Other People's NaNo Counts

[yrdeni]

I get disheartened looking at other people's word counts. I feel a bit like "OMG! How can that person possibly have three times my count already? Do these people not work?!"

I think this might be a combination of a bit of a competitive streak and the frustration of not having enough time in the day to do everything

However, I'm interested to know how everyone else feels about being able to check on other people's progress. Perhaps you pick someone who's on a similar count to you and quietly 'race' them - using them as a marker to make you feel good when you're ahead? Or do you just feel really happy for anyone who's doing well, so falling behind doesn't bother you at all?

[4amWriter]

Interesting poll, lordscree. I voted that it didn't affect me either way, but that's a bit misleading. I'll explain. Knowing I'm behind both disheartens me and motivates me. As I compare myself to my buddies, I'm in the top half of those writers reporting word counts (not all my buddies are reporting yet).

I don't want to be the leader because then I'll feel more pressure to perform. I'll also feel like all eyes are on my word count, and that if/when I do fall behind, it's that much more noticeable. And then I'd really feel disheartened!

I like being in the middle of the pack, but on the top end of the middle. If I'm toward the bottom, I would be disheartened--at first--then I'd get motivated and really kick my ass into gear.

In the end though, I remind myself that it's really a competition between me and myself. Nobody else's word counts affect me in the long run. Only I can write the words in 30 days. If I can use people as motivation, I will, but I won't let myself get depressed to the point of questioning myself.

And for those people who are already past 15,000 words, they either don't work or don't sleep.

[limebirdwriters]

I pretty much feel the same as Kate, but I put myself in the disheartened catagory!

[limebirdvanessa]

I do keep an eye on the others, and I like to know I'm not right at the bottom, but other than that it doesn't worry me too much, I know what I have to do and that isn't based on what others have done. Although if I start to overthink it, then I worry that maybe those with a lower count than me just haven't updated their count recently, and maybe I am at the bottom after all! I haven't checked today, but I want to write some more before I update and check.

[ottabelle]

I forget to look and see where others are. This is probably a self preservation measure. I know I would be very sad, it's sad enough to see how far behind I am.

[limebirdwriters]

Don't be sad Amber, you can catch up! You got this.

[bonusparts]

My response is a bit loaded, but this was an interesting question to ask, Lord Scree. (And it's always good to be thinking!)

Last year, I was so in love with my story and so ahead of the game anyway, I didn't pay much attention to where I fell between my Buddies' word counts. This year, I think I wrote myself too detailed an outline...and that outline does not look like it will fill the 50K-word quota. So, seeing my Buddies throw caution to the wind and have these great word counts is a bit disheartening. Until I remember that "winning" NaNo doesn't mean anything. Sure, you can get some swag, but the important part is finishing the story.

Now, this is going to sound condescending, and I don't mean for it to do, but I can't help it:
I know so many friends who attempt NaNo, manage the 50K-word mark...but don't ever finish that story. That would dishearten me more than not reaching the quota: the fact that I devoted a chunk of my life to something I'm never going to look at again, that didn't affect me beyond a typing exercise. Because what that says (to me, anyway) is that I didn't care enough about the story to finish it in the first place. And, for me, it's all about the story.

I guess that's why I'll never be a published author.

[yrdeni]

Haha, I was with you all the way until the last line... Are you saying you'll never be a published author because you care about the story?? I hope that's not true!

But what you say sounds about right! I shouldn't be disheartened unless I'm not putting enough effort in, regardless of how other people are doing. I don't think your post is condescending; probably quite accurate!

Sorry to hear you're having problems with the length. I'm starting to think I might've dug myself a similar hole this year - I've just read Beth's post about starting another story after the nano story and wonder if this could help us get the word count up... That's if you have another story in mind, hehe

[4amWriter]

I totally agree with the importance of finishing the story, and even if it's not in the 30-day deadline, so what. You've gotten this far!

We have to remember that a finished NaNo novel is nowhere similar to a finished novel. It's 50,000 words of ideas, really, and that's what we need to focus on. Getting the ideas down. They don't have to be sequential. They don't even have to make sense (well, to you, they do--but you know what I mean).

Don't worry about the fact your outline was too detailed to allow you to write 50,000 words. Go back and describe your villain, give him his backstory. Then do the same with all of your characters. Then descibe your setting, in all the four seasons! Then write some flashbacks which you know won't ever be in the final draft, but its part of the scaffolding which every author needs to know anyway.

The 50,000 words are there, I promise you. Just dig a little deeper.

[yrdeni]

Good shout about back stories and character profiles, Kate. I guess these things will help to strengthen the revision process, even if they won't necessarily make it into the story itself.

[bonusparts]

I should have said, "It's like pulling teeth for me to keep writing a story when it loses my interest, and *that's* why I won't be published." Meaning, committing myself and my energies wholly to a story that doesn't grab me is difficult. Not that loving your story will not get someone published.

I just (re-)wrote a flashback scene in my NaNo yesterday, and it went...okay. (I had the original idea a long time ago, but had to rewrite the text to fit the situation.) I still don't really *feel* anything for these characters, though. Not like I've done with other NaNos and projects.

But, I'll keep keepin' on. Hope you do, too!