Once the Writing Buddies are back up and running, my username is the same as here: stardf29.

Also, if y'all want a thread over on the NaNo site for us all to gather together in, I think there was a NarniaWeb thread in the Writing Groups forum last year, so I presume we can do the same this time around.

Also, if y'all want a thread over on the NaNo site for us all to gather together in, I think there was a NarniaWeb thread in the Writing Groups forum last year, so I presume we can do the same this time around.

I made a thread for us. Still editing the first post, but here's the link: http://nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing- ... reads/2462

~Riella

So, erm, Rose pushed me into posting in here.

This is my first year of doing NaNo... and I'm pretty excited for it. I almost did it last year and I chickened out So basically, I'm kinda really sorta uber nervous for this year.

anywho, here's hoping everything goes well for everyone!

Hmm, not really sure about the new forums yet. They'll probably grow on me, though.

One of these years, i really should devote all of October to getting ready for NaNoWriMo. I struggle with staying focused on something - which is why i have 50 billion unfinished stories hanging around - and working on a story without a coherent plot for 30 days hasn't had great end results.

There's still time this month to come up with something somewhat original, but the temptation is to do a crossover fanfic or continue the one (also fanfic) from last year. Oh, the debate.

I love making book covers. For myself and others. I've made 5 book covers in all so far. If anyone isn't the best at graphics, and would like me to make a book cover, feel free to ask! I love doing requests.

You know, I just might take you up on this! I may be able to write but I can't draw to save my life (unless stick figures count ). I just need to figure out what I'm doing this year.

There's still time this month to come up with something somewhat original, but the temptation is to do a crossover fanfic or continue the one (also fanfic) from last year.

This is exactly the same conundrum I'm contemplating right now. A sequel to last year's story (a fanfiction) is possible, but maybe I'm in something of a rut and should try something totally new. Yet my characters are fun to write, and they still have tales to tell...

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

For CampNaNo you get a certificate and stuff like avies and banners but there was nothing about you getting a free copy of your book

Random NaNoWriMo-related question of the day: do you listen to music when you're writing, and if so, what kind?

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't it depends on my mood When I do listen to music I generally try to find something that matches the mood of what I am writing. If it is something sad or tragic I'll listen to something that is sad, if it's some sort of tense chase scene then I'll listen to some soundtrack that has to do with chasing, and so on

I'm not too fond of the new NaNo site, but hopefully I will learn to like it

I'm nervous. I've not done this before...previous attempts at writing get me to a 2nd or sometimes 3rd chapter, where things fizzle out for various reasons (usually because I successfully tell myself no one will want to read my dreck). But I'm gonna give this a go and see what happens.

I reeeeeally want to make the cover and write the synopsis and decide on a title...

But I think it'd probably be best to wait. If I decide on a title now, I might like it too much later, even if it doesn't fit the book well. 😉 And I want a title that describes and fits the book.
So I guess I'm going to wait until I have more of the book written.

Same with the synopsis; my book might change a bit. With the synopsis I guess I could write something up and change it later without too much difficulty...

But there's another problem: I don't have names figured out yet, so I can't write a synopsis too well.

I need a name for my MC pretty much; the others I think I have figured out. And anyone else won't be too big of a character, so their names won't be so hard to find.

Names so far:

????? Skyler -- MC
Rylan Skyler -- MC's Brother
Joaquin Remington -- Main "Bad guy"

There are very few girl names that I'm pleased with right now.

Well! This is my third try. The last two times (2007 and 2008 I believe) I failed miserably, but I attribute that to being in college. I am planning on winning this year!

My novel this year is set in 1953, in a steampunk universe. It follows 17-year-old cousins Liam and Lyle as they try to convince investors that Liam's father's inventions deserve funding. Liam and Lyle were born the same day. Lyle and his mom live with Liam's family because Lyle's father died in the Second World War in 1940, when Lyle was 4. Thus, Lyle and Liam are more like twin brothers than cousins.

I have a lot more developing to do, but I am excited about this year! I need a title, and I am completely lost for that...

So... after a while of thinking I wouldn't do NaNo, definitely, I come to Narniaweb and within 2 days have completely made up my mind to go through it all again. Um, thanks..?

As soon as I started looking at the website and stuff again, I kept flashing back to the fun I had last year, and despite how busy I'm going to be, I can't resist, so here I am.

I'm not completely sure what my story's going to be about yet, but I have a sort of idea. I actually really wanted to stray away from fantasy, but then the thought of setting it in the real world didn't appeal too much because I think I'd get bogged down in details, so I'm settling for a mixture of the two - making it an alternate reality where one 'world' bears some resemblance to our own, but then having people from another 'world' somehow wash up onto the shore of the first world, alive. Well, it makes sense in my head.

I'm pretty excited about where I can take the story, though, and since I prefer not to plan too much, am just going to flesh out a few more details before November, and then get straight into it. One thing I think I am going to have to plan, however, is create a list of character names or something, because last year I got so annoyed - a couple of characters I hadn't planned on popped up in my story and I ended up going with whatever I could think of off the top of my head so as to be able to keep writing.

And guess what? I just discovered last night that I have the whole first week off school. So yeah.. this should hopefully be a lot easier than last year. Maybe I'll even set my sights a bit higher than 50,000.

By the way, my username on the NaNo site is TheMockingjay (it was last year - I'd totally forgotten that this was even it until yesterday.. should-not-make-usernames-based-on-what-I-am-currently-obsessed-with ), so if anyone want to add me as a buddy.. although I'm seeing that the 'writing buddies' section says 'coming soon', so maybe not yet.

*Waves to the newcomers*

But there's another problem: I don't have names figured out yet, so I can't write a synopsis too well.

I need a name for my MC pretty much; the others I think I have figured out. And anyone else won't be too big of a character, so their names won't be so hard to find.

Ah, names. I remember when I was about thirteen and I discovered name websites—I became such a nerd about etymology, I spent more time hunting down the perfect name for such-and-such character than I did actually writing about them, I think.

http://www.behindthename.com/
http://surnames.behindthename.com/
http://www.name-meanings.com/
http://www.20000-names.com/

Those are my favorites. Looking for a name with a meaning that "fits" the character helps narrow down the field, too.

So... after a while of thinking I wouldn't do NaNo, definitely, I come to Narniaweb and within 2 days have completely made up my mind to go through it all again. Um, thanks..?

NarniaWeb is the last place you want to come if you're trying to convince yourself not to do NaNoWriMo. So glad you're going to go for it again this year!

This thread is just going faster and faster, isn't it? Is everyone else getting as excited as me?

Random NaNoWriMo-related question of the day: do you listen to music when you're writing, and if so, what kind?

I'll probably be too lazy to listen to much music, but I might sometimes. If I do, it'll probably be quiet stuff, like Yiruma and Annalise Emerick, and stuff like that.
Oh, we got you convinced to do NaNo, did we Badger? I'm so glad! NaNoNaWeb - I like it.

But I think it'd probably be best to wait. If I decide on a title now, I might like it too much later, even if it doesn't fit the book well. 😉 And I want a title that describes and fits the book.
So I guess I'm going to wait until I have more of the book written.

Same with the synopsis; my book might change a bit. With the synopsis I guess I could write something up and change it later without too much difficulty...

It's exactly the same for me - for now I have my novel named The Submarine and the Attic, but I'm hoping when I'm part way through, or even when I've totally finished it, I'll have a better name. I randomly tried to write a synopsis, and that was a complete and utter failer - I don't know how to say anything about the plot without sounding incredibly corny. So I think I'm just going to do an excerpt.
I have almost all of my names figured out - I had all of them, but I just found out last night that I might need two more characters.
MC: Hester Pierce
Other MC: Aubrey (he doesn't need a last name. )
MC's friend: Diana Clarke
MC's other friend: Rori Ainsworth
Rori's husband: Carroll Ainsworth
Rori's brother: Davy Nelson (I think?).
MC's Aunt: Beth Szilard.
And now I need a police Officer and possibly another bad guy.
Ooh, I like your names, Queen Susan.

Almost every night I lay in bed and plan more about my book - last night I went through two scenes in my head, and thought of some other scenes I could have. And I realized that Hester is going to shoot Aubrey in the foot. xDD
Yup, I'm excited.
Yay, you too, AC?

Ah, names. I remember when I was about thirteen and I discovered name websites—I became such a nerd about etymology, I spent more time hunting down the perfect name for such-and-such character than I did actually writing about them, I think.

I have to laugh at this, because this is totally what I spend my time doing as well. And those websites look really familiar to me.xD I always wonder what people would think if they saw me on all the baby name parenting sites. How much I actually get out of it is questionable - I get so stuck trying to find something that has an appropriate meaning but also sounds nice without being too common.

NarniaWeb is the last place you want to come if you're trying to convince yourself not to do NaNoWriMo. So glad you're going to go for it again this year!

lol, don't I know it. I sort of.. didn't really remember too much about it until I did come on, or perhaps it was a subconscious thing.

Elanor, yup, your excitement over in the Town Square was too much for me to handle.

*Is going to have issues remembering who's who on the other forum...

Not that I should be talking since I changed my username too

I'm still trying to think of ideas. Though I think I'm only gonna aim for 10,000 words...

stwin, I'd rank your synopsis 3, 1, 2 based on the order I think I'd read 'em in. (Well, actually, I'd read the first page or so of whatever ended up on the top of the stack, and probably end up finishing it before I went on to the next one. )

I like your synopsis, wild rose!

Random NaNoWriMo-related question of the day: do you listen to music when you're writing, and if so, what kind?

Yes! Um... soundtracks, classical (I was thinking today that Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess and Forray's Pavane would be excellent music to listen to while writing the climax, because it'd be very slow-motion and outside the pounding action) and whatever else happens to find its way into my playlist. *goes to look up Anuna*

*takes candy corn from Silver* Thank you, I love candy corn!

I haven't seen a place for a cover yet either, and HTML doesn't seem to be working in the synopsis, so... ?

One of these years, i really should devote all of October to getting ready for NaNoWriMo.

I was struck a day or so ago by the idea that I should drop my current project and do a historical fiction piece instead. The catch is I haven't done any research for that idea. Why couldn't it have started begging for attention a few weeks ago? Eh?

Sonny, your idea sounds very interesting!