deal with him as I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction. So far I'm surprised at the directions the story/character is taking me in ! I've got to approx 16 k words which leaves me some way to go!!!
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
I haven't really been participating in NaNo this year. I now work full time, so I don't have as much time for writing as I used to, and that has meant not being able to update my newsletter regularly. However, I do have some ideas for writing short fiction, particularly dark or unconventional Christmas stories. My plan is to put up at least two of them on my newsletter between now and December.I also want to get working more on at least one of my novels in progress.
I'm at 25K! Mostly plot development, character sketches but a fair amount of unedited prose and conversation at this point. My story is mostly the latter but I'm adding in some letters and historical records that my protagonists discover.
My story is a mystery. Two people in the present, a divorced middle-age techie and a historical society librarian/aspiring novel writer join forces to unravel a mystery dating back to the 1920s. My main character from the 1920s is a short story writer/muckraker journalist whose aspirations are thwarted by various obligations and restrictions. Ultimately, her life is tragically cut short; and so is the life of her love interest, a WWI vet. Back in the present, someone is haunting the house that the middle-age techie bought and part of the haunting includes odd dreams that he is convinced are not his own. He joins forces with the the librarian/writer to go on a history/geneology hunt to discover who lived in the house and what happened to its inhabitants. Their adventure culminates not only in a reveal of the house's secrets but also an uncovering of their own entangled personal histories.
I don't know a ton about the 1920s in America so I have been supplementing writing with researching the era as well as learning what people were reading at the time and who the main women journalist/writers were. I'm also researching the support (or lack thereof) provided to WWI vets on their return. The time between 1917 and 1921 is FASCINATING and TERRIBLE. I guess there is no time in history that doesn't have that, but my eyes have been opened. (American Midnight by Hochschild uncovers a ton).
My prose is a combination of conversation between characters and letters written to and from characters that get discovered along the way. My most difficult choice right now is to decide whether my two characters in the 1920s have requited or unrequited love; I'm leaning towards the latter.
This sounds fantastic, and congrats on the word count! I am just behind you with 24K and change and I'll be getting back to it before the evening is over.
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
Hi! I'm brand new here, first NaNoWriMo. In fact I only found out about its existence in the world via youtube video a few weeks ago. So, here I am! Standing with my lunch tray and looking out at a busy school cafeteria. Fun, but also a bit daunting. I'd love a writing buddy / table to sit at :D. I'll make an effort to be more friendly. Write on, everyone :)
Congrats on your first NaNoWriMo! We have a big table in the back and everyone is working hard on their writing. Ignore the guy in the corner throwing food - we use him for comic relief. I might have to get up and get a refill on coffee (they better not run out!) because I have a long way to go.... :)
Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana, Nicole Rivera, Alexx Hart
Ok so here’s a question... I’ve written the ending. And... it’s horrific. It’s what I wanted to write, and it needs to be dark, but seeing the words written down has given me the creeps! So the question is: is this ok?? 😬 I am now writing an epilogue to bring back a little optimism
Is it okay? It's your story so only you can answer that! It may be that when you finish it up you might dial back on some of the darkness, but for now, just keep going and see what you end up with!
I have an ending to an internal story in this novella I am writing, and she is a memory of me, at a younger age. And I have to kill off the character, it is absolutely essential to move the plot to the 2nd part. I have written all the way up the moment/incident of death and I just can’t yet. I totally understand your feelings on this. I ran far away from it and decided to work on all the sections before it.
Wow, that sounds very powerful. Maybe you need to skip this piece temporarily? Or just put in some words as a placeholder? And then you can come back to it later?
This is the same Erika, I have a death on my hands! I used placeholder text for a while but then i had to do the deed. Maybe the upside is these characters must be well developed for us to care so deeply for them.
👆 What they said. As one who often goes too far in a rough draft, I just let it come out as it comes out because it can always be edited later. Or like you’re doing. Have a more optimistic epilogue. And I rarely write stuff in order. Some of these things just need to bake or ferment or...you know...have the moldering flesh rot off the bones underground while I write and do other things. 🤪 Congrats on writing so evocatively that you even creeped yourself out! I often have no clue what I wrote in a first draft until I come back and read it later. That’s how I know A Muse has been to visit.
Still going, and I got about 22k words in my manuscript. Of course, with the project the way it is, I've mostly dealt with the easy part so far. But now that I ran into my WIP, I expect my progress to slow down considerably. I managed to get a few hundred words in yesterday but I'm hoping to put in more today.
As for my favorite character in this hodgepodge, definitely the main character. He's a time traveler who's gathered a bunch of stories.
After getting ahead of the word count, I ended up falling behind when I was hit with an epilogue idea that led to me crying throughout the day. But I don't really mind, not making 50,000, but I've clearly made significant progress. Though I would like to finish the draft sooner rather than later, however many words or months that takes. It was only with NaNoWriMo I was in a state to come up with that epilogue.
Well keep in mind that NaNo isn't even quite half over. I've seen people post 10K+ words in the final day or two. So just keep writing and maybe by the end of the month you'll surprise yourself. And either way if you're making progress, that's all that really matters!
Nov 13, 2023·edited Nov 13, 2023Liked by Jackie Dana
I wrote 6,344 words so far. I didn't write every day and I didn't write as much as I wanted but more than I hoped. My favourite character is a boy who is also the protagonist of my story. I can't decide whether he's 6 or 9 years old. And today, 13 days after I started writing his story, I am getting glimpses of his world. Which is a good sign. I have to see a story to be able to write it and I couldn't see this one until now. It takes a moment until the magic happens.
3000ish words last night as I rolled thru chapter four with gusto. I'm behind about 4k, but the story is moving at a good pace, and it's the first time I actually did some kind of outline - not an exact one, not chapters but a stories beats one based on the 15 beats outlined in Save The Cat. I feel really good about this book.
It sounds like you're doing well. I too am following Save the Cat (which has saved my writing process from being a complete shambles). Don't sweat being behind - you still have time to catch up if you want and if not, you're making great progress!
From one memoirist to another, I have been a NaNo Rebel on more than one year when those were the stories burning most brightly, so if you’re trying to switch to fiction, it all counts. Rebel On! If you’re already being a Rebel and your memoir is being stubborn--yes, yes, reach out to the Fictionistas Crew. They have so many great ideas! If you’re wanting to stick with fiction...oh geez...something I’ve noticed: I can rarely find better, more vivid and astounding fictional ideas than the ones inspired by history. My own or the world’s. Memoir shows me how to write fiction and vs versa. I hope you reach back out, if not this NaNo, then in the future. 📚🩵📚
hmmmm I'm wary of saying too much - there's a saying here in Ireland that many a good novel was wasted in the pub! In other words talking too much distracts from the writing. Suffice it to say he's a figure from Revolutionary France, a wheeler dealer who survived several regime changes. Many people regarded him as the devil incarnate but for all his faults he was a visionary . . .
I’ve been writing writing writing, first got to 6000 words hated what I started so I began what I really want to do which is memoir in poetry . So I took a break and did a bunch of reading on poetry prose. I’ve been writing poetry for years but not as a cohesive collection of memoir, so now I’ve written 25 poems towards a memoir of sorts .
That's great. I don't know if word counts mean much to you but if they do, your first 6K totally counts even if you shifted gears. And congrats on finding a project you are enjoying!
I assume you mean on NaNoWriMo? If so, you find your username and the little arrow next to it, which will open up Settings. From there you can change your username to whatever you want.
That's very enterprising Kate. Well done on having the courage and determination to start again. A memoir in poetry is a whole other challenge in itself. Best of luck with the work - sounds like you're well down the road with it already.
I'm focusing onpublishing a poetry, essay chapbook, and in a dark night of the soul. I am trying to adjust my posture so I can be on the computer longer. Thank you so much for contacting me. Elizabeth
That sounds like a great project. And you know, sometimes how we write (or where) is almost as important as what we write. If you're uncomfortable, that can make a huge difference in how well you can create. Good for you for realizing you need to make some changes.
Hear! Hear!! I have to set my alarm for every 30 minutes to make myself do movement or get in a new position. Soooo important! I hope that your adjustments and any other things you do for yourself can lure you out or bring a candle down there for you to write by. Or at least just stub your toes less. ✨🥰✨
it;s been a long time coming and I just had to face my fears and proceed. Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it very much. Blessings on your work. How is it going?
I'm doing well, thanks. I got almost 4K words done today, over 28K total. And more than word count, the words are flowing pretty easily. I haven't had a NaNo go this well before - and this is my 11th one.
For this November, I only had 3 things on my agenda. 1) Take care of my mom and enjoy the heck out of staying with her while my dad has been away for 3 weeks at Deep Camp in MN. (She just had a stroke.) 2) Rest Rest Rest after 9 months of getting my butt kicked by 3 government agencies and the seizures that it brought back into my life. 3) Enjoy NaNo.
Wellllll...I’ve been a bit obsessive in all this quiet and down time. I just passed 42K.
As for surprises...YES. Since I wrote the original bare bones plotline when I was 13-17, looking at that setting of 1987-89 through the eyes of an adult...it was all there. I just didn’t understand so many things because I was a kid. So many skeletons of really important issues all wrapped inside teenage angst and starry-eyed passion. So many plot holes I didn’t know how to fill in or conflicts I didn’t know how to resolve because...I didn’t know how. I first wrote this story as a subconscious act of desperation, trying to figure out how to deal with that world and so many of the people in it. Now 35 years later, it takes on such a different life of its own.
And yet, so much is still the same. *Spock eyebrow...* Fascinating...
Sending out pompoms and Muse-dust to y’all, especially if you’re struggling. May some of my obsessive word-vomit anoint thy shoes. But...like...in a pleasant way. 🤪
I have been enjoying NaNoWriMo, especially the connections surrounding it. My new Writing Buddy and I meet weekly for check-ins and Writing Sprints, and I join other Sprints when I am able. I am writing the origin story of two MCs who have been with me for quite a while and, lately, they have been pestering me constantly. For a few months before NaNo, as I was doing my prep, I HAD to write as the characters were insistent. I have never experienced that before and it has been thrilling! This is my second NaNo and my best as I am so much more motivated and full of words when I am able to write. The downside has been that I have had so many unexpected life events come up this month that have interfered with my writing time. So, I am not participating in high word count goals. Rather, my goals revolve around remaining passionate about writing this story and writing more than I would normally and, in those, I have already succeeded wildly. I am looking forward to finishing November with gusto and, importantly, keeping it going! Thank you for the support and the invitation to share! Happy Writing, Everyone!
I'm so glad you're getting words written and feel motivated to tell your stories even if you haven't had as much time as you'd like. And keep in mind we still have over half of November to go!
That’s such a great goal--and a sustainable practice for long term writing. More so than high word counts. So cool!!!
I was pondering wether to join NaNoWriMo or not. Since any kind of deadlines and timeframes give me a writer’s block, I didn’t join officially, but I’m writing this month with NaNo in mind. So far - a pretty decent progress. The story I’ve started in November is approx 25k, a romantasy. Another one I started before, the progress in November is approx 10k. Not bad, I think.
Fantastic! You’ve got this!
I'm also on the fence about joining NaNoWriMo right now- mainly due to a lack of time. At the moment I'm in the process of expanding my story (it's the basis for a short film script) and is currently only about 3K long. The plot involves a boxing match that suddenly comes to a screeching halt and leaves the audience shocked before they know what hit them. I expect the story to triple in length and develop into a script for a ten-minute short.
Happy Writing, & Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!
Rob in Yautepec
At this point it's entirely up to you. Either way, you're getting writing done and that is what matters!
Thanks, Jackie.
Hi Rob! I was in a similar conundrum about NaNoWriMo this year, especially as I have much to do to put my late mother's house on the market. Yet, for me, the decision to join NaNo 2023 was about the goal of writing more than I otherwise would during this hectic time vs. "finishing." I have also benefitted from the community and support around this momentous event. Whatever you choose for yourself, I am glad that you are writing. Your novel sounds thrilling! Happy Writing and a Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, Mary Jo: I hear what you're saying about being busy. I have three priority projects going on at the moment: remodeling our son's home in Mexico City (I'm a retired architect), writing the script for "Down for The Count", and a novel about a political assassination of the leading presidential candidate in Mexico in 1994. I usually aim for at least 1,000 words a day between the script and the novel. I think have never really "finished" a project to my complete satisfaction. It's almost always either a time, or a financial constraint that ends up forcing me to call it <<Finished>>. I will no doubt eventually join Nano, people like you are the main reason.
Big hug from the land of endless sunshine.
OXOXOXOXOO
Rob in Yautepec
It sounds like you're doing great! You can still sign up and add your wordcount if you wish.
Woot! “Romantasy”--that’s awesome! Is that a common term that the Clueless One has just never heard, or one of yours? 🤩 Love that! Sums up the majority of the fiction I write. Not this year’s NaNo project, but all my other novels. Congrats on multiple projects!
Yeah, it’s pretty common for the genre (romantic fantasy and fantasty romance), but maybe it’s a new term. I’m a new writer so I don’t really know. I’ve been scribbling for 4 years, connecting with other writers for about a year.
Hey, if you need any alpha or beta readers (a very slow one though!😅) for your romantasies - I would love to swap chapters for feedback! No pressure, it’s just a thought.😅
Right on! I’m actually swamped with swap at the moment. 🤓 But I’m making a mental note. Well, no matter how old or new the term, I’m diggin’ it! It is exciting to be finding breadcrumbs to where OurKind hang out.
Finally ! A page I can post to and don't have to pay. What other fiction writers can I join and read as well? I'm new here and need to know the ropes. I want to post my writings about Barack Obama Jr and Obama Nation. Our adventures and missions in Abilene, Texas, Detroit, Michigan, Chicago, Illinois, Hawaii, DC and a few other places. Mostly fiction but some true. Our underground railroad adventures and righting wrongs in America and around the world. I hope I get a few readers and positive vibes.
Glad to be here.
AnnGee
Hello AnnGee. Welcome! I write both fiction and personal memoir, based around map art.
Hi! I’m relatively new here, I’ve been hanging around substack about 2 months. So far - it’s not too great. Still trying to figure out how to find readers among strangers. Writing is a secret I keep from my friends and family, so I didn’t arrive with an existing reader base. The algorythm obviously shoves my posts somewhere deep down.😂 anyways, my stuff is here to read, if interested. It’s a piece of urban fantasy:
https://open.substack.com/pub/kathrineelaine/p/cirque-du-macabre?r=2rhgsy&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Welcome aboard! All of FIctionistas content is 100% free all the time. We are a group of fiction writers writing on Substack, and we have threads like this, guest posts, writing prompt parties over Zoom, and occasional video chats with the group. In addition to co-organizing Fictionistas, I have a fiction Substack that has a paywall on my serialized novels but not on the rest of my content (storycauldron.substack.com) and because of your own interests you might also enjoy my local history substack (unseenstlouis.substack.com).
Thanks. I will sign up. Hopefully I will become interesting enough to be able to have a paywall.
Hi! Still writing but it's sporadic (and word count is low) and very few wins. So just have to look at the fact that I'm still writing as the win, I suppose 🤔
It's okay. That fact that you're writing is absolutely a win! Keep it going!
That’s totally a win!!! And really...the underlying point of NaNo. 🤩 I have Dory in my head now. 🎶 Just keep swimming...just keep swimming...🎶
All over the place. I just hit 9k words. My goal is not to hit 50k but make dent in this novella. I had about 4k written before, so that’s some progress. Had some serious distractions and mental health stuff come up so I feel I would have more if that didn’t happen. Not editing, just hitting the plot points.
Great work! Keep it up!!
I hear you on "not editing, just hitting the plot points." I'm in the same boat.
I feel like it’s a horror show of forgotten letters, passive voice, and adverbs aplenty, but that can all be fixed later.
Leave it all for later. Just keep writing. I leave the editing for moments when I feel uninspired to write. Funny enough, the inspiration decides to return when I edit, and I’m back to writing again...🙄😅
Yeah, here you there. I am having a bit of a struggle with motivation (depression sucks) but I am keeping at it. Editing does seem to spark the ideas and the flow for me too.
Woooot!!!! And heck yeah, I don’t edit during NaNo either. Just 🤮 The more writing I edit, the less of that stuff comes out in my first drafts so I don’t worry about it. I also have tons in ALL CAPS where I need to come up with a name or research something or a phrase that is cliche that I need to make cool but would stop my flow to do it. Pffffft. Keyboard-bang on, man!
Thanks! It’s my first crack at this, and I have only done short stories before. Hoping for more progress this week,
How has it been going for you so far?
Doubled my word count to around 9k words since Nov 1. Having some distractions, but I am doing what I can. Some personal issues have come up.
This is my first NaNoWriMo. I took it on as an interesting challenge and because I have had an idea knocking around for a couple of years that I wanted to test out - it's based on a historical figure and I have given a lot of time to thinking how to deal with him as I'm not a huge fan of historical fiction. So far I'm surprised at the directions the story/character is taking me in ! I've got to approx 16 k words which leaves me some way to go!!!
This sounds really intriguing! Any hints on who this mysterious figure might be? And congrats on it being your first Nano!
I haven't really been participating in NaNo this year. I now work full time, so I don't have as much time for writing as I used to, and that has meant not being able to update my newsletter regularly. However, I do have some ideas for writing short fiction, particularly dark or unconventional Christmas stories. My plan is to put up at least two of them on my newsletter between now and December.I also want to get working more on at least one of my novels in progress.
That sounds like a great plan. Sometimes I find I can get a lot done in those little windows when work is slow and/or it's the holidays. Best of luck!
Thank you!
I'm at 25K! Mostly plot development, character sketches but a fair amount of unedited prose and conversation at this point. My story is mostly the latter but I'm adding in some letters and historical records that my protagonists discover.
My story is a mystery. Two people in the present, a divorced middle-age techie and a historical society librarian/aspiring novel writer join forces to unravel a mystery dating back to the 1920s. My main character from the 1920s is a short story writer/muckraker journalist whose aspirations are thwarted by various obligations and restrictions. Ultimately, her life is tragically cut short; and so is the life of her love interest, a WWI vet. Back in the present, someone is haunting the house that the middle-age techie bought and part of the haunting includes odd dreams that he is convinced are not his own. He joins forces with the the librarian/writer to go on a history/geneology hunt to discover who lived in the house and what happened to its inhabitants. Their adventure culminates not only in a reveal of the house's secrets but also an uncovering of their own entangled personal histories.
I don't know a ton about the 1920s in America so I have been supplementing writing with researching the era as well as learning what people were reading at the time and who the main women journalist/writers were. I'm also researching the support (or lack thereof) provided to WWI vets on their return. The time between 1917 and 1921 is FASCINATING and TERRIBLE. I guess there is no time in history that doesn't have that, but my eyes have been opened. (American Midnight by Hochschild uncovers a ton).
My prose is a combination of conversation between characters and letters written to and from characters that get discovered along the way. My most difficult choice right now is to decide whether my two characters in the 1920s have requited or unrequited love; I'm leaning towards the latter.
Sounds good!👍
This sounds fantastic, and congrats on the word count! I am just behind you with 24K and change and I'll be getting back to it before the evening is over.
Hooray, yes, I see you are on a roll! We are late night hoot owl writers.
Hi! I'm brand new here, first NaNoWriMo. In fact I only found out about its existence in the world via youtube video a few weeks ago. So, here I am! Standing with my lunch tray and looking out at a busy school cafeteria. Fun, but also a bit daunting. I'd love a writing buddy / table to sit at :D. I'll make an effort to be more friendly. Write on, everyone :)
Congrats on your first NaNoWriMo! We have a big table in the back and everyone is working hard on their writing. Ignore the guy in the corner throwing food - we use him for comic relief. I might have to get up and get a refill on coffee (they better not run out!) because I have a long way to go.... :)
Ok so here’s a question... I’ve written the ending. And... it’s horrific. It’s what I wanted to write, and it needs to be dark, but seeing the words written down has given me the creeps! So the question is: is this ok?? 😬 I am now writing an epilogue to bring back a little optimism
I knew the tragic ending of one of my stories when I began writing. It still broke my heart when I got to actually writing it. 😭
It’s breaking my heart every time I read it!
Is it okay? It's your story so only you can answer that! It may be that when you finish it up you might dial back on some of the darkness, but for now, just keep going and see what you end up with!
I have an ending to an internal story in this novella I am writing, and she is a memory of me, at a younger age. And I have to kill off the character, it is absolutely essential to move the plot to the 2nd part. I have written all the way up the moment/incident of death and I just can’t yet. I totally understand your feelings on this. I ran far away from it and decided to work on all the sections before it.
Wow, that sounds very powerful. Maybe you need to skip this piece temporarily? Or just put in some words as a placeholder? And then you can come back to it later?
This is the same Erika, I have a death on my hands! I used placeholder text for a while but then i had to do the deed. Maybe the upside is these characters must be well developed for us to care so deeply for them.
👆 What they said. As one who often goes too far in a rough draft, I just let it come out as it comes out because it can always be edited later. Or like you’re doing. Have a more optimistic epilogue. And I rarely write stuff in order. Some of these things just need to bake or ferment or...you know...have the moldering flesh rot off the bones underground while I write and do other things. 🤪 Congrats on writing so evocatively that you even creeped yourself out! I often have no clue what I wrote in a first draft until I come back and read it later. That’s how I know A Muse has been to visit.
Still going, and I got about 22k words in my manuscript. Of course, with the project the way it is, I've mostly dealt with the easy part so far. But now that I ran into my WIP, I expect my progress to slow down considerably. I managed to get a few hundred words in yesterday but I'm hoping to put in more today.
As for my favorite character in this hodgepodge, definitely the main character. He's a time traveler who's gathered a bunch of stories.
Definitely have been interesting ride so far, figuratively and literally. Here's my latest weekly log on it: https://germanicuscaesar117.substack.com/p/nanowrimo-2023-log-2
Congrats on the word count! Keep in mind this is a marathon, not a sprint. Just keep writing!
After getting ahead of the word count, I ended up falling behind when I was hit with an epilogue idea that led to me crying throughout the day. But I don't really mind, not making 50,000, but I've clearly made significant progress. Though I would like to finish the draft sooner rather than later, however many words or months that takes. It was only with NaNoWriMo I was in a state to come up with that epilogue.
Well keep in mind that NaNo isn't even quite half over. I've seen people post 10K+ words in the final day or two. So just keep writing and maybe by the end of the month you'll surprise yourself. And either way if you're making progress, that's all that really matters!
Exactly. (Ahem...won’t mention any names. I’ve done that more than once.) but that’s such a cool win in and of itself!!
I wrote 6,344 words so far. I didn't write every day and I didn't write as much as I wanted but more than I hoped. My favourite character is a boy who is also the protagonist of my story. I can't decide whether he's 6 or 9 years old. And today, 13 days after I started writing his story, I am getting glimpses of his world. Which is a good sign. I have to see a story to be able to write it and I couldn't see this one until now. It takes a moment until the magic happens.
That sounds amazing. What kind of story are you writing? Is it going to be a novel?
3000ish words last night as I rolled thru chapter four with gusto. I'm behind about 4k, but the story is moving at a good pace, and it's the first time I actually did some kind of outline - not an exact one, not chapters but a stories beats one based on the 15 beats outlined in Save The Cat. I feel really good about this book.
It sounds like you're doing well. I too am following Save the Cat (which has saved my writing process from being a complete shambles). Don't sweat being behind - you still have time to catch up if you want and if not, you're making great progress!
Oh I'm doomed either way. Going to visit the in-laws on Saturday for a week. Haha
I have faith she’ll continue to stalk you even through holidays. 🤓
I'm a hopeless memoir writer who has hit bottom. Thanks for being amazing all of you writing warriors.
Oh no! What's happened? How can we help? I can give you a writing prompt or two if that will help you keep moving forward.
From one memoirist to another, I have been a NaNo Rebel on more than one year when those were the stories burning most brightly, so if you’re trying to switch to fiction, it all counts. Rebel On! If you’re already being a Rebel and your memoir is being stubborn--yes, yes, reach out to the Fictionistas Crew. They have so many great ideas! If you’re wanting to stick with fiction...oh geez...something I’ve noticed: I can rarely find better, more vivid and astounding fictional ideas than the ones inspired by history. My own or the world’s. Memoir shows me how to write fiction and vs versa. I hope you reach back out, if not this NaNo, then in the future. 📚🩵📚
hmmmm I'm wary of saying too much - there's a saying here in Ireland that many a good novel was wasted in the pub! In other words talking too much distracts from the writing. Suffice it to say he's a figure from Revolutionary France, a wheeler dealer who survived several regime changes. Many people regarded him as the devil incarnate but for all his faults he was a visionary . . .
I’ve been writing writing writing, first got to 6000 words hated what I started so I began what I really want to do which is memoir in poetry . So I took a break and did a bunch of reading on poetry prose. I’ve been writing poetry for years but not as a cohesive collection of memoir, so now I’ve written 25 poems towards a memoir of sorts .
That's great. I don't know if word counts mean much to you but if they do, your first 6K totally counts even if you shifted gears. And congrats on finding a project you are enjoying!
You’re saying that even the words that get cut count towards the 50000 goal?
absolutely! You count all the words you write in November towards your project.
Oh yes, revolutionary France. A good period to find a dastardly character... :)
How can I edit my page, I want to change to a pen name
I assume you mean on NaNoWriMo? If so, you find your username and the little arrow next to it, which will open up Settings. From there you can change your username to whatever you want.
That's very enterprising Kate. Well done on having the courage and determination to start again. A memoir in poetry is a whole other challenge in itself. Best of luck with the work - sounds like you're well down the road with it already.
I'm focusing onpublishing a poetry, essay chapbook, and in a dark night of the soul. I am trying to adjust my posture so I can be on the computer longer. Thank you so much for contacting me. Elizabeth
That sounds like a great project. And you know, sometimes how we write (or where) is almost as important as what we write. If you're uncomfortable, that can make a huge difference in how well you can create. Good for you for realizing you need to make some changes.
Hear! Hear!! I have to set my alarm for every 30 minutes to make myself do movement or get in a new position. Soooo important! I hope that your adjustments and any other things you do for yourself can lure you out or bring a candle down there for you to write by. Or at least just stub your toes less. ✨🥰✨
it;s been a long time coming and I just had to face my fears and proceed. Thank you for your feedback. I appreciate it very much. Blessings on your work. How is it going?
I'm doing well, thanks. I got almost 4K words done today, over 28K total. And more than word count, the words are flowing pretty easily. I haven't had a NaNo go this well before - and this is my 11th one.
Omg that’s amazing! Well done 👏
For this November, I only had 3 things on my agenda. 1) Take care of my mom and enjoy the heck out of staying with her while my dad has been away for 3 weeks at Deep Camp in MN. (She just had a stroke.) 2) Rest Rest Rest after 9 months of getting my butt kicked by 3 government agencies and the seizures that it brought back into my life. 3) Enjoy NaNo.
Wellllll...I’ve been a bit obsessive in all this quiet and down time. I just passed 42K.
As for surprises...YES. Since I wrote the original bare bones plotline when I was 13-17, looking at that setting of 1987-89 through the eyes of an adult...it was all there. I just didn’t understand so many things because I was a kid. So many skeletons of really important issues all wrapped inside teenage angst and starry-eyed passion. So many plot holes I didn’t know how to fill in or conflicts I didn’t know how to resolve because...I didn’t know how. I first wrote this story as a subconscious act of desperation, trying to figure out how to deal with that world and so many of the people in it. Now 35 years later, it takes on such a different life of its own.
And yet, so much is still the same. *Spock eyebrow...* Fascinating...
Sending out pompoms and Muse-dust to y’all, especially if you’re struggling. May some of my obsessive word-vomit anoint thy shoes. But...like...in a pleasant way. 🤪
That's all awesome, and way to go with that word count! I just hit 30K myself. I'm glad you're having fun with it!
Oh, doodness! Woooot!
you said it! Spoiled for choice!! How's your project going?