On November 1, 15 brave FrontRow readers took up the challenge of attempting to write a novel in a month as part of the National Novel Writing Month challenge. We knew our writing didn’t have to be polished, interesting, or very good. It was only necessary to try and accomplish the heavy lifting of novel writing – the grueling schlepping through chapters and plot and character development to get the bare bones of a finished work of fiction on paper by the stroke of midnight, November 30.
Some of us have already confessed to giving up – myself among them. But, impressively, others have accomplished the task.
And so, brave souls, who as of today can claim to have finished a complete work of fiction?
As promised, we will host a public reading for the participants. Details on that will follow in the coming week.
Profile: Phil Collins' Separate Lives: Music And Remembering The Alamo
Why Phil Collins Remembers The Alamo Better Than You Do
Nazis, Zombies, Cowboys, Robots And Airships: Trey Garrison Signs Two Book Deal With Harper Collins
Catching Up With Ben Fountain, Whose New Novel Comes Out Tomorrow
8 comments
Done and done. Now I have to remember how to write short stories again. Ack!
I failed. But I’m not stopping. I’ll finish it anyway!
As mentioned, I didn’t even come close. But I may adapt one of my chapters into a short story.
I failed too. I did finish my other novel (after six years :)) I plan on trying again in January. If you guys do a reading, I will be there to cheer!
I’ll absolutely be there to support those who didn’t give up like me! Next year is my year! I feel it! :)
I registered with the NaNoWriMo national web site on 11/15. Cut and pasted my manuscript into their word-counter on 11/26. Just under 62,000 words. Got the NaNoWriMo certificate and tee shirt to prove it! Will be glad to email the certificate (.pdf format) to anyone who’d like to see what it looks like. And, when Peter invites us up to drink Allison’s booze, I’m damn sure going to be wearing the tee shirt. Maybe under a nicer shirt, but it will be there and I’ll be prepared to unbutton my nice shirt and show it off. Only, when asked by a pretty girl to do it, however. Now, while we’re waiting on Peter’s invitation, I’ve got to dive into the manuscript and clean it up. Yuk!!
I registered and got my certificate yesterday, 76,848 (but remember I started with just over 10,000). Have considered quitting my job to write sex scenes professionally. My husband, who is also my boss, is not pleased.
After submission I of course realized that the novel is laid out all wrong – the hero cannot make an entrance in Chapter 11 for god’s sake. So I printed it, charted out each chapter, and am now in the process of cutting up my words, deleting total crap and the repetitive. And I still have to add a murder.
I blame this on Nancy Nichols who turned me onto the writing book, Bird By Bird. It has become my roadmap to try to write a quality, publishable Romance Novel. For the younger girls in the group, menopause helps spur crazy impulses like this one.
Beausoleil, a novel of epic love, intrigue and suspense, who knows?
I LOVE Bird by Bird!!!