edit it, get a cover, do the formatting, etc within 6 months (sounds easy, doesn't it? Just you wait . . ),

The two years I did this, it was almost literally a last minute thing.

I'd love to see what the finished product looks like. Did anyone post a picture of theirs?

Here's mine from last year! *peers closely at the picture* Ah, yes, you can see my formatting fail.

I'm still trying to put together a blurb/summary for my story. Of course, the story itself is still quite nebulous, and I can't decide on a title either. I'm currently considering The Third Queen or The King's Apprentice, both of which suggest slightly different stories than the one I intend to write.

*peers at picture* I don't see the formatting fail, Mel.

If I can finish my novel this year, I plan to get the proof copy. My only difficulty will be in finding a cover for it.

If I can finish my novel this year, I plan to get the proof copy. My only difficulty will be in finding a cover for it.

What are the rules concerning covers? And what size must the picture be?

Meltintalle, I don't see the formatting fail either...

~Riella

I accidentally left the lines for the table formatting the page numbers and book title/author name at the top of the page turned on -- on the left hand side. I should have checked my PDF one last time before submitting it.

Covers are (at least for the copy I get, because I like having them all lined up together) 5x8 + 5x8 + spine width x8.

Lovely artwork, Mel!

I've added several people here as writing buddies; I'm mnstargazer there if you're interested in adding me. (clever username, I know )

I'm toying with the idea of opening shortly after the death of a main character; I'm hesitant to do so because I want to avoid doing so just for shock value. But I think it would help me grow as a writer to deal with the loss of a beloved familiar character, and would help define the others (will this make them better people, or ultimately destroy them?).

Normally the readers would have little or no attachment to a character that dies at the beginning, but this is the third NaNo story set in this universe (along with a number of other shorter stories), so the main characters would be known to those familiar with the canon.

I'm similar. I usually have a general, overarching view of the plot in mind, but the details often come out when I finally start writing. More often than not the characters dictate some of the twists and turns in the story.

Ditto! I like to decide what will happen, what influence the characters will have in the story, but I kind of like to swing it as it goes.

Hurrah for having a song cure writer's block!

Speaking of writer's block, I think I may have the case of it. Hopefully it passes.

If we are Rebels (as I was one year), we shouldn't really validate our texts to become winners. Even if our word count passes 50 000, we're not registered as winners unless we send in our texts to the Validator - and only the registered winners qualify for a free copy of their book.

It's technically no problem to cheat, though. As someone else said, no-one reads what you validate, and the firms who offer prizes (like the free copy) to the winners, do not check whether you're a Rebel or have been following the rules. I'm sure they don't mind - they are doing this to promote their paid services anyway, so it doesn't hurt them if more people get a sample of what they can offer.

There are always discussions on the site where people ask, "I'm writing so and so, does it qualify as a novel?" And the mods usually answer, "If you feel it is a novel, then it is. This is mainly about your personal achievement anyway - if you feel you have achieved what you attempted, that is your victory, whether you validate and become a registered winner or not."

If you write 50 000 words and validate, then you can get your copy (and other prizes).
Whether you validate, is up to you.

Okay, thanks so much for the information! What I'm doing that might fall in the NaNoRebel slot is that my sister and I are co-planning the story, but we will write the chapters/stories within the book separately. We'll start in November, etc. but we'll be planning it together along. In a way, co-authoring, but not necessarily. I don't know how we'll validate it - either I put the 50k I write and then get a book for my stories, and she enters hers, and we do it in to parts. ... or we could just use NaNo as an incentive to write the story, and then pay for a CreateSpace book. That works.
Thanks for clearing it up for me.

I think I'll be doing my other idea for a story as something I can validate, get proof copy, be in all the NaNo rules for.
It will probably be conjectured up from something I wrote a while ago (the idea, so I'll make myself not go and refer to it. *sigh* ), or a WWII story probably set in Poland, since I've gotten a good deal of resources about pre, during, and post war life in Poland... and then leading to a concentration camp. It's a bit serious and I'd like to be very speculative about it, so I guess we'll see which way I go.

Along with that, my sister and I do the story on our two cats. This will probably not be our official NaNo story, but we'll be doing it for NaNo and using NaNo as an incentive to keep writing it/plan it now.

Just to finally set it concrete what I'm doing, mostly for myself.

Anywho, enough of my rambling.

Mel, I love your book! The illustration is lovely, and I really like the formatting on the top (the bar that has the title on it on the pages). The cover is equally picturesque.

POV's... in 2009, my main short story that contributed to the jumble of my NaNo stories was first in first person, then I changed it to third person so I could progress further at a faster, concise pace. I feel in a third person mood, because that way I can describe things better, so I'll probably do my NaNo in third person.

So... I guess I'm trying to go for 100k this year. O.O I did want to do 100k for my other NaNo, so maybe 150, but honestly, that is not happening. I'm not sure if I'll be doing two stories as I mentioned in this post, but I do want to try get higher than 50k this year.

Ithie: It's your choice how big you want the book to be, and cover size, etc. When you do the formatting, you just have to make the pages the size you want them, and when you, or whoever else you have make yours ( That's how it is for me. ), have them make it that size.
23 days!! Or would it be 24? The idea of writing again is getting a big hold on me (as you can probably see. ) - I think sometime all of the people I know who are doing NaNo, are going to get together for a writing party. And hopefully, me, Dennie and Betsie will be together the night before, and stay up till midnight. Well, past midnight.

This will be my third year doing NaNoWriMo and I'm really excited. I go up in my word count each year and this year I'll be doing 40,000-45,000 words. I'm not sure exactly what the plot is yet, but I've already decided on most of the characters.

wow Mel, your book looks so lovely and amazing, I love the art work

I'm going to be writing in third person I'm not very comfortable in writing first person yet

on the NaNo site I am Apye (strange name I know) so don't be weirded out if any of you get added or anything

Thank you so much, everyone, for your kind compliments on my book!

Bella, your plan sounds very ambitious. How do you keep it all straight? If I understand you correctly, you're thinking about doing three stories? Two and a half?

I did two last year, and while it was quite nice to switch between two stories when the words weren't coming for one... I'm not recommending the process. I think I probably spent about three hours a day typing (though, a fair chunk of time involved was spent going, "Eh, what next?" and, "How does one describe that?")

That's a pretty name, wild rose! Does it mean anything special?

I'll go add you on NaNo when I go to the site! I like the name, too.

Mel, I think my idea is more ambitious than what I'm going to do. Oh, no-not three stories, just two. One I'll be working on with my sister and won't be validating that one, and the other I'll be working on my own and will validate it. (by saying 150k, I meant I'll probably work on 50k for the one I'm co-authoring, and 100k for the one I'm doing on my own. Or, at least 80k maybe. )

Aww, but you did so well! I'm always surprised at how swiftly you get the 50k and then get all sorts of thousands that some of us couldn't dream of getting!

thanks Mel and Bella

the name Apye doesn't really mean anything, in fact I never found a name like that anywhere, though I did look, it was the name of a little girl in a dream I had about a year ago. And I thought the name was so cute that I used it for one of the characters in one of my stories, and since that character was loosely based on me, when I was registering I decided to use it as my username

I was thinking of doing two stories, but sadly I won't have the time to do two, but I think it's really cool that you are going to Bella, I'm sure you can do it

I was wondering about the other events the NaNo site has... ones that don't take place in November, such as Camp NaNo and others. What happens during those, what are the prizes, and do they still give you a free book from CreateSpace?

~Riella

The new NaNo website is set to launch today!! I'm so excited!!
And only 22 days!! And by the way, my NaNo username is lavendersblue.

Well I found my username and reset my password. If you want to add me on Nano just send me a pm and I'll give you my user name