Camp NaNoWriMo for Redwall Fan Fiction Writers

[Free Thought]

This actually sounds like a cool idea.  Too bad I'm not able to commit to it!  Have a blast guys (and gals) and happy writing.

A little tip for hitting word counts- remember your descriptions and use of creative dialogue.  Remember it's not what they said but how they said it that can set the mood for a story and add worthy 'bulk' to your story!  Always outline your story objectives and/or points you want to highlight for each chapter and stick to them!  Just some food for thought, hope it helps you!

PS--> Shadowed One: Love the name in your tagline for LOTRO 

[Shadowed One]

Yeah, hope you don't mind but I do like him as a character.

[Free Thought]

Sure, why not.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right?

Anyways, don't abuse him too much and remember- HE'S MY OC!!!  (Though I'm not sure even Middle Earth can withstand his character- hahaha)

[Blazemane]

Thanks for the encouragement, Free Thought!

Always outline your story objectives and/or points you want to highlight for each chapter and stick to them!

Argh. Actually, this is kind of what's killing me now. Only, not on a chapter-by-chapter basis. I had started thinking about my story a while back with a specific, central plot idea in mind. Then I realized I should probably let that one go, and I replaced it with something else.

But I'm realizing that I don't have much to "say" with what I've got right now. I still really, really want to get into this story, because I began writing it last December, and I've already poured countless hours into it, and I have enjoyed doing so, and I want to continue to enjoy doing so. But I'm scared the story, as it stands in my head right now, would seem really empty by the time it's done--bad guys come/bad guys get beat.

I'm not saying there has to be a moral--although, to be 100% honest, I do love to write with those in mind. But... just speaking about "story," this new plot doesn't drive me to exploring it and getting it out for its own sake, and I feel like maybe I need a third new plot or something.

To complicate the matter, today I got a "pep talk" from NaNoWriMo (an email from a writer doling out advice to all participating NaNoWriMo writers--Brian Jacques actually gave one a few years back) that specifically spoke against letting uncertainty about "What is my novel about?" stop one from getting into their story and writing.

Do novels have to be planned like I want mine planned? Or should I be following the "run-with-it" mentality?

[Free Thought]

Ah the age old question- HOW TO WRITE A STORY, or rather HOW TO GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD AND ON TO PAPER!!!!

Here's my advice... Do what you think is best.

Every author is different, every author approaches text differently, but importantly so do readers!  No story is going to captivate an entire audience- some it will bore, others it will never cease to amaze them.  So I guess in this sense, don't get hung up on the fact that someone might not like it, or think that its bland. 

Also, your target readership changes that view.  A story with a simple plot may be good for an intermediate reader and bore an advanced one, while an advanced story of dialect and plot construction with some gray characters thrown in there may be WAY too much for an intermediate reader to comprehend and thus turn them away.  Clear as mud?

I can't really give you any simple yes/no advice, but I can help you relate to some of your material (maybe) through my experiences...  So here it goes:

I've written a couple of things, here and there on FanFiction.net.  I know some on this site have read them, others, not a chance (again with the whole idea of not all stories are for everyone).  My first epic I wrote was what I thought a lovely story about Martin and Rose spanning 150K words and 62 chapters... of some of the biggest bad stuff I've ever spewed out.  But at the time, I thought it was great.  People kept reading, I kept writing.  The problem is that I had this grand idea and a movie reel of events playing in my head with no sort of plan except what I wanted to say in a chapter.  Chapters varied in length (shortest 500words, longest over 8000!) and some characters were developed, but others (like the baddies) were grossly under described and made the whole thing kinda... meh.  Sure, it was heartbreaking in parts, but in the end, my minor characters stole the show and readership DEMANDED more of them.

After that I started experimenting with different voices and narration styles, which helped my hone my own author voice into a more convincing and real storyteller.  As such, my second epic about Martin the Elder Warrior, I actually deleted and am rewriting into what I and others still following the story believe to be a much better tale.  For example, I am currently on chapter 16 in that epic which was about chapter 6 in its precursor.  See the lack of description and character development?  Scary, huh.  But that's the difference I've gotten by setting chapter objectives and fully sketching my characters.

And by character sketches, don't get me wrong, I don't sit there and write, "blue eyes, brown hair, shoots bow well"- I actually write out mini stories about them that highlight/show their qualities, which I then turn into companion pieces for my epics and 'publish' them along side the tale.

I'm digressing a bit here.  Sorry.  As for multiple plots- KISS method, Keep It Simple Stupid. Yes, more than one is fine, but it works best if you can get them to either tie in or intersect at some point so its not like you have multiple stories in one...

Hope that helps!!!

Oh and if your stuck, do what I do- flip-write!  If you have chapter objectives you can do this... like if your stuck on chapter 17, go to chapter 21 and start writing it to get your creative juices flowing!!!!

[Shadowed One]

Sure, why not.  Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery right?

Anyways, don't abuse him too much and remember- HE'S MY OC!!!  (Though I'm not sure even Middle Earth can withstand his character- hahaha)

Ok.

[Osu]

Bump! Camp NaNo for July 2014 will soon be upon us. Is anybody participating?

I think everybody should join up and write Redwall fanfiction. *waggles eyebrows*

[Gonff the Mousethief]

I will be joining, but i have yet to get an idea...

[Osu]

Good for you! You've got almost an entire month to think of something, there's no hurry on that front.

[Gonff the Mousethief]

Ya! Well, ill be sure to think of an idea!

[cairn destop]

For those who have never tried this, but have an idea tickling the back of their mind, give it a try.  The contest has just one contestant, you.  Once you pass the 50K word mark, you've won.  Extra points if you finish the story.

The idea is to write.  Get that verbal vomit down on paper.  Depending on your typing speed, the 1,700 words per day is not that hard.  At just 40 WPM, you'll spend 4 hours a day.  One hint is to be as flowery in your prose as possible. 

Yes, I did this one year.  That story was my second long book in the vermin badger series, The New Arrival.  When November ended, I passed the 57K word mark.  Remarkable for somebody with a max typing speed of 25 WPM.

Check out part two of this challenge.  In March, there is the NANOEDMO contest.  This stands for NAtional NOvel EDit MOnth.  The idea is to take all that verbal vomit from November and edit it into a cohesive story.  Needless to say, mine needed a lot of (censored) work.  Ask if you want a good laugh.

My story went down to 35K and then expanded to its current 37K form. 

Now for the big question.  Would I do it again?  You bet, though if I do, I'll be better prepared.  I'll have it outlined and my character bios ready.  Extemporaneous  writings isn't my style.  I'm an outline writer.

[Gwen A. Mouse]

So who's doing NaNoWriMo this year, and what's your genre?

(I'm working on a Steampunk/Fantasy novel this November.)

[cairn destop]

Thinking of a Redwall - Dracula horror story.  Got the idea, have a general outline, might give it a whirl.  Not posting it anywhere until it goes through edits; I learned my lesson. 

Since it wouldn't seem appropriate to post a horror story unless it is near Halloween, you'll have to wait until next year to see if I got anything worthwhile.

[cairn destop]

It is now November 14, 2014.  Time to confess to your progress, or lack thereof, in this year's NANOWRIMO challenge.

As of last night, I have passed the 20K mark.  With this week being international break for the BPL, I'm hoping to be abusing the keyboards for several additional hours.  Story is unfolding.

Now let's hear from other participants.  How goes the race to 50K?

[Darkenmal]

Personally I would have loved to participate, but I have been so busy due to school. Your Dracula/Redwall idea is very interesting, though. Be sure to post it when it is finished!