The Malaysian NaNoWriMo

Why I owe NaNoWriMo so much

2010-10-31T23:58:00.000+08:00

NaNoWriMo Malaysia's first kickoff went swimmingly with a pretty rad attendance of 20-ish or so. There were familiar faces and new faces, first-time Wrimos and of course, plenty of books given away. We had published authors, students, working stiffs...the works.

It's my sixth year as Malaysia's NaNoWriMo municipal liaison and it's stressful but fun. Yes, it's a lot of work and a bit of a headache trying to stay the course and try and help everyone stay motivated throughout.

But I owe NaNoWriMo a lot. When I first joined and 'won' NaNo, I met Jennifer Tai and See Ming. They introduced me to the media meetup group WordUp where I met my dear friend Michael.

When I first became the municipal liaison the following year, I wondered if I was nuts. But my very first meetup at Amcorp Mall, I met Kai and Dawn. Dawn is still one of my dearest buddies and she helped nudge me towards a job at UNHCR. After 6 months on the job, I ended up leaving and joining Kai as a writer at PC.com.

Each year would bring new challenges and new friendly faces. Some of the people I met are now pretty much part of my life.

Besides the gift of wonderful people, NaNoWriMo gave me the confidence to finally embrace writing as a vocation. I'd never thought I had the skill nor the ability to write. Finishing those 50,000 words made me realise that I could and should put aside my insecurities and just write.

So to all you who have the yen to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) know this:

Nothing is stopping you but you.

I'm living proof. Happy NaNo-ing, people!

Updates

2009-11-18T12:43:00.003+08:00

Halfway through NaNoWriMo and a whole bunch of us are still slogging through our novels. But noveling doesn't mean there's no time for hijinks!

Here's a picture of a bunch of NaNoers at a very salah (wrong) Halloween party. My NaNo novel is stalled as my muse is on strike and has run off to Timbuktoo with Pina Coladas.

I blame it on work stress and working on music for an upcoming play in December. But my novel! I must persevere!

And so shall you, oh NaNo peeps. Halfway there, just keep writing. Just keep writing.

ML Appreciation Day

2009-11-09T09:44:00.000+08:00

Ok, ignore the fact that this is late.

November 8 is ML Appreciation Day, where we show our love and thanks to our beloved Municipal Liaisons who make Nanowrimo possible. They're the ones who are responsible for cajoling, persuading, pleading, hitting and whacking us to get our novels written. They're the ones, whom in the month of November, have the unenviable job of prodding us Wrimos on.

So to Malaysia's own ML, Erna @ eaglewing @ Mothership,

HAPPY MUNICIPAL LIAISON DAY! We love you!

Nanowrimo Survival Tips

2009-11-02T19:03:00.001+08:00

These were written because I suspect some of those on my F-List have not started at all. Starting can be the hardest thing in the world, but take heart!

1. You must start.
Starting can be as simple as saying: Her name was Amelia. That's it. All you need to do is just start. It can be a single sentence, or, in the case of William, "The End." Then let the story flow. By starting, you would have put yourself FAR AHEAD of the many others who say that they'll write a novel but take their stories to the grave.

2. You CAN write.
If you can read this, you can write. If you've ever left a comment behind, you can write. Writing is not hard to do, it takes willpower and determination (and in some cases, pure compulsion).

Which leads me to the next point:

3. Yes, it's sucky.
Your work during Nanowrimo is a work in progress. It's a rough draft. As Anthony Piers and Chris Baty (the founder of Nanowrimo) have pointed out, it's completely normal. So go ahead. Let loose. Just write. By the end of that period, you'll have discovered more reasons to write within yourself than you would have otherwise tried at any other point of your life.

4. Nanowrimo Dares are the most under-used weapon in any Wrimo's arsenal.
This little thread (that's actually thread 2, there's a thread part 1 somewhere) should be bookmarked. Or the forum where they reside should be bookmarked. Dares help you get over the rough spots where you don't know what to write, or when you're facing a writer's block. Using a dare often leads to new places and plots, and in some cases, might make your novel change for the better.

Think of dares as friendly helping hands to get you over rough spots.

5. Never, ever reread.
And lock up your inner editor while you're at it. The aim of Nanowrimo has always been to pound out as much words as you can. Which brings me to my last survival tip:

6. Try, as you might, not to write alone.
Or at least embark on Nanowrimo solo. The three years I went at it solo (as in I was the only one I knew in my vicinity doing Nanowrimo), I failed horribly. I hit only 20k at the maximum. In 2007, I met great friends who spurred me on to greater heights. It's part competition, part encouragement.

Like quitting smoking, get a friend who's either doing Nanowrimo, or can be counted to encourage, push, punish, prod, or if needed, verbally beat you into hitting that word count. In most cases this is usually your ML (in Malaysia we call her the Mothership) but if you can't really get in touch with your ML, your friends will do.

Go for write-ins. Take part in word wars online and in the IRC channel. Jump into the forums. Nanowrimo is best experienced and enjoyed with a bunch of like-minded friends.

Just remember to write.

I hope this helps. Happy Sailing, Dear Wrimo Person, and may we cross the finish line together.

Joining NaNoWriMo

2009-10-29T12:37:00.000+08:00

A friend once mentioned to me (well more like ten minutes ago) that he wouldn't be coming along for the NaNoWrimo thingy that would take place in a few days from now. Upon asking him why, he replied that it was an abstract event. An occasion whereby: He would be abstractly attending the abstract conference room, of which he would abstractly walk out of now and then if he was bored because uncommitted writers are like that in an abstract way.

At the time, I had no idea what the hell he was talking about, but I just decided to humour him, because banter is fucking awesome like that. So long as you leave annoying little girls who repeat your words for no reason at all, out of the conversation. So we spoke on the abstract sense and the literal sense, and though I was at best a mile's length from understanding the meaning behind the statements made, I went on anyway.

He seemed to be worried, or rather nonchalant about the idea of NanoWrimo, thinking it to be an abstract event. A date without an event in a park, a gallery to attend, nor a workshop to meet. Therefore, he would join and not join.

At last a pearl of supposed wisdom popped into my mind, reminiscent of Aesop's tortoise and the hare: I mentioned that it was actually possible to participate in NanoWrimo by not participating. To do so would bring about the analogy of being in a race, although it would involve you just standing around, chilling out. Nobody said that you had to win, although finishing is generally a good idea.

It was then that I decided to allude it to Merdeka. Yes, our national day. You can choose to celebrate, observe the significance of Merdeka in your heart, or you can choose to join in the parade that goes through the streets every year. Of course, there was the chance of getting arrested for interfering with the process of a procession.

Stumped, my friend burst out into laughter and acceded to my request for his presence.

So for you Nanites out there, here's a little quote from me to you: Join or join not. There is no try.

Welcome to the finish line

2008-11-30T17:43:00.002+08:00

Dear WriMoPerson,

Hi!

It's been 23 days since the last post. We at NaNoMaLaySia sincerely apologize for the dearth of stuff. Real Life™ has once more Conspired™ to Rob Us Of Life And Limb™. Also, wordcount.

Several of us privileged few (I saw privileged, but secretly the rest of us want to beat them with rocks) have managed to cross that arbitrary yet magical line that says they managed to sink time blood and tears into something that exists only as scraps of paper, bits in cyberspace and immense personal satisfaction, although that last one is somewhat questionable, self-judgmental as writers tend to be.

As the final hours of NaNovember draw to a Close™ we celebrate those who journeyed with us up the steep hill of challenges and to them we say 'Hurrah!' or alternatively, 'God no the pain why.'

All that is left is to look forward to another year of fast friendships, close connections, and of course, the Thank God It's Over™.

We interrupt this broadcast for a special message from the Mothership: 'Show up or else.'

*errorerroroutofcheeseredofromstart*

Week 1 Pep Talk

2008-11-07T03:56:00.003+08:00

Yes I know we all get one, but gosh darn it this one is so good.

Roger Ebert, one of the most eloquent people I can think of, has taken on a greater dimension to me than 'that movie critic with the thumbs up.' Two years ago he developed throat cancer. After his surgeries he has lost the ability to smell, taste, breathe through his nose, or speak.

He's started blogging.

Earlier tonight I read a post where he wrote about writing, but I will not replicate the post (although I will link to it.) There was a comment that he responded to, and that is the peptalk.

Josh Pounds writes:

I fancy myself an "aspiring writer", but I have some terrible block in my mind that prevents my thoughts from becoming words and parking themselves on paper (or a computer screen for that matter).

I have ideas, I like to think I understand (thanks to you and many others) story structure, characterization, dialogue, etc...but there's...there's just something I don't "get".

You've devoted your career to writing. This is a desperately important task that I believe bears witness to the human condition in a very profound way.

Please help if you can.

Ebert: Actually, maybe I can help you. There is nothing you don't "get" because there is nothing to get. You are the writer. What you write is what is written. It is exactly right because it is exactly what you wrote. If someone else doesn't think so, fuck 'em. There is no objective goal, no objective right or wrong. Only the process. Your mind will set itself down in words. Do not criticize. Do not look back at every sentence. Just write. You have no idea where you are headed. Your words will lead you. This above all: Nothing is ever completed until it is started. Start. Don't look back. If at the end it doesn't meet your hopes, start again.

Now you know more about your hopes.

-Calvin Wong

November 7th, 2008

Gimme an N!

2008-11-01T16:55:00.000+08:00

NaNovember.

Perennial wackiness. Random sex. The frenzied rush for 50k, the rustling of the keyboard at 3am.

I joined NaNo because I thought it would help my writing. It did, but equally importantly I found many friends, who I speak to everyday and sometimes even get answered.

But this is not a post about them, wonderful though they are.

This is a post about you.

Yes, you.

You, at the keyboard and the fiddly monitor.

On this, the first day of NaNovember, you may have begun. You may have not. You may have the beginning tendrils of an idea, or you may have flowcharts describing your protagonist’s butler’s family tree. You may be writing chic lit, science fiction, human drama, or even a traditional epic.

The only difference between you and any other person who’s decided, for fun or for profit, for simple pleasure or deep persuasion, to join the ranks of the 50k club, is what you’re going to do.

You can write.

Or you can not write.

It really doesn’t matter if you don’t. It’s not a contest. There are no ‘winners’ despite the nomenclature used to describe those who make the final tally. I firmly believe that those who join us every Saturday for cold chocolate and conversation are winners no matter how many words they end up with.

If you do write, I have only one question for you.

Why are you bothering? It’s fifty thousand words for chrissakes. It’s tiring, ardous, time-consuming. (who has time nowadays, eh? I ask you) It’s fretsome, worrying, sometimes destructive, and most of the way you’ll probably have no idea what you’re doing.

Honestly if you showed up for the free book at the start and just left it you’d probably have a better November than most of us.

…but not a better December.

December is the month of two things. Thank God It’s Over – the party for the Who’s Who, the What’s What, and the Bee’s Knees besides.

And the sheer, utter soul-lifting joy that is seeing the massive tangle of pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions and punctuation that by some insane measure you’ve had the nerve to call a ‘novel’.

It may be terrible. It may be worthless. It may be the greatest piece of human literature every conceived. It may be a million million things, but there’s something that it definitely is, and nothing or no one can ever take it from you.

It’s yours.

Have a happy NaNovember, and if you’re going to be up at 3am for god’s sake have the good sense to pull some of us in so at least you’ll have friends.

-Calvin Wong
November 1^st, 2008

Kickoff 2008 report

2008-11-01T15:46:00.003+08:00

As promised...there was cake!

There was a couple about to be married, and a couple who married after getting together thanks to NaNo. We also met the latter couple's Nano product - Max. Oh he was so cute...

Ahem. Back to the report.

17 people showed, and besides cake, there was plenty of laughter. We played a game I like to call Pass the Plot which resulted in storylines so convoluted yet strangely entertaining.

Am glad to once again return and be your ML.

Oh, and by the way...PLEASE TO BE DONATING TO NANOWRIMO.ORG and help them reach the 10% donation target. <3 <3 <3

The challenge - it's official.

2008-10-31T17:47:00.003+08:00

Many apologies to xkcd.com for 'appropriating' one of the strips and embellishing it for the purposes of this year's NaNo challenge.

The challenge is simple: somehow insert the sentence "You, me and your psycho ex-girlfriend" into your novel.

Any form is accepted, even interpretive dance. Though how that's going to translate into written form...is entirely up to you!

The novel I'm trying NOT to write

2008-10-31T17:06:00.002+08:00

I had two plot germs last year, which sadly did not come to fruition.

One was a fantasy book that borrowed far too much from Garth Nix's Abhorsen series.

The other was titled "You, Me and your Psycho Ex-girlfriend".

The latter's been on my mind a lot lately, and though I'm tempted to write it too much is based on true events and real people.

I have another novel in the works which I can't quite write the outline for. The plot, the characters, the ending's all in my head but I keep thinking about the other novel. Probably I should write a private autobiography instead of ruminating on events past.

Maybe subconsciously I'm trying to find some carthasis.

Evil idea...make it this year's Nano challenge! To insert my failed novel title into all novels!

I blame my medication.

ZOMG ONE MORE WEEK

2008-10-24T20:56:00.002+08:00

One more week to the Nano meetup.

The good news: the stickers have arrived! So you'll all get the shiny Viking sticker just for attending!

Not so great news - the book list has been revised due to a certain pixie kidnapping some of the titles. But yes, we're still giving away Gaiman.

1. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
2. The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien
3. The Black Magician trilogy, Trudi Carnavan
4. The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, Umberto Eco
5. Temeraire, Naomi Novik
6.Priestess of the White & Last of the Wilds, Trudi Canavan
7. Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl
8. Bird by Bird, Anne Lamont
9. Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett
10. Reading like a writer, Francine Proust
11. In Your Dreams, Tom Holt
12. Dead Funny, Tom Holt
13. Tall Stories, Tom Holt
14. Conrad's Fate, Diana Wynne Jones
15. The Lives of Christopher Chant, Diana Wynne Jones
16. Saints and Sinners, Tom Holt
17. Patrick O'Brien's first 5 in Master & Commander series

Might add a couple more titles...if kidnapper of said titles returns them to me.

It's official: the Great Malaysian Kickoff is Nov 1st

2008-10-02T14:23:00.005+08:00

Hear ye, hear ye, all Wrimos past and present!

The 2008 Malaysian Nanowrimo Kickoff meetup also fondly known as the "Wow, look at all the other crazy people!" is on. Details are as follows:

Date: 1st November 2008, Saturday
Time: 11am
Place: Starbucks, The Gardens

There will be no goodie bags this time around but the first 14 to arrive will be in the running to win a book. Some old, some newish, but all previously owned and loved by your long-suffering ML, Erna@eaglewing.

Bring your plot ideas! Bring your outlines!

And don't forget your sense of humour, because God knows you're going to need it the whole of November.

The great Nano book giveaway returns!

2008-10-01T13:08:00.004+08:00

Neil Gaiman's pep talk for last year's Nano was quite the hit with my Wrimos. As was my giving away his Stardust at our first kickoff party. Last year, I started my own little tradition of giving away good books in a draw. As the government gives us a RM1000 tax deduction for books, I already have too many lying around the house and I like sharing the love, anyway.

So the first 14 to arrive at the Nanowrimo Kickoff Meetup (I'm not a millionare, darlings) will get to participate in a draw to win one of these books:

1. The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman
2. The Abhorsen trilogy, by Garth Nix
3. The Hobbit, J.R.R Tolkien
4. The Black Magician trilogy, Trudi Carnavan
5. The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana, Umberto Eco
6. The Android's Dream, John Scalzi
7. Un Lun Dun, China Mieville
8. Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
9. In Your Dreams, Tom Holt
10. Fragile Things, Neil Gaiman
11. Wee Free Men, Terry Pratchett
12. Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor E. Frankl
13. Bird by Bird, Anne Lamont
14. Temeraire, Naomi Novik

Might add a couple more titles but a few books I wanted to add seem to have gone missing...

Might dispense with the goodie bags this year: if I get the Nano stickers on time, I'll pass them out. Else, we'll just indulge in a few writerly games or just mull around and chit-chat.

I'm excited. Are you?

Nanowrimo 2008 Closing Words

2008-09-30T12:35:00.003+08:00

Hi! First time poster here. For more ramblings, please check out Broken Shield and Sword.

Yes, I know it's rather funny and odd, and far too early for such a title, but yesterday while I was walking out of the shower, the phrase just came to me.

For many people, the aim of 50,000 words in a month is scary. For the adrenaline junkies, it's a rush. For those writing for the first time, it seems impossible to achieve.

Yet Nanowrimo is more than that. It's more than just churning out words. It's the construction of a world and the characters that live within it.

Writers who join Nanowrimo are storytellers. We tell the stories of the characters and creatures in our heads and we give them a place to call home. We give them a voice. We give them substance. We also give of ourselves, because the act of Creation isn't an easy one; just ask God!

Our world thrives on stories more than anything else. It's the way we connect, the way we understand the world, the universe, everything. Stories make our reality more palatable, more digestible. By that token, storytellers are the spices of this life. Everyone has a story to tell, but we actually DO tell those stories, rather than keeping it bottled inside.

Stories form the tapestry of this life. We are all threads, but when woven together, we make a brilliant fabric.

What colours we choose to colour this fabric really depends on what stories we choose to tell, because it is only by telling our stories that we can colour this fabric.

So, are you going to colour your thread?

PS: The closing words were: "With a toss of the dice… they began again."

And the Kickoff kicked A**

2007-11-09T00:36:00.000+08:00

Arriving at 10am at Amcorp I had to admit I was slightly nervous.

What if no one showed?
What if only one or two or three people showed?
What do I do with all those extra goodie bags?

But then I decided if I had a poor turnout, I'd just have more time to NaNo anyway. Silver linings - they exist, especially on gum wrappers.

Fortunately people started arriving in the lovely form of Naoko and adrenalyn who, it seemed, had mutual friends! Then sigma83 arrived to add some testosterone to the mix and lo, he also knew someone Naoko knew! I half-expected this NaNo to end up a jejak kasih meeting. Cue sappy reunion theme.

I passed around the goodie bags/NaNo survivor kit comprising stickers, candy, plot emergency matrix and the first six to arrive got an LOTR postcard. Soon more people started arriving and it wasn't long before we had a boisterous party of seven. I updated the forum as I went and whad'ya know, my posts got a certain 'jewel' to head on over to join the fun. She was a little late for the 'plot twist' game, though.

Everyone had to write the plot of their novel on an index card and we passed the cards around, each person adding a plot twist of their own to the cards they got. The results got me laughing so hard I teared up. I apologise (not) to the people who got my random twists that threw a spanner in their novel works. So what if I thought the addition of an Isetan sale would add spice? And space ninjas are always fun.

Then we had a Nintendo DS-Lite bearer grace the party at a later hour and the NaNoers left soon adjourned to lunch for more conversation and decent Thai food at Rak Thai. We ended up finally parting ways at around 3.30 energised and enthusiastic. Now, hopefully they weren't too tired out to work on their novels.

Also ended up giving away a selection of books to the NaNoers who showed up. I love books but I don't like hoarding them. Usually I like sending them out into the wonderful world either by loaning or gifting them off and it was good to see the books all find new homes.

I have changed my plot again and now my novel is called The Undertaker's Daughter. First chapter is turning out quite nicely and am very happy with it.

Am glad the Kick-off was fun, intimate and merry. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up again for write-ins...but I might have to bring a whip to keep the super chatterboxes in line. Tee Hee.

Getting Geared Up

2007-11-07T15:42:00.000+08:00

More NaNo comic goodness from inkygirl!

Thankfully it's a slow day today so I have the time to rustle up some useful things to handout to Wrimos tomorrow. My own novel has somewhat gelled in my mind and I have a few new toys to 'motivate' me to finish the thing.

Here's a link to some useful NaNo downloads for you writers:

http://syrinxkat.googlepages.com/nanotools

Wordcount keepers, cool Excel docs and the like as well as posters you can keep to just look at for motivation.

I'm thrilled at the prospect of meeting more Wrimos tomorrow and hope we'll have fun. The last session at MPH was nice and it felt good to see such a large crowd but honestly, I feel more comfortable at smaller, intimate venues but if I get a co-ML next year I wouldn't mind doing the whole big group thing.

Being an ML again is like visiting a familiar haunt; it's familiar and comforting but still holds the prospect for change and surprise.

Now back to sorting out my NaNo handouts...

And We're Off!

2007-11-07T00:44:00.000+08:00

Awesome cartoon from inkygirl.com.

So this blog is up and running again; I'll have more time to update it since I've forsaken my regular blog to NaNo and concentrate on work.

I've changed my plot a few times but I've finally settled down on one. Lots of catching up to do, but hey, there's the holiday and weekend for that.

Oh and hello to all this year's batch of NaNoWriMoers.

Jesper the talking hamster was our mascot for the 2005 NaNoWriMo. Am wondering if we should resurrect him or find a new one. Hmm.

To all you Malaysian NaNoers, your challenge is to insert the phrase "hamsters from space" somewhere in your novel.

We has hamsters! LOLz! Dey is comingz from space, ZOMG!

I want a LOLhamster.

Memoirs of a Recalcitrant Blogger

2005-11-15T16:23:00.000+08:00

Hey - how come no-on's blogging here?

I'm back to nano-ing after a week away from it. Conference in the Philippines. Too much work, too much fun. Enthusiam for the novel that wasn't going so well has trickled away. Today though I made my first assault on it after geting back and it is going better than before I left. But I'm way behind - 10,925 words.

Jealous of all you guys steaming ahead.

Did the last meet-up go ahead? How was it?

Distracted by the Macho Lord Elrond

2005-11-09T01:29:00.000+08:00

I came home early from work tonight so that I could work on my Nano Novel.

I ended up mucking around with THIS instead.

So much for reaching 10000 words by Wednesday eh?

Of a lazy NaNoer...

2005-11-07T15:36:00.000+08:00

Yep... I'm lazy. Chronically so. Which is a bad thing, since NaNo has started for, oh, about seven days, and the word count in my profile is still at 0. Not that my actual word count is 0, but still...

Logically, I think I'd be among those who have the most time to devote to NaNo, since I'm in secondary school, and the holidays are coming up. However, there's an essay for some public speaking thing and next year's Commonwealth Essay Competition I have to do, plus the fact that my Moral Studies (Pendidikan Moral) teacher will be after my blood if I don't pass up my kerja khusus by Thursday.
And I haven't touched it at all. The horrors.

Anyway, to all other M'sian NaNoers, sorry I couldn't make it to the meet-up. My family was going to Chiang Mai the very next day, so...

I wish everyone luck in reaching 50K. Will post again if I survive my Moral teacher's tirade.

Sit down - for I have bad news

2005-11-07T12:14:00.000+08:00

Jesper... is dead.

A moment of silence please.

Over ten characters and 10k words...

2005-11-06T20:36:00.000+08:00

W00t! And it's getting trashier. Vivian has left the city, returned to her hometown and gets reaquainted with an old friend. Will he be the man of said dreams - or her worst nightmares?

Still trying to find a place for Jesper. Hopefully he will make an appearance in one of Vivian's Freudian nocturnal trips.

What is, however, very unnerving is that an old friend who's an English professor at Cornell is reading it, thanks to her nosey brother. She is probably laughing her ass of while cringing and vomiting blood.

Ah Nanowrimo. Makes fools out of all us 'writers'.

How are all you returnees doing this again?!

Write that Marathon!

2005-11-06T19:56:00.000+08:00

Haruki Murakami believes he has the formula right, reports Tufts Daily: the first step toward successful writing is proper physical fitness.

'First train your body. Then, your writing style will follow. ... I realized that I needed physical strength [to focus on writing for long periods] and that strength helped to develop my writing style

So if your Nanoing ain't going anywhere today (as mine ain't) maybe this is something to try? Then you can write a marathon.

An Unavoidable Break from My Nano

2005-11-06T16:17:00.000+08:00

Been stuck at 7500 words since Friday, mostly because I forgot to save my Nanowrimo file into my thumb drive before I came to Singapore (leaving my laptop behind in the process), and have no way to update the word count. sigh.

Sigh... all these ideas, all those plotlines, all written down on a piece of crumpled paper in my backpack.

Looks like I'll have to write extra over the next few days after I get home. Bleh.

Deja Vu

2005-11-06T15:12:00.000+08:00

Last year, my notebook blew a power fuse.

This year, my Windows decided not to boot on me.

Is someone up there telling me something?

At least I still have backups to restore le old system with. Ach. Vell.

Arrrgh!

2005-11-02T21:22:00.000+08:00

Ok, I've been lazy-crazy.. In between Deepavali visits and a visit to the hospital to see my friend Billie and her newborn son..I've scored only 87 words, at least I named my heroine Chiffon haha. So I better write harder. Almost gave up last night..

Sim is a bit better, he wrote 542 words this morning and Eyeris will be very pleased to know that Sim's incorporated Jesper not as a cameo, but as one of the main characters!!

Check out the excerpts from our NaNoWriMo profiles!

Of Yoda and half naked dancing elves...

2005-11-02T16:29:00.000+08:00

Yup, after nearly two days and almost 9000 words, I found myself with three chapters (well, technically, a prologue and two chapters) containing:

An old croony, loony witch who breaks out into Yoda language every once so often
A band of high priestesses whose most exciting event of the year is to dance half-naked (actually, 99% naked) in front of drooling male elves.
Weird names, eg Allaein, Retwyn, etc
Elves with the oddest of hair colours, eg dark green, red...I think I'm missing out on the blue, purple and orange. ~_~

Yes, this looks to be like an extremely good start to the NaNo 2005.

Gack.

Oh, for updates and a read of the stuff I've just wrote, feel free to drop by here, although it might take me a while before I put anything up. ~_~

Nanowrimo Progress Meter

2005-11-02T09:03:00.000+08:00

Here's a really cool Nano add-on for your site. You can download a progress meter free of charge here. Each day you simply type in the number of words and it the needle will move just that little bit further. Very motivating! Here's mine:

First Day Pride

2005-11-02T00:47:00.000+08:00

So, the first day has come and gone. I'm still in front of my laptop, writing and plotting as I wait for the Liverpool football match later tonight...

So, what's my score for the day? Well, as of now, my word count stands at 3730 words. Not a bad haul, considering I spent half the day playing pool and playing Football Manager.

I'm now working on my third chapter of Book 1 (my novel is divided into seven different 'books', you see), and I've racked up four characters already. For a short synopsis of what my novel is about, go HERE.

Yes, I'm quite proud of myself right now. So sue me.

I'm hoping that I can keep up this momentum for the week, since I'm on holiday now, and have loads of time to write. Once I get back to work, the word count may not increase so rapidly.

And no, Jesper the Talking Hamster has STILL not made his appearence.

Keep on Bernano, folks! :)

And so it begins...

2005-11-01T21:45:00.000+08:00

Between cobbling two meals for two kids and one husband, I've managed to deposit 1515 words today, here.

Yea, trashy may be the way to go.

NaNoWriMo MY First Meet-up Pix

2005-11-01T09:12:00.000+08:00

Here you go..check out the pix!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54523638@N00/sets/1256543/

Selamat BerNaNo Everyone!

2005-10-31T21:22:00.000+08:00

Suddenly we just realized that it will start in 2.5 hours!!

Just created a blog for my novel.. will probably discuss the plot and my thoughts and NaNo progress there..

http://chasingcolours.blogspot.com

Selamat BerNaNoWriMo Everyone...

I have a plot!

2005-10-31T17:54:00.000+08:00

Only a few more hours till NaNo and I finally have a plot.

Advice to novelists, once you have a plot threat it like a football and just run with it. Go straight for the touchdown and don't waffle. Don't change plots half-way, don't drop your cast and follow your story where ever it leads.

Happy NaNoing people!

Email us MLs if you need us and we'll be there to give you pep talks and ideas if you need them.

Muaks!

And soon, it'll begin.

2005-10-31T16:32:00.000+08:00

In less than 12 hours, about 100 over people around Malaysia will go bonkers - literally - for the next 30 days.

In less than 12 hours, the same people will probably lose precious hours of sleep, whatever social life they've got plus incur the wrath of families, friends and even bosses.

In less than 12 hours, it will begin.

...............

And boy oh boy, ain't it exciting! ^_^

By popular demand

2005-10-28T22:10:00.000+08:00

Nobody could get enough of this little guy. So here's a mugshot of everybody's favourite talking rodent, and I don't mean Mickey.

The Jesper the Talking Hamster Cameo Challenge!

2005-10-27T14:51:00.000+08:00

Welcome to the The Jesper the Talking Hamster Cameo Challenge!

Jesper the Talking Hamster was mentioned in the NaNoWriMo writeup in the Star HERE.

And Sharon left a comment HERE about how we should all try to add Jesper the Talking Hamster into our novels, in one way or the other, or face a forfeit....

Some have agreed, including Tiger, who says: "I'm not sure what role Jesper the Talking Hamster would play in Shag Me Baby: Diary of a Man Slut but will do my best to give a cameo to it."

So who's up for it? Just contrive to add Jesper the Talking Hamster ANYWHERE in your novel, and you can avoid the forfeit!

Oh, and give suggestions for adding Jesper in your novel in the Forum HERE.

BTW. Can anyone suggest what forfeit we should dish out to novels with no Jesper? :)

(PS: I know the article spells it JAsper... but the original was actually JEsper, so I'm sticking to that instead. :P)

All plotted out and nowhere to go

2005-10-26T12:55:00.000+08:00

Ok. Done my basic plot. I know how it's gonna start. I know how it's going to end. I have a vague idea of what's going to happen in the middle.

I've created and killed off dozens of characters, and I've not even started writing!

When I informed a friend of mine about my plotting problems a couple of days back, he told me this:

"Write a story where a guy wakes up, takes a shower, has breakfast, goes to work, slacks off at work, writes in his blog, has lunch, returns to slacking off, checks his blog for comments, goes home, takes another shower, checks his email, watches TV, eats dinner, plays some games on his PC, checks blog for more comments, and then goes to sleep.

Then copy-and-paste this as many times as necessary to reach 50,000 words.

It's like reality-TV, but in words..."

A pile of scribblings and five days to go...

2005-10-26T11:12:00.000+08:00

I was SUPPOSED to be working on a structure for my novel.
I was SUPPOSED to have a cohesive plot by now.
I was SUPPOSED to have everything all planned out by now.

But you know the drill. You're in the office, working working working, staring at the PC all day, then you go home and laze around and don't wanna look at the PC again (opting for the TV instead), then you go online, chat with a few friends, think about your novel for five seconds, scribble a few notes down, get lazy, stall, procrastinate, stall, and then screw it all for a lark and go to sleep instead.

Procrastination is a dangerous thing eh?

I've got a bare-bones skeleton plot in my head right now (and on assorted rough papers strewn on the floor of my room), and at least five characters who will play a major role.

What's the title of my 'novel' gonna be?

For now, its working title is 'Jesper The Talking Hamster'.

No, I'm kidding. I'm not even sure HOW to work a talking hamster into an already confusing mix of characters, which tentatively consist of angels, demons, swordfighters, video-gamers, action-figure collectors and timeshare salesmen.

Will Jesper the Talking Hamster be in it? I DON'T KNOW. I MIGHT somehow manage to work him in (probably out of desperation, dedicating a thousand words to his adventures in a giant cheesecake).

Just don't ask me how. I DON'T KNOW. It's a mystery.

Gah, five days to go before the first word. Shoot me now.

My anti-Nano demons

2005-10-25T21:27:00.000+08:00

Maybe it's just bad luck but my past 2 NaNos were made difficult by either physical ailments or personal drama.

This year is no different but will hopefully make it through the month. My beloved grandmother returned to God Sunday night, and I'm still grieving. Am also down with a horrid gum infection and might need minor surgery to remove a wisdom tooth in the middle of November.

Is all this going to stop me writing my novel?
No.
I could just be morose and not give a darn, but what better outlet for all the pain than writing? Circumstances happen. I'll just have to make all the pain drive me instead of stop me.

Ponstan will keep me focused. What will keep me sane, though, isn't the pills.
It's knowing that I'm not the only trying to do this.

I'm glad to have all of you with me. Thank you for walking with me and I hope we'll get through this month together.

Getting very excited!

2005-10-25T18:09:00.000+08:00

See Ming here!

Wow, countdown 6 days to NaNoWriMo..

Just read this second NaNo write-up by MCSC today , cool!

Cant wait to meet all of you on Friday. If you guys are free Thursday night, drop by at WORD UP! too.

Tentative title of my novel this year is Chasing Colours. Havent pinpointed the exact genre.
I supposed the closest description would be a bit of Jeanette Winterson meets Enid Blyton

Sim, my hubby will be doing NaNo too. He's too shy to log in here. But I think he's got a few chapters of his completed NaNoWriMo 2002 lurking in our site.

Our first press coverage!

2005-10-22T12:43:00.000+08:00

NaNoWriMo 2005 Malaysia got its first press coverage!

*squeeeellllllsssssssss*

Here's a snapshot-scan of the newspaper article.

Announcement: LUCKY DRAW!!!!

2005-10-21T08:11:00.000+08:00

We'll be having a lucky draw!!!!

It'll kick off at the first meet-up with the sale of tickets and culminate in the draw during the second meet-up (YES, there will be one!). Proceeds will be going to the donation (in the name of the NaNoWriMo 2005 Malaysia Chapter) for the libraries in Cambodia project that NaNoWriMo.org is doing.

The lovely grand prize is an AlphaSmart Dana from AlphaSmart Inc (courtesy of the ever so lucky Chet-Chet). Details of the lovely product can be found here: http://www1.alphasmart.com/. The winner will get to use it during NaNo too!!! So jelesnye I (by default, organisers cannot take part in the draw - so more opportunities for you folks out there)

Other prizes at the moment (the list will be updated as soon as I get more word of prizes):

1) Five two- or three-book sets (fiction + dictionaries)
2) Three DVDs
3) Coffee Bean vouchers
4) A set of items from The Body Shop - shower gels and perfume oils

Requirements: Open to M'sian PARTICIPANTS of NaNoWriMo only.

Instructions (so far):

COME for the first meet-up (tickets will be sold there for a minimum RM10 each - you can contribute more if you like since it's for charity)

The draw will take place during the second meet-up sometime in the first two weeks of November and that's when we'll give out the prizes too. Chet will be our 'draw' mistress. =)

Before that, wish/hope/pray for lots of luck! ^_^

So whatcha waiting for??? HURRY HURRY!

^_________________^

I AM nuts!

2005-10-21T07:59:00.000+08:00

Yup, it's official. I AM NUTS.

After 26 chapters, a DIY plot book and a couple of entries on my other blog, I have decided that this is truly what NaNo is all about - for me, that is.

Sheer madness.

I have no idea how I'm going to tackle this year's NaNo. November looks to be a hectic month ahead and well, I'll be honest, I have this nagging feeling that my novel will continue on way into December. I might hit 50K by November but I reckoned it'll go beyond that and more. Already, the plot has worked it way into a saga/trilogy/epic thingie.

I'm lucky this year though. Extremely, I'll admit.

Parents, especially Mum, has been highly supportive. Oddly, she shares my enthuasism for NaNo in her own way. It didn't help that her company recently got broken into and the laptop which I was going to use to in the first week of November got nabbed together with a range of other portable electronic equipment.

Sis-in-law has been helpful too. Initially, I had expected it to be harder - all the press support and things like that. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I casually mentioned it to her and she went, "I'll cover it. Just email me the details and stuffs, okay?" O_O!

Boyfriend has jumped on the bandwagon as well. He knows about the gatherings, the preparation and even decided to give me his old Pentium 1 laptop BUT I'll only get my hands on it in December. Gack. O'well...better than nothing.

The guys over at NaNo - Sharon, Chet-chet (don't know why or how this has gotten stuck in my brains), and Erna especially - have been very supportive and helpful. Me, the ever blur ML who is super hyper about everything. The lucky draw is up and running, although the response has been a little on the slow, dreary side. Maybe things will perk up during the meet-up next week. I hope people buy some tickets.

Don't mention it but I'm planning to donate some money - the tickets can go to other people but me!

Whatcha guys think?

O'well...here's to the beginnings of what could soon be a crazy crazy month ahead...

In the News

2005-10-18T22:15:00.000+08:00

Everyone, cheers and champagne for the efforts of Sharon and Mabel at getting NaNo local media coverage! There'll be (hopefully) a piece in Sun's coming weekender edition and another writeup in The Star.

MPH is also being marvellous in their support of the NaNo effort, providing us the venue for the first meetup. If all goes well, the first kickoff will be on the 28th of October, Friday at MPH 1 Utama: 7.30pm onwards. Since I know it'll be late for some, I'll be at 1U from 6pm onwards so do email both me and Mabel at malaysia@nanowrimo.org.

We'll try and arrange for someone to greet you anywhere in 1U before the official kickoff so you won't feel too bad if you have to leave early. Goodie bags will be arranged for attendees ( nothing fancy, we're impoverished cat herders here).

So come one, come all, bring guests. It's a celebration of the power of story!

Looking forward to seeing you guys there.

Distractions

2005-10-13T10:17:00.000+08:00

Sometimes there is the problem of not knowing what to write. Other times you have the problem of not knowing what to extend what you already have in mind to make at least 12 chapters (I figured out that 12 chapters of about 5k words each should qualify the novel attempt).

And then sometimes you have that silly problem of not deciding which of a few plot twists you ought to take.

I have that problem of choosing the main story first. Both the ones I have in mind are pretty much cool (Forgive me if I sound a wee bit arrogant, but I think some arrogance is necessary for an author to first even try to write things out. Too much humility halts creativity). Close friends have advised me to do the fantasy-tinged literary fiction option, perhaps because they're read it before, and they're more accustomized to the way I narrate the actions of my non-human characters.

And then I'm VERY VERY VERY tempted to do a very human, very Malaysian story altogether. Except this, I'm not sure where the plot will go there.

In the end, a few conversations with A, B, and C made me decide to oblige with what the people want.

So really, sometimes, you can't make your own decisions. Your so-called audience makes them for you. Which means even though you're God of your own script, sometimes, there's another bigger person (or maybe, persons) telling you you're wrong instead. And sometimes, you just don't have a choice.

Gah.

Nice website about developing novels

2005-10-10T16:38:00.000+08:00

Good old Tiger Joe, who's a pretty swell guy (except for his fetish for Chelsea FC footballers), provided this link in the NaNoWriMo (M'sia) forum, and I'm adding it here for future reference.

Fiction Factor - Writing Novels

There're lots of great tips and methods here that might be of help to those of us who, to put it plainly, absolutely SUCK at writing (including yours truly).

There's a section for building templates, creating and sustaining plots, propping up sagging middles (!), and even some plot generators to help you get started!

As far as I'm concerned, I'm almost ready to get going - I have my characters alive and breathing in my head (just haven't named them yet) and I have a vague idea of what's gonna happen to them. While I cannot divulge any details right now, but there's one thing I wanna try to work into my NNWM novel....

... a hot sex scene in the driver's seat of a BMW Z3 Roadster involved in a high-speed car chase along Jalan Ampang.

Or maybe not. We'll see.

Plotting and Pondering

2005-10-07T16:31:00.000+08:00

Snoopy wondering what to write for the 2005 NaNoWriMo.

Still early yet ... well ... *looking at calendar* ... 23 days away.

ZOMG! Another blog to update!

2005-10-06T17:47:00.000+08:00

Not that I'm not honoured, Erna, but this makes my (1,2,3...) 11th blog! You're herding cats. I'm herding kids. Let's see who will make the finish line this year, mammals (and blogs) in tow.

A few friends actually SMSed, MSNed and called me to extend half-enthused-half-amused congratulations upon reading about my latest promise (such a great promiser I am and all). Didn't think it was such a big deal. Not like got police man catch if you don't finish ma right?

Right?!

Why I'm herding cats again

2005-10-06T16:58:00.000+08:00

Fourth year NaNoing.
Third year as an ML.

Why the masochism, you ask?

Let me tell you a story of a scared and scarred young woman, who believed that she would never be good enough to write.

Then NaNo came along and with some gentle encouragement from kindly souls, she started and finished a novel.

Then the next year, she decided to return the favour, to give what help she could to new aspiring novelists. She didn't quite succeed, her own novel unfinished. But she made two new friends and they helped open other doors for her.

Another year came and more joined the fray. And again, the 'guide' fell short. No novel from her but others succeeded. Victories to applaud and hopes for a better year to come.

The year is here, and so am I.

Each NaNo gave me some gifts - new friends, new confidence, new resolve.
And maybe this year, I'll have a novel to show for it.

It is one thing to succeed, but there is just as much joy watching and cheering those who have never reached the finish line.

New NaNoers, I welcome you.
To those returning, I give thanks for you.
To past warriors who have yet to reach the end, may you claim that prize this year.

An adventure awaits.

Agent Smith Endorses Nanowrimo

2005-10-06T07:24:00.000+08:00

Thanks, Kenny, for this bit of lunacy.

Apparently popularity overwhelmed the site when it reopened for sign-ups on 1st October. But everything is working fine now, and if you haven't already, commit yourself to the terror and elation of Nanodom.

My friend 3rd Chimp calls us Nanuts, which is nice.

Getting on board the ship of madness

2005-10-05T13:11:00.000+08:00

Here we go again.

Last year was dismal for me, in terms of my NNWM participation. About 2000 words was all I managed in those crazy hectic 30 days of November 2004.

I mean, how the heck was I supposed to know that work would actually double during that particular month?

The world would be a better place if employers could only understand our needs to go loco with delusions of being a novelist - especially since the delusions only last a month.

Despite my abysmal failure last year, here I am about to do it all over again. Fortunately, I am far more prepared this year than in 2004 - primarily because this year, I'm fairly certain that I am - in all probability - utterly and completely insane.

I don't know about you, but insanity is my friend. I cannot imagine how I'll be able to go through an entire month stressing out and downing Panadols by the fistful to cure those damn pounding headaches that tends to accompany those who spend their every waking moment trying to compose that elusive sentence to continue their flimsy excuse of a story thread.

Indeed, you can see by this very blog post that I'm going to have a hard time next month. A crazy, hectic, mad, and insanely hard time.

So there it is. Another month of headaches, pain, stress and fistful of Panadols beckons.

I can't wait. BRING IT ON!

2005-10-05T10:02:00.000+08:00

October is here and November round the corner. Lunacy and insanity are in the air and the scent of 50,000 words drifts in on the breeze.

Your words, that is.

Your novel.

You, yes you. The novelist.

You are up to it, you know. No need to dissemble and be bashful and make a million excuses and hide under the dining table. You've always wanted to do it. You know you have.

And the good news is that those 50,000 words don't have to be great words. Or even good words. Or even mediocre words.

They can be utter total crap!

Who cares?! Who gives a toss?

This is not a test of wit or brilliance. It's a test of bum glue, pure and simple.

It's a matter of slog. Of getting words out day after day.

If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about go here and explore. (You might also like to read this Washington Post article.)

If you're so desperate to sign up for the ordeal that you're chewing your mouse-pad in anticipation, you will have to wait a day or two longer until the site's new server comes online, I'm afraid. In the meantime put some ketchup on that mouse-pad.

If you aren't sure whether you are suffiently insane to take on the challenge, go here.

If you think this is all rather silly and beneath you and your great novel will be accepted by the glitziest glossiest upmarketest bookshops across the globe sometime soon, then good luck to you and just push off and read a blog more erudite and sane.

If you think this is all silly and beneath you because you've written one of the novels on the Booker or Nobel shortlist ... yeah, well, you're probably right.

Seriously though, (just for a moment before abnormal service is resumed) the good news is that things are already happening behind the scenes. The NaNoWriMo website has been relaunched and is new and improved complete with podcasts to keep you motivated.

And here in Malaysia we have begun to get ourselves organised. The Scarfer and Erna have vounteered themselves as "Municiple Liaisons" (such an odd term, civil service-ish!) to coordinate events. Several more of us are helping behind the scenes in whatever way we can. (I'm trying to get us some sponsorship - at least in terms of organisations prepared to cheer us on.) And we have this blog for Malaysian participants. Yay!

Last year we had 40 participants and 10 finished novels. This year we want gazillions of both for this, the biggest writing competition on earth.

You on for it?

What do you have to lose? Except what little sanity you have left!

Styling issues

2005-10-04T16:43:00.000+08:00

Well, this is the first Malaysian blog specially made for NaNoers and, thus, there will be some changes made to the template and what not.

Readers AND contributors alike, please bear with me/Erna as we go through the changes - am planning to come up with a nice header and colour palate instead of this very typical, generic template.

^_~

Btw, in case you are wondering, NaNoWriMo forums are up and running! Erin (webmistress and HM for the MLs) did inform us that there will be a little tweaking done on some of the regional forums. So hang on in there while we ride out the hiccups!

2005-10-03T16:54:00.000+08:00

50,000 words in 30 days.

Memang gila.

But then, writing a novel looks crazy to those unable to succumb to the power of story.

Story moves, enlightens, entertains. It is the song of life, the dance of days for every moment we own is a story in itself.

And those who truly love story are moved enough to pay the ultimate homage - by weaving tales of their own.

Take the threads of your imaginings and care not whether you produce songket or kain basahan.

Your story waits to be told and we, your fellow NaNoWriMoers join you in this pursuit, this joyful undertaking.

You won't be alone. In fact, you'll be in pretty darn good company.

Go ahead, write that novel.