fun! NIAD 9 - 19th October 2019 - BIG FUN!

[Camy]

If you are free on Saturday 19th October then consider this:

https://www.literatureandlatte.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=58114

NIAD, or 'Novel in a Day' is run by Pigfender over at literatureandlatte.com. They developed Scrivener and Scapple, but you're not obliged to use them.

I've written a chapter for four, so far, and had hysterically weird and fun days at it.

I have no idea what the genre is this year, but the first time I took part it was a Western.

NaNoWriMo (also big fun) takes a month, this is a day - a mere bagatelle.

Check it out!

[Bruin Fisher]

I hadn't heard of this and it's fascinating.

What was it like to take part? How much guidance do you get, and what constraints are put on you so the various chapters follow each other and tell a story?

I read a bit of Marshall Law from a few years ago, one chapter in particular was brilliantly written, and very funny.

 

[Camy]

1 hour ago, Bruin Fisher said:

What was it like to take part? How much guidance do you get, and what constraints are put on you so the various chapters follow each other and tell a story?

Bruin! It's BIG FUN!

If you can't spend a month on NANoWriMo, then this is a compressed, super-duper, version.

1500 words upwards between 12am and 8pm London time (the deadline isn't as strict as it could be) and the novels (generally 2 or 3 versions) are released just before midnight.

No one has any idea of genre - until just after midnight on Saturday, when you get emailed a brief. Each author receives the same brief, EXCEPT for their chapter. You get a slim 'this is where you are in the story' a more detailed 'this is what has to happen in the chapter' and a short 'this is how the chapter ends.' Other than that it's entirely up to you what you write, and what the characters get up to. Considering no one knows what anyone else is writing, the resultant novels are remarkably coherent .

The best explanation is at: http://novelinaday.com/

I hope you sign up! PM me if you want a copy of one of the previous briefs.

[Camy]

 

[Cole Parker]

While I do see Camy's name on the list of participants, I don't see Bruin's or Nigel's.  I guess Nigel has a doctor's excuse.  But Bruin?  Inquiring minds want to know.

C

[Bruin Fisher]

Sadly 19th October is a big family celebration which will require my full attention all day. I might make it next year, though...

[Camy]

On 10/9/2019 at 9:56 PM, Bruin Fisher said:

Sadly 19th October is a big family celebration which will require my full attention all day. I might make it next year, though...

A warlock and six raven haired witches stare at the runes rolling slowly to conclusion.
"NOOOOO!" They scream in bizarre harmony, as the final rune teeters, then drops.
"Sad, sooooo sad," the Warlock hisses in distress, dabbing his eyes with an oddly soiled hankie.

And frankly I'd agree. Still, never mind eh, 'm Bear. Next year will be just as much fun.... One hopes, post Brexit, and almost post Trump.

Maybe it'll be my turn: "Sorry, couldn't write a chapter. I was at the food bank shivving a pensioner for a can of beans."

[Camy]

Well, that was a lot of fun!

The cat came on heat yesterday; peace and quiet wasn't on the cards. Self-editing isn't my bailiwick, either.

I will say that forcing yourself to write to a brief is both useful, and quite cathartic. I'm even thinking of loosely outlining in the future (shudder).

So... A novel in nineteen chapters. There are three versions. I'm in blue. Now, I have to do the washing up.

 

[Bruin Fisher]

Well done our Camy!

[Camy]

On 10/22/2019 at 6:47 PM, Bruin Fisher said:

Well done our Camy!

Thanks, Bruin!

One of the NiaD participants is a web developer who has built rather a neat website displaying the novel. It lets you pick the chapters you like (some have multiple versions) and save them as a complete book.

Now, Maths has never been my strong-suit so I was amazed, nay, gobsmacked, to find out the following:

There were 53 participants randomly given nineteen chapters. This means there are - wait for it! - 229,582,512 distinct versions of the book!

I'll need a bigger house....