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Talk About Your 2012 NaNo

Philip Overby

Staff
Article Team
Hey guys, thought I'd open this up since we're probably all in the planning stage of NaNoWriMo. For those that don't know, November is National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) for short. Some see it as an attempt to do a novel that they wouldn't otherwise do and some see it as just a fun time waster. I see it as a way to temper my writing by practicing writing a significant amount in a relatively short period of time. I always outline beforehand so it's not a complete mess.

As a promise to myself not to write any more "novels" until my WIP is finished, I've decided to do a framed novella, in a way, which is composed of several short stories within. I did this in one of my earlier NaNos to mixed results, but I think it'll be better this time. Here's my synopsis from NaNoWriMo's site. It's called "The Dragon's Tonsil: Tales of a Necrocryptozoologist"(yes, it's a mouthful :))

Ziegfried "Ziggy" Zapatta, a down on his luck cryptozoologist, has run out of money after spending his life savings on trying to create a failed museum that would feature pieces of legendary monsters from all over the world. In his journeys, he has gathered a manticore's tail, a giant crab's pincher, harpy wings, and a myriad of other gruesome and bizarre "souvenirs" but the one treasure that always eluded him and left his collection incomplete was the priceless Dragon's Tonsil. Ziggy travels across the world, trying to sell his stories, or even pieces of the creatures he hunted, to fund one last hunt. He must find a dragon and extract its tonsils, the rarest of the rare, the priceless prize that would be able to rekindle his dream to open his museum. But while telling his stories of past hunts to pawn brokers, merchants, innkeeps, and pan-handlers, he runs into old friends and nemeses, including an albino goblin dentist, a treasure hunting wig-maker, and other various poachers, bounty hunters, and monster slayers. He soon finds that he's not the only one trying to get a Dragon's Tonsil. Namely, an ex-lover who will stop at nothing to make sure Ziggy remains penniless.

So the basis of the story is that one story will weave throughout a series of many short stories. Some may be really short, some may be longer, but at the end of the day I think I'll have a completed project at around 50K.

What are your plans for NaNo? Like to share them here? By the way, I'm PhilipOverby on the NaNoWriMo site.
 
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JCFarnham

Auror
Oh hey! You went with the framing device idea :) Awesome.

I'm still doing mine:

While investigating the strange rumours surrounding the Apollonian moon of Hawking, the USEF Swift Justice finds itself caught in a monstrous space-time distortion and irreparably merged with an unknown alien vessel and a flight of one-man Ch-lo bioships. These are the struggles of the resulting crew to co-exist and co-operate enough to find a fix for their troubles.

The "Halfling" ship is searching for something of its own accord--Crisis Points--taking its unwitting crew deeper and deeper into unexplored space.

Yep. Science Fiction (same setting as last years NaNo). Specifically in the tradition of 90s - early 2000's tv scifi shows. Farscape, the Star Trek franchise, Firefly, Stargate, you name it. I could have scripted it but I wanted instead to write each episode in proper prose.

Funny thing is I'm getting really into my fantasy series at the moment thanks to some discussion on character over on the NaNo forums. It's threatening to derail NaNo for me haha. The problem is I won't be able to definitely sustain 50k on Faebound because I've already written about 20k of it. With "Convergence" I have no excuse. 50k should be about 16 episodes into the season, if I'm going by usual season lengths topping out at 23ish, I've got plenty of room to expand if needs be. I can just keep writing until I win!
 
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Chilari

Staff
Moderator
I'm planning on continuing working on Jantia's War for NaNo. I'm starting to have doubts about it, to be honest. Wondering whether the morality is too simplistic, whether it's too influenced by my own political views, which I don't want to do. But I'm going to stick with it, and then once it's finished I can get some feedback to see if my fears are well founded or if I've just been overanalysing everything and becoming paranoid.

After learning that someone she sentenced to death was innocent, magistrate Jantia questions the legal system she works under and exposes a generations-old cover up that reveals precisely how the laws became so unfair in the first place. In trying to campaign for the repeal of unfair laws that prevent poor defendants from being able to actually defend themselves, she finds herself unwittingly at the heart of a revolution that threatens to overthrow the king - and her own lifestyle.
 

BigBadWolf

Acolyte
Here's the little blurb for my urban fantasy. It's just a place holder until I get the details sorted out. Still in the middle of that.

A man finds himself drawn into the world of the supernatural and becomes an operative of a clandestine organization that shields the mortal world from the most dangerous of the supernatural threats.
 

Centerfield97

Troubadour
Ramos of House Xavi is a foreigner in the ancient city of Andor, and dreams of marrying the beautiful and wealthy Katrina of Great House Marui. However, cartel kingpin Lysar Gret has other plans for Katrina, forcing Ramos to decide how low he is willing to fall for love and power. Meanwhile, Aldrendrer the Visionary has claimed himself prophet of a new age, seeking to reveal the Faith's corrupt ways and take Andor for himself.

A rewrite of my WIP from the start, I'm excited for November!
 

shangrila

Inkling
The Decks have shaped the course of history on Stravia. Giving their owners unique and powerful abilities, they have been desired by king and peasant alike for centuries. They have caused and ended wars, taken and given life, but all of this power comes at a price.

Lugubellanus Salathiel is the current owner of the Deck of Madness. Slowly driving him insane, he wishes nothing more than to be rid of the thing. But among its seven cards lies the secret to the Deck of Souls, the lost power of God Herself. With it, the world could be saved. Or enslaved.

Hunted by men of all kinds, Sal's Deck is the only thing between him and a long, slow death. When he's approached by Esther Thea, a researcher from the University of Time, he sees his chance to be rid of the Deck. Now all he has to do is survive, stay sane and succeed where everyone else has failed.

He has to find the Deck of Souls.

I've got a few ideas tumbling around inside my head right now not related to my WIP, but I think I'll do this one for NaNo. I'll have to do more planning for it though.
 

Centerfield97

Troubadour
I've got a few ideas tumbling around inside my head right now not related to my WIP, but I think I'll do this one for NaNo. I'll have to do more planning for it though.

This sounds incredibly interesting. If you need or want someone to read your stuff as you go along I'd love to!
 

M.L. Leigh

New Member
Alene Gaven has lived all her short life in Vorel until the Empire sets their sights on her small city in the North. During the attack she is kidnapped and dragged halfway around the world to be bought by Lysandra, the Emperor's favourite prostitute and mistress. Lysandra raises her in the brothel, grooming her to be a prostitute and master assassin for the nobles of Sonticus. Alene dreams only of one thing...revenge for the death of her family. Four days after her 17th birthday she finally gets her opportunity. Emperor Klaud's nephew requests her services and she is more than happy to oblige.

Hi! I'm new. Also my first NaNo haha. All of your ideas sound great!
 

Jabrosky

Banned
Mine's a historical fantasy with a setting based on the ancient Near East, with emphasis on Egypt and Israel. The working title is The Pharaoh and the Bandit, and here's the synopsis:

Asethotep only wants to serve and protect her people as Pharaoh of Kametu, but she has made some powerful enemies. Not only do rebels in the kingdom's north threaten to splinter off with force, but her own priesthood schemes to dethrone her and seize control. Once tragedy strikes her family and drives her away into the desert, Asethotep must reclaim her place and restore order, but her only ally is a wandering cutthroat who has his own life in danger.

Cast of Characters

Map of the Setting
 
I've been kicking around a novella for the last year or two and I'd really like to release it in time for Christmas. Although I wrote a first draft a while back, I trashed it (and it was only about 4K anyway), so I am starting fresh! I think NaNoWriMo is the perfect time to really kick into high gear.

Kyden is the youngest dragon to ever sit on the Yoka High Council. Brash and headstrong, but powerful and calculating, he is the planet's last hope. Rimasl, the Shodaiarch of the High Council, has grown mad over the millennia. The saurian race is in ascendant and no longer worships the dragons as their gods. Rimasl seeks the Heart of the World, Wochan, to undo the magicks that created the saurians and wipe them from the planet--even if that means destroying the planet along with them. Will Kyden be able to stop Rimasl? Or will Rimasl realize Kyden's intentions first?
 

Sinitar

Minstrel
I'm not entirely sure why I decided to take more liberties with this year's Nano, but I'm going to write a fanfic. Its plot is captivating, the characters have been adapted to my writing style and I'm simply thrilled to finally have the opportunity to work on it. For my previous works, readers and critics acted as my source of motivation. Kind words are the perfect incentive to keep going, and critiques are even more so. This fanfic, however, will only have one reader(which is me), so I'll rely on the word count wars for my daily dose of motivation.
 

Sparkie

Auror
I'm revisiting an idea given to me by MS member Elder the Dwarf. He told me almost a year ago that I should follow up on my observation that, within the realm of Fantasy, you can 'write the story of the best swordsman in the world from the sword's POV.'

Thus, here's the synopsis I just posted on the NaNo site:

Imagine the story of the best sword-fighter in the world. Now imagine how the sword would tell the tale.

This is the story of Grace Swift, soldier and acknowledged Master of the Rapier among her peers at the Guild of Swords. Her unnamed blade serves as the tale's first-person narrator.

When the current Guild Master is killed alongside her in battle, Grace faces criticisim from her Guild rivals Tor and Raj. In response, Grace invokes a Right of Challenge on the eve of what may be the battle that makes or breaks her nation. Before a day passes, a legend will be born.


Maybe It'll work, maybe not.
 

Amanita

Maester
I'm already working on two projects at the time, so I probably won't start anything new now. Therefore, it won't be a real NaNo this year, but I'm going to try and find the discipline to actually write 50 000 words during november. ;)
 

J. S. Elliot

Inkling
I've come up with a way of working/satisfying my Writer's ADHD while still managing the 50k minimum, provided I can just get the words out. The Pandora Compendium will be a collection of relatively short chaptered stories, perhaps five chapters each. Here's the summary I just wrote for the NaNo board, though it could apply to the still unnamed but planned original novel:

Roughly one in one hundred survived the initial outbreak. Fewer survived the following hours, the following days. Especially since their new reality is riddled with predators among a deadened flock. Predators, though, aren't their only worry. Thieves, thugs, and even those that are supposed to protect them. Rules of the old and new realities are required to mesh in their minds if they want to survive, for it won't always be the fittest.
 

soulless

Troubadour
I have been working on my own fantasy world for way too long now with little actual writing and may push one of the two big (novel length) stories I have planned to do for NaNo. A few days ago I thought of doing a tale much earlier in the history of my world but there's really not enough to make 50,000 words, it could a novella at a push, but likely a short story. I've been contemplating writing my earlier of the two before the later for a while, but tonight it has really hit me that the later would probably be a better tale to write first, not least because I know where I want it to end up, which I haven't got quite as fleshed out in my head for the earlier.
 

wildink

Dreamer
I have only done nano once before so I don't really have a system of getting ready but I did decide that since I am going to have the time in November I would give it another shot however the only things that I really have ready is an image that I have had i my mind for awhile which did develop a small idea that I am not sure is going to work out. I have a couple of characters and the first two chapters sort of in my mind so I am hoping that once I get started the characters will start talking.
 

Drasn

Dreamer
This will be my first NaNo, was going to start pantsing an idea i had a couple weeks ago. Found out NaNo was November so I also decided to write my first outline. Pantsing always leaves me feeling overwhelmed because I feel the need to fix everything as I make story changes. I'm hoping that working on NaNo deadline, having a detailed outline, and even using a quick storyboard I put together will allow me to push out a decent first draft by Nov 30. Best of luck to all of you guys that plan to tackle NaNo
 

JCFarnham

Auror
This will be my first NaNo, was going to start pantsing an idea i had a couple weeks ago. Found out NaNo was November so I also decided to write my first outline. Pantsing always leaves me feeling overwhelmed because I feel the need to fix everything as I make story changes. I'm hoping that working on NaNo deadline, having a detailed outline, and even using a quick storyboard I put together will allow me to push out a decent first draft by Nov 30. Best of luck to all of you guys that plan to tackle NaNo

I can't stress enough how outlining has helped me. For NaNo, it a requirement of mine. Pantsing is fine in most other cases I suppose, but of the people I know who have won NaNo, more or less all of them have at least some outlining done. That doesn't mean you're copying out your story again, nothing is set in stone until you post that sucker (most common complaint against outlining...). I think of them as signposts. Knowing what could happen, knowing the characters and how they'd react... these are all things that can help smooth out those times when you're wracking your brain on what to write next.

Why not make is easier on yourself? :p
 
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