Book BFFs discussion

is anyone planning to do NaNoWriMo this year?! I'm going to do it for my first time and was debating planning ahead!

I don't write :( Sorry I'm no help at all! :P

Angela (Reading Angels) wrote: "I don't write :( Sorry I'm no help at all! :P"

LOL! That's okay, maybe one day those of us that do (or try to do) will be sending you ARCs to review!

Lindsay wrote: "Angela (Reading Angels) wrote: "I don't write :( Sorry I'm no help at all! :P"

LOL! That's okay, maybe one day those of us that do (or try to do) will be sending you ARCs to review!"
That would be awesome! :D

I'm going to try. I did it last year for the first time.

I didn't plan last time....I even swapped story ideas the day before like a loon, so I went in blind. I'm trying to plan out some things ahead of time now that I have an idea of the work I'm going to do after I get the first draft. Mostly just character profiles and general storyline, nothing super detailed because I want it to be able to flow without getting bogged down by too many outlines.

I'm going to try again this year. I have tried and failed for for years now

I've never done it but I think I'm going to do what you're planning Michelle, plan a little bit but not so much that I bog myself down!

And Lisa, yes!!!! Try try again :)

I'm glad that you're both going for it this year! It's great that you keep trying Lisa, any progress is still progress. I had a lot of fun last year and I think I managed pretty well. I was ahead on my word count before the second day was out and I managed to keep it that until the last two days.

I've done it for 6 years now, completed once. So I'll likely be doing it again!

I'm hoping I can go two for two...I've discovered that I hate editing and revising with a passion though.

Have any of you done Camp Nano? I was thinking of joining the July session (if I can get one of my plot lines done).

So I had started two novels. One I started writing a year ago. Another a few months back, but I kept getting stuck. Well last night I had an epiphany and suddenly the story I had started a year ago had direction. Last night I took what I already had and added and changed so much and ended up writing for 3 hours and ended up with like 4,000 words. So now I need motivation to just keep writing everyday. I know Lindsay wants motivation too.

Who would be interested in doing a NanoWriMo for the month of August within our group where we encourage, motivate, and help each other? We could set goals like write 1,000 words a day or whatever. I've never done NanoWriMo so idk what else it entails, but I think it would be fun.

Melissa wrote: "So I had started two novels. One I started writing a year ago. Another a few months back, but I kept getting stuck. Well last night I had an epiphany and suddenly the story I had started a year ..."

Melissa!!!! Congrats on all the writing that's amazing!
I'd loooove to do something in August, motivation would be so great. I think Nanowrimo is like, write 50,000 words in a month. Don't quote me on that though haha I'm wanting to do NaNoWriMo this year, and I know for it you have to write all the physical words of the novel in November during the event.

It'd be cool if in August we all banded together to motivate each other to do SOMETHING with a novel, whether its write it or plan it or get scene cards put together for it. Just something productive where we are devoting time to it daily and have people to talk to about it!

Actually that's a perfect idea! I was worried about November because I'm taking a vacation in the middle of the month that I knew would mess up my word count, so August would be perfect for me!

Lindsay you're right. It's 50k in a month, so roughly 1667 words a day for 30 days.

Actually that's a perfect idea! I was worried about November because I'm taking a vacation in the middle of the month that I knew would mess up my word count, so August would be perfect for me!

Lindsay you're right. It's 50k in a month, so roughly 1667 words a day for 30 days.

I am doing it again this year. I have failed twice before but I am just more determined than ever now. I learned that I need to spend all of October preparing!

Shannon wrote: "I am doing it again this year. I have failed twice before but I am just more determined than ever now. I learned that I need to spend all of October preparing!"

What do you do in preparation? The last few attempts at starting a novel I just started writing and then about three chapters in I map out the book and then get stuck and stop writing haha.

I am not sure the best way to prepare, I just know that I am not good at just flying by the seat of my pants like I thought I would be. I need to take care of my time wasters like choosing names and locations. I think I need at least a basic outline too. I'd love to know how other people prepare.

My writing teacher gave us two ways that he does it- he puke drafts an entire thing. So switching narrators switching protagonist. Just having a basic idea or the story you want to tell and writing everything and anything about it. He just says to make sure you remember it will be terrible. Then he goes through and picks out the scenes and stuff that make a story. This seems too unorganized for me so he says some authors/screenplay writers start with scenes. So they take index cards and write every scene that has to/they want to happen in the book and then they move them around until they like the order. And then they write scene by scene (not always in order) I like that method LOL

I think I like the scene idea. Especially sine I have scrivener. That program makes it really easy to do note cards and move scenes around. Thanks for the advice!

Shannon wrote: "I think I like the scene idea. Especially sine I have scrivener. That program makes it really easy to do note cards and move scenes around. Thanks for the advice!"

I have Scrivener too. Isn't it amazing? I like the notecard idea too just so you have a general idea.

How many words roughly equals a chapter? I know 50-80,000 words is a book. Like 2-3,000?

I actually have no idea how many words in a chapter. I am a newbie at the writing thing.

I've tried using Scrivener but I had no clue where to start with it...I do better with very little structure when writing I think.
Last Nano I only had a few major plot points, an idea, and a few scene ideas...other than that I just went with it. I want to do timelines and character sheets but I get frustrated with it really easily.

I don't know that I've ever done/scene a character sheet but i so like the sound of it LOL. Do you have any examples???

Sure, there are a ton out there it's just a matter of finding one that works for you I guess. If you type in "character sheet for writers in Google' you should find quite a few but here are some I have bookmarked to try out.
Basic Sheet
In Depth Character Chart
Character Development Questions

I'm doing it this year and planning for sure. not too detailed but enough to know where I want the story to go!

Michelle (In Libris Veritas) wrote: "Sure, there are a ton out there it's just a matter of finding one that works for you I guess. If you type in "character sheet for writers in Google' you should find quite a few but here are some I ..."

I replied to something really random in here. I was trying to reply to this comment and replied a totally different response to a different conversation instead? Smooth.

What I meant to say was:

Thanks! I can't wait to check these out. ahhaah

I'm definitely going to participate this year. It will be my first attempt. I tried it just on my own for the month of May to see if I could create a story. It's how I met/created some wonderful new characters that I want to do something with. I like the challenge now that I feel confident that I can do something worthwhile I want to participate officially this Nov.

I know some of you are Nano-ers I just wanted to share NaNoWarmUp. It was put together by author Kat Zhang ( ) and fantasy writer Savannah Foley. They are sharing some great tips and are going to help root everyone along in their WIPs.

It's low stress at 25k for the month of October, which is about 806 words a day. Both of these ladies are super nice and they have some great info to share.

NanoWarmUp

I'm doing NaNoWarmUp this month! I love the inspiration Mondays. I'm going to take the weekend to do some catching up on my word count.

Melissa wrote: "I'm doing NaNoWarmUp this month! I love the inspiration Mondays. I'm going to take the weekend to do some catching up on my word count."

Awesome! I'm glad you joined, Kat and Savannah are doing an awesome job with it. I'm trying to stay ahead with my word count so that when that inevitable day comes where I don't get the chance to write I won't fall behind.

My username is Harley Bear Books if anyone wants to find me on there.

Happy NaNoWriMo! How is everyone doing so far? I'm up to 7,779 words so far =)

I am now doing NaNoWriMo and already a little behind. Thinking of abandoning the story I've started with to try something else.
Here is my link. http://nanowrimo.org/participants/ben...
Feel free to message me anytime

I have 7.083 at the moment, but I might write some more tonight.

I hope you find something that works for you Melissa.

Melissa wrote: "I am now doing NaNoWriMo and already a little behind. Thinking of abandoning the story I've started with to try something else.
Here is my link. http://nanowrimo.org/participants/ben...
..."

I added you! I agree with Michelle. Hope you find something to work with soon. I was thinking about ways to get unstuck. Maybe put your ipod on shuffle and pick 3 songs that could inspire scenes in a book or something. Idk just throwing that out there.

I made a video for nanowrimo with tips and tricks. And my shirt is so baller.

http://youtu.be/6MCYoAqcxwU