thealtruismsociety Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 Been reading books all my life, decided to throw my hat into writing one. This program so far is helping me keep everything organized. Gonna keep working with the trial and see how I like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Been reading books all my life, decided to throw my hat into writing one. This program so far is helping me keep everything organized. Gonna keep working with the trial and see how I like it. Welcome thealtruismsociety! Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? -Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Welcome thealtruismsociety! Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? -Steve I was reading about it a bit and it's seems rather daunting considering I've been tooling with this novel idea for YEARS and only have one chapter written. I WILL however have questions about this program, where would be the best place to ask them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I was reading about it a bit and it's seems rather daunting considering I've been tooling with this novel idea for YEARS and only have one chapter written. Hi thealtruismsociety. I know what you mean. There just never seems to be enough hours in a day. But NaNoWriMo isn't about precise writing. It's about sitting down at your keyboard and vomiting (apologies) out the story as it comes to you. December is for rewrites. You can do a rough (or detailed) outline first, if you like. Storyist is great for that. But it isn't necessary. To learn more about NaNo click here and explore. If you like what you see there is still a few more days to sign up. (You can even practice a little altruism and donate a little something.) On the other hand, there is always this thread. I WILL however have questions about this program, where would be the best place to ask them? I'd use Storyist>Using Storyist or Storyist>Troubleshooting. Steve, and sometimes some of us, respond quickly to these forums. But Steve seems to look at everything eventually. Have fun. - Thoth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Hi thealtruismsociety. I know what you mean. There just never seems to be enough hours in a day. But NaNoWriMo isn't about precise writing. It's about sitting down at your keyboard and vomiting (apologies) out the story as it comes to you. December is for rewrites. You can do a rough (or detailed) outline first, if you like. Storyist is great for that. But it isn't necessary. To learn more about NaNo click here and explore. If you like what you see there is still a few more days to sign up. (You can even practice a little altruism and donate a little something.) On the other hand, there is always this thread. I'd use Storyist>Using Storyist or Storyist>Troubleshooting. Steve, and sometime some of us, respond quickly to these forums. But Steve seems to look at everything eventually. Have fun. - Thoth. Yeah I'd like to participate but, I didn't really see how on any of those links ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codemer Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Yeah I'd like to participate but, I didn't really see how on any of those links ... Welcome to the forums. If you want to participate in NaNoWriMo, just go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and click the "Sign Up!" link in the top left corner of the page, below the language options. IF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Welcome to the forums. If you want to participate in NaNoWriMo, just go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and click the "Sign Up!" link in the top left corner of the page, below the language options. IF TheAltruismSociety, the guy's a sweetheart. There's going to be a wolfman in my story named Isaac. - Thoth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Welcome to the forums. If you want to participate in NaNoWriMo, just go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and click the "Sign Up!" link in the top left corner of the page, below the language options. IF Wow now that I see it, it was amazingly obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Wow now that I see it, it was amazingly obvious. Life is so often like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astillac Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 It's great fun, and, if you type fast enough, really only take a couple of hours each day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Call it the Pessimist in me, but what prevents someone from taking your idea if not manuscript and running with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Call it the Pessimist in me, but what prevents someone from taking your idea if not manuscript and running with it? You just update your word total until you hit 50K. After Nov. 25 and before Dec. 1 you can cut and paste the whole novella into their word counter for validation. I know, they say it's just a word counter but who knows. Which is why they suggest you "encrypt" it before you cut and paste. It's not really encryption since it's not recoverable: they ask that you (for example) substitute every letter in the alphabet with an "a" before submitting for validation. So (for example) "The quick brown fox." becomes "aaa aaaaa aaaaa aaa." That protects you if you're really worried but they seem like such nice people. Wouldn't steal a fly. Perhaps Isaac knows a better way. - Thoth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 You just update you word total until you hit 50K. After Nov. 25 and before Dec. 1 you can cut and paste the whole novella into their word counter for validation. I know, they say it's just a word counter but who knows. Which is why they suggest you "encrypt" it before you cut and paste. It's not really encryption since it's not recoverable: they ask that you (for example) substitute every letter in the alphabet with an "a" before submitting for validation. So (for example) "The quick brown fox." becomes "aaa aaaaa aaaaa aaa." That protects you if you're really worried but they seem like such nice people. Wouldn't steal a fly. Perhaps Isaac knows a better way. - Thoth. Is 50k a whole novel??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Editing my profile, there is no DC region??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codemer Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Is 50k a whole novel??? 50k is a short novel by today's standards. If you intend to write something you actually want to publish, you will probably want to target 75-100k. Most of us just treat nano as an exercise in mass production. The idea is to just spew out what ever story ideas pop into your head. It does not have to be coherent. The idea is to break that magic 50k barrier to prove to yourself that you can. IF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 50k is a short novel by today's standards. If you intend to write something you actually want to publish, you will probably want to target 75-100k. Most of us just treat nano as an exercise in mass production. The idea is to just spew out what ever story ideas pop into your head. It does not have to be coherent. The idea is to break that magic 50k barrier to prove to yourself that you can. IF I def need to I only have about 3200 written on my main novel. And I keep rewriting that 3200 lol, I'm on about the 3rd rewrite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Is 50k a whole novel??? The NaNo people take great pains to explain that a novel is anything you think it is. But if we're getting technical, 50K is a "short novel" or "novella." Your typical bestseller runs 100K or so these days (not counting the Harry Potter series) but then there's "Johnathan Livingston Seagull" an old bestseller at about 25K that was an early exception to the rule. And then there's all that Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) stuff and countless children's books. So the answer to your question is ... sometimes. I also understand that folks that make a living as paperback writers tend to write novella, not novels. But there are exceptions to that rule too. I hope that helps. - Thoth Afterthought: Perhaps Marguerite would like to chime in. She's a book editor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codemer Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I def need to I only have about 3200 written on my main novel. And I keep rewriting that 3200 lol, I'm on about the 3rd rewrite. I feel your pain. After over five years of work, my main work is only at 33,000 words. But I feel like it's quality. At some point, you've got to stop the rewrites, and just move forward. There's plenty of time for editing later. IF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I feel your pain. After over five years of work, my main work is only at 33,000 words. But I feel like it's quality. At some point, you've got to stop the rewrites, and just move forward. There's plenty of time for editing later. IF I keep bouncing back and forth perspective wise. Currently rewriting it first person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I keep bouncing back and forth perspective wise. Currently rewriting it first person. That is an interesting exercise, isn't it? I switched to first person midway through my 2007 NaNo for the main character and found it really changed the tone of the story (for the better in this case). -Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thealtruismsociety Posted October 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 That is an interesting exercise, isn't it? I switched to first person midway through my 2007 NaNo for the main character and found it really changed the tone of the story (for the better in this case). -Steve I've never really written before not sure whats best. 3rd seem to allow me to tell the reader what EVERYONE was thinking, 1st only my main character seems to get that kind of reveal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marguerite Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 Afterthought: Perhaps Marguerite would like to chime in. She's a book editor. No need. You (Thoth) have covered all the bases with your usual admirable efficiency. Welcome, thealtruismsociety. Best, M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve E Posted October 28, 2009 Report Share Posted October 28, 2009 I've never really written before not sure whats best. 3rd seem to allow me to tell the reader what EVERYONE was thinking, 1st only my main character seems to get that kind of reveal. I've always thought the first person narrative (1PN) to be more immediate and so more exciting. The story unfolds to the character as it unfolds to the reader without an all-knowing voice in the background. The downside, I think, is that it can be frustrating. As a writer you may feel compelled to get every thought on paper, including the thoughts of all your characters. You may want to jump around to scenes that do not include your narrator. TV is always a third person narrative (despite the pretenses of shows like How I Met Your Mother, etc.) so we tend to feel comfortable in the 3PN but there is no reason you can't mix the two (other than points off in Writing Class) if you're careful. After all, how many 1PN detective novels begin with the narrative of a murder, details unseen by the detective? No doubt about it, 1PN is more work than 3PN, but it pulls the reader along in ways that 3PN doesn't. A 3PN gives the writer more freedom to bounce around but that can lead to reader confusion and disinterest. First person tends to be more focused. When Herman Melville wrote Moby Dick (pub. 1851) the first person narrative was still considered experimental in the eyes of many mainstream American literary critics. I hope my efficiency remains admirable in M's eyes. Call me Ishmael, er, - Thoth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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