nanowrimo
this is my first post on dreamwidth :3
i didn't know what else to talk about so
nanowrimo: past
if you don't know what it is, nanowrimo, or national novel writing month, started as a thing between some friends to write 50,000 words in november (for a book to be considered a novel, it has to be at least 50,000 words long). it was a way to force themselves to work on their WIPs (work-in-progress). since then, it's grown into a worldwide challenge with hundreds of thousands of yearly participants.
i've been doing nano for 2 years now: 2021 and 2022. i started it because nano was required in my english class and, because we were under 18, our word count goals could be whatever we wanted. the official nanowrimo blog has an outline for picking word counts for minors.
that first year, my word count goal was 15,000 words, and i ended with 15,028. looking back on it, i'm really dissatisfied with what i write. i was writing to meet a word count and not to tell a story. two chapters into my novel, i didn't like the plot or the characters, so i changed everything. i got four chapters into that idea, but most of my words came from "notes", which i purposely made as verbose as possible. i think those are the only reasons i got to 15000 words.
in 2022, my word count goal was 25,000. because why not. i wrote three chapters, then got stuck and thought my plot was unoriginal and my characters annoying. so i started over and got 5 chapters in before november ended, with 25,002 words. are you noticing a pattern? at least this time, my notes took up less then 3 pages (!). again, though, my ideas weren't interesting enough to inspire me to continue with the story, and i abandoned the characters and plot after november.
nanowrimo: now
my word count goal this year is 25,000 again. i don't really care about hitting it, i care more about making a good story. also, i'm a lot busier this year - i'm taking multiple AP classes and struggling a bit with my productivity. pretty sure i have ADD (attention deficit disorder), but it's really hard for me to get diagnosed, so i don't have access to any meds.
i haven't plotted anything in advance for my story, but i think i'm gonna go with exclusively journal entries, letters, and newspapers, like the original dracula novel. i'm gonna try to combine sci-fi mystery with classic gothic horror - so probably vampires and possibly werewolf + cannibalism imagery. obviously lesbians as well
this is what i have so far (904 words), written in writer. the format might look funky, but that's because of the program it was written in. probably gonna edit this later - i like it for a rushed chapter 1 first draft
-----------------------------------------
Saturday, September 16th, in the year of our Lord 1837,
Aboard the ship The First Leucadian
To my dearest Freddie, my closest friend,
I know it has only been a little time since I have last seen you, however; I long to hold you close again. To feel your soft skin against mine and your hair tickle my cheek in only the most friendliest of embraces. Oh, how Beck would tease me mercilessly if she could see me now! Alas, you are far from me, so it would behoove me to move on to more productive subjects.
The room I have been given upon The First Leucadian is not of inconsiderable size, and I am comfortable, for the most part. I have been given many a book and a quite large bed, with the finest sheets you could imagine. They make me think of you, my dear Freddie.
Although the rest is of a very fine quality, I seem to be missing a window; but it is very possible I have simply been given one of the rooms near the bottom of this vessel. I believe to make up for it, silver-backed mirrors have instead been affixed to my walls where windows would have otherwise gone.
Speaking - or, writing, if you do pardon me - of the walls, the walls and ceiling of my chambers are most unusual; they are not the wood that a traditional ship might consist of, but instead harken my mind back to the extensive jewelry that you so insist on donning at every opportune - and inopportune - moment.
I apologize, my Freddie. I do not mean to snipe; my tone (though imperceptible through this bloodless medium) is affectionate. I am stressed, simply put.
I have been confined to my chambers. However, I do understand Captain Redding's motivations behind this action. A sickness has broken out among some members of our little ship, so most all of us are under strict quarantine.
It has not been confirmed, but I suspect that these infirm persons were in fact sick before they boarded this ship. Do not scoff at me, Freddie, as you always do; I do indeed have evidence for my hypothesis, as Laurence would say.
Almost immediately upon my entering of The First Leucadian (what an unusual name; Greek, I believe) and shown my rooms, a quarantine was declared. I hadn't even yet seen the rest of the ship that would - and continues to be - my home for the next few months! How impossible it would be to completely develop an illness and spread it to other inhabitants within two days of boarding!
I know it seems an insignificant point to make, Freddie - indeed, does such a thing even matter; should concern not be focused solely on the betterment of everyone's health? - but you above all else should understand my irrational focus. I have been parted from you, my dear friend, and the rest of our queer little circle, and reside alone and now, isolated. I must have something to grab onto, or else I fear I will go mad.
Oh! I hear a knocking at my door! That must be old Mr. Garand with dinner. I must depart you know, dear Freddie. I am not greatly confident how my letters will reach you, but I resolve to keep writing you faithfully.
Your closest and most intimate friend,
August
P.S. Please do not worry over me, dear. I am in no danger of going mad, and my aunt is an absolute delight.
-------
Thursday, September 21st
To Freddie, my dearest,
The quarantine is still in effect, and I believe that no more of my fellow passengers have taken ill. While I myself am plagued by boredom, I am completely physically healthy.
I have been keeping myself entertained through the books provided to me and playing several rounds of chess with myself, though whenever Mr. Garand arrives with my meals (absolutely delicious, may I say), I implore him to join me for a game or two. He always declines, yet I will persist. Perhaps I can convince him to play with me through the door, though I'm not completely sure how that could work.
With no windows, it is a difficult task to keep track of the time, both hours and day of the week. I've been keeping track on some of my letter-writing paper, mostly by paying attention to when I sleep and when my meals are delivered. I have asked Mr. Garand for a clock, or a watch, but I have yet to receive one.
The crew must be exceptionally talented, for The First Leucadian has been smoothly sailing since I wrote you last. You likely remember when we took that trip to York, to visit your sister, and how sick I got on the ship. Absolutely miserable. I haven't felt sick at all - not even a turning of the stomach - my whole time here, which has been delightful, to say the least. I cannot communicate to you how anxious I was about spending three months on the open sea, but it seems my worries were for nothing. I must thank Captain Redding the next I see him.
However - and I know Beck would reprove me for my ungratefulness - but the smoothness of our passage combined with the lack of windows has proved an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
-----------------------------------------
the main character and her lover have male pseudonyms, as a reference to anne lister (gentleman jack, known for the first lesbian wedding) and. also. butches my beloved <33333333333
obviously the ship is a spaceship - time travel and aliens and scifi
the locked tomb series, carmilla, dracula, frankenstein, and derin's time to orbit series are all such big inspirations and i encourage the 0.0003 people who read this to read those too
thats it :) probably will forget about this site for another 4 months
bye :3
i didn't know what else to talk about so
nanowrimo: past
if you don't know what it is, nanowrimo, or national novel writing month, started as a thing between some friends to write 50,000 words in november (for a book to be considered a novel, it has to be at least 50,000 words long). it was a way to force themselves to work on their WIPs (work-in-progress). since then, it's grown into a worldwide challenge with hundreds of thousands of yearly participants.
i've been doing nano for 2 years now: 2021 and 2022. i started it because nano was required in my english class and, because we were under 18, our word count goals could be whatever we wanted. the official nanowrimo blog has an outline for picking word counts for minors.
that first year, my word count goal was 15,000 words, and i ended with 15,028. looking back on it, i'm really dissatisfied with what i write. i was writing to meet a word count and not to tell a story. two chapters into my novel, i didn't like the plot or the characters, so i changed everything. i got four chapters into that idea, but most of my words came from "notes", which i purposely made as verbose as possible. i think those are the only reasons i got to 15000 words.
in 2022, my word count goal was 25,000. because why not. i wrote three chapters, then got stuck and thought my plot was unoriginal and my characters annoying. so i started over and got 5 chapters in before november ended, with 25,002 words. are you noticing a pattern? at least this time, my notes took up less then 3 pages (!). again, though, my ideas weren't interesting enough to inspire me to continue with the story, and i abandoned the characters and plot after november.
nanowrimo: now
my word count goal this year is 25,000 again. i don't really care about hitting it, i care more about making a good story. also, i'm a lot busier this year - i'm taking multiple AP classes and struggling a bit with my productivity. pretty sure i have ADD (attention deficit disorder), but it's really hard for me to get diagnosed, so i don't have access to any meds.
i haven't plotted anything in advance for my story, but i think i'm gonna go with exclusively journal entries, letters, and newspapers, like the original dracula novel. i'm gonna try to combine sci-fi mystery with classic gothic horror - so probably vampires and possibly werewolf + cannibalism imagery. obviously lesbians as well
this is what i have so far (904 words), written in writer. the format might look funky, but that's because of the program it was written in. probably gonna edit this later - i like it for a rushed chapter 1 first draft
-----------------------------------------
Saturday, September 16th, in the year of our Lord 1837,
Aboard the ship The First Leucadian
To my dearest Freddie, my closest friend,
I know it has only been a little time since I have last seen you, however; I long to hold you close again. To feel your soft skin against mine and your hair tickle my cheek in only the most friendliest of embraces. Oh, how Beck would tease me mercilessly if she could see me now! Alas, you are far from me, so it would behoove me to move on to more productive subjects.
The room I have been given upon The First Leucadian is not of inconsiderable size, and I am comfortable, for the most part. I have been given many a book and a quite large bed, with the finest sheets you could imagine. They make me think of you, my dear Freddie.
Although the rest is of a very fine quality, I seem to be missing a window; but it is very possible I have simply been given one of the rooms near the bottom of this vessel. I believe to make up for it, silver-backed mirrors have instead been affixed to my walls where windows would have otherwise gone.
Speaking - or, writing, if you do pardon me - of the walls, the walls and ceiling of my chambers are most unusual; they are not the wood that a traditional ship might consist of, but instead harken my mind back to the extensive jewelry that you so insist on donning at every opportune - and inopportune - moment.
I apologize, my Freddie. I do not mean to snipe; my tone (though imperceptible through this bloodless medium) is affectionate. I am stressed, simply put.
I have been confined to my chambers. However, I do understand Captain Redding's motivations behind this action. A sickness has broken out among some members of our little ship, so most all of us are under strict quarantine.
It has not been confirmed, but I suspect that these infirm persons were in fact sick before they boarded this ship. Do not scoff at me, Freddie, as you always do; I do indeed have evidence for my hypothesis, as Laurence would say.
Almost immediately upon my entering of The First Leucadian (what an unusual name; Greek, I believe) and shown my rooms, a quarantine was declared. I hadn't even yet seen the rest of the ship that would - and continues to be - my home for the next few months! How impossible it would be to completely develop an illness and spread it to other inhabitants within two days of boarding!
I know it seems an insignificant point to make, Freddie - indeed, does such a thing even matter; should concern not be focused solely on the betterment of everyone's health? - but you above all else should understand my irrational focus. I have been parted from you, my dear friend, and the rest of our queer little circle, and reside alone and now, isolated. I must have something to grab onto, or else I fear I will go mad.
Oh! I hear a knocking at my door! That must be old Mr. Garand with dinner. I must depart you know, dear Freddie. I am not greatly confident how my letters will reach you, but I resolve to keep writing you faithfully.
Your closest and most intimate friend,
August
P.S. Please do not worry over me, dear. I am in no danger of going mad, and my aunt is an absolute delight.
-------
Thursday, September 21st
To Freddie, my dearest,
The quarantine is still in effect, and I believe that no more of my fellow passengers have taken ill. While I myself am plagued by boredom, I am completely physically healthy.
I have been keeping myself entertained through the books provided to me and playing several rounds of chess with myself, though whenever Mr. Garand arrives with my meals (absolutely delicious, may I say), I implore him to join me for a game or two. He always declines, yet I will persist. Perhaps I can convince him to play with me through the door, though I'm not completely sure how that could work.
With no windows, it is a difficult task to keep track of the time, both hours and day of the week. I've been keeping track on some of my letter-writing paper, mostly by paying attention to when I sleep and when my meals are delivered. I have asked Mr. Garand for a clock, or a watch, but I have yet to receive one.
The crew must be exceptionally talented, for The First Leucadian has been smoothly sailing since I wrote you last. You likely remember when we took that trip to York, to visit your sister, and how sick I got on the ship. Absolutely miserable. I haven't felt sick at all - not even a turning of the stomach - my whole time here, which has been delightful, to say the least. I cannot communicate to you how anxious I was about spending three months on the open sea, but it seems my worries were for nothing. I must thank Captain Redding the next I see him.
However - and I know Beck would reprove me for my ungratefulness - but the smoothness of our passage combined with the lack of windows has proved an unpleasant experience, to say the least.
-----------------------------------------
the main character and her lover have male pseudonyms, as a reference to anne lister (gentleman jack, known for the first lesbian wedding) and. also. butches my beloved <33333333333
obviously the ship is a spaceship - time travel and aliens and scifi
the locked tomb series, carmilla, dracula, frankenstein, and derin's time to orbit series are all such big inspirations and i encourage the 0.0003 people who read this to read those too
thats it :) probably will forget about this site for another 4 months
bye :3