Blogcritics: Comments on One Day I am Going to Write a Novel

Comment by Victor Plenty

Sat, 13 Nov 2004 20:34:21 EST

Doug, some do nothing but worry over what others should do. I'd hoped my comment at least made it clear I wasn't trying to tell anyone else what they should do, even if it may have been a bit murky on some of its other points.

Comment by Doug Moore

Sat, 13 Nov 2004 20:21:49 EST

I don't really understand why someone would be against the idea of writing a novel in 30 days. Are those of us who choose to to partake in this activity some how taking all the writing karma of others. It is an excercise in creativity. Relax it is suppose to be fun. So get over worrying rather people should be doing it or not. At least they aren't watching mindless draining television.

Comment by Victor Plenty

Sat, 13 Nov 2004 19:52:36 EST

I've been pondering different opinions of NaNoWriMo. Some people think it's a great way to help aspiring writers get over their procrastination. Others sharply criticize the whole concept, some of them with a revealing tone of vicious bitterness. Most objections to the exercise seem to be variations on the same theme: that anything written in such haste is sure to be a textbook example of terribly bad writing. From such a beginning, critics extrapolate, writers can only continue to produce more bad writing. And the last thing the world needs is more bad writing. Critics don't always bother to state that last part. Some just assume everyone will agree with it as an unspoken premise. From there, the conclusion is obvious: NaNoWriMo is bad. Very bad. Now, I don't necessarily agree that bad writing is such a bad thing. There are far worse things people could do with their free time than produce bad writing, and it's not like they're forcing anyone else to read it. But let's leave that aside for the moment. Instead let's look at a far more scary implication of National Novel Writing Month. What if it doesn't exclusively fill the world with more bad writing? What if it also leads, one way or another, to good writing? What if it ends up creating dozens, hundreds, even thousands of new truly great novelists? At first thought, any lover of literature would want to like this idea. But its implications can be overwhelming. There already isn't enough time in a single lifespan to read all the great literature we currently have. Many of us haven't even finished reading Shakespeare yet, and have barely touched upon the works of Austen, Dante, Sophocles, Plath, Dickens, Woolf, or the rest of the vast library the world has already produced. What on earth are we going to do if the world is suddenly flooded with new material, from an army of new great writers, raised up in part by the inspiration of exercises like NaNoWriMo? Who could claim the mantle of "cultural literacy" in a world so vastly rich in great literary works? I suspect this fear, whether consciously realized or not, may explain much of the vitriol in some of those who attack National Novel Writing Month. As for myself, I have not yet decided on the merits of the concept. It seems worth trying, but I refrain from passing judgement until I have actually tried it for myself and can speak from experience.

Comment by TDavid

Sat, 6 Nov 2004 17:44:54 EST

Doug - I am just checking in with a fellow 2004 NaNoWriMo -- you can do it, Doug! Hope you get that wordcounter rolling again. Your blog shows the last update on Thursday. Keep it rocking! You can do it! :)

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 16:36:28 EDT

very nice Doug, thanks! I think this plagues the recesses of every wrier's mind - I have one that is a series of vignettes that have to be given a framework. Some day!

Comment by Doug Moore

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 14:12:43 EDT

Thanks for all the tips! Still working on title or subject. Thinking about writing about a Roadtrip across the US!

Comment by urthshu

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 14:05:38 EDT

Congrats! I did it last year & finished- it was a great experience! I'm still none too sure if I'm doing it [or finishing] this year...but I'm leaning that way. My working title is Psychopomp. Helpful hints: Avoid contractions! No "Don't" if you can write "Do not". It adds up! Dialogue is great way for *me* to write. I can get 1000 words of exposition out of it, which would normally only go on for 300 words. Additionally, its more entertaining to read. Do a forward, an intro, a disclaimer and use long titles. No editing!!!! There's a NaNoEdMo for that. Use the WIRMI system. In this, when you can't think of what to write [names, etc.] use WIRMI- What I Really Mean Is. Then describe whatever you need to [adding to word counts, of course]. This way, when you finally get to editing, you can just use the search function to find the areas you need to clean up. Go to the parties and get your swag! Do you know what you're going to write about?