NaNoWriMo 2011!

It's November! Which means that I will participating in NaNoWriMo again! What is NaNoWriMo, you ask? Well, National Novel Writing Month! You basically try to write as much as you can towards a goal of 50,000 words. It doesn't matter if those words are crap! Shut up your inner editor and just write. You can do it! Here's more info: NaNo website and if you want to add me as a writing buddy, my username is lvngbooks :)

If you're a nosy person like I am, you're probably wondering why I join and what I'm going to write about. Well, I join because it gives me the opportunity to write write write and not think about anything else. It gives me the opportunity to add purple squids, a crazy monkey, guys who talk in game terms, wicked dreams and evil teachers without thinking 'does this contribute to my plot?'. I love that! Last year, I didn't reach my goal. But I did manage to write over 20,000 words - which was a record for me! I've never written anything longer than, say, 2,500 words - not counting my thesis. The support from fellow NaNo-ers is amazing and the wordsprints are crazy fun!

Like last year, I will be writing a YA story, but this time I've picked a dystopian novel for my story. I don't want to say too much about it, but it's a dystopian thriller, first book in a trilogy (I thought of so much awesome stuff that I couldn't possibly fit that into one book - unless it has 1,500 pages) and at the moment, my main character is still nameless. Which is sad, really.

I've spent days outlining this story and have a storyline up until around 3/4 of the book, along with an ending. I have an idea where it needs to go in between, but I guess I'll see that along the road. I've been outlining, thinking of characters (both names and fleshing them out), themes, drawing maps and all kinds of awesome stuff. I've been researching trees, wicked places and music in order to make this one a success. Because I am determined to make it this year!

So if you don't see as much of me around here, that's why. I have scheduled reviews and other fun stuff, and I'll probably be on twitter anyway, but if it's quiet for a while.. You know what I'm doing. Writing. Or drooling over Eric and Alcide when I decide that writing can wait and hot guys come first.

Are you participating in NaNo this year? If so, what's your story idea? Have you outlined? Or will you just go with the flow when you start writing? Nosy girl is nosy!

Cartoon images: Errol Elumir for NaNoWriMo.org