NaNo Survival Kit

Laptop
ink pen
notebook with outline
caffeine
More caffeine
Extra caffeine
snacks
iPod

Secret Writing Liars
- - Public Libraries
- - Barnes and Nobles
- - Taco Bell (no one is ever in there, nice and quiet)
Music list
Laptop
Back up USB drive
Back up Back up Flash Card
Back up Back up Back up Internet drive
Outline
Flash Cards
Sketches of World
Character Profiles
Plot Points
Snacks
Disconnect T.V. and Cable
Words per day Writing goals
*sob* *sob* *sob* limit myself to AW, twice a week for 20 minutes AFTER I hit writing goals
Attend Writing Group

This is my first NaNoWRiMo, so I'm taking notes! So far, I plan to have:

My computer
Caffeine
Snacks
Playlist
Print outs of my outlines and notes

I obviously haven't prepared enough for this. All I have is my computer and a few pages of notes.

Do any of you create a full plot first? Or do you do the "no plot no problem" style?

RebeccaFlys said:

Do any of you create a full plot first? Or do you do the "no plot no problem" style?

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I'm trying to plot it out, right down to the specific scenes and their order. I definitely want to know where I'm going.

Do any of you create a full plot first? Or do you do the "no plot no problem" style?

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This is my second year. The first time I had nothing more than a setting, a couple interesting characters and an incident. I had no problem finishing the 50k and had a great time but the draft was hopeless. It read like a 7 year old retelling a story "...and then....and then....and then".

This time I'm planning a bit more in hopes of getting a first draft that I can actually work with.

1. Installed Mellel on home and work Mac.
2. Drew a rough map.
3. Warned everyone I know that I will be busy/surly/grumpy until the end of November.
4. Stocked up on Pepsi.

I don't plot, ever. I just have a general idea of what I want to gert done in the story. If I finish those ideas, I think of more as I go along. When you are doing a sword and sorcerery story, you can pretty much do anything. "He was awoke by a giant snake slithering through the underbrush towards him..."

-Alphasmart Neo (it's coming today!)
-notebook/notes
-colored pens
-Scented candle
-iPod
-lemon-scented hand lotion

Laptop.
Shutting the world out.

Like I said, this is my first time, but I've got a 2,000 word Outline with the major plot points. I have some character analysis done too. It seems like it will be easier this way. That way I don't have to waste valuable writing time trying to figure out where the story leads.

and I thought this had gone ridicoulus with the soundtrack list...

Mel said:

Laptop.
Shutting the world out.

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Ditto.

laptop. water. walnuts (bleh, but they're healthy) and raisins. nearby bathroom for those emergency "but i just gotta finish this paragraph and THEN i'll go to the bathroom" runs. door to shut in case other peeps in the house get too loud.

That's about it, akshully. I don't need much.

I've got four pages of character profiles and ten pages of outline.

I've learned that I need a decent outline with a good idea where the end is supposed to go, even if the whole thing isn't outlined.

Oh, I forgot. Must have my headphones. Even if I'm not listening to music it's a visual cue on my lunch hour at my house that I'm writing and therefore should not be disturbed.

This is year 7 for me. It's almost routine.
I've stocked up on frozen dinners,
spent proactive time with spouse so he doesn't miss me too much,
set the DVR to record a couple of TV shows I like,
backed up and charged the laptop,
and cleared off the thumb drive.

I'm ready.

Pomegranate said:

This is year 7 for me. It's almost routine.

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I agree -- it's routine for me, too. NaNo has just become How I Spend My November. (This is year 8 for me!)

All I need:
- supportive husband who has recently been sucked into the NaNo craziness
- headphones + good music
- coffee and tea

Extra-special bonus:
- my first new laptop in 6 years is being delivered to my house by Nov. 1! Hellooo MacBook Pro!

Got a fairly new PC
Word 2007
OneNote with most of my characters described
Some of the research done
Plot is in my head
Lots of coffee and Diet Pepsi
I think I'm ready (first try for me)

My Alphasmart Dana (I'll transfer files to the PC every evening)
Fountain pen, ink, and notebook (for times when typing is inconvenient)
Munchies
Music player
List of places to go to write (home, coffee shops, library)
Velvet scarf (got to get into that "writerly" mood)
Stuffed animal (to stare at when searching for inspiration)
Outline, notes, and ideas for scenes

Yeah, good to go.

It's my first time too. I have the advantage, if that's what it is, of living alone in the middle of nowhere so I have no distractions unless I create some. My dogs will expect to go out twice a day for a mile at a time (2 lots so I do two miles) but that will get me out into the fresh air and my circulation going. I have a desk-top computer which is in the same room as the dogs and the TV which I WILL watch but be stricter over the hours. Probably.
I've just been into town and raided Tesco's so the cupboards are full of mini choclate bars (various) crisps, popcorn. I have a fridge with some smoked salmon - okay a bit of a treat but it was half price - soft cheese for crackers, wispa bars, cherry tomatoes and plenty of milk, the freezer has various snacky things in.
I am constantly thinking about the plots and characters and hope I can hit the ground running on Saturday - especially as I am out all day Sunday at a dog show

Headphones + Music
My Laptop
Alot of Cigarettes
My outline

That's basically it... i think.

XX

Well, this is my first time so,
Laptop
back up laptop,
portable memory drive
pen
My sketch book
Notes
Lots and Lots of Coffee
Lots and Lots of Chocolate

Ugawa said:

Headphones + Music
My Laptop
Alot of Cigarettes
My outline

That's basically it... i think.

XX

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Oh yeah, Cigarrettes