NaNoWriMo Prep 2011

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Task Navigation 

Intro - Day 1

Task A1 - Sign up for NaNoWriMo here. Put your P2PU username and your Nano user name in this spreadsheet, and track the tasks you complete by day during the next month. (Each task has a number, e.g. A1, that you can record.)

Then choose any 25 tasks from the lists here (to be posted Sept. 30) or create your own tasks. (If you create your own task, add it to the appropriate list and give it a number.)

Complete one per day between October 1 and 30. You get five days of your choice "off," and October 31 is a day off for everyone. . (We're working on a badge option for those who complete 25, but it's still in proces.)

These tasks should all be PRE-WRITING, not actual parts of your novel. (You can't start writing that until November 1. NaNo rules.)

Remember you don't have to post any of your writing or ideas here if you don't want. If you do want to, just post a link as a comment in the relevant task thread.

Task Discussion


  • Tasha   Oct. 4, 2011, 9:40 a.m.

    My name is Tasha, and I have wanted to write a novel for many many years.  In fact, I managed to write the first chapter of a very well-charted fantasy novel (I even drew a map).  Then life happened and the chapter is sitting in my computer waiting to be resurrected.

    This will be my first NaNo, and I will be writing a modern action - fantasy that is, as yet, undeveloped.  I am very excited and am looking forward to taking this journey with all of you!

  • Laurian Gridinoc   Oct. 2, 2011, 1:28 p.m.

    Hello,

    I'm Laurian Gridinoc and I've always fantasised about writing; two years ago at the first P2PU Cyberpunk course I wrote a short story and I felt unbelievable while doing it. Ever since I've dreamed to extend it, and I will do so this November.

  • Harry B   Oct. 2, 2011, 1:55 a.m.

    Writing, the forbidden fruit, lol..

     

    I am Harry Brake, formerly from Delaware, and then before that Pennsylvania!  Even when I taught in Pennsylvania, I have always loved to read and write.  I was a the member of the Endless Mountains Writing Porject, and became a fellow and that was the first time I took time for writing for myself, and that was about 5 -6 years after I had started teaching English!  :)   

    I love to write and thingk creatively of how to preset ideas common and not so common to individuals.  I want to write a memoir of all the awesome experiences I have had, but have found lately a blog is awesome, I can interact with people I have known for ages through facebook and a variety of ways using video, writing, photography and others via depper thoughts in a blog.  

    Moving to Mexico in July of 2011 was the best thing I have ever done.  I felt myself becoming possessive and materialistic, and when the opportunity arose to take a position in Mexico teaching as the American School Foundation, I was kicked from within to do so.  Love that decisions!

    I love to interact with programs in the community with beach cleanups, I volunteered at the Baltimore Aquarium alot and loved that experience, and continue to search for grants and programs to benefit the school.  Overall, I like to be physical when it come to health, I love coach XC and Track and field, and love the relationships that are created as a result.

    If I can slow my pace down, mainly my thought process, I find I like to connect events that occur to past experiences I have had in writing.  It is exciting and I really hope to develop as a writer.  I have noticed you truly can do anything, and the time for this and time for that is just a matter of you making time to do something you want and need to do.  I have found this with almost everything I thought I did not have time for and wanted to do.  The community idea to prep is a GREAT idea and I look forward to making this exerience very worthwhile....:)  

  • karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:26 a.m.

    Let's all introduce ourselves. Tell a little about yourself as a writer and otherwise.

    ------------------

    I'm karen. I have been writing since I was a little kid. I lived in Africa for a couple years and wrote a couple book-length things then (a memoir-ish story and a fantasy novel), but last year was my first Nano. I totally loved it and was a "winner." One of the things that made it successful for me was a prep routine like this. I know that some people think don't like to prep and instead just follow their muse, but for me prep is key (in writing and elsewhere).

    I write in a remote corner of the desert southwest, where I live between two mountain ranges and about 50 miles from the nearest town with amenities like grocery stores. After 15 years in LA, I find this environment very conducive to reflection and writing.

    When I'm not writing, I'm doing carpentry, cooking, or working with schools.

  • Brad Emerson   Oct. 1, 2011, 6:08 p.m.
    In Reply To:   karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:26 a.m.

    I'm Brad. I haven't written much at all though I've always imagined I would get around to it a some point. No better time than now. I'm just going to jump in and see how far I can get.

    I've done a lot of different jobs over the years and I hope I can pull from some of those experiences to get me through this one. Some of the jobs I have had include: door to door sales, fastfood-cook, delivery driver, stone and tile mason, carpenter, phone sales and support, computer programmer, and more I guess. The bulk of my working life has been computer related.

    I have always been a big reader, but I suspect that will be less help than one might imagine.

  • Bonita DeAmicis, Ed. D.   Oct. 2, 2011, 12:50 a.m.
    In Reply To:   karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:26 a.m.

    Hi Everyone,

    I am Bonita, and Karen roped me into Nano last year (I finished!) and I am ready to go for it again this year. I live in SoCal, have written 2 1/2 books for teachers, one children's novel that went down with a dead hard drive, and last year's nano.  In my spare time I am an elementary school principal. Nothing like adding more to an already full plate to get me really motivated.

    :)Bonita

  • Kenley Tan   Oct. 2, 2011, 6:49 a.m.
    In Reply To:   karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:26 a.m.

    I'm Kenley.

    I started writing mostly because I'm sick of seeing other people use with ideas came up with. Basically, if you don't act upon an idiot, the Muse will leave you and give it to another.

    I don't have writing friends(yet), but I hope NaNoWriMo could fix that.

    I just started writing my first novel a few months ago and people say it sucks. Nevertheless, I couldn't care less.

    Also, all literary works should be FREE.

    That is all.

  • Janka   Oct. 2, 2011, 2:23 p.m.
    In Reply To:   karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:26 a.m.

    I am Jaana, I live in Finland. Previously I have mostly written scienfitic texts (some, though not most, of which have even gotten published). I've also written some poetry and short stories, but not gotten it published (probably part due to lack of effort). NaNoWriMo 2011 will be my first attempt at a longer fiction piece. Unfortunately for the support group, I will not be writing in English... 

    Currently I spend my days taking care of a 6-month-old.

  • karen   Oct. 2, 2011, 5:14 p.m.
    In Reply To:   Bonita DeAmicis, Ed. D.   Oct. 2, 2011, 12:50 a.m.

    Bonita, 

    Finished ?!?!? You WON!

    (That's NaNo speak for anyone here who is new to this adventure. :)

  • Harry B   Oct. 2, 2011, 7:29 p.m.
    In Reply To:   Kenley Tan   Oct. 2, 2011, 6:49 a.m.

    I love this post, lol, the care free attitude is the way anyone should go into this!  :)    I am right there with ya!  Great post and no matter what you do, it will be good because it is yours...:)

  • Janka   Sept. 30, 2011, 4:55 a.m.

    On the spreadsheet, I am going to mark on greyed-out text tasks that I have not done yet, but intend to do on the day mentioned. I hope this is ok.

  • Harry B   Sept. 30, 2011, 6:55 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Janka   Sept. 30, 2011, 4:55 a.m.

    We are allowed to start some aren't we early?  The ones posted, like personal things to get us motivated?  Is that correct?

  • karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:21 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Harry B   Sept. 30, 2011, 6:55 a.m.

    These are tasks for Oct. (which it now is -- Happy Oct., everyone!)

    If you complete 25 days of these adn record them on the spreadsheet, you get a badge.

    Just don't write any actual copy for your novel until Nov. 1 -- those are Nano rules.

  • karen   Oct. 1, 2011, 11:22 a.m.
    In Reply To:   Janka   Sept. 30, 2011, 4:55 a.m.

    I love this!