lilacfield

NaNoWriMo:

1. Both in 2007 and 2008, I submitted my final wordcount on the 25th, the date when you can start collecting the winner badges. This turns out to be a good idea since you may not be able to access the site at all on the 30th, as clueless_psycho told me. Long story short: it's always better to finish early, even if you don't want the badge.

2. Via cristin_terrill: An offer from Scrivener for NaNo - Participants can receive a 20% discount and winners will have a 50% discount on December 2.

Via jolantru: Tu Publishing, a multicultural SFF press for children and YA.

Also from cristin_terrill: What Patrick Ness said about YA.

He said he was writing for his teenager self, trying to create what he would have wanted to read. He feels a lot of YA falls short because it tries to write for a theoretical teenager instead of a real one. It aims for the 'normal' teenager when there's no such thing; every single teenager in the world feels atypical, so writing for the popular kids is doomed to failure. He, astutely I think, theorizes that this played into the success of Harry Potter.

Writer: "Yeah, you're different. But you're a wizard."

Reader: "I KNEW IT!"

NaNoWriMo meme from here.

( Questions and answers )

The sign-up for mini_nanowrimo is open: write a minimum of 100 words every day during November instead of 1,667.

Yes, I'm planning to participate in NaNo again this year, and I've discovered that brainstorming on paper, rather than on the laptop, is more helpful for the thought flow. Anyone else in, other than clueless_psycho?

1. NaNoWriMo in September 2009's Writer's Digest.

2. Back in 2006 salixbabylon started the Bunny Euthanasia Project. Basically, in October you go through your WIPs and unfinished pieces, then do one of the following:

1. post your notes as they are and let the bunny die a graceful death

2. give your bunny a Frankenstein-style half-life by polishing what you have and letting it stand as a ficlet or series of drabbles or whatever you can make out of it without too much effort

3. revive your bunnies and give them a life they deserve, fully realized as actual fics

I'm planning to do this. Anyone else interested?

9 Ways to Strengthen Your Beginning. In medias res ftw, says I.

Karen S. Wiesner's Novel Blueprint, or what she calls a Story Plan Checklist. nano_writers has tailored the list in preparation for November. While it looks very handy, I think I'd still be worrying more about plot than anything else.

1. I may be suffering from what the NaNoWriMo community calls sophomore blues. ( Choices )

2. luckychan, I still remember the meme you tagged me with. I just haven't been able to come up with twenty questions (and I love my original characters too much ;)).

3. Ganked from zanzjan:
Tell me about a story I haven’t written (yet) and I’ll give you a random sentence (or snippet) from that story.

1. In the Company of My Skin, Naruto/Ino, T for themes. Great Ino characterization.

2. I'm not sure yet if I'll do NaNo this year. Ideas I have, time I may not. My time management ability is low.

To join or not to join NaNoWriMo again this year. For consideration: the benefits and drawbacks as I experienced them last year, when I participated for the first time.

( Cut for possible tl;dr )

If asked if the benefits, in truth, outweigh the drawbacks, I'd say yes without hesitation. So unless work and RL get in the way - I may plunge in again this year.

If you have ever taken part in NaNoWriMo, please share?

I like to believe I have more control over my fandom life and writing compared to real life, and am therefore feeling more optimistic about the first two in this first morning of 2008.

101 Reasons to Stop Writing. Basically, the site owner wants to prevent people from submitting and publishing bad writing. The only negation I'd make against the list is that NaNo didn't make me write a quality story - it made me write, which to me is the most important thing. The mammoth-sized editing process will have to wait.

Speaking of which, the official advice on what to do after NaNoWriMo makes me even more terrified of revising my handiwork. But since terrified doesn't equal not doing it -

May 2008 be kind and fulfilling to all of you.

Give me two fandoms (that you know I know), and I will write a short crossover where characters from fandom A switch positions with characters from fandom B. (for example: Soul Society captains as the bearers of the Ring)
(If anyone gives me "TeniPuri and Romance of the Three Kingdoms," you'd have my profoundest gratitude :D)

I should've used NaNoWriMo as an opportunity to continue Elegy of the Willow Sword. Perhaps someday I'll actually learn to think fast.