XD It's pretty obvious I didn't make it to the 50,000 words, or even close for that matter.
I did write more, but it's on my laptop. I got more of the story floating around in my head and I'm getting some issues I have with the story worked out. It's not quite there yet, but I think I will be posting more later. Edited. Heavily. That was one of the things that frustrated me. Keeping myself from going back and fixing problems was a pretty big deterrent from working on the story.
And I may move my story elsewhere cause I don't see this blog being a good way to display my story.
Bug me about it!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Day Four
The feel of hands upon her torso woke Asylia up. Immediately, she swung out with an arm as she opened her eyes, the air thickening around her hand. Feeling the solidifying air connect with something, she released it as she rolled away.
“Ow!”
She looked at the one who uttered the surprised shout, a man on his behind, rubbing his chest through the dark green shirt with loose ties by his neck. Black unkempt hair fell across his hazel eyes with mock hurt. Recognizing him, she relaxed. “Malfon, you’re going to die one of these days and it won’t be my fault.”
Malfon leapt to his feet. “If I die touching the ever lovely Asylia, I think I’d be fine with that.”
“Even if before you die, you’re completely maimed, gutted, tortured, and everything in between?” she asked, as she pulled everything back on. “Anyway, what are you doing out here?”
“Stena saw Eralo so we knew you were back. Join us for dinner? The second class Rangers came back today so there’s going to be some nice pig roast tonight.”
Today's Word Count: 181
Total Word Count: 1,586
Comment: Urgh, my word count is just dropping. I haven't even cleared the necessary daily word count for the first day on my fourth day. This so is not good. But I'm gonna keep pushing forward and update with as much as I can! But I think I might take a day off sometime in the near future to pound out a quick outline just so I know where I'm headed and hopefully prompt the muse to flow. As it is, I'm awkwardly throwing in a rather boring and slow transition when I don't even know where I'm going. XD I will succeed though! I WILL GET THAT 50,000 WORD COUNT!
“Ow!”
She looked at the one who uttered the surprised shout, a man on his behind, rubbing his chest through the dark green shirt with loose ties by his neck. Black unkempt hair fell across his hazel eyes with mock hurt. Recognizing him, she relaxed. “Malfon, you’re going to die one of these days and it won’t be my fault.”
Malfon leapt to his feet. “If I die touching the ever lovely Asylia, I think I’d be fine with that.”
“Even if before you die, you’re completely maimed, gutted, tortured, and everything in between?” she asked, as she pulled everything back on. “Anyway, what are you doing out here?”
“Stena saw Eralo so we knew you were back. Join us for dinner? The second class Rangers came back today so there’s going to be some nice pig roast tonight.”
Today's Word Count: 181
Total Word Count: 1,586
Comment: Urgh, my word count is just dropping. I haven't even cleared the necessary daily word count for the first day on my fourth day. This so is not good. But I'm gonna keep pushing forward and update with as much as I can! But I think I might take a day off sometime in the near future to pound out a quick outline just so I know where I'm headed and hopefully prompt the muse to flow. As it is, I'm awkwardly throwing in a rather boring and slow transition when I don't even know where I'm going. XD I will succeed though! I WILL GET THAT 50,000 WORD COUNT!
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Day Three
After dropping off her belongings into her room, Asylia wound her way through the building that she had claimed as home for the last ten years of her life. It was hard to believe that she had been here this long but that was reality.
She first arrived as a child when the place she originally called home was no longer safe for her or anyone else. She came as a child carried on the back of someone, unable to walk or even aware of anything around her. For this place, it was not unusual. It was the school and training ground for those who were blessed, or cursed, with power that was not limited to the physical. When the power awakened, it left her disabled as it ran rampant through her body.
But now, it was under control. It was no longer foreign. It was as part of her as her own hand. She was thankful. There were those who got burned out by the power before it was bought under control. Some died while others were left less than whole, whether it be physically or mentally. But she wondered sometimes what life would have been like if she never had this power. She probably wouldn’t be here, carrying a sword, or going out on patrols to deal with the increasing number of monsters in the world. Truth be told, she could not say she was unhappy. She was here, contributing to the history of the Gaeria and its role of protecting the people, young and old, of not only the Narcys Empire but also everyone in the world.
Asylia found herself outside. A small green field spread out in front of her with the edges bounded with high stone walls. There were groups at various spots, some of them students in their lessons, others simply training, and then there were those simply milling about, enjoying the sun. Instead of joining any of them, she went to her favorite spot. There was a tall tree near the far end of the field that did not seem to attract many visitors, perhaps due to its distance. Whatever the reason, it was a great place for solitude when she needed it.
She removed the sword and set it upon the ground beside her. And then she removed her boots and socks. She laid down upon the grass, feeling its soft cool touch upon her bare skin. She closed her eyes and felt the dancing rays of sun peeking through the tree’s leaves upon her face.
Today's Word Count: 424
Total Word Count: 1,400
Comment: Well, I'm not as far as I would like to be, but the fact that I'm writing at all is a good thing. As each day passes, I think I'm gonna have more and more free time to write as I finish off projects, assignments, and finals for the quarter. Funny enough, in less than two weeks time, the updates to this blog will drop off when I lose constant access to the Internet. n.n; As for the story itself... Well, I don't have the faintest clue where it's going, nor am I entirely pleased with the quality of the writing, but eh, as for quality, it was never meant to be good. Although, I could have done something about it in that I could have made an outline ahead of time instead of doing this by the seat of my pants. XD Oh well! Anyways, enough of my ramblings. Time for me to reacquaint myself with that lovely bed of mine.
She first arrived as a child when the place she originally called home was no longer safe for her or anyone else. She came as a child carried on the back of someone, unable to walk or even aware of anything around her. For this place, it was not unusual. It was the school and training ground for those who were blessed, or cursed, with power that was not limited to the physical. When the power awakened, it left her disabled as it ran rampant through her body.
But now, it was under control. It was no longer foreign. It was as part of her as her own hand. She was thankful. There were those who got burned out by the power before it was bought under control. Some died while others were left less than whole, whether it be physically or mentally. But she wondered sometimes what life would have been like if she never had this power. She probably wouldn’t be here, carrying a sword, or going out on patrols to deal with the increasing number of monsters in the world. Truth be told, she could not say she was unhappy. She was here, contributing to the history of the Gaeria and its role of protecting the people, young and old, of not only the Narcys Empire but also everyone in the world.
Asylia found herself outside. A small green field spread out in front of her with the edges bounded with high stone walls. There were groups at various spots, some of them students in their lessons, others simply training, and then there were those simply milling about, enjoying the sun. Instead of joining any of them, she went to her favorite spot. There was a tall tree near the far end of the field that did not seem to attract many visitors, perhaps due to its distance. Whatever the reason, it was a great place for solitude when she needed it.
She removed the sword and set it upon the ground beside her. And then she removed her boots and socks. She laid down upon the grass, feeling its soft cool touch upon her bare skin. She closed her eyes and felt the dancing rays of sun peeking through the tree’s leaves upon her face.
Today's Word Count: 424
Total Word Count: 1,400
Comment: Well, I'm not as far as I would like to be, but the fact that I'm writing at all is a good thing. As each day passes, I think I'm gonna have more and more free time to write as I finish off projects, assignments, and finals for the quarter. Funny enough, in less than two weeks time, the updates to this blog will drop off when I lose constant access to the Internet. n.n; As for the story itself... Well, I don't have the faintest clue where it's going, nor am I entirely pleased with the quality of the writing, but eh, as for quality, it was never meant to be good. Although, I could have done something about it in that I could have made an outline ahead of time instead of doing this by the seat of my pants. XD Oh well! Anyways, enough of my ramblings. Time for me to reacquaint myself with that lovely bed of mine.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Day One
Word Count (Not counting the words prologue and part one and these lovely words): 971 (according to Scrivener)
Prologue
What if you couldn’t walk away from destiny? If it swept you up and away from all that you held dear? Even if you saw it coming, could you do anything about it? This is a story about destiny but one whose end is unknown for this story is not just a story. It is happening right now as I write this. And I am afraid.
Part One
The wind tore across the plains, flattening the grass. Trees that stood for years, great and tall, majestic with their branches raised high, could not withstand the screaming wind. Their leaves were torn off. Their branches were torn off. Until finally, their roots finally could no longer hold and they too were torn. There were was no moonlight but there was plenty of light as the jagged branches of lightning jumped from the sky to strike the ground with explosive impact. The lightning strikes blinded everyone if there had been anyone to watch them. With the lightning was also the pouring rain, drenching everything and anything in a mere moment with its torrent. It was as if nature itself was trying to tear the world apart.
Even with the fury of the elements raging across the plains, there were two who stood amidst this. They were not statues-–they were very much alive. Their clothes were soaked. Their hair was soaked. Water fell off in never-ending stream. Trees were ripped out of the ground and yet these two stood.
“This will end now,” one of them said, the voice low and rough. A hand came out from underneath the cloak and ripped it off. As soon as the hand let go, the wind greedily grabbed the cloak and took it away, revealing a muscular man, if one could call it a man. Everything about the being was human but for two things. The eyes. They glowed with an unnatural red that pulsed irregularly. But there was something else... It was not something physical but an aura. Words could not describe it.
He held out his gloved hand and a fire popped into existence in his palm. It rapidly lengthened out into a sword with flames crawling all along it. He wrapped his fingers around it and charged at the other figure, the fire tracing out his path behind him before disappearing. He bought the sword down upon the other in a heavy overhand blow.
But the other figure had already moved and so the sword only caught a cloak. Several yards away, a woman held a sword in each hand as she stood with her profile towards the other, her eyes watching the man warily.
“Haha, good, good! It looks there are still some I could have fun with!” He once again charged at her but just before he reached her, he seemed to disappear.
The woman dropped a sword as she spun around, the empty hand coming up in front of her with the palm away. A white pulse of light formed in her hand and rapidly spread out into a beam at the man. She retreated back as she reached her hand out toward the sword and it leapt up into her empty hand. She shook the rain out of her eyes to see if she had scored a hit.
Suddenly, a sword pierced her from the back. Her hands lost their grip on her swords as a burning sensation spread through her, tearing at not only her body but what also felt like her soul.
“Asylia!”
She couldn’t see anything but voice was not the man-that-was-not.
“Asylia! Wake up!”
Her eyes snapped open. She blinked a few times before sitting up.
“You were yelling. Did you have that nightmare again?”
Asylia looked at the man crouched beside her. The darkness threw shadows across his smooth face, but they did not the hide the concern in his blue eyes. She nodded. “Yes, but I’d be all right. Go back to sleep. I’m not a child. I can handle them.”
He gazed at her silently for several moments. “What was it about?”
“I... I don’t remember. I just remember a sense of evil as I always do.”
He sighed. “I wish you would tell me.”
She smiled at him slightly. “I would if I could, Eralo. Go back to sleep.” When he finally complied, she laid back down on what accounted for a ‘bed’ that night and gazed up at the moon that shone brightly upon all it touched. She didn’t fall asleep for hours to come.
The sun was nearly at its peak when Asylia and Eralo arrived in front of a city gate. The granite doors were open, allowing the flow of traffic to easily pass through. Vendors hawked their wares as they rode along a broad avenue towards the middle of the city. They passed through another gate and as they moved further from it, the noise of the crowds faded away until they could the clops of their horses’ hoofs upon the stone paved street. Eventually, they stopped in front of a building older than both of them put together. It was built out of stone but simplistic in design. It was here that they dismounted and lead their horses to a low wooden gate off to the side.
An man with white hair beginning to show at the temples greeted them. “Good day, Eralo and Asylia. Lord Tyaxo wishes to see you both this evening after dinner.” He turned slightly to the side. “Hurry up!” he yelled to those behind him. “This is part of your responsibilities!” He turned back to the two as a couple of young boys rushed past him to take the horses.
“Thank you, Sir Gravin. Nyvia shines upon you,” said Eralo.
“Nyvia shines upon you.”
Prologue
What if you couldn’t walk away from destiny? If it swept you up and away from all that you held dear? Even if you saw it coming, could you do anything about it? This is a story about destiny but one whose end is unknown for this story is not just a story. It is happening right now as I write this. And I am afraid.
Part One
The wind tore across the plains, flattening the grass. Trees that stood for years, great and tall, majestic with their branches raised high, could not withstand the screaming wind. Their leaves were torn off. Their branches were torn off. Until finally, their roots finally could no longer hold and they too were torn. There were was no moonlight but there was plenty of light as the jagged branches of lightning jumped from the sky to strike the ground with explosive impact. The lightning strikes blinded everyone if there had been anyone to watch them. With the lightning was also the pouring rain, drenching everything and anything in a mere moment with its torrent. It was as if nature itself was trying to tear the world apart.
Even with the fury of the elements raging across the plains, there were two who stood amidst this. They were not statues-–they were very much alive. Their clothes were soaked. Their hair was soaked. Water fell off in never-ending stream. Trees were ripped out of the ground and yet these two stood.
“This will end now,” one of them said, the voice low and rough. A hand came out from underneath the cloak and ripped it off. As soon as the hand let go, the wind greedily grabbed the cloak and took it away, revealing a muscular man, if one could call it a man. Everything about the being was human but for two things. The eyes. They glowed with an unnatural red that pulsed irregularly. But there was something else... It was not something physical but an aura. Words could not describe it.
He held out his gloved hand and a fire popped into existence in his palm. It rapidly lengthened out into a sword with flames crawling all along it. He wrapped his fingers around it and charged at the other figure, the fire tracing out his path behind him before disappearing. He bought the sword down upon the other in a heavy overhand blow.
But the other figure had already moved and so the sword only caught a cloak. Several yards away, a woman held a sword in each hand as she stood with her profile towards the other, her eyes watching the man warily.
“Haha, good, good! It looks there are still some I could have fun with!” He once again charged at her but just before he reached her, he seemed to disappear.
The woman dropped a sword as she spun around, the empty hand coming up in front of her with the palm away. A white pulse of light formed in her hand and rapidly spread out into a beam at the man. She retreated back as she reached her hand out toward the sword and it leapt up into her empty hand. She shook the rain out of her eyes to see if she had scored a hit.
Suddenly, a sword pierced her from the back. Her hands lost their grip on her swords as a burning sensation spread through her, tearing at not only her body but what also felt like her soul.
“Asylia!”
She couldn’t see anything but voice was not the man-that-was-not.
“Asylia! Wake up!”
Her eyes snapped open. She blinked a few times before sitting up.
“You were yelling. Did you have that nightmare again?”
Asylia looked at the man crouched beside her. The darkness threw shadows across his smooth face, but they did not the hide the concern in his blue eyes. She nodded. “Yes, but I’d be all right. Go back to sleep. I’m not a child. I can handle them.”
He gazed at her silently for several moments. “What was it about?”
“I... I don’t remember. I just remember a sense of evil as I always do.”
He sighed. “I wish you would tell me.”
She smiled at him slightly. “I would if I could, Eralo. Go back to sleep.” When he finally complied, she laid back down on what accounted for a ‘bed’ that night and gazed up at the moon that shone brightly upon all it touched. She didn’t fall asleep for hours to come.
The sun was nearly at its peak when Asylia and Eralo arrived in front of a city gate. The granite doors were open, allowing the flow of traffic to easily pass through. Vendors hawked their wares as they rode along a broad avenue towards the middle of the city. They passed through another gate and as they moved further from it, the noise of the crowds faded away until they could the clops of their horses’ hoofs upon the stone paved street. Eventually, they stopped in front of a building older than both of them put together. It was built out of stone but simplistic in design. It was here that they dismounted and lead their horses to a low wooden gate off to the side.
An man with white hair beginning to show at the temples greeted them. “Good day, Eralo and Asylia. Lord Tyaxo wishes to see you both this evening after dinner.” He turned slightly to the side. “Hurry up!” he yelled to those behind him. “This is part of your responsibilities!” He turned back to the two as a couple of young boys rushed past him to take the horses.
“Thank you, Sir Gravin. Nyvia shines upon you,” said Eralo.
“Nyvia shines upon you.”
Monday, October 29, 2007
Easy to Read Info & Rules List for NaNoWriMo: Part Three
NaNo Technology
(some questions removed)
Do we write our novels online through your website?
You write off-line, using whatever word processor you like.
How do I update my word count? Do I need to actually upload the words somewhere to increase my word count?
You will be able to update your Word Count starting on November 1.
The Word Count options will appear on the My Novel page (in the My NaNoWriMo section) at this time. From the My Novel page you can update your Word Count using the honor system, or by uploading a text file containing your Novel in progress. After you update your Word Count, your new total will display in your profile and next to your postings.
You do not need to upload your work in progress to update your word count.
How do you stop people from cheating, then? Couldn't participants claim whatever word count they want?
Yes, they can. But since the only real prize of NaNoWriMo is the self-satisfaction that comes with pulling off such a great, creative feat, we don't really worry too much about people cheating. Those who enter an impossibly high number or send in 50,000 words they copied from Wikipedia.org just to see their name on the Winner's page are pitiful indeed, and likely need more help than a downloadable winner's certificate can provide them.
It's November 25th, 2006. I've written 50,000 words and am ready to enter into the annals of NaNoWriMo history forever.
From 12:00:01 am, November 25th onward, all participants who have written more than 50,000 words can have their winning word counts verified by our world-renowned team of robotic word counters.
Uploading your novel to the Validator makes your NaNoWriMo victory official, gets you listed on our Winners Page, and routes you to the secret spot where you can collect this year's winner's certificate.
It will also turn your word count bar purple and add a small celebratory banner to your Flash Profile.
The Word Count Validation tools are part of the My Novel page in the My NaNoWriMo section of the site.
Can I keep writing and adding to my word count even after I've had the novel verified?
Absolutely. Verification simply confirms that you have crossed the 50,000-word mark. You can continue to add to your word count in the usual fashion until 11:59:59 pm on November 30th.
What if there's a discrepancy between what my word count said and what yours comes up with?
Word counters rarely agree with each other, and there is a good chance there will be a discrepancy between our counter and the one on your word processor. Some people gain words and others lose them, and you can see how great the difference is by uploading your manuscript for counting at any point on the My Novel page. Our count will automatically appear in your Word Count box.
Do you read the novels that get sent in?
We do not read or store any of the manuscripts submitted.
Really? How can I be sure that you aren't going to take my novel and sell it as your own, as seen in the film Morvern Callar?
You ask a good question here. And that movie was indeed oddly beautiful.
For technical reasons, your novel will be saved as a file on our server when it is submitted for Word Count. As soon as the Word Count is complete, the file will be deleted.
We promise that we will never read or copy any novels uploaded to our servers. However, we cannot guarantee that our servers will not be compromised, and there are many other ways that your novel could be viewed by interlopers when you submit it to our Word Count Validator.
If you are worried about the unlikely possibility that someone will have unauthorized access to your manuscript, please scramble your novel before submitting it to our Word Count tool.
How can I scramble my novel before submitting it to your untrustworthy word-counting goons?
If you are using Microsoft Word it is very easy to scramble your novel in a way that will not affect its word count.
1. Open the file and make a new copy of your novel using 'Save As...'
2. Open the Find and Replace dialog box (Edit -> Replace).
3. Click the "More" button to expand the box.
4. Check the "Use Wildcards" checkbox.
5. In the "Find What" field, put this: [a-zA-Z0-9]
6. In the "Replace With" field, put this: a
7. Click "Replace All"
8. Save the scrambled file as a text file, and upload away!
The procedure for Open Office is essentially the same, except that Open Office refers to 'Regular Expressions' instead of 'Wildcards'.
(Thanks to Peter Dudley for this advice!)
When is the cut off date for novel validation?
11:59:59 pm on November 30, your time (as determined by the time zone set on your edit profile page).
I'm a little technophobic. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for validating my novel and becoming a NaNoWriMo winner?
You bet!
0. Make sure it is on or after November 25th. You can't validate your novel until November 25th!
1. Write a 50,000-word novel. Because our word count may differ from your word processing program's word count, we recommend you write a few hundred words over 50,000, just in case.
2. Save your novel as a text-only (.txt) file. We need you to do this because the special formatting hidden inside Microsoft Word (and other word processing programs) makes it impossible to get an accurate word count. Go to "Save As" on your word processor's menu and look for a "Save As Type" box, where you can select an option such as 'Text only' or 'Plain text' or 'Text only with line breaks.' Any of those are fine.
3. Sign into the NaNoWriMo.org site, and click on the My NaNoWriMo link in the top navigation bar. Look for the My Novel link on the left of the screen and click on it.
4. Find the Word Count Validator section of the page. Click on the "Browse" button, and use the File Upload window to locate the .txt version of the novel you just created. Click on the file twice to select it for upload. At this point, the File Upload screen will disappear and you will be back at the Word Count Validator. Some text will be visible in the box next to the Browse button.
5. Click the "Upload" button. The Validator will take it from there. If you're a winner, you will be taken to the winner's page. If the Validator counts less than 50,000 words, you will return to the Validator page and your word count will be updated with the new number.
If you do not know how to do any of the above steps, please consult your word processor's Help facilities, or post a question in the Site Feedback Forum.
(some questions removed)
Do we write our novels online through your website?
You write off-line, using whatever word processor you like.
How do I update my word count? Do I need to actually upload the words somewhere to increase my word count?
You will be able to update your Word Count starting on November 1.
The Word Count options will appear on the My Novel page (in the My NaNoWriMo section) at this time. From the My Novel page you can update your Word Count using the honor system, or by uploading a text file containing your Novel in progress. After you update your Word Count, your new total will display in your profile and next to your postings.
You do not need to upload your work in progress to update your word count.
How do you stop people from cheating, then? Couldn't participants claim whatever word count they want?
Yes, they can. But since the only real prize of NaNoWriMo is the self-satisfaction that comes with pulling off such a great, creative feat, we don't really worry too much about people cheating. Those who enter an impossibly high number or send in 50,000 words they copied from Wikipedia.org just to see their name on the Winner's page are pitiful indeed, and likely need more help than a downloadable winner's certificate can provide them.
It's November 25th, 2006. I've written 50,000 words and am ready to enter into the annals of NaNoWriMo history forever.
From 12:00:01 am, November 25th onward, all participants who have written more than 50,000 words can have their winning word counts verified by our world-renowned team of robotic word counters.
Uploading your novel to the Validator makes your NaNoWriMo victory official, gets you listed on our Winners Page, and routes you to the secret spot where you can collect this year's winner's certificate.
It will also turn your word count bar purple and add a small celebratory banner to your Flash Profile.
The Word Count Validation tools are part of the My Novel page in the My NaNoWriMo section of the site.
Can I keep writing and adding to my word count even after I've had the novel verified?
Absolutely. Verification simply confirms that you have crossed the 50,000-word mark. You can continue to add to your word count in the usual fashion until 11:59:59 pm on November 30th.
What if there's a discrepancy between what my word count said and what yours comes up with?
Word counters rarely agree with each other, and there is a good chance there will be a discrepancy between our counter and the one on your word processor. Some people gain words and others lose them, and you can see how great the difference is by uploading your manuscript for counting at any point on the My Novel page. Our count will automatically appear in your Word Count box.
Do you read the novels that get sent in?
We do not read or store any of the manuscripts submitted.
Really? How can I be sure that you aren't going to take my novel and sell it as your own, as seen in the film Morvern Callar?
You ask a good question here. And that movie was indeed oddly beautiful.
For technical reasons, your novel will be saved as a file on our server when it is submitted for Word Count. As soon as the Word Count is complete, the file will be deleted.
We promise that we will never read or copy any novels uploaded to our servers. However, we cannot guarantee that our servers will not be compromised, and there are many other ways that your novel could be viewed by interlopers when you submit it to our Word Count Validator.
If you are worried about the unlikely possibility that someone will have unauthorized access to your manuscript, please scramble your novel before submitting it to our Word Count tool.
How can I scramble my novel before submitting it to your untrustworthy word-counting goons?
If you are using Microsoft Word it is very easy to scramble your novel in a way that will not affect its word count.
1. Open the file and make a new copy of your novel using 'Save As...'
2. Open the Find and Replace dialog box (Edit -> Replace).
3. Click the "More" button to expand the box.
4. Check the "Use Wildcards" checkbox.
5. In the "Find What" field, put this: [a-zA-Z0-9]
6. In the "Replace With" field, put this: a
7. Click "Replace All"
8. Save the scrambled file as a text file, and upload away!
The procedure for Open Office is essentially the same, except that Open Office refers to 'Regular Expressions' instead of 'Wildcards'.
(Thanks to Peter Dudley for this advice!)
When is the cut off date for novel validation?
11:59:59 pm on November 30, your time (as determined by the time zone set on your edit profile page).
I'm a little technophobic. Can you give me step-by-step instructions for validating my novel and becoming a NaNoWriMo winner?
You bet!
0. Make sure it is on or after November 25th. You can't validate your novel until November 25th!
1. Write a 50,000-word novel. Because our word count may differ from your word processing program's word count, we recommend you write a few hundred words over 50,000, just in case.
2. Save your novel as a text-only (.txt) file. We need you to do this because the special formatting hidden inside Microsoft Word (and other word processing programs) makes it impossible to get an accurate word count. Go to "Save As" on your word processor's menu and look for a "Save As Type" box, where you can select an option such as 'Text only' or 'Plain text' or 'Text only with line breaks.' Any of those are fine.
3. Sign into the NaNoWriMo.org site, and click on the My NaNoWriMo link in the top navigation bar. Look for the My Novel link on the left of the screen and click on it.
4. Find the Word Count Validator section of the page. Click on the "Browse" button, and use the File Upload window to locate the .txt version of the novel you just created. Click on the file twice to select it for upload. At this point, the File Upload screen will disappear and you will be back at the Word Count Validator. Some text will be visible in the box next to the Browse button.
5. Click the "Upload" button. The Validator will take it from there. If you're a winner, you will be taken to the winner's page. If the Validator counts less than 50,000 words, you will return to the Validator page and your word count will be updated with the new number.
If you do not know how to do any of the above steps, please consult your word processor's Help facilities, or post a question in the Site Feedback Forum.
Easy to Read Info & Rules List for NaNoWriMo: Part Two
The Rules
Can I write one word 50,000 times?
No. Well... No.
Can I participate if I'm not American?
You bet! We are very proud to be an international event, and don't consider the "National" in the title to refer to the United States. This is an event for all nations. We'd change the name to "International Novel Writing Month," but InNoWriMo doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way.
Can I write in a foreign language?
Sure! Foreign-language novels are great.
I have a lot to do in November. Can I start in October and end early?
No. One of the best things about NaNoWriMo is the way it spreads the agony of creation throughout a large community of co-sufferers. For the pain to be properly distributed (and thereby diminished), all participants must be working on the same deadline.
Do I have to start my novel from scratch on November 1?
Yes.
This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know. But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll simply care about the characters and story too much to write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll tap into realms of imagination and intuition that are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing manuscripts.
Does that mean I can't use an outline or notes?
Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death.
Can anyone participate in NaNoWriMo?
No. People who take their writing (and themselves) very seriously should probably go elsewhere. Everyone else, though, is warmly welcomed.
Can I share writing duties with a partner?
No. But we would like to take this opportunity to plug our Script Frenzy event. Script Frenzy participants write a 100-page stage play or screenplay in April, and for Script Frenzy you are welcome to work with a partner.
Is there a minimum age to participate?
No. All ages are very welcome. In fact, in 2005 we launched NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program, which created a mini site and self-contained site for participants 12 and under, as well as those participating as part of a K-12 classroom group.
Can I use NaNoWriMo to write a screenplay?
Screenplays are great, but outside the scope of NaNoWriMo. Which is why we've launched a screenplay-in-a-month extravaganza called Script Frenzy. Wanna write a movie or play with us? We do it every April!
If I'm just writing 50,000 words of crap, why bother? Why not just write a real novel later, when I have more time?
There are three reasons.
1) If you don't do it now, you probably never will. Novel writing is mostly a "one day" event. As in "One day, I'd like to write a novel." Here's the truth: 99% of us, if left to our own devices, would never make the time to write a novel. It's just so far outside our normal lives that it constantly slips down to the bottom of our to-do lists. The structure of NaNoWriMo forces you to put away all those self-defeating worries and START. Once you have the first five chapters under your belt, the rest will come easily. Or painfully. But it will come. And you'll have friends to help you see it through to 50k.
2) Aiming low is the best way to succeed. With entry-level novel writing, shooting for the moon is the surest way to get nowhere. With high expectations, everything you write will sound cheesy and awkward. Once you start evaluating your story in terms of word count, you take that pressure off yourself. And you'll start surprising yourself with a great bit of dialogue here and a ingenious plot twist there. Characters will start doing things you never expected, taking the story places you'd never imagined. There will be much execrable prose, yes. But amidst the crap, there will be beauty. A lot of it.
3) Art for art's sake does wonderful things to you. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you want to take naps and go places wearing funny pants. Doing something just for the hell of it is a wonderful antidote to all the chores and "must-dos" of daily life. Writing a novel in a month is both exhilarating and stupid, and we would all do well to invite a little more spontaneous stupidity into our lives.
Can I write one word 50,000 times?
No. Well... No.
Can I participate if I'm not American?
You bet! We are very proud to be an international event, and don't consider the "National" in the title to refer to the United States. This is an event for all nations. We'd change the name to "International Novel Writing Month," but InNoWriMo doesn't roll off the tongue in quite the same way.
Can I write in a foreign language?
Sure! Foreign-language novels are great.
I have a lot to do in November. Can I start in October and end early?
No. One of the best things about NaNoWriMo is the way it spreads the agony of creation throughout a large community of co-sufferers. For the pain to be properly distributed (and thereby diminished), all participants must be working on the same deadline.
Do I have to start my novel from scratch on November 1?
Yes.
This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know. But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll simply care about the characters and story too much to write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll tap into realms of imagination and intuition that are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing manuscripts.
Does that mean I can't use an outline or notes?
Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death.
Can anyone participate in NaNoWriMo?
No. People who take their writing (and themselves) very seriously should probably go elsewhere. Everyone else, though, is warmly welcomed.
Can I share writing duties with a partner?
No. But we would like to take this opportunity to plug our Script Frenzy event. Script Frenzy participants write a 100-page stage play or screenplay in April, and for Script Frenzy you are welcome to work with a partner.
Is there a minimum age to participate?
No. All ages are very welcome. In fact, in 2005 we launched NaNoWriMo's Young Writers Program, which created a mini site and self-contained site for participants 12 and under, as well as those participating as part of a K-12 classroom group.
Can I use NaNoWriMo to write a screenplay?
Screenplays are great, but outside the scope of NaNoWriMo. Which is why we've launched a screenplay-in-a-month extravaganza called Script Frenzy. Wanna write a movie or play with us? We do it every April!
If I'm just writing 50,000 words of crap, why bother? Why not just write a real novel later, when I have more time?
There are three reasons.
1) If you don't do it now, you probably never will. Novel writing is mostly a "one day" event. As in "One day, I'd like to write a novel." Here's the truth: 99% of us, if left to our own devices, would never make the time to write a novel. It's just so far outside our normal lives that it constantly slips down to the bottom of our to-do lists. The structure of NaNoWriMo forces you to put away all those self-defeating worries and START. Once you have the first five chapters under your belt, the rest will come easily. Or painfully. But it will come. And you'll have friends to help you see it through to 50k.
2) Aiming low is the best way to succeed. With entry-level novel writing, shooting for the moon is the surest way to get nowhere. With high expectations, everything you write will sound cheesy and awkward. Once you start evaluating your story in terms of word count, you take that pressure off yourself. And you'll start surprising yourself with a great bit of dialogue here and a ingenious plot twist there. Characters will start doing things you never expected, taking the story places you'd never imagined. There will be much execrable prose, yes. But amidst the crap, there will be beauty. A lot of it.
3) Art for art's sake does wonderful things to you. It makes you laugh. It makes you cry. It makes you want to take naps and go places wearing funny pants. Doing something just for the hell of it is a wonderful antidote to all the chores and "must-dos" of daily life. Writing a novel in a month is both exhilarating and stupid, and we would all do well to invite a little more spontaneous stupidity into our lives.
Easy to Read Info & Rules List for NaNoWriMo: Part One
The Basics
How often do you do this?
Every November!
Who will read my novel when I'm done?
Anyone you want. Last year, some people swapped novels afterwards and it was a hoot. But it's entirely up to you. No one will read your novel until you're ready for them to.
Do you edit or publish the finished products?
We'd love to be able to publish everyone's work, but our connections to the fiction-publishing world end at Kinkos. You are welcome, however, to put excerpts from your novel-in-progress up on our site.
Does NaNoWriMo own to the rights to novels written during November?
Nope. All words are yours and yours alone. Novels emailed in at the end of the month for word count verification are deleted, unread, after being verified.
Is there a fee to participate?
There's no sign-up fee, but we do ask ably-financed participants to contribute something towards hosting and administrative costs. The amount is up to you.
Do I need to have a personal website to participate?
No.
When can I sign up?
October 1, 2007
When is the cut-off date for sign-ups?
11:59:59 pm GMT, November 30, 2007 (hope springs eternal).
When do I start writing?
At 12:00:01 am local time on November 1.
How do you win? Are there judges? What are the prizes?
The way to win NaNoWriMo is by writing 50,000 words by midnight on November 30. Every year, there are many, many winners. There are no "Best Novel" or "Quickest-Written Novel" awards given out. All winners will get an official "Winner" web icon and certificate.
Can I handwrite the novel?
Absolutely. We can't verify your word count, but verification is just icing on the NaNoWriMo cake.
What if I start and don't finish?
That's ok. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
What if I hit 50,000 words but I'm only halfway through my story?
The 50,000 word limit is a threshold, not necessarily a stopping place. Reaching 50k and realizing you still have a lot of wrapping up to do is a good thing---it gives you something to come back and work on later.
How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 particpants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners
2006: 79,000 participants and 13,000 winners
Has anyone had their novel published?
Published NaNoWriMo Authors
Our experiences over the past nine years show that 50,000 is a difficult but doable goal, even for people with full-time jobs and children. The length makes it a short novel. We don't use the word "novella" because it doesn't seem to impress people the way "novel" does.
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Alfalfa will be harvested like never before. And novels will be written in a month.
Part of the reason we organize NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. We love the fringe benefits accrued to novelists. For one month out of the year, we can stew and storm, and make a huge mess of our apartments and drink lots of coffee at odd hours. And we can do all of these things loudly, in front of people. As satisfying as it is to reach deep within yourself and pull out an unexpectedly passable work of art, it is equally (if not more) satisfying to be able to dramatize the process at social gatherings.
But that artsy drama window is woefully short. The other reason we do NaNoWriMo is because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.
How do you define "novel?" Does fan fiction count? What if I want to write interconnected short stories rather than a novel? What if my story is largely autobiographical, or is based on a real person? Can I still write it in November?
We define a novel as "a lengthy work of fiction." Beyond that, we let you decide whether what you're writing falls under the heading of "novel." In short: If you believe you're writing a novel, we believe you're writing a novel too.
I'd like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview some of the participants in my area?
Absolutely! We've put together a Media Kit stuffed with useful information about getting in touch with participants and other journalistic FAQs. After you've read it, please get in touch and let us know what we can do to help you with your article.
Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
There is! Director Chris Baty compiled all of his tips, tricks, and caffeine-intake strategies in a book called No Plot? No Problem! Along with Chris' long-winded ramblings, the book also contains eloquent, sage, and hilarious tips from NaNoWriMo veterans, who should probably know better by now.
How often do you do this?
Every November!
Who will read my novel when I'm done?
Anyone you want. Last year, some people swapped novels afterwards and it was a hoot. But it's entirely up to you. No one will read your novel until you're ready for them to.
Do you edit or publish the finished products?
We'd love to be able to publish everyone's work, but our connections to the fiction-publishing world end at Kinkos. You are welcome, however, to put excerpts from your novel-in-progress up on our site.
Does NaNoWriMo own to the rights to novels written during November?
Nope. All words are yours and yours alone. Novels emailed in at the end of the month for word count verification are deleted, unread, after being verified.
Is there a fee to participate?
There's no sign-up fee, but we do ask ably-financed participants to contribute something towards hosting and administrative costs. The amount is up to you.
Do I need to have a personal website to participate?
No.
When can I sign up?
October 1, 2007
When is the cut-off date for sign-ups?
11:59:59 pm GMT, November 30, 2007 (hope springs eternal).
When do I start writing?
At 12:00:01 am local time on November 1.
How do you win? Are there judges? What are the prizes?
The way to win NaNoWriMo is by writing 50,000 words by midnight on November 30. Every year, there are many, many winners. There are no "Best Novel" or "Quickest-Written Novel" awards given out. All winners will get an official "Winner" web icon and certificate.
Can I handwrite the novel?
Absolutely. We can't verify your word count, but verification is just icing on the NaNoWriMo cake.
What if I start and don't finish?
That's ok. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?
What if I hit 50,000 words but I'm only halfway through my story?
The 50,000 word limit is a threshold, not necessarily a stopping place. Reaching 50k and realizing you still have a lot of wrapping up to do is a good thing---it gives you something to come back and work on later.
How many novels have been written through NaNoWriMo?
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 particpants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners
2006: 79,000 participants and 13,000 winners
Has anyone had their novel published?
Published NaNoWriMo Authors
Jon F. Merz---NaNoWriMo novel: The Destructor (Pinnacle Books, 2003). Contact: Pinnacle BooksWhy 50,000 words? Isn't that more of a novella?
Lani Diane Rich---NaNoWriMo novels: Time Off for Good Behavior (Warner Books, 2004) and Maybe Baby (Warner Books, 2005). Contact: www.lanidianerich.com
Sara Gruen---NaNoWriMo novel: Flying Changes (HarperCollins, 2005) and Water for Elephants (Algonquin, 2007). Contact: www.saragruen.com
Rebecca Agiewich---NaNoWriMo novel: BreakupBabe (Ballantine Books, 2006). Contact: http://rebecca.agiewich.net
Francesca Segre---NaNoWriMo novel: Daughter of the Bride (Berkeley Books, 2006). Contact: www.FrancescaSegre.com.
David Niall Wilson---NaNoWriMo novel: Vintage Soul (Five Star/Gale, 2007) and The Mote in Andrea's Eye (Five Star/Gale, 2006). Contact: Five Star/Gale
Gayle Brandeis---NaNoWriMo novel: Self Storage (Ballantine Books, 2007). Contact: www.gaylebrandeis.com
Kimberly Llewellyn---NaNoWriMo novel: Cashmere Boulevard (Berkley Books, 2007). Contact: www.KimberlyLlewellyn.com
Geonn Cannon---NaNoWriMo novel: On the Air (P.D. Publishing, 2007). Contact: P.D Publishing.
Lisa Daily---NaNoWriMo novel: The Dreamgirl Academy (Plume/Penguin Putnam, 2008). Contact: http://stopgettingdumped.com
Jacob and Diane Anderson-Minshall---NaNoWriMo novel: Blind Curves (Bold Strokes Books, 2007) Contact: www.boldstrokesbooks.com
James R. Strickland---NaNoWriMo novel: Looking Glass (Flying Pen Press, 2007) Contact: www.jamesrstrickland.com
Kathy Cano-Murillo---NaNoWriMo novel: Love Shine (Grand Central Publishing, 2007) Contact: www.CraftyChica.com
Ann Gonzalez---NaNoWriMo novel: Running for My Life (WestSide Books, 2008) Contact: www.AnnGonzalez.com
Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen---NaNoWriMo novel: The Compound (Feiwel and Friends, 2008) Contact: www.rockforadoll.com
Jessica Burkhart---NaNoWriMo novel: High Jumps at Collins Academy (Simon & Schuster, 2007).
Jenna Bayley-Burke---NaNoWriMo novel: Just One Spark (Mills & Boon, 2006). Contact: www.jennabayleyburke.com
Our experiences over the past nine years show that 50,000 is a difficult but doable goal, even for people with full-time jobs and children. The length makes it a short novel. We don't use the word "novella" because it doesn't seem to impress people the way "novel" does.
Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?
NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Alfalfa will be harvested like never before. And novels will be written in a month.
Part of the reason we organize NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. We love the fringe benefits accrued to novelists. For one month out of the year, we can stew and storm, and make a huge mess of our apartments and drink lots of coffee at odd hours. And we can do all of these things loudly, in front of people. As satisfying as it is to reach deep within yourself and pull out an unexpectedly passable work of art, it is equally (if not more) satisfying to be able to dramatize the process at social gatherings.
But that artsy drama window is woefully short. The other reason we do NaNoWriMo is because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.
How do you define "novel?" Does fan fiction count? What if I want to write interconnected short stories rather than a novel? What if my story is largely autobiographical, or is based on a real person? Can I still write it in November?
We define a novel as "a lengthy work of fiction." Beyond that, we let you decide whether what you're writing falls under the heading of "novel." In short: If you believe you're writing a novel, we believe you're writing a novel too.
I'd like to write an article on NaNoWriMo. Can I interview some of the participants in my area?
Absolutely! We've put together a Media Kit stuffed with useful information about getting in touch with participants and other journalistic FAQs. After you've read it, please get in touch and let us know what we can do to help you with your article.
Is it true there's an official guidebook to NaNoWriMo?
There is! Director Chris Baty compiled all of his tips, tricks, and caffeine-intake strategies in a book called No Plot? No Problem! Along with Chris' long-winded ramblings, the book also contains eloquent, sage, and hilarious tips from NaNoWriMo veterans, who should probably know better by now.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
To a good start!
So this year I am finally deciding to participate in the NaNoWriMo and as such, set up this blog for the express purpose of posting my story.
Here's hoping to 50,000 words!
Here's hoping to 50,000 words!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)