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

[canudiglett]

I still haven't finished writing the book I started in January 2006, so I don't think so. I might just finish aforesaid book, though.

[amberholic.livejournal.com]

I like all of the ideas, particularly the first and the last one.

[suede.livejournal.com]

I love the choose-your-own-adventure idea! And the oz killer too!!!

[annakey.livejournal.com]

Some murders are committed in the ozbus. 39 of the 40 passengers are dead. It is up to the one remaining survivor to solve the mystery and escape with his life. With hilarious consequences.

[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.

[amanda-mary.livejournal.com]

Could the OzBus murder scenario involve Natalie Imbruglia? I don't know why that suddenly came to mind ... .

[kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com]

I think the murder aboard the Ozbus was already solved by Jessica Fletcher ;) You may want to try the time travelling idea

[naturalbornkaos.livejournal.com]

I'm just over half way through finishing my new book. To start another one in a few weeks time would just kill me! Otherwise, I'd probably give it another shot. It's always an interesting challenge.

[rozallin.livejournal.com]

Hmm. How about the Ozbus travelling through a politically unstable country and they emerge from their tents to find themselves in a country at war and the British Embassy has closed for safety, so they need to rely on each over for survival and to get home?

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

So, as usual, I will be spurning this flagellation fest. But I like your Diner In London idea. True diners or any kind of food? If you want, break it down into several different kinds of meal, like breakfast/lunch/dinner or different kind of atmosphere or whatever. Make it have scope and scale, give it a sense of meaning in life, a purpose. Then, only then will it truly prosper. Because if you give a book idea a fish, it will stink for a day, but if you teach that book idea to fish, then it will bring you back many little fishes.

[woodsrule.livejournal.com]

Go for it, CP. BE that man.