Comments on: How to Write a Novel in 30 Days

By: Alexa

Alexa — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 16:56:47 +0000

I’m eleven (twelve on Jan. fourth) and thought this was exceptional. Could you please post an artical about the plot line, character sketches, ect.

Please take me seriously. I’m a fair writer and not your everyday teen. At this very moment, I’m listening to Michael Crawford’s Music Of the Night, from The Phantom of the Opera.

By: Michelangelo Bucci

Michelangelo Bucci — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:37:50 +0000

Twitter browsing, I stumbled upon this text editor:

http://vimeo.com/7670108

Maybe the most uncluttered editor possible…

By: Lise

Lise — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:26:12 +0000

I’m doing NaNo again this year! Sooooo much fun.

While I generally agree with the “turn off the internet” advice, I have to say that I’ve pumped out most of my current ~8k words hanging out in NaNo IRC and doing word wars, timed writing events. I suppose I shouldn’t be so dependent on them, but the energy is just so high – you could power a factory on the energy generated by excited NaNos!

By: Chinagrrrl

Chinagrrrl — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:04:32 +0000

Yay! I’m on my third year of being a NaNo’grrrl. I love it. I’m http://blog.chinakrysdarrington.com/nanowrimo/ to record my NaNo’ing progress and padawanchina on NaNoWriMo.org.

Good luck! Add me as a writing buddy if you want. I’m a great cheerleader.

By: Bern

Bern — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:24:50 +0000

I joined NaNo and hit my daily word quota for the first day. The first step is the hardest to make, so they say. Made it through that, more glorious aches to come. Thanks to Mr. Babauta.

By: Qrystal

Qrystal — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:05:48 +0000

Just wanted to recommend a no-frills writing tool called Q10: http://www.baara.com/q10/

It’s a free Windows-based tool that puts you into a nice full-screen, no-distraction mode with only the pleasant sound of typing (optionally enhanced with sound effects from the program itself) to keep you going. It also runs portably from a USB drive, if you so desire.

I am not associated with the creator of this software; I’ve just used it, and found it very interesting.

I also use The Journal (from davidrm.com) which is a little less distraction-free, and is not cost-free either, but it’s nice for organizing writing. I think might write in Q10, but then save each day’s draft version in The Journal so I can track my progress. Or something.

Happy writing, everybody!

By: Dawn in NL

Dawn in NL — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:42:21 +0000

Hi Leo,
I just wanted to let you know that you convinced me to sign up for NaNoWriMo. I had been thinking about it and even had the beginnings of a plot but your post was just what was needed to tip me over.

Thanks for the great links. See you on the other side.

By: Jonny | thelifething.com

Jonny | thelifething.com — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:36:24 +0000

I am writing two in 3 months. Does that count lol?

By: Chanel

Chanel — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:53:01 +0000

Great tips! Great inspiration! Thank you.

By: Jan Richards

Jan Richards — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:26:53 +0000

Hi Leo,

Congratulations on the decision to join NaNoWriMo again. Yes, to those who haven’t done it, it may be hard to believe it’s fun…but it is. After five years straight, I “can’t not” take the first draft in one month route this year again.

If nothing else, NaNoWriMo gives you great practice in the daily discipline of writing (1667 words a day, every day, will get you there). It also yields greater quality and quantity than one might believe could be so, writing with the wild abandon that the one month limit creates.

And it’s pretty fascinating to start a story thinking you know which direction it will go, and find that at some point (or more than one), the story knows where it must go, instead.

Thanks for this post, and the great ideas for making the NaNoWriMo process easier.

And good luck with your novel soon!