# 50,000 word challenge for June - National Novel Writing Month



## Fodwocket (Apr 20, 2011)

For those not familiar with it, NaNoWriMo it is the National Novel Writing Month challenge, and it usually falls in November.  The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month.

Because once a year isn't enough, we tried it again in March, and now we're going to try again in June.  We aren't as strict as NaNo though.  You can write about whatever you want - add to an existing story or write something completely new.  The aim is simply to write the 50,000 words and get your creative juices flowing.  With luck you'll be writing so fast that your inner critic won't be able to keep up, so they'll stay quiet.

The more people that take part, the more motivation we all have to keep going.  Post your word count in your signature to keep us updated of your progress.  And feel free to share what you'll be writing about if you like.

^_^


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## Kelise (Apr 21, 2011)

Yay, June! I'm in  

Maybe I'll actually get something done then. Fodwocket and I are actually going on holiday together then, to a writing convention  We're then staying for an extra few days with writing as our only plan. We've got a hotel, we're going to lay down writing times, and we're going to have awesome snacks. 

YAY for NaNo in June!


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## Fodwocket (Apr 21, 2011)

It will be awesome!


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## Kate (Apr 22, 2011)

Very much looking forward to this. Hoping it'll give me the creative kick in the pants I'm sorely needing. I'll be aiming for 50k on my WIP, which should get it finished (if I keep writing a little everyday before June)


Kinda wish I was going on writing bootcamp like you lucky people - sounds like tremendous fun!  Will have to improvise...

Who else is joining the June madness?


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## invisibleturtle (Apr 29, 2011)

I'm definitely in! I need more NaNoWriMos, because after my first one in November it's gotten incredibly hard for me to write without a deadline to worry about.


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## Sigillimus (Apr 29, 2011)

invisibleturtle said:


> I'm definitely in! I need more NaNoWriMos, because after my first one in November it's gotten incredibly hard for me to write without a deadline to worry about.


 
_This._ After I completed my 50,000-word novel in November, I just couldn't seem to put the pen to paper as well without the presence of a deadline. Sometimes I would just tell myself that I wanted to write a page before the end of the class period, but it didn't always work. 

I'm going to try participating with this as well, though no promises as the months of May/June is when I'm graduating and whatnot. Alot of party planning to do and alot of parties to attend, not to mention the search for a full-time summer job before I'm off to college.


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## Kate (Apr 30, 2011)

Glad to see a couple of others are joining in the fun.  The more of us participating, the more fun (and more effective) it will be! 

I've just given myself a May challenge as a bit of a warm up for our June adventures. 1000 words a day. Everyday.  Might not seem like much but given my output of late struggles to hit 500 a day, it's going to take some getting used to.  Anyone else care to join me for my 1000 Day May?


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## Mythos (May 4, 2011)

I'll try to participate in this. I really need to get this novel idea down on paper.


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## Fodwocket (May 5, 2011)

I'll join in the 1000 Day May thing ^_^  Sounds like a really good idea.


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## Cinnea (May 5, 2011)

Sigillimus said:


> _This._ After I completed my 50,000-word novel in November, I just couldn't seem to put the pen to paper as well without the presence of a deadline.



Nice to see I'm not the only one with this problem. Or - perhaps not NICE, but... I think you understand what I mean. 
Soooo ... since my first NaNo went fine this challenge might be just what I need. June might be trickier than November but I'll definetly give it a try.


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## Kate (May 5, 2011)

Fodwocket said:


> I'll join in the 1000 Day May thing ^_^  Sounds like a really good idea.


 
Hey cool! Welcome to the fun   

I've kept at it so far, so good. Good in that there are 1000 words a day. I decline to comment on their quality......
I'm updating my progress on Twitter through May, as well as on my new blog


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## Talespinner (May 5, 2011)

I'll join in on the 1000 words a day thing. I really need to just get my novel idea written out. And I might do the june NaNo. Not sure yet.


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## Kate (May 5, 2011)

Talespinner said:


> I'll join in on the 1000 words a day thing. I really need to just get my novel idea written out. And I might do the june NaNo. Not sure yet.


 
Good move Talespinner!  

I've just started a new thread for May fun and games


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## Kelise (May 29, 2011)

Woo! Next Wednesday we start! Is anyone else interested in joining us in June?


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## M.A.N. (May 29, 2011)

I'm thinking of doing it. I've got tons of work to do, but as Chris Baty wrote in his book, sometimes that's the way to get stuff written: having lots of stuff to do all the time. As opposed to taking four weeks of vacation and having lots and lots of free time and not getting anything written at all.
I'll let you know.

Take care,
Magnus


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## Sezmo (May 29, 2011)

I'd like to join the June one please.  Not sure how I'll do since I move to Germany in just a few days but I'd still like to try.


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## Kelise (May 29, 2011)

I certainly write a lot better when I'm busy. If I have too much free time, I find too many excuses. 'I'll write better after a nap,' - it's always that I'll write better AFTER... something.
When I don't have the time, it's like, well, I have to write now even though I haven't eaten/slept/showered... and I cram in 1,000 words in half an hour, and then I rush onwards. My best year of NaNo, I wrote 125,000 words in a month. ...Because I was in my final month of my Business Cert and was working full time as well. 

I think being busy also puts you in that Working frame of mind, so it's easier to step into writing mode for a while each day.


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## Kate (May 29, 2011)

With only a day and a bit to go, I'm beginning to wonder... why did I want to do this again? Oh that's right, it's fun!  Maybe I shouldn't have just completely restructured my WIP into something weird and new and scary. 

There's something new lurking over at Nanowrimo too, which sounds like it could be another version of this madness happening soon.


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## Fodwocket (May 29, 2011)

I'm the same, I write so much better when I'm supposed to be doing something else.  But trying to get into the habit of not needing that.  50/50 success so far.


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## Kate (May 31, 2011)

*It's Today People!!!!!*


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## Kelise (Jun 1, 2011)

That's 1,666 words a day everyone! Can we do it?


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## Artless (Jun 1, 2011)

Thats the Devils number!!!
(Plus a thousand...)


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## Fodwocket (Jun 1, 2011)

YAY here we go!

And no one is sure if the devil's number is 666, 999. 616 or 919. so I think we're safe there.  Yay for the vagueness of religious texts.  Though have just noticed your exclamation marks may have meant you were happy about it?  In which case, 666 ftw!

That's three yays in one post.  Our success is guaranteed!


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## Artless (Jun 1, 2011)

Who can fail to be excited about the possibility of the devils number?!
Yay!
More to the point the only people who are commenting on this post are Australian, so Australia FTW! 
Alas, the novel idea I've had in my head for years got stolen by the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks.... (Well, sort of)
And I have yet to rebuild from there... But now I have a decent Forum, Go go Gadget Worldbuilding!


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## Kate (Jun 1, 2011)

Artless said:


> More to the point the only people who are commenting on this post are Australian, so Australia FTW!


Could be a time zone thing?
Where is the rest of the world? C'mon people! It's only fun if there's a crowd!


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## Black Dragon (Jun 1, 2011)

Best of luck to you guys!

I'll be following your progress, although I will be unable to participate.  My infant daughter owns my time these days.


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## Cinnea (Jun 2, 2011)

Kate said:


> Could be a time zone thing?
> Where is the rest of the world? C'mon people! It's only fun if there's a crowd!


 
I'm here ... sort of. Will try, might finish. 
After all - this is start of summer!!!


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## Helbrecht (Jun 2, 2011)

I appear to be doing it!


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## Kate (Jun 3, 2011)

Helbrecht said:


> I appear to be doing it!



And doing it well!

I flaked today and didn't get my total. Feeling somewhat unwell and distracted. 

Tomorrow!!!!


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## Kelise (Jun 4, 2011)

Siiiigh. I've done two days of four, so I'm quite behind already. On friday I had tests results back and my doctor said the lovely 'well, you're VERY sick, but I have no idea what it could be. It's two or three things. One could be glandular fevour, one could be ulcers, but... we don't know. So. Another test. Tube down the throat.' - and I don't even get that done and results back for another nine weeks. (She may not have spoken like that, I may have added a bit of artistic licence.
So currently I'm feeling too ill and stressed to try and write (badly) at the moment  *grumbles*


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## Kate (Jun 4, 2011)

Sounds like you've been talking to my doctor!  Ahhhh regional healthcare.

Hope you're feeling better soon. It's hard to get creative when you're feeling poorly.


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## Kate (Jun 6, 2011)

How is everyone going? 
Can't help but notice the slight enthusiasm drop off....


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## Kelise (Jun 6, 2011)

Still haven't written anything more than two days worth. Leaving for Melbourne tomorrow night though, for the writing con Continuum with Fodwocket, and a few days dedicated to writing on either side. Hopefully it'll help!

How're you going?


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## Fodwocket (Jun 6, 2011)

I'm going okay, a few days behind, but as Starconstant said, we've got several days dedicated to writing on our holiday, so we should catch up then ^_^


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## Sezmo (Jun 6, 2011)

I have a whopping 800ish words so I'm not doing great.  Hopefully will be able to pick up the pace next week when I'm actually out in Germany and somewhat settled into whatever housing we've been given there. At the moment I'm at my parents and stressing about the move.  Plus I don't really have anywhere I can write without being disturbed every few minutes.

On a good note though, at least I've written something!  I've not written ANYTHING since November until yesterday.


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## Kate (Jun 6, 2011)

The words are mounting and I'm almost on track to complete the 50 by months end.  However, I'm having some reservations.  My WIP seems very delicate at the moment. I've been working on it for months, piling up the words trying out this and that, deleting said words, planning, replanning, piling in more words and so on.
I think it's at a stage where high velocity writing will actually do it more harm than good, so I'm wondering if I might graciously bow out of the Official June Challenge and just keep working at it. I'm cracking about 1500 a day which is almost on target. When I'm trying to catch up though, most of those daily words are rubbish, and since I'm working to an overall schedule to complete the MS, I'm thinking that's just going to make things all the more difficult.
It's all very weird, I'm a seasoned Wrimo and I usually love these kinds of challenges. Maybe because this is a pre-exisiting work, it's a bit too precious to slam into a massive challenge like this. 
We'll see.


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## Kelise (Jun 7, 2011)

I totally understand how you fel, Kate. My current WIP is probably more important to my partner than it is to me, so I keep putting off working on it until I'm healthy enough to see straight, so I don't stuff it up XD Means I'm not working on it when I possibly could be, though.


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## Kate (Jun 8, 2011)

The more I think about it, the more I think bowing out is a good idea. I've done so much on the WIP last night and today, and even though I've only written about 50 new words, I've made HUGE advances by shifting scenes about and fitting everything into a time frame, planning out the next few scenes and even research (gasp!). Wouldn't have done any of that if I'd been shoving another 1667 words in for the hell of it.  

I think I may have learned something about myself and my work in these last few weeks. Even though quantitative writing challenges are good fun and can really go a long way in helping get the novel out into the world, they're a double edged sword. Knowing when they're going to be of use, or when they're going to get in the way though is something a little harder to figure out. 

Maybe if I hadn't done the May deal last month it would be a different story, in a few different ways!


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## Fodwocket (Jun 16, 2011)

It's all for our writing, so Kate I think you're doing the right thing ^_^

How is everyone else going?  I'm woefully behind, but nonetheless have reached my daily quota for a few days in a row now, so that's something.


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## Raziel (Jun 23, 2011)

Black Dragon said:


> Best of luck to you guys!
> 
> I'll be following your progress, although I will be unable to participate.  My infant daughter owns my time these days.





_My heart goes out to ya with having a child.  I am about to know that all to well.  Little one has about 3 weeks before he's ready to join us._ 

     I'm a writer at heart and wish I knew about the NaNoWrMo a couple years ago.  Alas, I have notebooks filled that probably have enough content to fill that quota at least once.  So, it would have been nice to have all this at that time but here we are now and that's what matters.  

  I am still dumbfounded and blown away by the respectability of the site you guys keep up.  My book (still in it's creative phase) is going to keep going because of the simple fact that I have some one; some people; to actually talk to about my ideas and give some constructive criticism along the way.  

    In daily life I have but one friend who MIGHT be as serious as I am about writing. We have spoken about collaborating but to no avail yet.
  So, in closing I make the decree that I shall dedicate as much time as I can to write for the NaNo November date. 'Tis be the month of my birth so I think its only fitting.  

50,000 words by November, I'm in.  

    Thank you all and have a good...everything...see you around..

                                                  -----
                                                          Raziel


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