Oh yes, it’s almost that time of year again! No, I don’t mean Christmas (although: woohoo, almost Christmas), but National Novel Writing Month.
Yet again my favourite (and not so favourite) blogs will be littered with excerpts — or occasionally (and unfortunately), chapters — from these so-called “writer’s” NaNoWriMo stories. Generally regurgitated from their favourite childhood books and butchered to the point where they do perhaps begin to resemble original works, we’ll all be forced to ooh and aah at “their” literary genius.
It wouldn’t be so torturous if half of the NaNoWriMo participants had any sort of basic grasp on the concept of punctuation, grammar or more importantly: writing skills, but they don’t. Of course, I’m no expert when it comes to the English language but I can tell if a sentence sounds right just by reading it aloud… something any idiot can do (apart from J. K. Rowling it would seem, but as I’ve never published any books nor had my stories turned into popular movies I’ll shut up before I dig myself a large hole.)
Negativity aside, I will (time permitting) be taking part in the November writing festivities and already have ideas for a plot rolling around in the dusty chambers of my brain. Let’s just hope that I get further than I did in 2004…
25 Oct at 4:32 pm
I’ve never heard of National Novel Writing Month, it’s funny though because I was just about to start on some stories that have been floating about in my head lately. What I think is odd though; a lot of people who’s first language is English don’t seem to get the grasps of a proper sentence. Even though my first language is not English I can hear by reading it aloud or just by reading it if a sentence makes sense or not. I wonder if it’s just because they don’t care about speaking (or writing) a language properly anymore or if it’s something else..
25 Oct at 4:45 pm
I have never heard of the national writing thingy and frankly i don’t care! I’m not much of a writer and i hope you will not litter you home page with book crap that I’m forced to read as i enjoy you ranting on! and tell Karl to update his site! P.S. Karl’s site has a few bugs. Also unlike he geeky t-shirt it is a bug not a feature!
25 Oct at 4:51 pm
I, rather idiotically it seems, have roped myself into this too… I doubt I’ll fare very well (what with taking 2 OU courses at the same time too), but I’ll try atleast. Best of luck
25 Oct at 4:57 pm
This is my first year taking part, and depending on whether or not I get past the first chaper, might also be my last. However I’m not going to inflict my dreadful plotless story on my blog readers (Ha!). I’m publishing on a subdomain, so reading my story is pretty much optional.
25 Oct at 5:46 pm
I’m going to try this year…I’m not gonna put it on my blog, though!!
25 Oct at 5:51 pm
Strange how just five minutes before I came to your site I was on that site. o_o Meh, may or may not take part. My grammar sucks. :D
25 Oct at 7:30 pm
I wish it’s something I could do, but I can’t write in quantity (or plot). Never could. As for JKR, the idea that you have to have created in order to criticise is a great fallacy, I think. You can see flaws in others’ work without necessarily being about to create something of better or even comparable quality. (And no, I can’t stand the Harry Potter brand either!)
25 Oct at 8:29 pm
This is the first time I’m hearing about it, and I doubt I’ll write, but good luck.
25 Oct at 9:50 pm
J.K. Rowling is actually a good writer. If she weren’t good, then she wouldn’t be popular, or else the world has no integrity left. The one thing that I can give to all prople writing novels is perserverence. Most people don’t have that kind of patience.
26 Oct at 1:27 am
Actually, no, J.K. Rowling isn’t a good writer- she’s a good STORYTELLER. They’re not the same thing. I too am participating unofficially this year in the novel writing month. I’m unsue if you have to be a certain age (e.g: 18+) to officially enter.
26 Oct at 3:28 am
Yes, J.K. Rowling’s stories are good, and her writing is okay. Though, Dan Brown cannot write for anything, really. Gah, Jem, you should see those who write at FanFiction.Net . It really is atrocious there. Especially the Harry Potter Fan Fiction. Which are all the exact same things. I’ll probably never take part. I can’t write D:.
26 Oct at 6:07 am
I wish you luck on the contest. There is no way I will participate – as my writing and grammar skills – especially in english would make me receive an award for even trying.
26 Oct at 1:47 pm
For some reason it kept saying my comment wasn’t allowed due to the content. I’m not sure why. I’m participating this year also. Good luck!
26 Oct at 2:34 pm
@Xeronia: then the world has no integrity left. I know plenty of things that are popular because they just “are”, not because they’re any good. (My site for instance, harhar! ) @Katie: no, there is no minimum age to participate – you should sign up!
26 Oct at 5:17 pm
even if I did ever feel the need to spew out 50 thousand words of waffley nonsense, I wouldn’t do it as nanowrimo on principle.
26 Oct at 8:55 pm
Uh oh, that’s about to start. I am so not prepared yet. I’ll have to do the same thing I did the last 2 years – pull a story out of my ear and fail miserably, yay!
26 Oct at 10:05 pm
I remember for a school assignment we were supposed to report on Nanowrimo (yes, report on it… the dumbest assignment ever). I was part of the story-writing group (thank God!), but I never got more than a page and I didn’t take it really seriously. I’d like to participate sometime, but I know for sure it won’t be anytime soon. Were you able to reach the goal last year?
26 Oct at 10:40 pm
I hate it when NaNoWriMo comes around (even though I’d love to do it) because all the wanna-be losers who think they can write (and aspire to be a _real_ writer even though they don’t know what I’m referring to when I say “full-stop. Use it”) come out to play and brag that they did NaNoWriMo again. One person I know in particular bugs me because she acts like it’s a big sacrifice on her part to participate. She drops everything, and even though she can’t write, she waves it around and sings her own praises to anyone and everyone who will listen (and surprisingly enough there are quite a few who will listen :(). And lol @ the J.K. Rowling comment. To anyone who thinks she can write I guess you were too excited over the latest book to notice the terrible writing on the first page that made me close the book before going any further . Read whatever you want, I enjoy Harlequins (but only to laugh at I assure you), but don’t claim that it’s something it’s not. Namely good writing.[/end useless crap not really relevant to the blog entry (sry Jem)]
27 Oct at 1:43 am
Really? No minimum age? Sweet. See you all in a month when I have time to get online! I’ll be too busy writing my novel…
27 Oct at 1:56 am
I hope to do NaNoWriMo some day when I have the time/energy/desire to do so. I know I for one would really have to be in the writing mood. Otherwise I’d just spew some nonsense and then go to thesaurus.com and fill it with lots of flowery words to make me look smart. And NO ONE likes reading that.
27 Oct at 12:50 pm
Ooh, I have an idea for that…teehee. I have tried writing a novel, but I keep rereading it and finding that it doesn’t make sense or it’s just not good. A cousin of mine, who is a published author, does the same stinking thing, so I’m not expecting any new stories out of him any time soon…
28 Oct at 5:13 am
I have never taken part in that, and I doubt I ever will. (: I prefer to write as a pasttime, not competitively, because there are limits like time constraint and such which makes writing come out seemingly false and forced sometimes. Ah, anyway. :P My attention span can’t cope with it either.
28 Oct at 9:13 pm
I just hate the quality that comes out of forced writing, especially in the middle of school. I’m rewriting my novel and I’m lucky to manage a page or two every week. As for the writing, well, I’m a bit critical of the work that appears on NaNoWriMo. Like others have said, it feels rushed and disorganized; add this to the fact that forced writing creates so many plot holes. The concept’s great, but no good novel can be written in a month – I wish they’d learn that.
29 Oct at 1:49 am
Ahh! I am participating if I can find the time. I’m not sure that I will share much, if any, online.
29 Oct at 7:05 am
This sounds interesting… unfortunately I can’t write ‘original’ novels. I keep turning my characters into my favourite book/anime ones (bawls). Good luck with the NaNoWriMo, then. P.S. JKR’s writing style is not THAT bad, plus she’s ot lots of quality humour *insert obnoxious sticks-out-tongue smiley*
29 Oct at 5:57 pm
I am a participant in the NaNoWriMo festivities too. Of course, it is obvious when organising an international competition with as only rule to reach a 50.000 word count, that there will be grammar, punctiation and spelling mistakes. The only thing that can be done to solve that is to add in more rules regarding this subject, but seeing as NaNoWriMo accepts work in any language, I think that’s just another mission impossible even Tom Cruise cannot deal with. Good luck with NaNoWriMo.
29 Oct at 10:19 pm
“J.K. Rowling is actually a good writer. If she weren’t good, then she wouldn’t be popular, or else the world has no integrity left.” Nono, in reality: JKR isn’t.. really a good writer, she just has a good imagination which made her popular and rich. ;D PS. Jem, I added you as a buddy. :D (I’m Mooshie :P)
30 Oct at 6:12 am
I laugh at the JKR comment. Sure, the plot is good, but holy shit my head hurts from the crappy English. Good luck with NaNoWriMo.
30 Oct at 6:24 am
I’m a “hobbyist” writer myself (well.. mostly fanfics… yay for fandom? haha!) and I have heard of NaNoWriMo years ago, but never really participated in to it. I also admit that most of the entries there aren’t that really good (this is coming from a reader’s standpoint of course). Then again, I like to write for my enjoyment, not to compete with other writers… :) I have to agree w/ Jenny regarding JK Rowling. She’s a genius when it comes to plot and concept, but sometimes her writing style isn’t as strong as most “veteran” writers (read: Margaret Atwood O.O) do. But, we’re all different with various tastes in literary works after all. :) Wish you the best in NaNoWriMo Jem! :)
26 Nov at 4:24 pm
I agree that JK’s writing is pants, but at the same time I’m happy for her that she really put herself out there and it paid off in spades. Plus a whole generation of kids is way more likely, not just to read, but to read with their parents. A miracle! Hopefully she hasn’t deluded herself into thinking she’s a good writer, but she’s got a talent for sensing what will sell, that’s for sure.