Writing is like being able to put life into a snow globe. It takes the things that are too big and scary and reduces them into a form that I can put away when I want and look at from a distance. It also takes all that’s good in life and captures it into something I can take out when I want and look at close up and keep forever. It makes the bad things into something I can hold…and the good things into something I can hold onto. Both help so much that I need that little souvenir of life.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Improper Poll: 10 New NaNoWriMo Terms

I’ve never participated before in National Novel Writers’ Month, or NaNoWriMo. This year I had better intentions—I really did—but it’s already clear I’m not going to make it. This is a shame, because the WWWPs had a logo and everything (see above).

Still, NaNo is such a wonderful exercise for writers, I’d like to try to do something. So while sitting around with writer’s block, I came up with:

10 New NaNoWriMo Terms and Their Definitions: 

1. Not getting your novel started, after all: Na NoGo 
2. Participating in NaNo in a very small way: Nano NaNo 
3. NaNo rule-breaking: NaNo No-no 
4. A NaNo novel about Mork from Ork: Nanoo Nanoo NaNo 
5. Having your word count come up short at the end of the month: NaNoWriTooSlo 
6. Going over your word count at the end of the month: NaNoWriWayMo 
7. Grown woman who sits around writing silly NaNo words instead of writing novels: NaNoDohdoh
8. Snack for late-night novel writing: NaNoHoHo 
9. Failure to make that daily word limit no matter what you do: NaNoWriNoMo 
10. A NaNo book designed to be a guide for prostitutes: NaNoWriMoFoHos 

How about you? Are you a NaNo…or a NaYes? And if you’ve done it in the past, do you have any tips for the rest of us?

7 comments:

  1. I am trying to bulk up on my word count while I can, because later, I know I will need that buffer.

    I think one of the best bits of advice I've gotten is--"Just write it down. Don't worry if it's perfect at this stage. You can worry about that later, when you're revising."

    I think if you have a story idea you like, as long as you keep working on it after NaNo is over, THAT is more important than writing 50,000 words in one month (said she who is probably not going to make it).

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  2. Love your NaNo terms. Still giggling.

    I completed NaNo two years in a row but I'm opting out this year. It's just too much. Pretty much what Sioux said is right on. Sit at the keyboard and puke it all out (okay, well, she didn't say it that way). It will be smelly and require much revision and editing, but don't worry about that. Just write. If you try to edit as you go you'll never get done.

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  3. Will it reflect badly on my work ethic if I admit that I am too lazy to sit at the keyboard and puke it out?

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  4. Nana has had no NaNo time what with with funerals and hospital visits and babysitting. In four days, only 2,600 words. Nah-no-way.

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  5. Having puked out 50,000 words plus in 30 days, two years in a row, I actually loved the discipline of it. This year rather than word count, I'm going for hours or minutes I'm actually writing or revising. I've found it interesting. Guess I should go blog about it. Loved your NaNo terms!

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  6. Writers who participate in NaNo have my admiration.
    Alas, I'm not among them.

    Guess you could say I'm a NaNoNoShow.

    Love your list!

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  7. NaNo is all about moving forward. Don't worry about words, spelling, grammar, or anything else. So what if your heroine suddenly sprouts wings and begins to fly? Just keep writing...and don't look back (at least not until December).

    Pat
    Critter Alley

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