Wednesday, October 15, 2014

NaNoLive

The official website of National Novel Writing Month has gone live for 2014, and there are lots of changes. But before I begin grousing about get into all that, let's take a look at this year's official graphic:



I'm thinking Judy, you were right. Very vintage, chock full of fun stuff and so much more attractive than 2013. I will get all the various incarnations uploaded to my Photobucket account and post the links next week (this week Photobucket does not like me uploading, for some reason. Maybe it got fried from the air show pics.)

The good folks at the website have fiddled with the site while renovating, so expect change in your face when you go to sign in for 2014. Among other things, there's a new dashboard, graphic Girl/Boy-Scoutish "badges" you can earn by doing participatory things that do not involve camping, burning marshmallows or sleeping with the crickets (at least I hope not), and the chance to join virtual "write-ins" via something with YouTube that isn't working yet. They've also rounded up an interesting roster of pros to give pep talks, coach you and do some sort of sprinting (and Chuck Wendig will likely be the most practical/smart/fun of that bunch, so keep an eye out for him.)

Change is inspiring, and every writer can use new motivation, so I'm on board with all this. At the same time I am waxing a bit nostalgic for the good old tech-lite days of NaNo, when all we did was write and nag each other to write in chatrooms where we'd post our daily counts and wait for the occasional word war to break out. You remember, before cell phones ate the world and turned everyone into texting and instagramming zombies?

Anyway. Looks like there is much fun to be had over at the website, so do check it out when you get a chance.

5 comments:

  1. Ya know, I've never used the NaNo site for anything but keeping track of my writing and the writing of my buddies. I've always lived in an area where there aren't any groups, and traveling to get togethers is problematic. (When I was in CO, the closest group was 2 hours away.) I don't own a webcam, I never figured out the video camera thingie on my Nikon, and I'm so much better in writing than I am in person. I've never texted. So, I'm kickin' it oldschool like always. =o)

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  2. I agree that the artwork stuff is totally better than last year, which I didn't like at all. An interesting plot popped into my head earlier this week that would be really good to pursue for NaNo. Guess that means I'm going to spend November in a frenzy after all... ;D

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  3. I remember the days of the word-wars. :D I'm going to use this nano, my first I've really had an open november to do one, to do the next novella in my series, because I can show it off at a con I'm guesting at, in may. ( fancy a trip to north carolina?)

    now I just have to pick which character I'm running with for this round. I'll probably decide like, the night before, having mapped out several ideas.

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  4. Anonymous10:58 PM

    I miss the old Nano days too. Oh well.

    Now if only I could come up with a plot or an idea or something. Hiveword is waiting for me to fill in the blanks. So many blanks.

    Ron B

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  5. Yi! Is is that time of year already?! *sharpens pencils*

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