Ahhhh yusss, NaNo. I am equal parts excited and freaking out about it. Some of you might remember my novel that I started for NaNo last year, and finished in early April of this year, and posted here. Well, as I was reading through the whole thing preparing for revisions, I realized two things. One, it was a complete mess that was desperately in need of revisions, and two, that it might work better as a series. And the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea, so I’ve decided to chop it up and expand it into one. I thought about making a thread announcing that for those who were previously interested in the first draft, and I still might, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.

But anyway. I’ll be working on the first book of said series for this year’s NaNo, and I’m super hyped about it. But also stressing. For one thing, I’m a hybrid, both a planner and a pantser. I lean more toward pantser by nature, but I’ve learned that I do require a certain amount of planning. Unfortunately, I don’t really have much idea at all how to go about that, and I don’t feel like I’ve done enough prepping this Preptober. Another thing is that November is usually a very busy month for my family. This year is no different. We already have two trips planned, and I won’t be surprised if there end up being more. I also have dance on three different nights of the week, and there’s also school, although that won’t be as much of a problem since I homeschool. But I suppose I’ll learn to work around everything as I have before.

That was longer and more rambling than I meant it to be. I will definitely be back, probably to post excerpts (and to read everyone else’s!) or to reminisce about past NaNos (oh do I know about those hot messes...haha...). If I can muster a synopsis of my novel I’ll post it, but I’m usually bad at those.

But aside from all that, what’s everyone else writing this year? I’d love to hear about your novels!

EIGHT DAYS UNTIL NANO. AAA.

I am simultaneously the most and least prepared that I've ever been for a NaNoWriMo. For the past three years I have written and rewritten the same novel, which underwent some major changes each time. However, I'm still not happy with it. The characters are horrible, the worldbuilding is lacking in certain respects, and the plot just isn't . . . full enough. If that makes sense. So I'm putting it on the back burner to start working on a new-ish novel.

Why "new-ish"? Well, I've never actually written it before. I have written short stories, flash fiction pieces, and all sorts of random stuff using the characters from it. I also could narrate the whole plot backwards and forwards to you, including all sorts of random background info, sudden "OOOH"s (yes I do do that, it's very annoying), and plenty of fangirling about HOW AMAZING MY CHARACTERS ARE. But it's never been written out in its entirety, which will be a new experience for me!

So, Icy (and anyone really), in regards to your problem - I have no idea what sort of writer you are. xD But, speaking from my own experience, maybe I can give you some tips?
I'm a hybrid of a planner and a pantser. I will know my characters, my plot, and my world before I begin writing. But I don't know every little detail; I don't know what I'm doing for filler or subplot; and I am not an outliner. (hate outlines. Outlines suck.) So a couple of things I do to survive my hot mess of a sort-of-planned novel are:

1. Talk/think it out. A LOT. Even if you're doing it on October 30th. If you can, find a teddy bear - someone you can text or talk with, in real time, who is familiar with your plot/characters (or you can tell about your plot/characters) to bounce ideas off of. It helps to say your thoughts out loud and organize them into something coherent that somebody else will be able to understand. Having another set of eyes/ears on your planning will also really help with pointing out where the weaknesses in your plot are. 

2. KNOW YOUR CHARACTERS. I'm a very character-based writer, but I think this should be true for everyone. Your characters drive your plot. They are the ones making big decisions that will determine how the story ends up. You need to know how they behave. Pretty much everything you include in your novel needs to have some sort of significance, no matter how small; be sure you can do that. If, like me, you don't have the finer details of your novel sorted out, knowing your characters will be crucial to that.

3. Don't stress about knowing everything beforehand. As long as you've got an overarching plot, some good characters, and solid worldbuilding if applicable, you're fine. If you don't, get cracking! xD  Seriously, spending even just an hour on number 1 will get you so far in your novel's development. Stop, think, and you'll go places.

Good luck with your novels, everybody!!

I just joined NaNoWriMo YWP and I was wondering if anyone had the CB class code? 

EIGHT DAYS OHMYGOSH WHAAAAAAAAAT

I'm ready, I think. I mean, I know I'm ready (I did Camp NaNo in the spring and summer and I don't think "real" NaNo will be that different, right??), but I feel like I won't have enough time! I'm only trying to shoot for 10k, but that still means like 300+ words or 45 minutes a day to set aside for writing, which I don't have...  

Yay! Seven days! Or, more accurately: AAAAAAAAH! SEVEN DAYS! To be honest, I wasn't planning on doing November NaNo this year until recently, but I decided to give myself a chance to redeem myself after Camp NaNo in July. (If you wanted hot mess stories, Icy, here you go) I'm 100% a procrastinator, so I didn't write a word for a long time in July, and almost gave up. Then, I pushed myself to do it, so I was up until 2 am the night before the last day, and on the last day, I was up until 3 am writing. By the time I reached my word count goal, I was half delirious from exhaustion. So, yeah, I need to be more proactive this time around. Wishing everyone luck!

(On a side note: Basil said mrwo. She's a bird, not a cat XD) 

Here's a quick NaNo tip for anyone while I'm at school--

Don't be afraid to learn from your mistakes! We all make mistakes during NaNo. I tend to shove my mistakes away, apologize for them, then pretend they never existed. I cringe so badly I never consider that there might be something to be learned. 

My CAPTCHA says aeaa. Are AEs scary? What? 

Six days from National novel writing month! 

An obscure NaNo tip is to make birthday cards or buy presents for any friends/relatives with November birthdays before November. My dad's birthday is on November 30, so I took the time a day ago to make him a card. 

Last two NaNos, I had no time to celebrate my dad's birthday. Prepping for events happening during NaNo that aren't NaNo itself is just as important as prepping for NaNo. Take some time to make other people feel special and appreciated this November. 

Good luck, everyone, and have a great NaNoWriMo this year!

I’m working on a graphic novel, based on a RP that I was on and died a while ago. (It was Spirit Animals RP by Storm Windwhisperer,  http://www.cricketmagkids.com/chatterbox/inkwell/node/371009)  

After it died, I didn’t really feel like trying to go post and raise it up again, but I couldn’t stop thinking about my characters, Avi and Moira. I started drawing them. A lot. I came up with small plans that never went anywhere. Then the graphic novel fad in my class started.

Since it’s a graphic novel, I have a page count rather than a word count, and it’s pretty small, because graphic novels take a long time. Twenty pages by the end of NaNo is my goal. I haven’t done much prep, but more than I usually do. Mostly consisting of drawing out a super super rough outline (as quoted: 1. start with a bang+honey sticks 2. resistance bad 3. hunters bad also?! OwO 4. angst 5. avi and moira get married and save world with maybe zoë or zoë’s sister??) some pretty detailed characters designs, and the first three unscanned pages which I can post on here soon!

I’m not using the site, but I’ll probably be on the chat a lot! 

AGHH I HATE WRITING ON PHONES.

@Quill--

I totally get that! My mom actually has a picture of me at about 11 PM holding my winner's certificate. You can actually see lines under my eyes in the picture. ...Wait, why am I doing NaNo again...?

@Blue Moon--

That's really cool! I've never seen/read a Graphic Novel before, so if you do end up posting some of it, I'll definitely be looking at it.

--

WE'RE AT FIVE DAYS AWAY!

It's time to do some last minute prep, buy a few cartons of coffee or HEALTHY food to munch on (I want to try Veggie Straws this year), and just get ready. If you have NaNo merch from previous years, hunt it down now so you can keep it near you and feel special during NaNo. 

Set some goals for yourself. Try not to eat all the junk food you have in the house beforehand (I'm a stress eater to the point where it's criminal), but instead try to limit your snack food for NaNo. Sitting behind a computer and devouring an entire bag of chips while crying because you can't write a love triangle right isn't a great idea.

Since I'm on the topic of food, be careful with liquids near whatever you use to write! I spilled milk on a computer once, and, though rice magically fixed it, it took a week of the computer just sitting there to fix. During November, that's a week of writing time lost because of a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Luckily, my incident wasn't in November, and unluckily, I haven't had a Pumpkin Spice Latte ever.

Well, that's all for today. Writing this much is painful.

Four and a half ish days left, and all I have to say is AHHHHH

but if you guys want to read some of the beginning of my story...

Typically when a giant flying lizard tells you to stop and grab a few chicken nuggets from some fast food restaurant, you’d want to listen to your instincts, and touch down for the hecking nuggets.

Did I? You may ask. No, of course, I didn’t, for I was traveling with people who had absolutely no common sense.

How did I get stuck with these morons? A very good question, my friend, a very good one.

I suppose for you to truly understand my outlandish story, I would need to start from the beginning.

Well, back in '97 I was born, and everything went downhill from there. But things only started going really bad, in my last year of high school. I was in eleventh grade, and supposedly the queen of the school. twelfth grade being held in a separate school, because our district is screwed up. 

I’m going to tell you a little secret now, and it may shock you quite a bit, you aren’t the queen or king in high school unless you're at the top of the food chain. Unless you are regarded as the human version of money, or more commonly known as, being popular, you are the scum of the school. Doesn’t matter what grade you’re in, there’s the populars, and then there are peasants. I think we can all guess which one I was in.

I’m not going to lie, I’m totally bitter toward the populars, but I truly have nothing personal against them. Well, most of them at least. Normally I just hate the fact that whatever they do they’ll never be held responsible. It’s like the teachers all know who the student celebrities are, and they make sure to give special treatment.

Currently at the top of the world, would be no other than a perfect couple of Melody Landers and Luke Skylar. Both were the constant crushes of pretty much everyone at the school. Melody and her preppy long brown hair, and olive complexion, apparently, most of the guys could ‘get lost in the deep depths of her sea blue eyes’ the only thing I ever saw in those stone cold eyes, was evil. She walked around as if she owned the school-which in hindsight, she kinda did-and acted like everyone around was beneath her.

Luke was...different, I guess. As far as I knew, he was nice enough, he didn’t treat the people around him like dirt, but I mean, as far as I knew, he didn't. He was pretty much  exactly the ‘I’m friends with everyone’ guy, but if you insulted Melody, you were dead meat.  

I, however, would not consider myself popular.

Well, that totally sounds like the stupid first line to some sappy romance movie. But, I mean, it is true. I was talkative and whatever, I even ran for class president last year, but, I lost. To Karen Lopex, Melody’s second in command. That was a bit of a blow to my confidence level, but, it’s cool, everything’s fine now.

That was really the only time I’ve spoken to a popular face to face, besides Melody, because I have the luck of having the locker beneath her. Karen wasn’t that bad though, she was actually pretty nice, considering she’s friends with the devil’s daughter.

So that’s pretty much what life’s like, the little guys always living in the shadows of the gods of the school, not that it was always so bad. If you did something embarrassing it didn’t circulate around the entire school, just a few friends. Not that I speak from experience or anything.

But anyway, back to how Dragons and their love for processed meat, tie into my life at all.