Ideas, ITT.
1) describe how a person discovers their BIP.
2) map your plot as a process of moving from Malkuth to Ain Soph Aur.
3) graphic killing spree.
4) your life, only better.
5) goldfish can talk.
1) take a favorite song or album, make up a story from it without alluding to the actual inspirational piece and flesh it out into 50,000 words.
2) go to a mall/restaurant/busy area and people watch, then make a story up about who you see, what they do, and how they interact
3) drink heavily one evening and write down any crazy idea you have, then look at your list the next day when you're sober
Quote from: Suu on October 08, 2008, 07:38:25 PM
1) take a favorite song or album, make up a story from it without alluding to the actual inspirational piece and flesh it out into 50,000 words.
Did you ever read Lester Bang's take on "Maggie May"?
No I haven't, actually. But I have my own idea in mind for that particular brainstorm.
Cool. I wasn't trying to dis you btw; I think you'd get a kick out of it.
I hate the song, but the story is incredible.
I'm going to have to look this up, aren't I? Lol.
No, my idea is for The Gates of Delirium if not the entire Relayer album. I've had the idea in my head for years, so I figure if I can spew out 175 pages of half-baked ideas into a novel, I may be able to go back to it later and flesh it out.
Heh, I used to have that on double cassette back in '86.
I actually did some Relayer-related artwork back in college. My dad tried to get me to send it to Yes because he figured they would probably really enjoy it, but I never got up the courage to do it. I also don't want to encroach on the Yes Planet story as is, it would just be my own take.
Heh. I've always been partial to The Yes Album, and Close to the Edge.
I am currently thinking about writing a short novel about someone taking the journey from Cabbage to Human... I just haven't decided if its gonna be stuffed in symbol or rather direct.
I just want to add something here.
According to Polti, there are only 36 types of dramatic plot, at least when he was writing. I shall post the themes below:
1) Supplication - requires a persecutor, a Suppliant and someone in power whose decision is doubtful
i) fugitives who require help against enemies
ii) Assistance in a quest
iii) Appeals for refuge
iv) Seeking pardon, redemption or forgiveness
2) Deliverance - requires an Unfortunate, a Threatener and a Rescuer
3) Crime pursued by vengeance
4) Vengeance taken for kindred, upon kindred
5) Pursuit - requires punishment and a fugitive
6) Disaster - requires a vanquished power, a victorious enemy or a messenger
7) Falling prey to cruelty or misfortune
8) Revolt - tyrants and conspirators
9) Daring enterprise - bold leaders, objectives and adversaries
10) Abduction
11) The Enigma - interrogator, seeker and problem
12) Obtaining - a solicotor and an adversary who is refusing, or an arbitrator and opposing parties
13) Emnity of Kinsmen
14) Rivalry of Kinsmen
15) Murderous adultery
16) Madness
17) Fatal imprudence
18) Involuntary crimes of love
19) Slaying of a kinsmen unrecognized
20) Self-sacrificing for an ideal
21) Self-sacrifice for kindred
22) All sacrificed for a passion
23) Necessity of sacrificing loved ones
24) Rivalry of superior and inferior
25) Adultery
26) Crimes of Love
28) Obstacles of Love
29) An enemy loved
30) Ambition
31) Conflict with a God
32) Mistaken Jealousy
33) Erroneous Judgement
34) Remorse
35) Recovery of a lost one
36) Loss of loved ones
Yes I know that is missing one, but so is my copy.
Wow.
So, we mix and match, then?
I see a random number generator in my future.
Nearly 6MB of plot writing ideas.
James Frey included merely for the lulz
http://mihd.net/b3s4ern
Wow. Cain, you're like a public library with an attitude.
Quote from: LMNO on October 08, 2008, 08:32:33 PM
Wow. Cain, you're like a public library with an attitude.
Will quit at FU to work at library of Cain!
Quote from: LMNO on October 08, 2008, 08:32:33 PM
Wow. Cain, you're like a public library with an attitude.
Having nearly 10 gig of books does come in handy, at times. Even if it means a reading list which would make a PhD candidate cry.
Incidentally, I have just got to the section about plot in No Plot No Problem.
Two things: do not get attached to your plots. You are not going to write a masterpiece, get used to the fact. This is for fun, not literary genius.
Secondly, he suggests coming up with a plot "Magna Carta". Write down a list of things you enjoy in a novel. For example, love stories, set in urban areas, cranky old people, transport mishaps, romantic comedy etc. Then write down a list of things which you hate in a novel and depress you. For example, mental illness, set on farms, period dramas, useless damsels in distress etc List one is the main one you should work from to come up with a plot. List two is things you should avoid like the plague.
Of course, he also suggests not doing all this until your final week before the competition begins, just so you have no time to become attached to a plot.
Quote from: Cain on October 08, 2008, 09:12:03 PM
Of course, he also suggests not doing all this until your final week before the competition begins, just so you have no time to become attached to a plot.
funk 'dat. It takes
time for me to get started on something and then fail to complete it.
Quote from: Cramulus on October 08, 2008, 09:31:55 PM
Quote from: Cain on October 08, 2008, 09:12:03 PM
Of course, he also suggests not doing all this until your final week before the competition begins, just so you have no time to become attached to a plot.
funk 'dat. It takes time for me to get started on something and then fail to complete it.
Dude, out of all of us, you should be one of the last to say that ;-)
Okay, so I went and signed up at their main page, here's my profile: http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/407270
If anyone else signs up, do add me as a writing buddy, and yes, my board signature there IF I so choose to post says I'm Team PrincipiaDiscordia.com. :lulz:
Heh. That's a good idea. "Team PrincipiaDiscordia.com". I like it.
Ohai http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/407411
Hallooo! http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/407443
I figured why the fuck not for buddies and teams and wtf. If a group of us are doing it anyway, we may as well be saps and have fun with it.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/407550 (http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/407550)
Added.
I have a feeling this is going to turn into one big fucking troll.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/8181
I think I came up with something approaching a plot today.
Well, the start of one at least. Writing it down now to remind me, then I'm going to try and focus on characterization instead.
"Salazore: A Love Story"
I thought you weren't going to do a homage to De Sade this year?
Well, not entirely.
LMNO
-plans to free write most of it. My mind goes where it will.
:lmnuendo:
Mine will be a mystery thriller, set in South East Asia's near future (similar kind of future to that in The City/LMNO-PI).
Quote from: LMNO on October 10, 2008, 02:27:40 PM
Well, not entirely.
LMNO
-plans to free write most of it. My mind goes where it will.
:lmnuendo:
Cain suggested something similar on IRC: 50k words stream - of - consciousness.
This clicked my brain into a non - linear exploration of causality and POV, so I have a subject.
I'm just hoping that it will save me from the "I don't know where to go from here" trap.
I plan to employ the Law of Fives to a great degree when I hit 40,000 , and try to tie it all together.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/38032
All y'all are being added.
My plot involves a cabal (yes, I'm actually using names from the "Name my protagonist" thread :lol:), a bunch of shenanigans, some sort of evil super power that they are trying to defeat, a futuristic here (and neighboring planets), some neat gadgets, and, who knows. I'm kind of going to go from there. I haven't hammered out my plot entirely yet, except I hope to have dark humor, witty banter, and, uh, I dunno what else. Neat gadgets, again. Yeah.
Quote from: LMNO on October 10, 2008, 02:38:32 PM
I'm just hoping that it will save me from the "I don't know where to go from here" trap.
I plan to employ the Law of Fives to a great degree when I hit 40,000 , and try to tie it all together.
I'm relying on that trap. The fear will spur me on to write regardless. I can always edit it to make sense in December.
I've probably got about 2-3 chapters already sorted out in my head, but I refuse to think it through any further. Instead, I'm concentrating on fleshing out my characters. My main one, a smuggler/pilot is pretty much finished, but I need to add some more. Quite a few more.
My new plot idea involves a few regulars + an employee or two at some weird little coffee shop. Needs more excitement! I tend to get through NaNo by having very little plot and a lot of weird characters who become overdeveloped in 50k words. That's fine and all, but I think this year I should actually try to get a story out of it.
I'm thinking up an exploration of different world view / character archetypes. Same day happens over and over for the main character, compeltely disconnected, just with a different idea for each day, and different plot points exploited as appropriate. Kind of Groundhog Day, just with a different pathos every day. Writing the corpse's day should be interesting.
I smell Joyce...
Note: I will not read any of these novels unless I am in them. Not even my own. :x
Either I put way too much thought into this and go with my first idea, or I can just numbly blurt out excerpts from my life at conventions, in costume, and my college exploits (ie, almost throwing my roommate off of our apartment balcony.)
Quote from: Richter on October 10, 2008, 03:35:00 PM
Quote from: LMNO on October 10, 2008, 03:15:22 PM
I smell Joyce...
It's been done before, eh?
That doesn't matter, just as long as you're aware of it. Hell, you referenced "Grounhog Day".
I like it. I was gonna try to do a completely ordinary day, but from the angle of BIP; but the structuring would be too precise to do 50k in 30 days.
I think the purpose of this IS to blurt out nonsense because it's an exercise in wracking your brain.
Quote from: Suu on October 10, 2008, 04:12:37 PM
I think the purpose of this IS to blurt out nonsense because it's an exercise in wracking your brain.
TITCM
I'm going for absurdity. :D
Quote from: LMNO on October 10, 2008, 03:47:12 PM
Quote from: Richter on October 10, 2008, 03:35:00 PM
Quote from: LMNO on October 10, 2008, 03:15:22 PM
I smell Joyce...
It's been done before, eh?
That doesn't matter, just as long as you're aware of it. Hell, you referenced "Grounhog Day".
I like it. I was gonna try to do a completely ordinary day, but from the angle of BIP; but the structuring would be too precise to do 50k in 30 days.
Groundhog Day Meets Tarantino, with some more realistic "Butterfly Effect".
(The BIP person isn't going to do / see the same things as the paranoid survivalist person's day, kind of)
It also lets me wimp out by stringing together short stories.
Quote from: Suu on October 10, 2008, 04:12:37 PM
I think the purpose of this IS to blurt out nonsense because it's an exercise in wracking your brain.
Yes. This.
So, let's assume I decide to participate at the last moment (which i won't, most likely), I'll start with "So there were this bunch of robots ..." and then a whole lot of nonsense in which almost everything EXPLODES after a lifespan of no more than a few paragraphs ... will that run me out of steam before 50k? what would go wrong?
".. and then robot John was a robot zombie. and he EXPLODED. THE END!"
So change topic half way through. No one is reading it, it's about word count, not story quality.
Reminder: we now have a chat room.
#nanowrimo
On the maddshark server. Feel free to invite people not on the forum.
knowing me, I probably shouldn't be typing anything that ISN'T the novel in Nov.
Its only 1667 words per day.
You should be able to do that in 2 hours, 3 at worst.
I'm trying to be realistic, that I probably won't be able to get to it every day. I'm estimating that the days I can do it, I'll need about 3000.
I'm planning on doing closer to 2000 words a day and taking the weekend off.
Besides, I know I will write more in the first week and the last week than I will in the middle two, possibly double of what I need to. The enthusiasm of starting/the desire to finish will probably spur on ideas and the drive to complete it far beyond the necessary daily requirements. Once I'm in the writing zone, I can easily see myself getting way ahead of what is needed, at least for a while.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/409808
Oh goddess, you mean I won't be the only one writing a discordian-themed book for NaNo this year? OUTSTANDING!
ok, here's the thing: am I tryng to write 50k words in 30 days, or am I trying to write a 50k word story in 30 days? I ask because I'm pretty sure that free writing for days on end will get really meta, "there he goes, writing about not knowing what to write about again" type of internal dialogue spewed on the page.
Quote from: Enki-][ on October 17, 2008, 10:47:42 PM
Oh goddess, you mean I won't be the only one writing a discordian-themed book for NaNo this year? OUTSTANDING!
Oh goddess, you mean to thing that in a crunch of a month with thousands of others you'd be doing something ORIGINAL?
Quote from: LMNO on October 18, 2008, 03:06:41 AM
ok, here's the thing: am I tryng to write 50k words in 30 days, or am I trying to write a 50k word story in 30 days? I ask because I'm pretty sure that free writing for days on end will get really meta, "there he goes, writing about not knowing what to write about again" type of internal dialogue spewed on the page.
You're supposed to attempt a story in 50,000 words, it doesn't have to be good.
this is gonna be really hard, isn't it?
Depends how much you care about it being 50,000 words of good writing. Plenty of people plan to write well and succeed; personally, my priorities are roughly 95% word count, 5% story line.
I think that in November, the majority of my posts here will
Be nanowrimo updates. All free time should be novel; the odd fact that the majority of my posts are from work means I have fractions of time to write tone poems of thought.
I don't intend my story to be a masterpiece, or even very good.
I just intend to do it, and see what happens. I'll write a masterpiece of fiction by myself, I think. Since it might take a little longer than 30 days to get it to the sort of level I would feel comfortable with.
Become author first. Write good novels second. This is known as the James Frey school of writing, or it would be, had he ever got past the first stage.
Signed up... and planning on failing miserably. Oh well, I need a challenge to kick me in the ass every once in awhile.
http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/415360
I was thinking about doing nanowrimo after all, which means I would stop having time for posting, really. Or dating. Or anything. Might be a good thing.
So...its the last week, who wants to talk about their novel first?
For me, there's not much to talk about. I'll create a LMNaNoWriMO thread, and post my updates.
Considering the seasonal changes, it might inadvertantly end up being more depressing, even borderline emo.
My novel sucks. I missed the kickoff party yesterday. :\ Blah.
/emo
Kickoff party?
It's not 11/1 yet.
That's what they called it. More of a meet-and-discuss-and-eat-food pre-NaNo party.
T minus 3 days and counting. :x
Well, my last time at NaNoWriMo, I was on my own and the steam died out around the end of the second week... I hope peer pressure changes that this year ;-)
I predict that by Wednesday, Mrs LMNO will be pissed off that I'm not paying enough attention to her because I'll be typing so much.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 29, 2008, 03:53:35 PM
I predict that by Wednesday, Mr. Suu will be pissed off that I'm not paying enough attention to him because I'll be typing so much, so he'll play World of Warcraft and bitch about it constantly.
Fixt for me.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 29, 2008, 03:53:35 PM
I predict that by Wednesday, Sjaantze, Harbinger of Distraction will be pissed off that I'm not paying enough attention to her because I'll be typing so much... and will probably distract me.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 29, 2008, 03:53:35 PM
I predict that by Wednesday, I will be drunk as a skunk because I'll be typing so much.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 29, 2008, 03:53:35 PM
I predict that by Wednesday, I will be drunk as a skunk.
THIS.
OK... Working concept and Title:
Doughnutus Illuminatus: The Bavarian Cream Seers
The story of five young people who uncover the Secrets Of The Universe, while working at a doughnut shop.
Mine:
It's all Geek to Me: 10 Years of Being White and Nerdy
It sounds funnier than it's actually going to be.
I've decided that I will not be working from scratch, and will find some way to put together everything I have ever written about Discordianism into one book. Fuck writing from scratch.
I think I will call it "Codename Hoopla".
Doughnutus Illuminatus: The Bavarian Cream Seers
For thousands of years, the concepts of illumination, enlightenment and magic were the private domain of a privileged few. Secret Societies, Initiatory Religions and obfuscated Occult systems seemed content with providing their great secrets to those few who spent their life separating that which was real from that which was metaphor. This was perhaps done to protect those who were not ready for true enlightenment. Perhaps it was meant to protect those groups from the persecution that the human tribe tends to unleash when its perceptions of reality are questioned. Maybe it was the selfish act of a few, intent on holding a power over the unenlightened.
No matter what the cause, by the end of the Twentieth century, the obfuscation, misdirection and confusing metaphors of competing systems had left this great secret to wallow in the mire created by the popular misapplication of post modern philosophy. The subtle, yet important difference between the outright rejection of objective reality made popular by self-proclaimed postmodernists and the more subtle rejection of belief that what we perceive is objective reality was lost on most of the hairless monkeys wandering around at the dawn of the Technological Century.
All of that is about to change. At least I hope it is, otherwise this will be a very short book.
Ok, there is the BLAT that is my one paragraph synopsis... too wordy? too dry? too lame?
Not enough paragraphs.
LMNO
-eyes just slid off the page.
I predict that I will give up before the first week is done with roughly 2000 words written. :kingmeh:
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on October 29, 2008, 04:51:02 PM
Not enough paragraphs.
LMNO
-eyes just slid off the page.
2 better than 1?
Ok, finally got a rough idea of what I'm going to write: The Last Sermon of (Insert Main Character's Name Here)*. A pastor in a small Midwestern town finally gets bored of his minister duties and starts to troll his congregation. Hilarity ensues!! It's roughly an alternate reality version of what would have happened to me if I had gone to seminary like so many people had wanted me to when I was a teenager.
My main problems are a) making sure that I don't direct steal the plot from "Mackeral Plaza" b) finding the right level of fire-and-brimstone c) making my word count. Maybe I'll just go the Dicken's route and describe everything in more detail than necessary.
* - I'm still trying to think of a good character name. I'll probably end up using a name generator and picking a nice boring name.
Mine's going to be the typical thinly-veneered autobiographical story of love and heartbreak, except I am adding jumping slugs because I always thought slugs would be funnier if they jumped.
I'm coming to the odd realization that I'm probably going to be writing a good chunk of this on my iPhone. ...
Why is that?
Oh. Never mind about that anymore. I thought I'd be doing most of in while in transit, because my schedule looked like it wasn't gonna budge to make room for writing.
But that's not the case.
Anyway, has any one given serious thought to not use contractions while writing this thing? I'm actually starting to think of how to pad out my word count.
No contractions*, and no backspace. Use strikeout or change would-be deleted words to a different color (I use red).
*I'm still using contractions, but have gone without them in previous years. It's actually pretty helpful.
I hit a big road block, and it's waaaayyy too early to get stuck. Uh ohs.
Damn. That must take some discipline.
I can't just leave half sentences that lead in the wrong directions. I gotta delete them.
Also re: roadblock.
Start writing about something completely different, like a new chapter with a new character in a new place with a new point of view. Chances are, your subconscious will do its thing, and the Law of Fives will join the two threads together eventually.
AGRHGH...
Languishing at 3000 words :(
I have found myself blathering on incoherently about our BIP concepts/shrapnel/The Machine™/monkeys/etc.
It's not well thought out, and it doesn't make much sense, but I do seem to be able to vomit up a shitload of words when I do it.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on November 10, 2008, 07:09:53 PM
Also re: roadblock.
Start writing about something completely different, like a new chapter with a new character in a new place with a new point of view. Chances are, your subconscious will do its thing, and the Law of Fives will join the two threads together eventually.
:) I've decided to work on my Payne-RWHN Hybrid character. Am scouting through the Pun House thread for material, which seems to be helping.
Quote from: Rabbi LMNO on November 10, 2008, 07:13:46 PM
I have found myself blathering on incoherently about our BIP concepts/shrapnel/The Machine™/monkeys/etc.
It's not well thought out, and it doesn't make much sense, but I do seem to be able to vomit up a shitload of words when I do it.
Well, maybe that's my problem... I keep trying to implement the ideas in the story rather than just writing about the ideas :(
Vomiting words sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it? I mean, is this about writing a novel of 50,000 words within 30 days, or about writing 50,000 words within 30 days? Anyone can write 50,000 words if they sit down and start typing. Making it a somewhat coherent novel is what the actual contest is about, no?
Having said that, I didn't write anything at all over the weekend, so I am now behind.
Wait... there's a purpose to this?
Heh. Well, read my LMNanowrimO thread, and tell me if i'm doing it wrong.
Naw, yours looks fine from what I just saw... I was going by your description which sounded more insane.
Insane!?
They called me insane at the academy, but I'll show them, yes indeed...
Quote from: Hoopla on November 10, 2008, 07:49:10 PM
Vomiting words sort of defeats the purpose doesn't it? I mean, is this about writing a novel of 50,000 words within 30 days, or about writing 50,000 words within 30 days? Anyone can write 50,000 words if they sit down and start typing. Making it a somewhat coherent novel is what the actual contest is about, no?
Having said that, I didn't write anything at all over the weekend, so I am now behind.
Quantity over quality. Interpret that as you will.
Maybe I should get back on the bandwagon. I'd have to shit out 3000 words/day to achieve it, but... yeah, actually, no. Maybe when I'm not single-mothering anymore. Someday.
Oh christ, I'm now listing the contents of my spice cabinet. I'm still 2300 words behind.
I've begun to write out of order now... I have several timelines going on, and was going back and forth between them, but now I am just going with one at a time and will put them together in December.
BUMP
I'm 817 words in. HOW THE FUCK AM I GOING TO MAKE THIS?
It's November 11. You're not. I forget the calculation exactly, but you need about 1,500 words a day to even come close.
2,460 words per day, according to my stats.
Oh well. I'm mostly doing it to get into the routine of writing every day again.