But Has Anyone Published?
This is the first day of the National Novel Writing Month and I can almost hear the tapping and scribbling as thousands start off on a month long marathon of creativity birthing a novel.
I so wanted to take part but could not for two primary reasons:
Time- more than half of my allotted 24 hours now are devoted to G1 and G2. I have decided that to keep blogging I am going to consistently write on a five minute a day premise, using Gypsy Mama’s Friday Style every day, which may make for some interesting and depth limited thoughts. I shall aim for one more detailed post each week, so a commitment to produce 2000 words a day is outside my capabilities.
Fear- I fear that the story I want to write will suffer if I charge ahead just to count words. Stephen King says that when he sits down each day he completes 2000 words. It may be sometime before I work up to that. HaHa.
My question of the day is – for all the industrious folk who have taken part in NaNoWriMo – has anyone ended up with a work that actually went on to be published?
You always make me pause to think Thank you
Katherine answered your question. :-) One great thing about it is the reminder that one must put pen to paper and not worry about the usual stuff until the manuscript is written. I will be working on my 3rd NanoWriMo this year. :-)
I loved the info Katherine gave and it is so exciting that you are working on your third!!!! Will you publish your progress? I am so excited for you Elizabeth and am cheering you on!!
According to their web page, any, many winning novels have been written through NaNoWriMo. It appears that by winners they mean people who met the number count.
1999: 21 participants and six winners
2000: 140 participants and 29 winners
2001: 5,000 participants and more than 700 winners
2002: 13,500 participants and around 2,100 winners
2003: 25,500 participants and about 3,500 winners
2004: 42,000 participants and just shy of 6,000 winners
2005: 59,000 participants and 9,769 winners
2006: 79,000 participants and 13,000 winners
2007: 101,510 participants and 15,333 winners
2008: 119,301participants and 21,683 winners
2009: 167,150 participants and 32,178 winners
A growing number of these novels have found publishers, including one New York Times #1 Bestseller (Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen). There is a list of those here:http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/publishedwrimos
I thought about participating, but it had to be a new novel and I wanted to concentrate on Merlin and Meredyth. What did move me forward again was thinking of a novel as being between 50,000 and 80,000 words. So I am now working on the central story and will hopefully make it part of series.
Post a day has helped me write. Also I am definitely going to self publish as an E-book. Suggest everyone thinking of writing look in to that.
And yes, caring for little ones does eat time, but Chris it sounds like you have a plan. Good luck and just put one novel writing foot in front of the other anyway you can.
I love your information. I am suddenly quite envious of those brave souls who are moving ahead!!
Excellent question. Inquiring minds want to know :)
Thanks Winsome…Katherine’s answer was great!!
well I think it’s all about generating energy and getting people to open the channels of creativity. It can’t always be about the end result, eh?
I think you’re right Joss…and it is the generating of the energy that creates creativity…and it is a great end result!