Challenges

Hey all,

Seeing as there are a fair few of us looking to take part in NaNoWriMo this year, I've started up a challenge that will help fill the time between now and the start of November. If any of you are anything like me, then you're well and truly itching to start delving into your charcters' lives and the worldthat surrounds them.

The Prelim. Stories Challenge is a way for you to start writing without breaking NaNo's "start in November" rules. Basically, you write five stories of around 1000 words each. They can be a proper plotted piece, a character study, a short history article or a description of an important geographical place: really, anything you want.

Questions?

[a href="http://www.freewebs.com/semaphoremagazine"]Semaphore Magazine[/a]
[a href="http://www.stornowaystories.blogspot.com"]One Girl's Quest to Kill Trees[/a]

Ooh. This sounds good! I like the 5 stories of 1,000 word guide.

You should create it as a member challenge so that we can all sign up, post our progress and get neat participant / winner icons.

No Excuses. Just Write.
SoCNoC - Freeing the Flame
Freeing the Flame - 30,065/40,000 words rewritten for May

Ahahaha I have already done so! Might be under Future Challenges as it doesn't start for a few day, though... Gotta give myself time to do my Classics test...

[a href="http://www.freewebs.com/semaphoremagazine"]Semaphore Magazine[/a]
[a href="http://www.stornowaystories.blogspot.com"]One Girl's Quest to Kill Trees[/a]

Also, Join Now and receive a Free Bonus Winners' Banner upon completion! Well, a wee while after completion. I figure having a wee arty task to do during November will be a good break from NaNo-ing. Pick your colour scheme now!

[a href="http://www.freewebs.com/semaphoremagazine"]Semaphore Magazine[/a]
[a href="http://www.stornowaystories.blogspot.com"]One Girl's Quest to Kill Trees[/a]

Ooh! Exciting. I should have checked. For those who want to sign up the challenge is here. And five participants already!

No Excuses. Just Write.
SoCNoC - Freeing the Flame
Freeing the Flame - 30,065/40,000 words rewritten for May

Make that six. What a great idea for getting background (either character or plot).

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

Yeah I am really looking forward to this! Will be a good way to get back into the story and clear up some historical/background issues that I know are going to crop up in the writing :-)
Very cool

http://vyanae.blogspot.com/

yes, I have quite a few characters to define. Some social issues, historical, and confrontational areas.
They need to be put in little boxes, or in this case two pages or so each, to draw on.

Got a plot and Title for Socnoc 2008.
"To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Question."

Books are Humanity in Print!

Awwww...

...must focus on WIP. Must not join fun NaNo prep challenges.

No Excuses. Just Write.
SoCNoC - Freeing the Flame
Freeing the Flame - 30,065/40,000 words rewritten for May

Hey, you can just work at finishing your WIP off faster, then come join the fun ;-)

http://vyanae.blogspot.com/

First story done.

Now, of course, I keep thinking of other incidents for that character, luckily, most of them can (and will) end up in the nano, but this, oooh, this is the past she won't admit to anyone. They'd know all about her if they knew this story - and she can't allow that.

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

That sounds so juicy!!!! Definitely makes me want to know more.
I'm going to have to finish these assignments before I get started... sad sad sad. I know what I am going to write about tho!

http://vyanae.blogspot.com/

Sounds good so far maggenpye. I am engrossed in a novel, new author to me (Cathy kelly) it's called "secrets." Women that live on a certain street in Ireland, that have secrets.
Wow! are they all coming out now, it's exciting. Love the way she writes, similar, in fact a better writer I think than Maeve Binchey.

Got a plot and Title for Socnoc 2008.
"To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Question."

Books are Humanity in Print!

I love secrets. They can fuel all sorts of conflict. :)

No Excuses. Just Write.
SoCNoC - Freeing the Flame
Freeing the Flame - 30,065/40,000 words rewritten for May

This is more along the lines of 'the past she left behind', sort of thing. It's just what I need to know to keep her character consistent.

Up until now, she was a second tier character, she had speaking lines, but it was really just a walk-on part. But in book three, she is going through the main arc of the story, so as a character, she's had to 'grow-up' fast.

It's been a case of retro-engineering (doing things backwards again). I knew what she was like (superficially) so I had to work out a background that would fit those traits. Which gave me a deeper understanding of who she is now.

gaye-belle, I wish I could read while I'm writing, but it just doesn't work for me.
And there's a new Terry Pratchett out.
And I won't be reading it until December!

I'll be researching coastal native forests and the kiwi recovery program. For a subplot (not even the main story).

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

I can read 'cause I'm not writing.:) It's a thick book and belongs to the library so gotta get it finished before I get back into the writing.
Thought I might do something in the line of The New World Order, so been googling mostly today in between gardening.
Interesting stuff, conspirocy or fact, that is the question.
A couple of rums are just confusing the issue, so will be back to it tomorrow. :)

Got a plot and Title for Socnoc 2008.
"To Be Or Not To Be: That Is The Question."

Books are Humanity in Print!

I am always reading something but my main reading time is on the train to and from work and sometimes before bed. I think have my reading time portioned out like this I can keep it seperated from my writing.

Ooh, a new Terry Pratchett?? Damn it all! I promised myself I wouldn't buy any new books until I've read through at least most of my to-be-read shelves.

No Excuses. Just Write.
SoCNoC - Freeing the Flame
Freeing the Flame - 30,065/40,000 words rewritten for May

OO new Terry Pratchett! exciting! It might have to wait til after Nano for me as well.
I haven't done a lot of reading for fun this year as there as been so much reading for study to do. Recently got back into a novel I started at the beginning of the year though and it's getting me into the 'fantasy' frame of mind which is good as that's what my nano will be.

http://vyanae.blogspot.com/

Yes, that's the problem with Pratchett for me, he's just so good. And while my stories have elements of comedy... it's just distracting.

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."

Another story done, this time I've just reversed the impression of a mean nasty rotten character in the first two books (he's presently deceased, so everything learned about him is at least second-hand.) It was kinda nice to write a pivotal episode in his life and discover he was actually a good guy, just trapped by circumstance. Exactly 1000 words, too.

Joelle's got her first FF done, too hooray!

How's everyone else going?

maggenpye -
"He's not my dad, he's just my father - big difference."