Just wondering if anyone out there is planning to participate in NaNoWriMo. I've started for at least the last 5 years, but never finished. Maybe this will be my year?

What is it?

@@roundisashape go for it! I have also started but never finished. Jodi, it's a writing challenge for the month of November.

Ive never participated but I love watching/reading people in the middle of their creative processes. So inspiring!

I remember watching a talk by John Cleese years ago that was a huge eye opener for me that changed my approach towards my own writing (which has been mostly academic, but still). If you're interested, heres a link to the video and commentary:

http://www.attendly.com/john-cleese-on-creativity-and-how-to-unleash-your-tortoise-brain/

Best of luck with nanowrimo! :-)

I've started it several years running and never finished it out, either! NaNoWriMo is a challenge to write a novel in one month. If you check out the website www.nanowrimo.org they have so much information, from daily word count goals to encouragement to the specifics of the challenge

What theme or topic do you guys think you'll write on? I know it's supposed to be fiction, but I almost always write a version of my own life story.

Oh cool, I won't be alone this year!

Deciding on a topic is always the hardest part for me. Maybe something a little sci-fi and escapist this time around!

Someone going through a major life change (like WLS) could be a great theme.

I tried it a few years ago and still want to finish what I started though they tell you to not do that, to start fresh every year. It's a lot of fun, really interesting, but really, really tough!! Especially by the middle of the second week.

If I can find the time, I might try it again. I did prepare ahead of time with my topic and had an outline ready to go which I thought helped me but not sure.

I did get into that zone where your characters start to tell you how what they should be doing and saying. THat was surreal!!! lol I had heard about it but didn't really get it until it happened to me!!

Nanowrimo is also where I heard the term "procrastinatory cannoli" as in, I'm having writers block and want to procrastinate so I'll go to Mike's Pastry and get a cannoli and everything will be better! (THat is a Boston reference)