Comments on clickthing: Tennish, anyone?

I've been typing out ideas for plot and character ...

2008-10-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

I've been typing out ideas for plot and character onto cards, but still no outline. I'm glad for your suggestion about the cards though, I think they'll be useful.

Bomb shelter? Oh no. Three kids, remember? My h...

2008-10-23T06:33:00.000-07:00

Bomb shelter? Oh no. Three kids, remember? My house looks like a bomb went off, especially with the toddler who squeals merrily as she's pulling all the books from the shelf/empty the pots-n-pans cabinet/throwing shoes around/climbing on things. But I do like order and neatness, so perhaps I'm expressing through my NaNo what I can't in my own life right now. I'll get some therapy lined up for December.

I like to think of my little cards as the rope that I'm going to follow through the blizzard that is my brain. I still have other story ideas that insist on jumping up and being written this year, but I'm shushing them harshly and locking them into the box until later.

I really want this NaNo to be readable while sober, and maybe even out loud.

Oh my gawd you are organized. I am thinking you mi...

2008-10-22T21:47:00.000-07:00

Oh my gawd you are organized. I am thinking you might have a fully-stocked bomb shelter in your yard, underneath a trap door, in which your entire family could survive for a nuclear winter.

By way of contrast, I usually start out on November 1 with no plot ideas, doubting whether I will really participate at all. Then I just start typing stuff. Actually it works out in the end. Obviously I haven't published any prizewinning novels or anything, but the story usually ends up somehow to stay on some kind of a weird track.

I only wish I could prepare. Some years I've do...

2008-10-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

I only wish I *could* prepare. Some years I've done the outlining thing, but inevitably, I've strayed into a completely different world within a few days. Much of the time, my original idea, the seed that started the whole story growing, ends up overwhelmed by something else entirely.

In fact, I'm pretty sure this year I'm going to write a story based on my basic plot premise from two years ago. It ended up being completely edged out of that story.

I admire people who can prepare. I don't know why it is I can't keep my own stories in line....

I am so not prepared, but I'm seeing more and more...

2008-10-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

I am so not prepared, but I'm seeing more and more of the NaNo veterans touting the virtues of preparation, so I might actually hash out a few things.

Maybe.

...outline! Yes! Somebody else is massively prep...

2008-10-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

...outline! Yes! Somebody else *is* massively preparing for this year's assault. I'm using the method taught in "First Draft in 30 Days", and have 20-something pages of outline so far. Character bios, synopsis, scene details, research lists. . .You are not alone.

Nice little AS Pro! I got one from e-bay a couple of years ago. Bought a Neo last year. Great machines. But since I'm in the Typewriter Brigade, only my Olympia manual will be seeing any action this November.

Good luck this year. See you on the boards!