NaNoWriMo: To join or not to join

Ok NaNoWriMo, nearly every writer who has been around the internet for a while knows about this, some think it's dumb and unrealistic, others think it's great.

Last year I thought it was crazy and I wasn't ready.

This year I think I'm crazy and still not ready but I'm going to give it a go, because of this one statement:

38,000 people completed NaNoWriMo’s challenge last year. There are two primary reasons the structure works so well. First, it’s a sprint. We can push ourselves harder, writing far more than we’re used to (1,666 words per day, including Thanksgiving) because we know it’s temporary. Second, it’s a crazy goal, and sometimes they are more effective than “sensible” ones, they excite us and motivate us to go beyond our comfort zone.

All because of this guy.

So I'm giving it a go, I'm not registering with the NaNoWriMo site because what I will be writing is not "standard" it's a novel I have started (Practically Dead) but I will be trying for 50,000 words in November. I am a NaNoWriMo rebel and proud!

So I am giving it a go this year, and will probably not want to look at a pen for a week after November ends, I will also most likely burn myself out and produce something truly horrible...but it will be something...and I can fix it up later.

CURRENT PROJECT: Practically Dead
DAYS WORKED ON: 2
WORD COUNT: 1,018

I will write every day. I will finish something.

Fighting the Doubts...

There are many reasons why I procrastinate...doubt is one of the biggest ones.

Today I was working on my novel turned screenplay. A story that I came up with but I knew would never work as a book...well not if I wrote it anyway..and I also know it's not something I'd read...but I would watch it.

I was working on it today anyway and was reading some of the intricacies of screenwriting...all the INT's and EXT's and CUT SCENES, and the example script they used was really interesting.

As soon as I went back to my script, I immediately thought to myself "why are bothering to write this? it's so crap, even an example is better than you!"

These exact thoughts are part of the reason that I don't have a full chapter of anything yet.

The doubts creep into my head and I lose interest in my own story because I am convinced that it's awful, right now I am trying to write something, anything every day, I don't have a word count and now that I'm using Celtx (which is really good by the way) I am trying to type up as much of what I can as I go.

The doubts are trying to get me, but right now it's just a matter of fighting through them, hopefully - maybe - beating them one day so I can concentrate on writing instead of doing them both at once.

CURRENT PROJECT: LIVING INK
DAYS WORKED ON: 2
WORD COUNT: 109

Trying out something new...

So as a writer I am generally a paper and pen user. It helps me from being distracted, but I have recently found a new free and customisable program called Celtx.

Now...anyone who knows this program of which I speak will know that it is primarily a screenwriting software type application...well it is.

I am currently working on a screenplay.

It's based off a dream I had (groan, I know it's taboo to even think that because of the mess that was Twilight but this is different, I swear.)

It was basically an action sequence that involved swords maidens and a really hot guy...basically I thought to myself...I really want to watch that movie! So I am currently working on writing it.

I have a plot and a scene in question currently going but instead of mucking around on word and having to transfer it all off paper, I decided to look around for some screenwriting help...and so I found Celtx.

What's even better about Celtx though is that it also has apps for stageplays, comics and novels!

So although I won't need the comics bit (because I can't draw, or I would so write a comic!) I have viable use for everything else...yeay! And its free until I want to start adding extra bits which I won't be doing for a while but it's only $10 anyway so all good!

Yeay...off to check out this new software...will update on how it works :D