What Can Make Good All the Bad That's Been Done ?

[dotinthesky]

The first draft of anything is shit.
- Hemingway

So, is anyone doing NaNoWriMo this year?

I'm torn. I'm all out of faith, this is how I feel: on one hand, I'm cold and lying naked on the floor - I promised myself last year I wouldn't put myself through a month-long sado-masochistic exercise again; on the other hand, I've never been able to complete the challenge - it would be nice if this year I hit 50,000 words in one month. I want to be that man brought to life.

Also, I'm unsure as to whether I should start with no idea in place, or get a plotline ready beforehand.

Here are some story ideas chugging at the back of my mind:

• A murder is committed in the ozbus. One of the 40 passengers did it. But who?


• The OzBus accidentally hits a time-travelling hotspot and all the passengers (including bus) are sent to Pangea Ultima. It's Planet of the Apes meets Jurassic Park.


• Every day, in the month of November, I visit a different diner in London and write about the place - the food, the characters, etc. 50,000 words split into 30 chapters. How hard can that be? (apart from hauling ass each day to a different location?)


• The choose-your-own-adventure idea which I came up with last year but never followed through.


• A horrific creature stalks London's canals, living off the innocent flesh that happens to walk (or cycle) by at night. It's up to a gang of hoodies to stop the monster (I wanted originally to make a short-film out of this, but maybe it deserves the NaNoWriMo treatment beforehand.) It helps that I live near canals, so can go for walks in search of inspiration.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions? Commiserations?

Comments

[pixxers.livejournal.com]

Every year I think about NaNo and wonder if I would enjoy the writing more if I were participating in a group activity where there will be guarenteed support and encouragement. And then I remember that I'm crap at group activities and all the encouragment in the world doesn't help a chronic procrastinator.

I have to write two novellas this year, anyway. :D

And as much as I'd love a choose-your-own-adventure tale, I'd love to read the London diner one. Lovelovelove.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

If I had encouragement and support, I'd have a better chance of finishing it. In a way, the NaNo website is good for that, though it can also turn into procrastination.

Good luck with the novellas. How long will each be, more or less?

[woodsrule.livejournal.com]

Aye - the diner one is genius