# YAAAY!! Who's doing it this year?



## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 2, 2008)

I am f'king doing it people. I WILL DO NANOWRIMO! I've flaked out the past two years but I have two excellent ideas at present and so just need to pick one and go with it. Even though I have the heaviest work load thus far in my collegiate career, I'm still going to do it PERIOD. Anybody else have pre-NaNo thoughts??? Does everyone have an idea of what they're going to write about yet? Any tips for a newbie like me??


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## Tiamat (Oct 2, 2008)

Ha!  I told myself I was going to do it this year too, but I surely can't give you any tips since I've never done it either.    Just like you, I have two ideas that I've been mulling over for the past two months, and I've even done world building for one of them and plotting for the other.  I think I know which one I'm going to pick though, because of the two ideas, there's one I'm really excited about, and one that I know is going to take a crap load of research.

So I think I'll go with the exciting one.  

*EDIT*  That reminds me, I think I should go sign up.

*EDIT EDIT*  But apparently the site's down at the moment.


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 2, 2008)

I'm doing it for the first time too.

I'm getting all my research done this month

cant wait


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## Katastrof (Oct 2, 2008)

Doing for the first time this year aswell. It will also be the first time that I try to write a novel so it should be exciting! The only way I'm ever going to write a novel is to have a deadline so NaNoWrMo is probably one of the only ways...


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## Kayleigh7 (Oct 2, 2008)

whats NANOWRIMO?


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## Katastrof (Oct 2, 2008)

National Novel Writing Month or National November Writing Month; I forget which one is more correct.


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## Tiamat (Oct 2, 2008)

I thought National Novel Writing Month was the appropriate one, but I'm not sure.

Kayleigh, the whole point of the NaNoWriMo 'contest' is to be able to write 50k words of a novel during the month of November.  It's a fun, friendly sort of competition that doesn't actually give you a prize if you 'win' but it's still good fun to play along.


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## Brightside (Oct 2, 2008)

Looks like i'm going to do this also!! I have some ideas and a synopsis sitting there just WANTING to be written... This will give me the excuse i need!! Though, i've siad it before and wrote, well... nought!!

But i'm older and wiser now... 

Time will tell!!


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## moderan (Oct 3, 2008)

First time for me too. I wrote one two years ago during NaNoWriMo but didn't get in on the real thing. That was practice, I guess. Got an idea, outline, research just about done. This'll be my seventh novel so I have some idea of how to do it. Going to be near-future sf with some cyberpunkish undertones, part of a tetralogy of planned future history novels, second in the series to be written, first in the timeline.


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## valeca (Oct 3, 2008)

5th year for me.  

Barring any unforeseen disasters, it'll be my 5th 'win', too.


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## Katastrof (Oct 3, 2008)

valeca said:


> 5th year for me.
> 
> Barring any unforeseen disasters, it'll be my 5th 'win', too.



Quick question, is it better to have a complete outline and research done beforehand? I have a rough outline done but that's about it...


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## valeca (Oct 3, 2008)

Sorry, I can't answer that.  

What works for me might not work for you.

To each his own.


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## LeonBasin (Oct 3, 2008)

I will probably do it next year. I need to focus on it and get it done.


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 4, 2008)

> 5th year for me.
> 
> Barring any unforeseen disasters, it'll be my 5th 'win', too.


 
That's really awesome  I'm pretty excited for it and it helps that my roommate is doing it with me. I see late nights, screaming, and desperation in my near future. It's gonna be AWESOME!


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## Dan101 (Oct 5, 2008)

Raging_Hopeful said:


> I am f'king doing it people. I WILL DO NANOWRIMO! I've flaked out the past two years but I have two excellent ideas at present and so just need to pick one and go with it. Even though I have the heaviest work load thus far in my collegiate career, I'm still going to do it PERIOD. Anybody else have pre-NaNo thoughts??? Does everyone have an idea of what they're going to write about yet? Any tips for a newbie like me??



I'm in the same boat! 

This will be my first year, but I am ready for it! lol  I have watched people do NaNoWriMo for years, cowering away from it myself...  But this year, I shall do it!


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## virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

I am so thrilled to see so many WFers getting ready for this event because, oh yes, I'm another one, I registered last night! 

I was going to try writing a novel (from an idea I had years ago) as I thought that was a prerequisite with NaNoWriMo, to write a (_new_) fiction. But I don't write fiction - well - and so... discovering, only last night, after hints on this site, that non-fiction was now acceptable (in their 'NaNoRebels' Forum), I return to my favourite genre and a memoir it may well be! 

But I'm all confused today. Shall I do a Part Three to the two parts I have already worked on but not edited, or start something completely anew?

I might have challenged myself to the novel idea but then, as you know, I'm quite severely disabled and time is not something I can take for granted.

Oh well, it's good to be planning anything at all and I'm so glad you guys are on board - it should be a lot of fun! 

Love, Virginia


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## virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

Sorry, forgot to say, this *will* be my first time And, yes, I *am* excited!

V.


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 5, 2008)

Yay Virginia! 

I would say try challenging yourself with something completely new. If you've written two parts already you might find yourself limited or getting stuck because you already have a concrete premise. But then again, different things work for different people so just evaluate what you feel would be a most successful strategy so you don't feel discouraged. Just my two cents.


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## virginia (Oct 6, 2008)

Thank you, RH, you've been very helpful. I do actually think I might be bored by more "remembering"!

And, you know what, there's a little love story I wanted to try once - maybe that would be easier than the other idea which was sort-of sci-fi and needed more research.

Of course, all NaNoWriMo really is, anyway, is practice at writing every day in your own time. Not as easy as when, for example, I was a journalist, had a belligerent news editior and unavoidable deadlines! It's about self-discipline and self-belief in your writing abilities. 

And, if this crazy event in November helps you work on those qualities, then that can only be good. 

_Right_?!

Thank you, again, RH. I hope it goes well for you too and look forward to seeing you "around" over the coming weeks!

Love, Virginia


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## Selorian (Oct 6, 2008)

I'm in again this year. This will be my fifth year. I have a couple of ideas, but the one I think I'm going to run with is a sci-fi/satire in the vein of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 6, 2008)

Yeah I think the romance story would be a great place to start! Funny you mention sci-fi in need of research... the story I'm going with is going to require


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 6, 2008)

.... post continued.

a LOT of research so I'm starting on it now and hammering down at least the scientific framework. To be realistic, I may skim on the science for NaNo and then return and make sure all the details are concrete in the rewrite. Heck, it'll be fun either way! 



> And, if this crazy event in November helps you work on those qualities, then that can only be good.
> _Right_?!


Or drive you into a psychotic meltdown :-D 



> I have a couple of ideas, but the one I think I'm going to run with is a sci-fi/satire in the vein of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.


Ooooo that sounds like fun! Hey, does WF usually host a "share part of your NaNo" thread during NaNo at all? If not we should just have a thread in this section where we post sections of our work as we go along. Not the whole thing obviously but it would be a good way to keep going and maintain momentum.

Cheers,
Linz


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## Selorian (Oct 6, 2008)

We've had a thread for posting excerpts of our NaNo work in the past.  I'm sure another one will turn up here once November rolls around.


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## Sen Yama (Oct 6, 2008)

This will be my first year as well and I'm all psyched up!


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## AA (Oct 11, 2008)

This is my third year. I've had two unsuccessful years but this year is going to be different. I've put seven months into plotting this baby out (I have every scene laid out in the order they happen), so I pretty well know how it's going to go. It's a comic series. I have a great artist already working on the preliminaries too. She, of course, is not doing everything in November, but we plan on having something ready to send out to publishers by February. 

In either case, I'm excited about a month full of intense writing.


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 11, 2008)

That's me officially signed up - woo hoo!!


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## PSFoster (Oct 13, 2008)

I decided to try this year.  It's gonna be hard for a short story writer to stretch out 50,000 words!  But they do say that it doesn't have to be good, and not to edit til after 11/30.  OMG, how do I turn off the editor in my head?  I edit grocery lists!!

My name on nanowrimo is Snapdragon.


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 13, 2008)

cool, will look out for you in the forums. I was going to have a cooler name, but I just stuck with lilacstarflower. I figure november is going to be complicated enough without another username to remember lol


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 15, 2008)

Yay! I'm getting really excited but have been procrastinating on my outline. I've also changed the story I'm going to do. The original one was going to require too much scientific writing which will, I think, discourage me and slow me down. So I'm choosing a lite sci-fi/spec story that I conceptualized in 8th grade but never finished. Gives me a place to start but a chance to do a complete reassemble of the story.


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## Tiamat (Oct 15, 2008)

PS,  I'm going to add you as a buddy, ok?  I only have 2 Nano buddies and that's depressing.    (I'm not creative enough to think of a different user name, so I imagine you'll figure out which one's me.)


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## moderan (Oct 15, 2008)

I've added the usernames I could find to my buddy list. Anyone who wants to can find me under this handle.


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 15, 2008)

Ok, thought this might be a cool thing to try... 

Question is... how do I register? (lol, probably sound like a moron )


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## Tiamat (Oct 15, 2008)

It's easy.  Go here:  National Novel Writing Month.  Click 'sign up'.  I imagine you can figure it out from there.


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 15, 2008)

I followed Moderan's example and added some names to my buddy list - if anyone doesn't want to be on it...tough!!

Nah, only kidding - pm me and I'll take your name off


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## Tiamat (Oct 15, 2008)

I could be wrong, but I don't believe the buddy system works mutually.  I mean, like if I add you to my list, it doesn't automatically put me on yours or notify me or anything.  I'm not sure about that though.

In either case, I added both you and moderan.


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## moderan (Oct 15, 2008)

Hoho...and lots more forums to waste time on. I'm having a hard time sitting on the thing. Have spent two months planning, researching, and plotting the novel. Another month reading related literature (dystopian and cyberpunk sf). I'm getting ready now for National Album Writing Month, which I haven't done before either but should be easy by comparison.
Sir Twilight, definitely come find me when you've gotten joined up


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## moderan (Oct 15, 2008)

Tiamat10 said:


> I could be wrong, but I don't believe the buddy system works mutually. I mean, like if I add you to my list, it doesn't automatically put me on yours or notify me or anything. I'm not sure about that though.
> 
> In either case, I added both you and moderan.


 
Cool. It looks like you're right and there needs to be a manual add to make it mutual. Good luck and good writing to everyone


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 16, 2008)

Actually, Moderan, you were the first person i found. I added you as a buddy, btw. The handle I picked is Sir_Twilight... they didn't allow my space, lol. Still looking for others. Thanks guys for leading me to it.

I think I'm going to do a gritty fantasy novel, got most of it plotted out already. Was going to start working on it now, but I can wait until Nov.


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## Selorian (Oct 16, 2008)

Writingforums.com Group on the NaNo forums.


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## Tiamat (Oct 16, 2008)

Sir Twilight said:


> Actually, Moderan, you were the first person i found. I added you as a buddy, btw. The handle I picked is Sir_Twilight... they didn't allow my space, lol. Still looking for others. Thanks guys for leading me to it.


B-b-but... you didn't add me...?


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## valeca (Oct 16, 2008)

Cool.  I subscribed.  And added some people to my buddy-list.

For those who don't really know how big NaNo has gotten over the past 10 years:


> NaNoWriMo 2007 ended up being ginormous; we crossed the *100,000-author* mark for the first time.



Wow.

Years
1 - 21 authors
2 - 140 authors
3 - 5000 authors
4 - 14,000 authors
5 - 25,000 authors
6 - 42,000 authors (Including me!)
7 - Not sure
8 - 87,000 authors
9 - 100,000 authors!

It's come a long way from those first 21 people scratching out their novels.

Oh, and just for fun...and possibly inspiration:


> The news from the publishing front was similarly bountiful. We were up to 13 manuscripts sold at that point, when we heard about Sara Gruen. Sara had been one of the first participants to sell her NaNoWriMo manuscript, and had since written another NaNoWriMo novel that had become a bestseller, _Water For Elephants_. When her new project went out for auction in the fall of '06, she landed a reported $5.2 million, two-book deal. How did she celebrate? She sat down and wrote another book for NaNoWriMo.


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## moderan (Oct 16, 2008)

That _is_ inspiring. Cool that we have a group


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## PSFoster (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks, T.  I've added you, Lilacstarflower, and moderan to my buddy list.  Y'all keep in touch when this thing gets going.

Has anybody done much planning?  I have a 'sort-of' outline, but don't know how it will end!


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 17, 2008)

My user name is Raging Prose just FYI. Apparently Raging Hopeful was taken....

*grumble grumble*


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## PSFoster (Oct 17, 2008)

I bet the forum here will be a lot quieter in November!

I also have a bunch of buddies from Associated Content writing NaNo this year.

No pressure to finish, huh?  I'd hate to let down 2 of my favorite groups!


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 17, 2008)

I'm outlining just now but hit a place where I'm wondering how I can make an intelligent character flaw his theory...guess I'll figure that bit out as I'm writing. 


Soooooooooooooooo excited!!!


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## moderan (Oct 17, 2008)

I've been planning and researching this project for two months. Have a full outline that I'll likely ignore as soon as I commence. My novel is a prequel to my third novel...which used to be online as an interactive, and has the same mc and basic cast, so I'm at least familiar with the character.
Gonna do it (or most of it) in first person, which I haven't done in book-length before. It's caused me to study in-depth subjects I hadn't much previous knowledge of, and even if the thing doesn't turn out as well as it ought to, that's a huge plus.


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## Tiamat (Oct 17, 2008)

My outline's been done for weeks, and I even went through the arduous task (for me) of naming my characters.  I need to focus on the basics of world-building though, because right now it's just an empty shell with a few beams to hold the basic structure in place.

I'm actually slightly worried about November now though.  Cus I was originally going back to the states at the end of this month, but it's got pushed back to November 12th.  One the one hand, I'll have 20 hours of traveling time to do little else but write, but on the other, I've haven't been in the states for two years now and I can totally see my Nano writing getting pushed to the background to make room for other pursuits.

But here's hoping...


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## moderan (Oct 17, 2008)

That might be a problem...if they help, I posted some good worldbuilding links here a little while ago.
If you can do @4200 words/day during that 12-day period, you'll be done before you get on the plane. That's ten pages in smaller numbers, more or less. And hey, at least you get to come back to the States, whatever else happens. That's a good thing for you, sounds like.


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## Tiamat (Oct 17, 2008)

Heh, 4200 words a day PLUS the 1500 that I have to do for work.  That'd be fun.  I was thinking that if I can use that 20 hours to get a day or two ahead, I can get all the fun stuff out of myself up front when I get back.  Don't know if it'll work, but who knows?

Thanks for the world-building link, by the way.


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 17, 2008)

I've added Tiamat now, and Valeca... I searched for others, can't remember all that I added...

I've already outlined half of my book and the ending... It's part of a series, so it wasn't really that hard.


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## moderan (Oct 17, 2008)

Tiamat10 said:


> Heh, 4200 words a day PLUS the 1500 that I have to do for work. That'd be fun. I was thinking that if I can use that 20 hours to get a day or two ahead, I can get all the fun stuff out of myself up front when I get back. Don't know if it'll work, but who knows?
> 
> Thanks for the world-building link, by the way.


 
Yowtch! That's a whole lotta verbiage. At the end you'd need finger prosthetics...I recommend typing with thimbles on *laughs* both to forestall it and to get used to not feeling those extremities. *ducks* That's sorta like doing a term paper at the last minute.
Well, have fun. It isn't like anyone's gonna come over and shoot ya if you don't make the 50,000. A couple nyaah, nyaahs, and it's over.
You're welcome. My pleasure to post things if they help.


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## alanmt (Oct 17, 2008)

I am now signed up for this year.  If you want to add me as a buddy, just pm me for my nanowrimo name.


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## PSFoster (Oct 18, 2008)

If anybody sees that Snapdragon has added them as a buddy, it was me!


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## candle (Oct 18, 2008)

I think I am out for this year.  Was really looking forward to it, but reality and the calendar seem to have dictated otherwise.  BUT I HATE BEING DICTATED TO!!  Anyway, at least I can be in the cheering section for all who are trying.  Regards,


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## PSFoster (Oct 20, 2008)

A big "Thanks!" from all of us, Candle.


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 20, 2008)

I'm looking for snapdragon as we speak... anyone else I missed?


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 20, 2008)

<---------- Raging Prose


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 20, 2008)

<-- me too. I'm just lilacstarflower there as well


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 22, 2008)

I added both of you guys... thanks for telling me!


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## Katastrof (Oct 22, 2008)

<----- Katastrof


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 22, 2008)

Aight, K, I'm adding you too.


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## valeca (Oct 22, 2008)

Selorian said:


> Writingforums.com Group on the NaNo forums.



Just a reminder, folks.  Let's hear about your novels!


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## Raging_Hopeful (Oct 22, 2008)

My novel is a future dystopia, where an catastrophic climate change has decimated the human population and destroyed much of our infrastructure. The affluent and rich barracaded themselves within "Supercities" and enjoy rudimentary technologies. They also hoarde the books, texts, and knowledge of the past, barring the "Outside World" from reaping the benefits of this knowledge. After hundreds of years, the Supercities become heavily inbred and their culture has stagnated, instilling a heightened sense of paranoia about the outside world. Isolation is complete, but for one group of traders they contract with to go into the outside world and gather spices and resources that are unavailable due to their isolation. But isolation cannot exist in peace. The Supercities are constantly attacked by rebelling forces on the outside, forces who demand the dissemination of knowledge and equal access to the resources that those inside enjoy. To protect themselves the Supercity, Niahera, contracts with the vigilante scourage of the outside world, a band of Raiders, who rule with an iron fist of violence and exploitation. 

But when Hadi, renowned for his ability to procure everything Citizens need, stumbles across an enslaved woman and decides to bring her back to Niahera, everything begins to change. The Head Senator is passing on his rule to Fadia, the youngest member of the Senate, and she has a new vision for the future of Niahera: the unification of the Supercities and the return of power to the Outside. But they cannot do it alone. The Outsider, Aisha now stands in the chasm between the civilized world and the fringes of humanity.

....or something like that


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## moderan (Oct 23, 2008)

My novel, working-titled Milk, is also dystopian, though it is the near-future variety. I'm attempting to do with the insurance industry and certain medical fields the same type of extrapolation/satirization that John Brunner did with overpopulation (Stand On Zanzibar), environmental contamination (The Sheep Look Up), and that C.M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl did with advertising (The Space Merchants).
The story concerns one Tim Searcy, who receives an email asking him to appear at a clinic to have himself scanned, at the behest of his primary insurer. The purpose of this scan is to record the nature of his genome. Tim doesn't understand that the results of this scan can and will be used to deny him benefits in many cases, along with many of the other insureds. When benefits start to become denied, the legal profession gets involved.
During the course of these proceedings, it is revealed that one of the main pharmaceutical houses has developed several "miracle" drugs that were synthesized from chemicals secreted by ants, amazingly resistant to bacilli and viral contagions, and have been distributing these cure-alls to the uber-rich and influential.
At this point, the Grey Panthers begin to riot...their numbers have increased to the point that they're a political power, and they're a tad upset at their benefits being cut down a bit more every presidential term. When it turns out that the same R&D firm that developed the "Ant Milk" also has a line on anti-agathics, things begin to get _really_ interesting.
All of this except for the email and Tim's office visit take place offstage-Tim watches it on 3V. It isn't until he himself is denied benefits that Tim decides to get involved, as the costs involved with his short hospital stay would bankrupt a small country.
Mild-mannered couch potato Tim becomes a wild-eyed revolutionary...though of course he's still a tool.
That's enough for starters. You can read the rest after about November 6th


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## valeca (Oct 23, 2008)

Some really cool news for last years winners:



> Dear NaNoWriMo 2007 Winner,
> 
> Last November, you and those typing fingers of yours did something amazing. And while you were busy bashing out your novel, we were frantically trying to line up a prize worthy of your feat.
> 
> ...



NaNo did something similar in '04 with Lulu.com, but the sheer volume and cost was too much for the company and they didn't offer it to winners outside of the US in following years, which left me out.  

I have the proof copy from my first year, and I'll definitely be taking advantage of this prize!

Hopefully they'll be offering something similar for this year's winners.  Something to keep in mind in week 2 (notoriously the most difficult week during NaNo).


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## valeca (Oct 23, 2008)

A little digging turned up this for this year's participants:



> Get your novel in print and on the market in just a few short weeks!  CreateSpace provides free self-publishing tools, which enable authors, like you, to self-publish and sell your book on Amazon.com and other channels - no setup fees and no inventory needed. *As a 2008 winner of NaNoWriMo, you will be eligible to receive a free proof copy of your trade paperback book. Details will be posted here and on the "I Wrote a Novel, Now What?" page on December 1.*


No promises, but there ya go.


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## moderan (Oct 23, 2008)

Looks pretty good. CreateSpace has been advertising on MySpace for a few months and I keep forgetting to look into them. Amazon has a lot of interesting things developing for writers and musicians. Another notable effort is SoundUnwound, which is done in conjunction with imdb. Like a wiki database for bands and solo artists.


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## Sir Twilight (Oct 23, 2008)

My novel is about a seemingly cold-hearted assassin that gets himself caught in a war between two guilds... One of these guilds procure a summoning book that holds secrets of black magic. The assassin has to take down an obsessed guild member that has unlocked the secrets. At the end, the killer takes interest and uses the book himself. He makes a deal with a demon in exchange for black magic powers, in exchange for a life.

But he was not told how many lives.

When the assassin is instructed to kill children, he refuses, and the demon possesses him. For a couple months, he is controlled against his will, until a cleric finds out about the possession. He drives the demon's spirit out. In the following battle, the demon destroys the cleric, but the cleric also banishes him.

The cleric's daugher, a fledgling priestess, nurses the assassin back to health, in body and soul. Then they quest out to take down that demon, even if it means descending into the depths of Hell.


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## PSFoster (Oct 25, 2008)

My story is about an 11 year old boy who is sexually abused until he is 15, and how it affects his teen years.  I hope.  Working title:  Lost Innocence


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## lilacstarflower (Oct 25, 2008)

My story is about a boy trying to adjust to life in a detention centre. He gets involved in helping out the gardener in an attempt to be released back into foster care. However, he starts uncovering some of the mystery surrounding certain disappearances and a murder. He figures the only way he help is to become one  of the gang he suspects is responsible. Hopefully it's psychological, but it involves some urban fantasy as well


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## froman (Oct 30, 2008)

This is pretty cool.  I had no idea that this even existed until I saw this section of the forum.  I'm already 15,000 words into my first novel so won't do it this year (probably too late anyway) and since it's my first I'm a little tentative and want to take my time, but I'm definitely interested in doing this in the future.

I'm a really slow writer anyway and I'm a notorious procrastinator who does well in crunch time, so I think this will be really good for me.  If I finish my novel by next October you'll be hearing from me.


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## moderan (Oct 31, 2008)

Well, good luck with your 1st novel. I'm already mulling next year's project.


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## PSFoster (Oct 31, 2008)

moderan said:


> Well, good luck with your 1st novel. I'm already mulling next year's project.



Still the show-off!!


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## kidstaple (Oct 31, 2008)

Wait, how does a person go about winning NaNoWriMo? Make it to 50,000 words or more? I'm confused. (Granted it doesn't take much to make me confused.)

~Rodney


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## Selorian (Oct 31, 2008)

Yep.  Hit 50,000 words by the end of the month and you're a winner.


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