NaNoWriMo 2003

[Svenskaflicka]

Plot... I have a rough idea what the story is going to be about, but I'm considering doing some research for it. That would involve me putting on high heels and a short skirt, and going out dancing, pretending to have suddenly misplaced about 90% of my IQ.

*makes a note to call M and ask if she wants to go out next weekend*

 

[Guest]

As far as my planning and plotting goes, I haven't done much yet. I suppose I'm going to kind of wing it, I tend to write like that anyway. I never have an outline or plot written, when I sit down to write a story, perhaps it shows.

I've just been discussing this with Adam and Mike. I've written a few short paragraphs; a rough outline of my idea for the novel and the main character. I'm finding this whole experience a bit odd, I do have a real life inspiration for my main character, and I've been trying to get inside his head. I'm finding that my character is becoming real in my own mind, and I go about my day wondering: How would he react to that? How would he feel? What would he do? It's like there's another person inside my head, it's a bit freaky.

I guess others have felt this before, those that have written longer stories, or serials. The longest thing I've written so far is 9,000 words, and this kind of character development is new to me. It is a wonderful process, though, I'm just hoping that by the time NaNo starts he'll have materialised into a real person.

Lou, over-excited.

 

[CWatson]

Plot, outline, same diff. I have a vague idea of where the story's gonna go, but my main problem is always filling in what happens between The Beginning and The End. I'm mostly concerned with my characters at this point, because the best way to FILL that gap is to look into the characters's psyches. I'm a little concerned, though, because JUDO's Guide To Character Discovery (my Bible) does a lot of delving into the past, and most of my characters, being robots or androids, were manufactured. WHAT past? "Starlight was built and programmed by hand. Then they hit her on button. The End."

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Curiosity, folks

How many of us have a plot, how many an outline and how many are just 'winging it'?

Got plot, synopsis, the main characters, their language, places, timeline, chapter titles and some passage ideas.

I haven't got a single one of those written down though. So I'll probably start all from scratch as soon ans I wit there by the keyboard.

 

[Icingsugar]

Plot... I have a rough idea what the story is going to be about, but I'm considering doing some research for it. That would involve me putting on high heels and a short skirt, and going out dancing, pretending to have suddenly misplaced about 90% of my IQ.

I just borrowed this neato DV-camera from a friend of mine. PM me the time and place, and I'll make you regret it. Muahah.

 

[Guest]

My apologies to anyone who took my plaint personally. I need to think about this project and other things on my mind.

Perdita

 

[gauchecritic]

WHAT past? "Starlight was built and programmed by hand. Then they hit her on button. The End."

I can't believe you haven't read 'Caliban'. If not, read it for ideas on how to have robotic history. Sheesh.

Gauche(who only looked at the thread out of idle curiosity)

 

[wildsweetone]

I can't believe you haven't read 'Caliban'. If not, read it for ideas on how to have robotic history. Sheesh.

Gauche(who only looked at the thread out of idle curiosity)

*who has no idea what or who 'Caliban' is but thought that sharing experiences and friendship was what this thread was basically about...*

Perdita, *big hugs* I'm sorry if I've been chatting too much about plotting. I just thought as my first experience with writing to the unmentionable wordcount *grin* that it would be a reasonable idea to have some kind of inkling what I was going to be writing about.

Please don't stay out of the thread. We all write differently, we're all different people and the unity in the challenge is our foundation.

I'm finding it fascinating to see how everybody else is working.

I don't know about anybody else, but I'm feeling a bit like pre-wedding jitters with this challenge and man it's going to be a fun ride.

 

[raphy]

We're supposed to work out a plot before we write?

Err.. okay..

There's this guy. Some stuff happens to him. He saves the world.

Um.. Somehow, I don't think that's gonna cut it.

 

[wildsweetone]

Hmm Maybe I should bring back my S. King quote into my sig. line.

Ought to set a few minds at ease, including my own, methinks.

Plot is, I think, the good writer's last resort and the dullard's first choice. S. King

I do still like that one.


But heck, we're all different and it's the end result that counts, not the means by which we get there.

 

[Guest]

WSO, I love that quote, thank you! I feel a lot better about my lack of plot now, I knew I was a pro... *cough, splutter*

Gauche, whether your curiosity was idle or not, matters not to me, it's great to see a non-NaNoer popping in and giving some input. Come November we're gonna need all the help and support we can get, as a matter of fact I've been running up a few cheerleader's costumes, and making some pom-poms.

Purrditta, my box is always open to you. Ok, I'll rephrase: my PM inbox is always open to you. I want to join WSO in giving you *big hugs*.

Lou

 

[oggbashan]

Plot - I think

I hope I have worked out my plot for NaNoWriMo.

It is based on the adventures of two humanoid aliens on Earth. They are in love with each other but cannot marry until they have fully completed their planet's sexual initiation rites which they don't want to do at home because of the implications in their relationships with their respective families whom they reject.

The only difference between them and Earth people is the way their sexual organs work. I won't say what the differences are because that would give away much of the story.

I combine their adventures, which have the intention of getting the sexual initiation without overtones of guilt because they are not fertile with humans, with a McGuffin plot. They lose something which they have to get back or else they can't marry or leave Earth.

"McGuffin" plots, for those who don't know, are plots where the characters are trying to gain control or possession of an object. What the object is doesn't really matter. Examples from films: "Romancing the Stone"; "The Maltese Falcon". The McGuffin can be changed without changing the plot. The Green Stone "La Corazon" in "Romancing the Stone" could be a Pirate's treasure chest, or if the McGuffin is the latest coding machine the film becomes a James Bond film "From Russia with Love"

I hope the plot gives me enough scope for the full length required.

Og

 

[Alex De Kok]

. . . Come November we're gonna need all the help and support we can get, as a matter of fact I've been running up a few cheerleader's costumes, and making some pom-poms.

If you think you're getting me into one, think again . . .

Alex

 

[raphy]

Woohoo, Lou in a cheerleader's outfit! We want pics!

 

[ffreak]

Re: Plot - I think

I hope I have worked out my plot for NaNoWriMo.

It is based on the adventures of two humanoid aliens on Earth.

Another self-help book? Or is this the case of the missing tentacled dildo?

Sorry, just had to use the reference from the NANO boards.

I think you're on your way. I assume next we get to meet Clark Cables and Vanessa Whippings. It'll be interesting to see how you handle this.

-FF (if men are from mars and women are from venus, isn't that stereotyping? men = cold, women = hot - well, then again, I do think women are hot, and men don't do anything for me)

 

[Guest]

Re: Re: Plot - I think

I do think women are hot, and men don't do anything for me

But, what if they were wearing cheerleader's outfits?

There'll be no pics of me wearing them, these are for the guys, I've even sewn in special pouches.

Lou

"Tentacle porn - the way forward for literature"
(As it says in my sigline on the NaNo boards.)

 

[oggbashan]

Re: Re: Plot - I think

Another self-help book? Or is this the case of the missing tentacled dildo?

Sorry, just had to use the reference from the NANO boards.

I think you're on your way. I assume next we get to meet Clark Cables and Vanessa Whippings. It'll be interesting to see how you handle this.

-FF (if men are from mars and women are from venus, isn't that stereotyping? men = cold, women = hot - well, then again, I do think women are hot, and men don't do anything for me)

The plot gives me the possibility of writing umpteen chapters.

Mars is hot by day, cold by night and dry; Venus is always steaming hot and wet. Sounds like the man who stood with one foot in a bucket of ice and the other in a bucket of boiling water who said "On average my feet are comfortable."

Og

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Careful, now, raphy...

There's this guy. Some stuff happens to him. He saves the world.

Don't overdo it. Stop right after the word "him".

 

[raphy]

You think saving the world is a bit ambitious, SF? Maybe if he just saves the toast from burning?

 

[destinie21]

You think saving the world is a bit ambitious, SF? Maybe if he just saves the toast from burning?

Maybe he only stops the toast from burning (thereby stopping a catastrophic chain of events which would have meant the the end of the world.) Cue doomsday/cliffhanger type music

 

[raphy]

Dunno, he's in Toronto. Do they have toast in Canada?

 

[Icingsugar]

Dunno, he's in Toronto. Do they have toast in Canada?

More important question: How do you go about saving the world while in Toronto?

 

[Guest]

NaNo Pals: I am posting this for myself (rather like a contract) and to let you know I’m still a contender. Life at Lit. was beginning to get iffy for me, but I’ve received wise counsel and have a new outlook on “Perdita” and her place on Lit. and the AH. (Ha ha, no—I’m not going to explain further.)

I will be in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 1-7, on business, but I will have my lapdog and plan to begin my tome on the first and write each evening in my luxurious hotel room on a king-size bed (which I don’t have to make in the morning) with room service tea (or wine). Also have a smoking room, vs. a non-smoking one, which has nothing to do with fire hazards (unless I fall asleep while smoking).

Best news—I have my novel’s story. I feel as if it’s already finished, I just have to transcribe it to memory (the chip type) next month. Won’t say more now, I feel rather possessive about it (I think that’s good).

A special thanks now to lovely Loulou for introducing this project, to the admirable AlexDK for seducing me into it, and to an anonymous mate for knowing me as well as necessary to provide a renewed and painless self examen ( ).

Perdita

 

[destinie21]

Phrases

I wanted to ask a question about phrases. Here's the explanation, When I was much younger my mother used to say things like If you don't You'd better. an example being" If you don't clean up your room you'd better." The tone of her nonsensical statement let me know I was in trouble despite the my lack of understanding the actual phrase.

There were other phrases that were common in my childhood such as

I'm tired / hungry fed up (anything would apparently do) as a don'tknowwhat. (the phrase was actually said with the words run together at the end.)

My question is if those phrases could be used in a story and be understood. I'm part of the Nano thing and I was toying with the idea of the such pharases appearing in my story to lay out the dynamics of relationships as well as the character personalities.
This is also a valid question for the lit as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Guest]

NaNo Pals: I am posting this for myself (rather like a contract) and to let you know I’m still a contender. Life at Lit. was beginning to get iffy for me, but I’ve received wise counsel and have a new outlook on “Perdita” and her place on Lit. and the AH. (Ha ha, no—I’m not going to explain further.)

I will be in Washington, D.C. from Nov. 1-7, on business, but I will have my lapdog and plan to begin my tome on the first and write each evening in my luxurious hotel room on a king-size bed (which I don’t have to make in the morning) with room service tea (or wine). Also have a smoking room, vs. a non-smoking one, which has nothing to do with fire hazards (unless I fall asleep while smoking).

Best news—I have my novel’s story. I feel as if it’s already finished, I just have to transcribe it to memory (the chip type) next month. Won’t say more now, I feel rather possessive about it (I think that’s good).

A special thanks now to lovely Loulou for introducing this project, to the admirable AlexDK for seducing me into it, and to an anonymous mate for knowing me as well as necessary to provide a renewed and painless self examen ( ).

Perdita

Whoop whoop! Great to see you instilled with fresh vigour, Purrditta.

I've already said this on the NaNo boards, but it warrants repeating here: It looks like you'll be writing in style and relatively free from distraction for the first week. Have you got room for me to come and stay there, too?

Oh, and it's all my pleasure.

Loulou