Historicals and NaNoWriMo

PastMidnight · Oct 13, 2007

You will probably all think me mad for even considering this, but are any of you planning (or even pondering) to try NaNoWriMo this year? I know that Sanremoave's story about Margaret and Justin was born through last year's NaNo contest, so it can be done with historicals!

I keep going back and forth on it. I've never tried it before and I don't have high hopes of actually getting 50k words, but it might be a palate-cleanser for me and it might just jumpstart my writing. I've had very poor motivation lately and I'm wondering if a month with no excuses will get me going again. Of course, 50k wouldn't nearly cut it for a historical, but might get me started on one.

So anyone else even tossing the idea around?

girlyswot · Oct 13, 2007

I did it last year. I thought I was well set up with a proper outline and some actual research. About five days in the plot deserted me completely and I realised how skimpy my research had been. I still got to the 50,000 words though. And then spent a couple of months tidying up so I could get my free Lulu copy. But I wouldn't want anyone else to read it...

Zelenka · Oct 13, 2007

I did it a couple of years ago for the first time and managed to get 50k, but the actual book sucked like a really sucky thing. It was a ridiculous premise, Victorian gaslight thriller with about every cliche imaginable, but it was fun to write. I had a friend doing Nano at the same time which made it more fun too, since we compared word counts and had all those funky little counters and indicators in our blogs. It's a good way to get things down on paper that you can then edit later on, I think, speaking as someone who plots and plots and puts off actually writing as long as possible.

I hadn't thought about NaNoWriMo this year, since most of my projects I've started already. Unless I make a personal goal of finally writing the last 50k of my book, which sort of needs done at some point, I suppose.

JessR

pdr · Oct 13, 2007

It might...

get you going, Past Midnight.

I've no time and write far too slowly and hate those deadline things.

lkp · Oct 13, 2007

I did it! I wrote 50,000 words of my historical novel two years ago and finished it last year, and now it has its very own agent!
But I have to be honest --- I'm a historian and I was writing about a period knew well, and even I had to do tons of research. So it is tough to do NaNo with a historical. But there are people on the NaNo boards and here who can help with research. Doooooo it! It is great for helping create a BIC habit.

PastMidnight · Oct 14, 2007

And here I thought you would all tell me that it was crazy to contemplate a historical for NaNo! Hmmm....am getting tempted....

I think if I did it, I would use it as a motivating exercise to get me started on a new project. November will be a busy month for me, but this might actually be a good thing, because perhaps having something structured like NaNo will keep me from ignoring my own writing during that time.

DeleyanLee · Oct 14, 2007

I did a Historical Romance a couple years ago for a BIAW in a historical period I'm well familiar with (Victorian) during November. It took me another many months to clean up and ship out, but I'd gotten the full flesh of the story down in one very heated week.

It was good for me because it forced me to stick to what the story was and save all the distractingly fun research bits for when I wasn't writing. That was about the only positive thing I got out of the experience, but it was still good to do since it helped me refine my writing process another step. The book got a requested full from St. Martins and came in 3rd in an RWA contest, so it hasn't been a complete loss on that front either.

Personally, I think that every writer should do something like NaNo, just to see what they learn about themselves and their writing process. If they get a good book out of it, all the better, but for those of us who know we can finish a full novel, it does have other values.

san_remo_ave · Oct 14, 2007

PastMidnight said:
I think if I did it, I would use it as a motivating exercise to get me started on a new project. November will be a busy month for me, but this might actually be a good thing, because perhaps having something structured like NaNo will keep me from ignoring my own writing during that time.

And that's exactly the reason you should do it, PastMidnight!

It is a great way to get a solid jumpstart on a piece and stay focused for the month. Last year, I even felt zero guilt about shutting up in the computer room for hours every night because I could remind my husband that I was doing Nano --I had to write, write, write, no choice in the matter!

If you take the time now to do a little plotting and research to make sure your plot holds together, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how much you can accomplish. I know I was.

Remember: {enter comments here} is your friend during Nano when you get stumped on a little historical detail. Not only does it allow you to move on because you've flagged it for fact-finding later, those three little words count toward your Nano word count.

C'mon and at least give it a try! :e2cheer:

san_remo_ave · Oct 14, 2007

DeleyanLee said:
The book got a requested full from St. Martins and came in 3rd in an RWA contest, so it hasn't been a complete loss on that front either.

Hey, that's really great, DeleyanLee!

wee · Oct 14, 2007

sanremoave said:
Remember: {enter comments here} is your friend during Nano when you get stumped on a little historical detail.

Ooohhhh, I have to remember that!

I'm also planning to do NaNo, because I was having a horrible time being disciplined about the research, wanting to just write it... then realizing I don't know as much as I thought I knew & have to stop every other sentence to check something.

October is Research month. I'm burning through these sources, taking notes, making plot lines ... so that I can make a plan to write 50,000 words during November. I'm using Nano to 1) ramp up my research now, and 2) ramp up my writing in two weeks (two weeks?!).

Also as a way to enforce BIC as a habit. Even if I can't keep up the pace after November, if I can keep up the habit I'll be making better progress!

wee

PastMidnight · Oct 14, 2007

Ok, ok, you've all lured me over to the dark side. I've signed up. Eek!

I feel like I did as a kid when someone cajoled me into climbing the ladder of the high dive at the community pool. I was up there, terrified, but there was nothing to do but jump.... :e2drown:

girlyswot · Oct 14, 2007

I always climbed back down!!!

Zelenka · Oct 14, 2007

Think of it more as one of those big slide things at waterparks? I always liked them better than diving boards. Diving boards scared the proverbial out of me.

Anyway, good luck with NaNo!

c.e.lawson · Oct 14, 2007

Best of luck, PastMidnight! I know you can do it!

PastMidnight · Oct 15, 2007

Ok, who's going to jump in with me?!?

Manat · Oct 15, 2007

I did it last year and still have a 55,000 word ghost story that needs to be revised and expanded when/if I ever get some free time. Like others have said, it was a great learning experience, even if it has been sitting on the shelf since last December. It might even be a decent read if I can ever get round to fixing it. As for historicals, my ghost story bopped and weaved through time and at those spots all I did was put stuff in brackets ( research Mai Lei massacre) (research 1960's helicopters) ( research Spanish Inquisition) etc. Those are the parts I STILL need to fill in, but it let me keep writing and get to an end.

I'd love to go back to it and it's great to know it's still there but I had to complete work on another project which still isn't done. I hope to be free to do it in November. I found NANO almost addictive. As I write this I have an urge to put all other things aside and start something new Nov 1st, but only if I get this one finished.

truelyana · Oct 20, 2007

PastMidnight said:
You will probably all think me mad for even considering this, but are any of you planning (or even pondering) to try NaNoWriMo this year? I know that Sanremoave's story about Margaret and Justin was born through last year's NaNo contest, so it can be done with historicals!

So anyone else even tossing the idea around?

Yeah, I'm jumping in and doing NaNo this year for the first time too

With a Historical little number, the inspiration just hit me when I reset my password. I have a time, a place and two characters so far. Last night I wrote out my outline, and a bit of a pre-history to one of the characters.

It feels like it's all naturally unveiling, and I like that considering I'm not much of a planner

lkp said:
I did it! I wrote 50,000 words of my historical novel two years ago and finished it last year, and now it has its very own agent!
But I have to be honest --- I'm a historian and I was writing about a period knew well, and even I had to do tons of research. So it is tough to do NaNo with a historical. But there are people on the NaNo boards and here who can help with research. Doooooo it! It is great for helping create a BIC habit.

Wow, well done

That is fabulous

I'm not a Historian, just a creator and an Imaginator

It's always nice to let yourself go, with this upcoming novel I feel I am. No pressure and just pure enjoyment

PastMidnight said:
And here I thought you would all tell me that it was crazy to contemplate a historical for NaNo! Hmmm....am getting tempted....

I think if I did it, I would use it as a motivating exercise to get me started on a new project. November will be a busy month for me, but this might actually be a good thing, because perhaps having something structured like NaNo will keep me from ignoring my own writing during that time.

I couldn't put it any better myself, that's the spirit

sanremoave said:
It is a great way to get a solid jumpstart on a piece and stay focused for the month. Last year, I even felt zero guilt about shutting up in the computer room for hours every night because I could remind my husband that I was doing Nano --I had to write, write, write, no choice in the matter!

If you take the time now to do a little plotting and research to make sure your plot holds together, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how much you can accomplish. I know I was.

That's what is happening with me, my plot is unveiling by the moment and that is what is so beautifully inspiring

PastMidnight said:
Ok, ok, you've all lured me over to the dark side. I've signed up. Eek!

I feel like I did as a kid when someone cajoled me into climbing the ladder of the high dive at the community pool. I was up there, terrified, but there was nothing to do but jump....

Haahaa, I felt(feel) exactly the same

I'm 'smoothestlady' on NaNo if you ever feel like having a chat, or just seeing how my word count is going.

Happy NaNoing everyone

PastMidnight · Oct 20, 2007

Glad to see another on NaNo, truelyana! Looking forward to it!

lkp · Oct 6, 2010

Bringing this zombie thread back from the dead to see if anyone is interested in doing a historical Nano this year. I'm planning on it, as long as life does not throw me a curve.

angeliz2k · Oct 6, 2010

Hm. I might give it a go, but on a different project from the one I'm currently working on. It will probably be (mostly) for the fun, to give me a change of pace (literally), and to see if I can do it! I know I can write 50k words if I have some idea of where I'm going and I'm not hindered by the research necessary for a historical. If I allow myself not to take it so seriously, I can do it.

cooeedownunder · Oct 6, 2010

Ah, I've signed up the past two years, but never wrote a word for it, but now the world is a different place and it could be a good way to get the mind to focus on something else.

Snowstorm · Oct 6, 2010

I jumped into the deep end of NaNo's pool last year. It was my first time and my goal was 75,000 words and it was a historical mystery (check out my avatar!).

I had a lot of my research done, but I needed to do more, plus I wrote out my outline and had my characters ready for midnight. At the end of November, I had made my word goal with two hours to spare. I'm tickled with my novel, and have started querying with it.

Steam&Ink · Oct 6, 2010

I did it last year, and wrote 50k on a "flapper mystery" (I am trying to get this recognised as a sub-genre!). It wasn't too bad; I reread it for the first time about a week ago and really enjoyed it - however it needs about 40k more before it's finished!

This year my NaNo project is not historical, it's a satirical fantasy a la Jasper Fforde or Douglas Adams (I would say Terry Pratchett but mine is set on earth in modern times)

Good luck, PM! You're on my NaNo buddy list so I will keep an eye out for you

PastMidnight · Oct 7, 2010

Zombie thread is right!

I'll be at it again this year. It'll be a historical (I think my brain would do a backflip if I tried to write anything else), but I'm still wavering between a few ideas.

I'm also a Municipal Liaison again this year, so I'll be acting as cheerleader for all the Wrimos in my region.

Anyone is welcome to buddy me! I'm Past_Midnight over there, 'cause I'm creative.

Steam&Ink · Oct 7, 2010

PastMidnight said:
Zombie thread is right!

I'll be at it again this year. It'll be a historical (I think my brain would do a backflip if I tried to write anything else), but I'm still wavering between a few ideas.

I'm also a Municipal Liaison again this year, so I'll be acting as cheerleader for all the Wrimos in my region.

Anyone is welcome to buddy me! I'm Past_Midnight over there, 'cause I'm creative.

BAHAHAHA... I didn't even realise that this thread had been zombied from three years ago... Attention to detail FAIL

Historicals and NaNoWriMo

Oponionated

Going home!

Oponionated

Writing Anarchist

Back at it

Back at it

just a little

Oponionated

Going home!

Oponionated

Set yourself free

Oponionated

never mind the shorty

Grateful for the day

Baby plot bunneh sniffs out a clue

sekrit superhero

Oponionated

sekrit superhero