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Nano Planning

Just wondering how much do you guys plan for Nano?

Last Nov was my first time & I literally decided to participate about 2 days before. I'm considering setting this year's project in the American colonies during 1770's (or maybe the Civil War- haven't decided yet). I'll have to do some research - maybe not planning but definitely some research only I'm currently editing a novel set in the 1950's. Do you guys finish previous projects first or do you set 'em aside & come back?
 

Tom

Istar
Well, usually I waffle for a week or two, going between "There's so much stuff on my plate--I don't have the time" and "I really really really really want to do this". Then maybe two days before it starts I throw my hands up in the air (sometimes, saying aaaaaayo) and go, "F*** it, I'm in." Then I whip up a project that I think would be fun to write, and see how far I can get on it.

That being said, this year I have a definite project in mind. Southerner. I'm going to finish the first draft this November if it kills me.
 
C

Chessie

Guest
I'm not sure yet what my project will be. I'm marinating on some ideas. It most likely won't be a novel but a combination of novella and novelette.
 

ThinkerX

Myth Weaver
I intend to try to finish my project from last year: 'Labyrinth: Seed.' I made it about 10,000 words into that before other projects intervened and my muse collapsed of exhaustion.

This time, I intend to start on an outline about a week beforehand. Too many things kept changing last year, which contributed to my issues.
 

Fluffypoodel

Inkling
I have found that in the past I tended to get bogged down in planning and I never actually wrote anything. Eventually (Years later...) I realized this problem and decided to write off the cuff and see where that took me. that method got me to finish two novels, which was a great start. The only problem was that the many plot holes and discrepancies that littered my work. After finishing the second book in the middle of September I decided to take a month off and fix as many of the mistake that I could. This inevitably led to a huge amount of planning for the second book in that series that I plan to start by the end of October. For me it was a long road to find the balance and i'm not completely sure that i'm all the way there yet.

Hope this helped!
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
I do just exactly the right amount of planning. Alas, I rarely do exactly the right writing.

IMO, it really comes down to what I want to accomplish. If I have a story idea, have been busy with other projects, but really just want to explore the idea, then I just come to Nov.1 and throw myself off the cliff. This year, by contrast, I have a huuuuge editing task that seems to drag on and on. I intend to use nanowrimo (I get tired of the goofy capitalization) as a way to frog-march myself through the work. I'm using Janice Hardy's detailed advice on how to revise a novel as my roadmap. I gotta say, I'm dreading the work but looking forward to the result.
 
C

Chessie

Guest
I finally figured out the combination of what to do: a novelette @ 10k and a novella @ 40k. The novelette is optional, since I'm also ghosting and deadlines come with that. We'll see what happens. :D
 

ThinkerX

Myth Weaver
I have found that in the past I tended to get bogged down in planning and I never actually wrote anything. Eventually (Years later...) I realized this problem and decided to write off the cuff and see where that took me. that method got me to finish two novels, which was a great start. The only problem was that the many plot holes and discrepancies that littered my work. After finishing the second book in the middle of September I decided to take a month off and fix as many of the mistake that I could. This inevitably led to a huge amount of planning for the second book in that series that I plan to start by the end of October. For me it was a long road to find the balance and i'm not completely sure that i'm all the way there yet.

Didn't you do something like 90,000 words during the July NaNoWriMo? I thought for sure you were working off a detailed outline.
 

Fluffypoodel

Inkling
Didn't you do something like 90,000 words during the July NaNoWriMo? I thought for sure you were working off a detailed outline.

that was an idea that I had been kicking around for a little while. I had tried to start it a few years ago but it just wasn't working out. As a result I scrapped most of it. The problem was that I knew where I wanted to end the book but not where to start or how to get there. I decided on just writing until I got there which really worked out for me in July. But like I said, I got the writing done but its going to take me a while to put it all the way it needs to be because I wasn't working with anything concrete. I don't know. I guess we'll see where it goes when I finish my outline based on the writing that I didn't outline... if that makes sense
 

Addison

Auror
I've participated twice before. I think, definitely once. Each time it was a challenge. The first time I tried writing a project I'd been working on believing a 31 day time crunch for so many words would get my butt in gear and I'd get it done. Didn't work.

So then I tried a new story. I don't remember a time a new story idea flew out of me so swiftly. Nor a time I deleted things so quickly, so yeah. It's different every time, and there was a year between the last two times, the latest being 2013. So as I deliberately chose which story to write before NaNo started and it tanked, this time I'm winging it. Maybe. God it's starting already.
 
I wrote a space opera last year...and it sucked. It quickly started sounding like Star Wars in its second and third act. Well, what do you expect from someone who up and decided to write that story at the last minute? This year I'm going for a Steampunk Jules Verne inspired story, but I still need to finish the story outline.
 
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