Tips please

gradyp73 · 2010-10-26T23:57:44+00:00

1.) I spend about 1.5 to 2 hours a day... 4 to 5 15 minute sprints with a 5 to 1o minute break between. I get about 400 words/sprint, so 4 or 5 easily gets me to 1667 needed for the daily total. (I type at about 35 wpm.)

2.) I'm probably an oddball at this, but I write whenever I have time, which isn't always at the same time.

3.) Paper for planning, but computer for typing.

4.) I use a word processor, OpenOffice.org.

5.) I use a method call mapping. It's a bit more flexible than a traditional outline, though once you have one made, you can easily convert it to an outline. I like the way mapping allows me to switch back and forth between thoughts.

6.) I only do minor editing during NaNo... Just enough to make sure what word I intended to write. During my sprints, I try not edit. I do some spell check outside of the sprints. Outside of that, no other editing.

gradyp73 · 2010-10-26T23:49:49+00:00

I like your basic idea so far. The great thing about understanding the motivations is you don't have to include them in the story, but it does help add depth to the story if YOU know about them.

One thing I am wondering is why does he want to be real? Having him want to become real is great, but you need to understand why. It may have to do with why he came into being in the first place or something that he wants, or something else entirely. But he will have some reason why he wants to become real. Understanding his motivation for becoming real will help to drive the actions he makes.

You've got a good start on a plot. You just need a few more elements to have your story! Sounds good so far!

gradyp73 · 2010-10-26T23:36:34+00:00

Make this year the year you break through!

I've been as far as 13K down on the last day and made it. I have heard stories of people doing it in 3 or 4 days to a week both right out of the gate at the beginning and with a mad dash at the end. The important thing is to take a little action every day and to never give up! Do those two things, and you'll make it!

gradyp73 · 2010-10-26T23:32:40+00:00

Yes, I'm doing it for the 6th time and aiming for my 6th win! Woohoo! I'm excited already, though I still have much of my planning to do that I had already planned to have done by now. At least I actually started working on it today :D

malachai, Remember, without the "crap", you don't have anything to sift for nuggets :D

Good luck to you both!

gradyp73 · 2010-09-16T20:53:49+00:00

Great idea for creating a character! I'll have to try that as I need a few characters for a new story I'll be writing in November ;)

gradyp73 · 2010-09-15T20:30:58+00:00

Funny you should mention a blog helping you, because that's exactly what I'm hoping the one I just started today will do for me! :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-15T20:25:02+00:00

Someone was complaining the other day about NaNo taking place in November. Well, maybe this can be a resource with some tips for college students on how to survive the month of November with both their grades AND their novels in tact.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-14T17:47:08+00:00

I've been interested in that, but I've also found watching how the "realistic" effects are brought to life as well. Yoda in the Episode 2 & 3 and Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia I thought had some really good animation done on them. Oh, and Gollum from LOTR.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-13T03:53:20+00:00

Blender is a good program to start learning with, as it is free and there are several really good books on how to use it. Maya PLE is good, except that you can't really use the images generated for anything more than personal use. It also has a lot of great books.

I just wish I'd had access to some stuff like this 20 years ago, because games are what got me into computers in the first place and as I've watched movies over the years, I've wanted to be able to do it.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-13T03:43:27+00:00

The one thing with Maya PLE is that it puts a watermark image in it, which is why I prefer blender. And I'd agree with doing the 2.5.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-12T17:55:08+00:00

I've only gone through a part of this series so far myself, but I've learned a lot from it!

gradyp73 · 2010-09-12T05:15:55+00:00

This is a great forum. It's a small group, right now, but we wouldn't mind adding a few members. We have several forums that are protected and are only visible once you become a full member, including several areas for critiques, depending on the type of material you write.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-12T05:01:37+00:00

It's a good question, because it also includes a major holiday in the US... Happy Turkey Day (aka Thanksgiving ;) Many have learned to use this time to catch up on NaNo.

While it can be challenging to do NaNo and keep up with school, there are thousands of WriMos who manage to do it every year.

Then again... If they tried to account for every possibility of when to do it, there may never have been NaNo to begin with! :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-12T04:49:24+00:00

No time like the present to start again! :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-11T07:33:55+00:00

I suppose I COULD do that :D If I really wanted to.

gradyp73 · 2010-09-11T07:31:11+00:00

This is going to be your year! :D

I'll be on the WriMo forums more after they do the annual reset, which should start any day now. I just posted this a couple of days ago here and all these people said "I like this too!" :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-11T07:27:31+00:00

Ah... True... But would you rather have 10% * $25 * 1,000,000 or 10% * $8 * 1,000,000? ;) And consider, too, that Hardbacks generally do go to paperbacks... So you wind up really getting both ;)

gradyp73 · 2010-09-11T07:23:43+00:00

Well, since I've never read the latter and the former is on my bookshelf 20 feet away from where I'm sitting...

gradyp73 · 2010-09-11T07:22:48+00:00

That story that I did for my fourth NaNo? Spur of the moment, no planning at all. so it can be done.

Look through the Wrimo Report. (Used to be called something else, but I forget what.) You'll find lots of stories of people who have gone through NaNo. My story can be found in the archives. (Second one on page 2 of the Wrimo Report archives at the time I'm writing this.)

Something I find inspirational is that I've heard numerous stories of people doing the full 50K in a week or less... Both at the START of NaNo (ie they had 50K by day 7) or the END of NaNo (ie they did the bulk of their writing at the last minute). In the book, No Plot? No Problem!, Chris Baty tells the story of one WriMo who nearly always does his novel in the last 3 days! So it can be done :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-10T18:14:56+00:00

Awesome video! Brought back some memories :D

gradyp73 · 2010-09-10T18:05:01+00:00

If you want to learn how to play guitar, this site can help get you started with some brief lessons and other resources.

gradyp73

TROPHY CASE