Nano is short for NaNoWriMo or National Write a Novel Month. It is a worldwide event in which millions of people atttempt to write a short novel of at least 50,000 words in one month, November. Most don't end with 50,000 words. But it is a huge accomplishment because even those who don't DO end up with a story of some sort!

Some people begin a habit of journaling their daily life, a habit which will last a lifetime.

They don't have to be good words, and you don't have to do anything with your book. But the fact that so many people sit down and actually begin to write is pretty amazing.

As for NaNo, I managed to get into 120k+ this year, which is of course a record breaker for me!

I also managed to write two incomplete novels, and I'm in the progress of finishing them one by one.

Stardale, I noticed that you were keying like a fiend!!! I think that is a record!

Yup - I had a whole month of rest prior to November, so I had time to prepare things.

I should consider being a NaNo Rebel next year, though.

Here's my nano novel if anyone's interested. I'm putting up chapters regularly and have more than a few done


Intrigue in Somerset

Seeing as some people participated in NaNoWriMo, I'm wondering if you'll participate in NaPoWriMo and/or ScriptFrenzy.

ScriptFrenzy looks fun to me.

I've never really seen Mei's (writing) work though. ^^'

Ah, it's not that good, so I don't really share it anymore ^^;

Is anyone going to write for Camp NaNoWriMo this June 2012? =D

I should. I have three works-in-progress, and have taken my nanowrimo book in a totally different direction than where it was going in November. The problem is that I am currently in the middle of a deep-edit on a sequel to Tower of Bones, and going back and forth from one story to another makes me nuts. Maybe I will be done by then, and if so, I will join you there.

Plus, I am playing Ahriman again when I begin to suffer from brain-freeze.

Has anyone seen this article where Mark Twain is saying that an author fails at writing? I thought the "nineteen rules of literary art" were pretty interesting to take note of.

Mark Twain also hated the overuse of extraneous words such as 'Very'

His most famous solution for the problem of overuse I quote:

“Substitute “d**n” every time you’re inclined to write “very”; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”

(I replaced the am with **)

I wrote a blog on that 'very' quote only two weeks ago:

Life in the Realm of Fantasy

It's a very good method of his. I'm going to remember that.

AM Writers! We have a writing contest for the Amaranth Games 10th Anniversary.

Guidelines can be found here: http://www.amaranthia.com/modules/new ... p?topic_id=18186&forum=35

This looks fun Stardale! I m looking forward to reading reading these new stories!

A random question about writing-style preference that just occurred to me, but what kind of writing styles do people generally prefer - one that focus on details of appearances, settings and effects, or one that focuses more on plot progression? Both can be nicely written if the author is up to it, but I'm just which type of writing-style is more accepted or comfortable to read? I personally don't mind reading either type, but it does cause conflict on what to focus on when I'm writing something on my own. I don't want the style to be inconsistent.

I don't enjoy books with too much emphasis on details of appearance, because the reader's mind supplies the fine detail which is most pleasing to them. General details are necessary, but not too much. For me plot progression is everything.

Ross Kitson in "Darkness Rising" manages to give just enough detail to keep you interested and yet the plot moves along at a perfect pace. You feel immersed in his world, but you don't notice it, if you get what I mean.

The important thing is to write it! Once it is out of your head you can remove or add details as may be needed - that is what the second write is for.

Also - your own 'voice' will come though and you style will develop as you actually write. If you write every day, you will develop the skills for it, as you go. Your style will become consistent because your 'writing muscles' will be trained. You style will evolve with everything you write!

I see. On a similar topic, how about the story's introduction? Is it better to directly start the story with an event or is it better to give a brief description on the setting, story background or situation?

In my own work - The Last Good Knight was begun with too much backstory, in my opinion now, three years later. Tower of Bones begins with the event, and has been well recieved.

I won't make the mistake of doing an 'info-dump' first again. The reviews of TLGK are all over the board, I think because of that failing. But, we learn as we go!