Potential Ideas

[Ichigo_Sakurai]

This is my first attempt at NaNoWriMo in about seven years...

I'm a slow writer and usually go about things very gradually, so the one-month process is hard for me.

I have a few ideas for stories that I'm throwing around...some new, some old. Which leads to my first question:

Would it be considered cheating to rewrite a story for which I've written a partial draft, even if I started over from scratch?

My other question is a little more general: What kinds of ideas do you have for your November story? If you feel like sharing, that is. I have some characters and scenarios in mind, but I don't know which ones to pick yet. I'd love to hear what genres, etc. other contestants will be using.  

[Debra Jones]

I've attempted NaNoWriMo every year since I first heard of it. Even if that "attempt" only consisted of a few thousand words, I figure some writing is better than none. This year, I am determined to at least hit the 25k mark.

I am also a slow writer. Most of the stories that I have, I've been working on for years. Doesn't help that so many short stories spiral out of control and become massive story arcs. D:

Ichigo_Sakurai

Would it be considered cheating to rewrite a story for which I've written a partial draft, even if I started over from scratch?

I don't think so, but then the rules for NaNoWriMo seem more than a bit subjective to me. *unhelpful*

As far as what I'm going to write this November... I'm not really sure. Probably try writing up my web serial idea (historical dark fantasy set in Constantinople). That'd give me a month to do some of the research that I keep putting off. ;D  

[Lyvidian]

I'm honestly still not sure if I wanna try NaNoWriMo this year, though I do have a story in mind if I decide to do it.

If I write, my story would fall under romance/life issues. The issue I'm having is that I can't decide where to start my story. I've been working on the characters for so long, I can either start from their senior year in high school (200X), or fast forward to now (2010) when they're in their early-mid 20s.

As for rewriting to be considered cheating, I'm not sure. This would be my first time doing NaNoWriMo. >_>  

[Debra Jones]

Lyvidian

I'm honestly still not sure if I wanna try NaNoWriMo this year, though I do have a story in mind if I decide to do it.

If I write, my story would fall under romance/life issues. The issue I'm having is that I can't decide where to start my story. I've been working on the characters for so long, I can either start from their senior year in high school (200X), or fast forward to now (2010) when they're in their early-mid 20s.

You should do it! The fun thing about NaNoWriMo, I think, is that you can just try something and see how it works. If you start writing from your character's senior year and find that it just isn't working for you, then no problem. Just jump ahead and see if that works better. (:  

[Lyvidian]

Debra Jones

You should do it! The fun thing about NaNoWriMo, I think, is that you can just try something and see how it works. If you start writing from your character's senior year and find that it just isn't working for you, then no problem. Just jump ahead and see if that works better. (:

Another problem is that my cast is pretty large... I don't know which character to start with, or if some of them should just play minor roles and have their own story. I'm also one of those naughty writers that likes to edit while writing, so it's hard to keep something without eventually changing/deleting it/everything. I know the point of NaNoWriMo is to just write, write, write, because I can always edit when it's actually done... but I can't stop the bad habit. D;  

[Xiao Xianyu]

I don't think there's a rule about if you can have written the story before or anything like that on Nano. As long as all you count toward your word goal is what you start writing on Nov 1st, it's all good.

For Script Frenzy, I actually picked up where I'd left off the previous year. I didn't count the previous pages, I counted where I started writing as "Page 1" and went forward. And I actually won it, too. I'm debating about doing the same for Nanowrimo. Starting with where I'm at from last year's Nano and going forward.

The only problem is a few other ideas are nagging at me saying - but you could write me! That's my worst issue. I have so many ideas that I want to write I have trouble focusing. But then, I was thinking, if I finish what I'm currently writing and it's under 50K, then I can start on one of the other ideas and count it toward my word goal. I remember reading in the forums someone did that once. Wrote several short stories instead of a long one. They reached 50K too. I'm green with jealousy. mrgreen

Regardless of whether I pick up my old idea or start a new one, it's bound to be Fantasy or Sci-Fi because that's pretty much what I write.  

[Andirigible]

Xiao Xianyu

I don't think there's a rule about if you can have written the story before or anything like that on Nano. As long as all you count toward your word goal is what you start writing on Nov 1st, it's all good.

There is. Number 10, second bullet. Not that anyone will know unless you tell them. Also, this. It explains why you should start from scratch.

But if you rewrite from scratch, it's legit... as long as you don't include "previously written prose" (i.e. copypasta from your partial draft). I (personally) would consider a partial draft an outline of sorts, so long as you aren't copying directly from it.

I did that last year. It was actually my fifth rewrite of a particular story (previous writes had been partial drafts, for sure), and I still don't like it.

This year, I am going in with a good, strong outline, maps, diagrams, sketches, skeletons, the whole enchilada. I think I might be overdoing it, but I don't want to have a total overhaul come December/January. It's a fantasy novel. It involves a guy... man... guyman... young gentleman. I think he needs some life in his character, though, because he currently scores somewhere around a five on the Mary Sue Test...  

[Xiao Xianyu]

The first part is saying not to use what you've written before. (Which is very much true.) The second, eh...people write sequels all the time, and that's no different than writing the second part of your novel.

And if you're going in with outlines, character sheets, etc, how is that different than going in with 100 pages or so of written info to draw on? I have three unfinished novels from my previous Nano attempts. I don't think for a minute I'm hitting 50K this year than I did the previous ones. So I'm going to use my november inspiration on finishing atleast one of those. rofl  

[SSBBrawlerBitF]

Nah, I find them too limiting, and besides, even if I did have an outline, I'd just wind up changing it later depending on the scenarios that I come up with in the stories.  

[Andirigible]

Well, yeah. I mean, the rules aren't rules but suggestions (except the 50k and multiple word rules...), anyway. It's up to you. It's not like anyone from the OLL is going to read it to make sure it follows all the rules...  

[pythonesque]

I have a lot of stories rattling around up in my noggin.
I have so many to choose from - I need to start narrowing it down.
Something actiony & fantasy is usually what I do. I was thinking of something more realistic this time.  

[Yu-Gi-OWNED]

I'm not sure if it's against the rules or not, but NaNo has a "NaNo Rebels" forum for people doing things that are technically "against the rules", such as multiple short stories instead of a novel, adding onto a novel they've already started, etc.