So recently I mentioned briefly that I am planning on writing a novel in a month. This was inspired by National Novel Writing Month, a project I may or may not be able to participate in when November finally rolls around, but which I appreciate and encourage you to take a look into. I encourage you to take a look into it, because I’m going to be mirroring it here/at Modern Evil in the month of May. There are a variety of reasons for choosing May, the easiest to explain is that it’s 6 months removed from NaNoWriMo. And I have been recently informed (no, I don’t look at calendars much) that May even has one more day than November to try to get your novel done.
That’s right. Your novel. I want you to join me. I already have several people who will be writing novels in the month of May, and I want to get as many people involved as possible. It’ll be a Modern Evil Novel Writing Month. I’ve just created a new discussion forum on the subject, so we can all share tales of our progress/writer’s block and how trying to write a novel is interfering with our lives. I’m considering creating blog-like pages for people to post their work as they write it (if they like), and I’m thinking of contacting the people behind the real NaNoWriMo to let them know what we’re doing here.
If you’re too lazy to actually go to the NaNoWriMo website and read their FAQ, their extended FAQ, and their further extended FAQ, I’ll lay out the basic guidelines for you here:
1. People looking to write classy, complex novels should not participate. People looking to get extensive feedback and people who take their writing very seriously should also go elsewhere.
2. Start writing not before 00:00:01 local time, Wednesday, May 1st.
3. Write a novel of at least 50,000 words by 23:59:59 local time, Friday, May 31st.
4. All participants must be working on the same deadline.
5. You cannot write one word 50,000 times. That is neither novel, nor a novel.
6. 50,000 words is not a limit, it is a goal. If your story requires more words, write them!
7. Outlines are encouraged. Notes are encouraged. Partially written chapters are punishable by death.
8. Take a look at these tips and strategy for getting a novel done in a month.
That pretty much covers the guidelines and conveys the mood of what we’re trying to do here. “NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Sheep will be herded like never before. And novels will be written in a month.” (from the NaNoWriMo website) MENoWriMo is about the same things, but it is also about being too impatient to wait for November and turning Modern Evil’s most avid readers into novelists.
Anyone who emails me a completed novel of 50,000 words or more by 00:00:01 Saturday, June 1st will have the opportunity to have it hosted on Modern Evil, or just read by a friend. In fact, I’ll gladly send my completed novel to anyone who sends me theirs, well in advance of putting any of them online. More importantly, anyone who completes a novel before June 1st will have a personal sense of satisfaction that comes from having been part of this whole thing, and having written your own novel.
I can’t think of anything else to say about this right now, but feel free to email me at teel@modernevil.com if you’re interested in joining us, have any questions, or just wanted to express your dissatisfaction with the way I live my life.
Does forming the story in your head count as cheating, as long as you dont write anything?
Does forming the story in your head count as cheating, as long as you dont write anything?
I won’t hold it against you. Of course, working on notes or outlines or partial chapters before Next Wednesday is as puinishable by death as partial chapters that remain in your novel after the 31st.
I’ve probably already had the ideas for my novel, I just haven’t written anything yet. It’s really on the honor system anyway; you can only cheat yourself. You get to decide what cheating is.
I won’t hold it against you. Of course, working on notes or outlines or partial chapters before Next Wednesday is as puinishable by death as partial chapters that remain in your novel after the 31st.
I’ve probably already had the ideas for my novel, I just haven’t written anything yet. It’s really on the honor system anyway; you can only cheat yourself. You get to decide what cheating is.
I’ve already written mine. Is that cheating?
I’ve already written mine. Is that cheating?
I’m not sure cheating is the right word for it. It sounds more like you’re just not involved in the same thing the rest of us are. You see, novels written outside of the time period specified are clearly not included. Novels, sure. Possibly written within the space of 31 days, sure. Part of MENoWriMo, they are not.
Still if you’ve already written a novel, that’s sure to give you some experience that will help you write another one for MENoWriMo.
I’m not sure cheating is the right word for it. It sounds more like you’re just not involved in the same thing the rest of us are. You see, novels written outside of the time period specified are clearly not included. Novels, sure. Possibly written within the space of 31 days, sure. Part of MENoWriMo, they are not.
Still if you’ve already written a novel, that’s sure to give you some experience that will help you write another one for MENoWriMo.
Wooo Hooo ooOOoooOOOOOOOOOO. Primal Scream, had to be done.
Wooo Hooo ooOOoooOOOOOOOOOO. Primal Scream, had to be done.
Okay, I really want to do this, in part because i have been wanting to write a few things down, the only problem is that I will be in a country where I will most definately not be having access to a computer for the last two weeks of May, and most unfortunately one week of finals, in which I will probabaly need to do a little studying, I looked at the tips and suggestions, they were…interesting. I don’t know where Im going with this, i suppose I just want people to know that I’m gonna try it anyway, Hooray!
Okay, I really want to do this, in part because i have been wanting to write a few things down, the only problem is that I will be in a country where I will most definately not be having access to a computer for the last two weeks of May, and most unfortunately one week of finals, in which I will probabaly need to do a little studying, I looked at the tips and suggestions, they were…interesting. I don’t know where Im going with this, i suppose I just want people to know that I’m gonna try it anyway, Hooray!
T-minus 5 hours and counting.
T-minus 5 hours and counting.
Well I got my first 1700 words done, I’ll try and get some more later, did everyone else get started?
Well I got my first 1700 words done, I’ll try and get some more later, did everyone else get started?
I did NOT stay up past midnight to try to get anything done, and I have been working since … well, since an hour or two before I was “awake”, really. So, after work today I’m going to go home and get working on it.
Of course, I have NO idea where it will go. Or even where it will start, really.
I did NOT stay up past midnight to try to get anything done, and I have been working since … well, since an hour or two before I was “awake”, really. So, after work today I’m going to go home and get working on it.
Of course, I have NO idea where it will go. Or even where it will start, really.
Oh, hey. And don’t forget the forums
Oh, hey. And don’t forget the forums