Wednesday, October 10, 2018

The nanowrimo fanatic tag!

So!  This tag from Smudged Thoughts couldn't be better timed, as I decided basically last night to participate in Nano this year.  I found this tag via Coffee, Classics & Craziness.

The rules:
1. Insert the tag graphic into your post.  (done)
2. Link back to the original post. (done, see above)
3. Answer all — or as many — of the questions as you like.  (done)
4. Refer to our communal family bunny named Fanny at least once in your post. (done, see question 5!)
5. Eat three cookies. (I don't eat cookies, so.... I gave them to Fanny!)
6. Post a clean list of ALL of the questions somewhere in your post. ('Clean' meaning a list of the questions without my answers.  Which is always convenient for other people who want to answer the tag.)  (done)
7. Tag as many friends as you want! (I tag anyone doing nano this year!)



. . . THE QUESTIONS. . .

PART ONE. . . Get to know me

What is your NaNoWriMo Username?
Fencer (hence the url of this blog page, which was originally begun to share nano writing fun).  Not quite sure how to link to my page there, but please find me so I can follow your progress too!

Are you a plotter, pantser, plantser, or planter?
Er... a plantser, I guess?  That's assuming that's a combo of plotter and pantser?  Haven't actually heard that term.  Usually, I have to know where the plot is going, but not the details of how to get to the end.  That comes as I write.  Usually I need some carrot scenes that I'm writing towards.  Broad strokes, not nitty gritty details.  However, that said, I'm plotting absolutely nothing this time around.  We're going to pants it all the way, just for the fun of it!
 
How many years have you done the NaNo? How many times have you won?
I have done nano 7 times, won each time, starting in 2004 (!).  Boy, that seems a long time ago now.  I also did an unofficial on-my-own half-nano of 25K in 2012. However, haven't participated in quite a few years now.
 
What is your NaNoWriMo Origin Story?
That was in 2004, you expect me to remember??  I do know a good writing friend of mine and I decided to do it at the same time, and so we did, but how we found out about it... don't recall.  All the cool kids were doing it?
 
Do you have any writing “lucky charms”?
Not even sure what this means, so no.

 
What is your absolute favorite NaNoWriMo memory?
I guess I would have to say the very first time I won, as I had no idea I could write that much so fast, and I did it.  That was a huge thrill.


How do you pronounce NaNoWriMo? (Na-No-RYE-Mo, or Na-No-REE-Mo?)
Hahah!  Na-No-REE-Mo, thank you very much.  I have pronounced it that way from the very first time I saw the word in print in 2004, and I refuse to pronounce it with the RYE sound.  Sounds awful and weird, and I hates it when I hears it that way, precious, I don't care if it is technically correct.  It's REE for me. Part of that is because I did not recognize the "wri" in nanowrimo as = "writing" until months after I was already mispronouncing it, so it never occurred to me to say "rye."  (P.S. Yes, I am dreadful with acronyms. I just see them as words unto themselves, never pull out what the pieces stand for.)  (P.PS.  I also mispronounced meme... which I say as memm.  When I first heard someone say meeeeme, I was completely taken aback.) (P.P.P.S.  Yes, a writer should know better, what can I say.)  I should add that when I'm forced to say the whole word aloud, I do pronounce it with the RYE sound.  It's only in the privacy of my own head that I call it REE.  And ideally, I always just leave it at Nano.
 
PART TWO. . . PREP

What’s the name of your NaNoWriMo Project?
Well, I'm doing something new for me this year.  I'm going in blind. I'm doing that for multiple reasons.  When I work on a serious project... I can't write words that aren't working, I don't care if it is a first draft.  I can't write words just to fill space.  I can't go off on tangents.  So the last couple times I did nano, I deleted words left and right as I went.  Yeah, I totally edited as I went.  Exactly what you're not supposed to do during nano, but I couldn't help myself.  Which made meeting the word requirement difficult, but it also meant I came away with a pretty clean 50K at the end.  

I don't want to do that this year, though I have three projects I could do that I would love to have done (or at least have my 50K start on them).  But I don't feel like planning and preparing this year.  I think I would prefer not to focus on an existing project, but start with something brand spanking new. Something shiny and unknown, and I will trust my subconscious to fill in the required details as I go.  

Now, I have been known to change my nano project as late as November 3nd (when the one I started fizzled and I had to throw out what I had done and pick a new one and start over from scratch), so... until I'm actually in the throes of Nano, who knows if this will remain the project of the month?

All of which is to say, the project is currently untitled.  LOL!
 
What is your project’s genre?
I prefer fantasy or science fiction, so it will be one of those.
 
Introduce us to your cast!
Well, I'm trying something new here too.  I have a potential cast randomly selected by Pinterest's "suggested for you" algorithms.  No character names yet, no idea how these people relate, if they're friends or foes or what.  I don't know if any of them will even remain in the book, but for now, I like the randomness and the fact that I wouldn't necessarily pick some of these if left to my own devices.  Different things are good sometimes.  I'm getting an Ocean's (8, 11, 12, 13... pick your number) vibe from these pictures.  Of course, I don't like cons or heists, so I wouldn't write a story about one, but the pictures suggest they might be experts in certain fields working together?  

What is your novel’s theme?
Unknown!
 
What are your novel’s main settings?
Unknown!  But I was just touring some very very old buildings in real life, so I'm also thinking ancient ruins will figure in this story.

Are you using any plotting/story structures for your project, or are you just winging it like the beautiful pixie that you are?
"I don't know, I'm making this up as I go."
 
What are some ways you prepare for The NaNo?
Normally, I'd have a sense of plot, characters, setting.  I'd have a notes document started with a bunch of potential character names to use and all my set up and world building notes. This year... who needs preparation??

What’s in your writing toolkit? (pictures are encouraged!)
A laptop. My iPod.  A tea mug. The internet.  Books.

(Laptop, tea, plus Silver and Jack... can't do anything without them either!)
(iPod in its player.)
  
PART THREE. . . Inspiration

What was the initial inspiration for your NaNoWriMo novel?
Hamlette and I talked about doing nano this year, and when she decided to do it, I opted to join her.  Honestly, nano succeeds for me only because of peer pressure.  Because I can't flake on my writing when everyone else has achieved their words for the day.  Or when they're pulling ahead.  Since I don't know what the book will be about yet, that's the only inspiration I have to offer.

What’s your NaNoWriMo Novel’s Word Aesthetic?
Sparse, tight, clean.  I can't write extra words just for word count.  Has to be words the story needs.  Yes, I will delete the extra words, even this year, when I'm aiming more for fun than anything else.  I have my own expectations to meet, don't'cha know!

Share your Pinterest boards and music playlists!
The Pinterest board I have is right here.  Playlists, well, can't choose music until I know what the story's about, can I?  What sort of mood will be required?  Playlists will come later.   On the other hand, just looking at my Pinterest pics, I keep hearing the theme from "The Detective," which would lead to a playlist of Jerry Goldsmith scores in this vein, such as Nick Quarry, Police Story, The Stripper, Studs Lonigan, etc...



What’s your absolute best advice to new (and old!) NaNoers?
Never forget to have fun.  Writing should be a joy, not a hardship. 



++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

So, the clean questions:
. . . THE QUESTIONS. . .
PART ONE. . . Get to know me
What is your NaNoWriMo Username?
Are you a plotter, pantser, plantser, or planter?
How many years have you done the NaNo? How many times have you won?
What is your NaNoWriMo Origin Story?
Do you have any writing “lucky charms”?
What is your absolute favorite NaNoWriMo memory?
How do you pronounce NaNoWriMo? (Na-No-RYE-Mo, or Na-No-REE-Mo?)
PART TWO. . . PREP
What’s the name of your NaNoWriMo Project?
What is your project’s genre?
Introduce us to your cast!
What is your novel’s theme?
What are your novel’s main settings?
Are you using any plotting/story structures for your project, or are you just winging it like the beautiful pixie that you are?
What are some ways you prepare for The NaNo?
What’s in your writing toolkit? (pictures are encouraged!)
PART THREE. . . Inspiration
What was the initial inspiration for your NaNoWriMo novel?
What’s your NaNoWriMo Novel’s Word Aesthetic?
Share your Pinterest boards and music playlists!
What’s your absolute best advice to new (and old!) NaNoers?

8 comments:

Eva said...

I really like the idea of going into NaNo blind, so to speak. I've always had a very clear plan of what I'm going to write, but it does sound fun to just sit down on November 1st and write the unknown. I might try it next year. (I especially like the random Pinterest cast thing.)

Hamlette (Rachel) said...

Is it weird that I started to cry when I saw the Fassbender gif? I'm very emotional today -- tired and weary and over-busy, plus the Naproxen they gave me for my knee is messing with my emotions, I think. Making me very tired, at the very least. So I cried. Just a little, mostly over the fact that I can't drop everything and do this tag myself RIGHT NOW. And that I can't watch Slow West RIGHT NOW. Or even tonight. Or even next week. Now all I want to do is watch Slow West.

Anyway. I'm a plantser too. It's totally a thing. Nano even lets you designate yourself a plantser if you want.

Let's never talk about Nano by its full name in real life out loud cuz I say WRY and am annoyed by the idea of REE cuz it just sounds illegitimate.

Does Chris Pine feel like a big wild card in that cast? Cuz I keep looking at him and thinking, "WHAT are you doing here, dude?" Also, shouldn't a certain Mr. Eager be on your board, since we all know he's going to show up? Heck, I know he's going to show up in my book somehow, and I have vague ideas how he might fit, but no clear ones. (But for the NEXT book, I know exactly where he is, though he's possibly not going to be the Bad Guy I expected him to be. Hmm.)

DKoren said...

Awww. I also have been dying to watch it, but with you, not alone. Maybe in a couple of weeks?

Yes, for the record, I NEVER EVER say the full word aloud. EVER. It is always just nano. Period. I haven't said the full word since... (picture Darth Vader trailing off and walking the other direction, LOL.)

Yes, he's a total wild card. I have zero idea where he came from. And somehow, someway, would you believe Pinterest did not offer one pin of Mr. Eager in its suggestions on the home page? Not one. And I've saved so many over time, you think he'd be everywhere... what the heck? So, at the moment, I had to leave him out because I wasn't going to cheat the randomness. None of my man, either. Hmph. I even checked today right now, and I see new pics tossed my way, but none of those two. Lots and lots of Colin Farrell (is it trying to tell me something? It's clearly pushing him as the lead POV character) and many more of Mads today than yesterday. Also, today Jude popped up. Wish he'd popped up yesterday! Anyway, it's fascinating.

Really looking forward to when you have a chance to do the tag. :-D

DKoren said...

Yeah, I wanted to do something different, as I'm usually decently organized and know a lot about Things. I'm trying not even to think about the story until Nov 1st rolls around. I want to sit down with a blank slate and just... go.

So glad you found and did this tag! It's helped rev me up and get excited for nano this year!

Hamlette (Rachel) said...

I've had the soundtrack on repeat while packing ALL afternoon. Best I could do.

Pinterest is so weird. If I did this, I would have Alan Ladd, RDJ, Fred MacMurray, Gary Cooper, Cap, Thor, and "yummy apple slab pie" in a story. (Can "yummy apple slab pie" be my new nickname for Cap?) I get why Alan and the MCU people are there, but Fred MacMurray and Gary Cooper??????????

Will do tag when I can. Got the questions copied over to a post draft already.

Hamlette (Rachel) said...

Okay, I did the tag today! It's here :-)

DKoren said...

You know, I should add that I never pronounce nanowrimo with the REE sound aloud. When I have to say the whole word, I say it correctly in public or to other people. It's only to myself that it's REE.

Jessi Millwood said...

Natural Herbal Medicine To Cure {HERPES DISEASE} TOTALLY HERE
Do you need a solution to cure your Herpes Disease contact Chief Dr Lucky to help and he will surely help you to cure your Herpes Virus .. I have suffered from Herpes-2 Virus for 4years ago that almost took my life. But one day I was searching the internet and I found Chief Dr Lucky saw so many testimonies on how Chief Dr Lucky helps people in curing their deadly diseases, and I contacted Chief Dr Lucky, asked him for solutions and he started the remedies for my health. He prepared herbal medicine for me and I received the herbal medicine and after using it for 2 weeks my condition has greatly improved, all my symptoms including Abdominal pain, Nausea and vomiting, Loss of appetite stopped, so I went to my doc and was confirmed negative. I am Herpes Virus free! contact the herbal doctor via his email> chiefdrlucky@gmail.com also visit his page> http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky Website> Https://chiefdrluckyherbaltherapy.wordpress.com/ or his cell number / WhatsApp> +2348132777335