The purpose is to write a novel in a month.

No, the purpose is to write a novel in the month of NOVEMBER. I think they're pretty clear on that; it's one of the main parts of the challenge. That's why November is National Novel Writing Month. There is no NaNo in October, or December. Just November. Therefore saying that starting a day early doesn't count is a bit of a moot point.

Considering that NaNoWriMo is a specific challenge, not just a general advocate of writing, I don't think it's unreasonable that there are a few set criteria for winning. And really, when you think about it, they don't really have that many. For the official NaNoWriMo challenge, you have to write 50k ONLY within the set dates. Anything that goes in your novel counts as long as it was written in November. You can plan all you like, but how can you count prose that you didn't write during that month? I think it's fairly simple and straightforward. All the other rules they've posted about are really just their IMHO and were only given because people pressed them about it. It's not "cannon".

Like I said, NaNoWriMo is a specific challenge. If you want to take that challenge and modify it to your own standards/preferences, that's fine. But it's not THE NaNoWriMo. It's KateWriMo, loosely disguised as NaNoWriMo.

Sorry if I'm rambling a bit, but I think a lot of people don't understand that NaNo is not just a general challenge to write a novel in a month, it's to write a novel during THE month, namely November. And therefore, if the challenge is strictly November, then clearly prose written in October wouldn't count. Doesn't matter if you're only writing the same number of days as everyone else.

Am I making sense? I don't mean to jump down your throat, Kate, I really don't! You just happened to bring up something that has bugged me for awhile, that's all. Are we still friends?

The point of writing the novel in November, I think, and to write every day, is to encourage just that: writing every day.

Professional novelists HAVE to write on a steady basis, so first, NaNoWriMo gives you a taste of that-- but mostly, I think, it's to get you up into a steady rhythm of just writing period. When you have a goal, you're (in general) much more inspired to work for it rather than when you just say, "Yeah. I'll write. Some. I don't have to, though." and then only a little if that is written.

The honor system is basically that you tell the Admins on the NaNo site that you've written a 50K novel in a month. If you're lying, that's your affair. The reward is that you've actually written steadily for a month and made a novel. It's kind of pointless if you lie, unless you just want a certificate. So the honor system just means that you'll tell the truth about how much you've written. Nothing more than that.

(p.s., You're making sense, Gymmie. )

I'm getting so excited! I'm planning my novel and it's going really well. My main character is named Aisley. I heard the name a few weeks ago and when I was trying to decide what to name her, I wanted an unusual name so I was like, "I'll use Aisley!" I'm thinking about what to name Aisley's dad but he really wants to be called Peter so I think I'll just let him be called that.

I can't wait until NaNo starts.

I've considered entering in this contest, but I don't know how much time I'll have to work on the writing with homework, school clubs, and jobs. I think I'll try the contest anyway. I'll do my best and if I get 50,000 words, great! If not, I'll try again next year.

I've been sneakily thinking about NaNo for a couple months now, and have just begun to allow myself to have real, out-in-the-open thoughts. You see, I'm afraid that if I allow myself to think about it too much, I'll come up with this grand idea that I won't be able to stop thinking about. And if that happens now, I'm going to be either bored of it by the time November comes, or unsure if I really want to do it. So my plan is to wait until pretty much the last minute, and then dream up an amazing plot which I will be entirely enthusiastic about as I dive into 30 days of writing. Crazy? Probably, but it's how I am able to best approach my writing at this point. I have to say, I will forever be inspired by Mel, who mentioned last year that one year she came up with her NaNo plot on October 31st, while she was washing dishes.

And that said-I am so excited about NaNoWriMo!!! It'll be my second time, and it's going to be an amazing experience again, I'm sure. I just hope I'm able to get my hands on a laptop before November comes around; otherwise I foresee a lot of difficulties.

I'm so excited! Except Gymfan15 called my non-plan a plan to fail... Kidding, kidding!

Ha ha. I didn't do any planning last year, and I managed to win.

I'm not super happy about last year's results... But oh well. This year I aim to do better. I don't have a really clear idea yet. Just a few different, vague ideas.

May I say ditto, ditto, and ditto? That's pretty much exactly how it was/is for me.

the other is one I just thought of about a girl who finds clues to her past in old fairytales

That sounds fascinating, sweeet! I'm going to be staying far away from fairy tales myself (that's what I did last year), but I really like this idea.

flam, no getting sick this year, you hear?

Okay, now I'm getting really jealous hearing about all the planning everyone is doing. I want to plot everything out, but if I do, I'm going to fail!

Okay, now I'm getting really jealous hearing about all the planning everyone is doing. I want to plot everything out, but if I do, I'm going to fail!

Hehe! Yeah, I hear you!

The list of all the contenstants is really exciting to see-- I can't wait for November! Memories of Word Wars....

I'm InkRain on there, if anyone would like to friend me.
I think I've got my basic idea, but I really don't know if I should plan or not, because truly, I don't want to have a meltdown because I can't decide or something.

Sadly, though, I don't know 100% if I'll be entering; I have a major piano exam coming up, and then a Christmas sale I have to prepare for... so.... I hope I can join, though!

I don't know 100% if I'll be entering; I have a major piano exam coming up,

Ooh, ouch. Same here actually. Kind of a major piano competition in early December... And I have a lot of work to do for that yet... But I'll try to do both.
Hope you're able to do NaNo as well!!

Ok, so I signed up for NaNoRiMo. I'm going to do my best. I even have part of my characters and plot figured out so far!!! I'm soo excited now!!

If anyone wants to add me as a buddy, I'm Narnian_at_Heart on NaNoRiMo. ^_^

Oh my, I am getting so excited about NaNoWriMo!

I think I am thinking about it too much. I don't feel that I am like Destined, in that if I think about it too much ahead of time, I'll ruin it, but she has influenced me. So I am thinking about it constantly. The main characters still aren't named (and names are the most important part. The whole personality is seated in the name), and the plot is shady (can anyone possibly understand how impossible it is for me to come up with a plot? I didn't think so), but so many other names and characters and scenes and important things are popping up every day. I think I may have thought of the title today.

And, my name is Betsie on the site, too.

I can't wait to talk to you all about it a whole lot more!

I've been telling Destined for weeks that "I think NaNo should start tomorrow. If feels like it."

Aaaaah, it's coming! My first one, too.

Quick intro: I've been writing since I was ten or eleven, but this is the first time I've gotten time to do NaNoWriMo (and I'm very excited). I've been working on another book and have finally come to a stopping point where I need two things: a break, and some time for fun writing. Perfect timing. Anyway, I'm kinda new to this side of the forums; I usually hang out in the fan art section.

Good to meet you all, and can't wait for November!

It's so great to see so many new people participating this year! Y'all are in for a month of absolutely craziness, but it is so worth it!

I wrote out my plot summary last night, and I'm fairly pleased with it. I've been plotting this book for several months, and have a lot of scenes already planned out in my head. I'm really looking forward to finally being able to put them on paper! I'm going to try and get my synopsis written today.

I have to say, I will forever be inspired by Mel, who mentioned last year that one year she came up with her NaNo plot on October 31st, while she was washing dishes.

*remembers that story as well* I've done something similar (just not so late in the planning stage). The entire idea behind my book came from a song title.

flam, no getting sick this year, you hear?

*salutes* I shall try my best, ma'am!

Oh, does anyone have any idea who Elizabeth-Glassard on the NaNo site is? She just friended me, and I'm not sure who it is (not that I mind people friending me, I just like to know who everyone is.). If it turns out to be someone I'm supposed to know, I'm going to be very embarrassed.

--- flambeau

*waves and steps in* Yay, a NaNo thread!

I did NaNo last year, although I was so busy that I didn't end up doing the full 50k. Has anyone heard of NaNo's YWP (Young Writer's Program)? That's what I did, and ended up with 5k more than my goal. I find it easier to aim for a small goal, then I'm surprised if I get more.

I'm not sure if I'm going to do NaNo this year. My friend is visiting for a week in November, and I don't think I'll want to do any writing while she's here. So that gives me 24 days to do NaNo. I really want to do it, but I need to come up with a realistic goal that I can manage in the time that I do have. I wanted to do the 50k this year, but I don't think I could manage that in three weeks. *sigh* I'm still thinking and praying about it, so we'll see.

My main character is named Aisley.

Ooh, narnian, I love that name! Another name I want to use someday is Ainsley.

I just hope I'm able to get my hands on a laptop before November comes around; otherwise I foresee a lot of difficulties.

Oh yes. I didn't have a laptop last November, and that was kind of problematic. Let's just say my hand was really sore from writing by hand!

The entire idea behind my book came from a song title.

Really? A song title, not a lyric? I think I've been inspired by a lyric before, but not a title. I'm impressed.

My main character is named Aisley.

Ooh, narnian, I love that name! Another name I want to use someday is Ainsley.

I am seriously considering naming my daughter Aisley when I have one.

Anyway, it's only 19 days until NaNo!

Goodness, just a little less than three weeks before it begins, and my story is still evolving by leaps and bounds every day. I hope it makes up its mind about what it wants to be when it grows up soon. Writing it is going to be a very interesting adventure, to be sure.

When my brain becomes overly fried from thinking about it, I usually turn to collecting songs and soundtracks to listen to during November. (Hmm, I nearly wrote that NaNovember, I must be obsessed! ) I'm building up quite a repertory. I don't always listen to music when I'm writing as a rule, but I find if I'm trying to get something down quickly, I usually turn to a song or melody with the kind of atmosphere I'm hoping to diffuse in the scene. It definitely helps get me in the necessary mood and kick off the typing frenzy, so I'll probably be doing this a lot next month.

19 days!

the other is one I just thought of about a girl who finds clues to her past in old fairytales, but who knows? I'm blank.

sweeet, I love that idea! You could do all sorts of wonderful things with that.

My main character is named Aisley. I heard the name a few weeks ago and when I was trying to decide what to name her, I wanted an unusual name so I was like, "I'll use Aisley!"

Ooh, I came across that name just a few days ago, when I was trying to work out the name for the country in my novel (which ended up being Aislin). It's lovely!

can anyone possibly understand how impossible it is for me to come up with a plot? I didn't think so.

If it includes too many scribbled notebook pages, tea breaks, staring at the keyboard, and authorial head-banging on said keyboard, I might. The way my stories usually come to me, I get everything but a plot.

So at this point, I have a title, a synopsis, a cover, a beginning and an end, and nothing in between. The plot bunnies had better decide to start hopping soon...