I was keen to follow-up on the 50,000 word challenge, the name of which I can never remember. You were recommended to me by @lesleydewar in Perth Australia. I trust her.

You give so much info away in one post, I don’t know where I’ll start. But one impression I have already: you know your way round this writing business. Love the architectural approach.

I failed nanowrimo. Failed to complete the challenge. Only wrote a paltry 178 pages of a handwritten epic poem in my Moleskine Notebook.

In case you’re tricked into being impressed: I write poetry better than prose, and find it easier to write. Simply a habit I’ve developed. I’m one of those nerds who can talk iambic pentameter for Ireland, in my sleep.

“It is the only way to go my friend.
Averse to drink, I barely write a line
without the thought you probably think me fool…

I’ll be back again soon.
@omanblog

As I only got to 51+k written, obviously I have more to write to finish my novel. But I wouldn’t have gotten ANYWHERE without Larry’s story structure. Your story structure series & eBook have been invaluable. With that structure I knew when I need a plot twist or an entire subplot. It has changed how I approach my writing – and I was already an outliner! I can’t thank you enough, Larry.

I will say, for those who were skeptical about Nano, I got out of it what I wanted. A manuscript wasn’t even at the top of the list. A steady habit of writing is what I wanted to develop. Seeing that I could put off procrastination and get my butt in the chair and produce. I accomplished that. Even if the words were trash, I put 51k words together in 30 days. And I could do it again. That I can never lose, delete, or forget.

There is a site called NaNoFiMo, for those who want to reach 80k words for their unfinished novels (Nano or other). The challenge runs this month, but it’s still early in the month, and you only have to write 30k words. Seems like cake after 50! It’s a much smaller group, but they’re putting up challenges already (9k words by 10 Dec). It should help keep me on track while the holidays are busying distracting me. (Find the link at the ‘I wrote a novel, now what?’ link at Nanowrimo.)

I got Liquid Story Binder (there was a half-off special last month) on rave reviews for it. Haven’t had a chance to play with it much, but so far it looks all right. But I was working it with a WIP, and I think it would be most beneficial for a new project. Maybe. I might find it invaluable once I get to using it more.

Thanks again, Larry. I am ever so grateful for your work.

I wrote mostly to exercise my writing muscles – the longest story I’ve written before was 5000 words and I want to write a novel. So I was writing with the intention of throwing it all away, and then getting back to the crime novel I started earlier this year.

Except half way through I suddenly had a flash of insight and saw a structure that could turn the whole thing into a real novel…

So now I am part way writing two novels – insane but also sort of exciting.

And I did learn a lot by just writing every day – partly how the words do mount up, but also I became more fluent, and I started to generate lots more ideas – I have half a dozen ideas for stories I recorded in my notebook as I went along.

And, keep the faith, Patrick. Scrivener will surely see the light and realize that PC’s still outnumber Macs (but we’re gaining on ya.)

Good article, Larry. (Though there is the off-chance that that pantser won’t even need another draft, just a hefty revision like the rest of us. )

How many others on here are still plowing through their NaNo stories btw? I only managed 54k+ during NaNo, even though I finished 50k on the 25th, and am still pushing along towards what looks to be a 100k story (my midpoint was almost exactly at the 50k mark).

M.M
I get where you’re coming from. I’ve found I’m begining to become an addict as well. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one. lol

Oh and thanks for the tip on that program…. it sounds perfect.