Have some copy-paste!
Hello everypony, Siraj here, otherwise known as Noble Cause, with an event for all those writerly types around here. Some of you know of National Novel Writing Month, taking place in November. For those unfamiliar with it, the idea is to write 50,000 words in 30 days. No, I’m not asking those interested to do it at the same time, that would be an exercise in insanity akin to Pinkie Pie levels. I noticed that September also has the standard 30 day timeframe, so that’s the plan for the first ever National Pony Writing Month.
Anypony willing to participate can do so, even if you’ve never put pencil to paper or hooves to keyboard with such a goal in mind before. The only criteria are that it has to be pony-related, you’re able to begin at midnight on September 1st, and that pencils are down and the last letter is typed by midnight local time on September 30th. No sneaking in a few more words at 12:01 a.m. on October 1st. If you’re interested, e-mail [email protected], and put ‘NaPoWriMo’ in the subject line. I look forward to everypony’s attempt, and with luck, we’ll end up with a few more fics to give ‘Fallout: Equestria’, ‘Dangerous Business’, ‘Memories of Days Long Past’, and ‘Past Sins’ a run for their bits.
~ Siraj/Noble Cause, morale officer, bard and baker of the Equestria Daily offices.
96 comments:
Im terrible at these kinds of things, ut i like seeing them appear.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, It would be nice to have some more long fiction to read, but with Season 2 coming just round the corner. I wonder how this will turn out =/
ReplyDeleteNaPoWriMo?
ReplyDeleteDang, and here I am with my longest fic idea already written out...
ReplyDeleteOh interesting idea, I'd love to take part but I'm a pretty lousy writer. Good luck to those taking part in it, it's quite the endeavor.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should try joining this event. I'm sure that no one's reading my other story, so I can put that on the back burner for a month or so.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll take part
ReplyDeleteI'm prepping myself for NaNaWriMo as it is. This'll be a good warm-up. Challenge accepted! ^_^
ReplyDeleteGotta say, I'm really interested in this. Though it IS a bit ambitious to try and write my first fic, and have it be nearly novella length.
ReplyDeleteI've been knocking around a few ideas in my head. I may give it a go.
ReplyDeleteOh Celestia...
ReplyDeleteI have actually succeeded at the official NaNoWriMo on two occasions. It is harder than it sounds.
It averages to 1,750 words a day or so. Every day.
For some Ponies, this may be easy.
For others, especially full-time-employed ones, not so much.
This sounds highly amusing, but certainly not for the faint of ... er ... keyboard.
Well, I think I'll try my hoof at this :)
ReplyDeleteI have an idea for a comedy fanfic.
oh goddammit.
ReplyDeleteif i weren't already working on finishing up another fanfic that i've been working on for about eight years, i would be all the fuck over this.
maybe i'll save it for the actual NaNoWriMo.
also, yes, word of warning. writing 50,000 words sounds like a total piece of cake on the first of the month. and if you are some kind of superhuman mutated freak, it might well be. but if you're a mere mortal you will hate yourself and want to die by about the end of the first week, after you realize that a month is not as long as you thought and 50,000 words is more than you thought. i barely succeeded last year and had to take an entire month off from writing because oh god the pain why did i do that.
I have writer's block right now. If I just go absolutely batshit crazy on this it might free up my mind and help me get back into the swing of writing.
ReplyDeleteI was planning on doing pony fanfic for NaNoWriMo anyway, so I'll probably skip this. Best of luck to everyone though, and maybe I'll try to boost my writing speed in September anyway.
ReplyDeleteI Approve of this.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what i need to kick my butt into gear for the story I'm starting. This is gonna be like running a marathon without having ever trained, won't it?
ReplyDeleteWow. Ouch. I'll have to think about this.
ReplyDeleteUp to this point, I've focused on the short form with the idea that readers are more likely to finish a short story than a long one.
Suppose I wrote the Great Equestrian Novel. Would anyone read it?
@NDupree93
ReplyDeleteSame here
Its gonna be epic
Crap...already started my long fic. Maybe another time...
ReplyDeleteDefinitely look forward to seeing the results though.
Oh, and if anyone wants to look me up on the NaNoWriMo site, I'm sirgimpofbaath on there. This'll be my sixth year.
ReplyDeleteFor the idea I have...I'm gonna need to do some research. Meaning I'll need to read some fanfic...This should prove interesting.
ReplyDeleteHmm.. I've got a longfic idea, but I seriously doubt I'll have time during September to pull it off. On the other hand, I'd figured my NaNoWriMo attempt was going to be quixotic anyway; I suppose there's no reason not to do it during this instead.
ReplyDeleteWell...Uhh....I might try...I don't know, I can barely write the story I'm working on. Although, maybe with a Deadline, I can actually get stuff done.
ReplyDeleteYou know, working with a deadline may actually help me write for college...
ReplyDeleteI've been forced to take a semester off. And this event must be a sign.
So I have the determination to pull this off? I HOPE SO!
I am so doing this. I think I'll do a Luna grimdark. I love doing Grimdarks for some reason O_O
ReplyDeleteLongfics....
ReplyDeleteErr, not my stuff. Motivation runs dry by about 20k words.
You know, I've had a story in my head for a while now, and when I mix it with ponies, it seems to create a surprisingly interesting concoction... I might just have to join the NaPoWriMo fun.
ReplyDeleteYou know, it would suck if what you were doing wouldn't fit into continuity anymore because a new episode aired that weekend. Just sayin'
ReplyDeleteI am so doing this. I've been wanting to do my Gears of War Pony crossover for months, and this is the perfect chance for something that long to escape my mind.
ReplyDeleteThat said... oh god, I'm going to write myself to death within the first week.
I write insanely fast, but 50,000 words seems like a stretch even for me. Like, a painful herniating stretch of enormous magnitude.
That said, I wrote 50,000 words in 46 days last year, without even meaning to. And that was with breaks. So maybe if you just schedule yourself right, it won't be as hard.
I have no time in Sept because I'm going on vacation, but I will write a pony fanfic for the official NaNoWiMo.
ReplyDeleteThere's pony crossover I do want to write, but I'm also currently trying to write another fic. I really don't think I could write 50K words in a month since I'm starting school and I'm having some writer's block.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to those who do participate.
I've done NaNoWriMo for the last 7 years. It's a lot of fun and it is pretty hard. But doing it twice in one year? That'd be really hard. :/ I'm torn.
ReplyDeleteI've been working on part 10 of my story here for weeks. I'm at 40 pages.
ReplyDelete18,400 words so far. That's it. And it's still wearing me out. 50,000 words would probably kill me.
Writing a pony-fic has crossed my mind before, my dad was an english teacher and my teachers always say I write well. I just never found it particularly fun. I won't be attempting this, but it's making me think I can try out writing a little something. I have a few ideas in my head.
ReplyDelete>Sees event
ReplyDelete>"Hey, I write! Why is the allotted time so long?
>Seess 50k words.
>"Oh. Thats why. Nevermind"
IV NEVER WRITTEN ANYTHING IN MY LIFE, WHY THE FUCK NOT :D
ReplyDelete@BBQbeef
ReplyDeleteAnd because you've made it too tempting...
OMG. WTF, BBQ?
I go to school full time, and have a job on top of that.
ReplyDeleteI have absolutely no idea what I'd write 50,000 words about.
I have a notoriously lazy work ethic.
But damn it all, I'm going to god damn DO this.
So, I've got an idea, but in order to do it I'll need to be more familiar with the most famous/infamous fics. Can some people give me some recs to start with?
ReplyDeleteIf you do the math its not much. A safe number to run with is 1750 words a day, not that hard as long as you reserve the time in your day everyday and remain diligent. Also helps if you have a plan in mind, of course.
ReplyDeleteAll over that. Sequel to my first fanfic? Oh yeah.
ReplyDeleteGah Dx I would love to do this but I barely find time to work on my short stories, novel, and fanfic I have in the works. I do love this idea though.
ReplyDelete1700 words per day...
ReplyDeleteWell I can't say I expect too many people to actually hit the mark, but there will definitely be a lot of ~20-30k word fics being submitted at the end of September ;P
IT. IS. ON!
ReplyDelete50, 000 words! I accept the challenge!
ReplyDelete99.9% chance that I burn out in two days and give up.
@U.H.
ReplyDelete^^ :D
Challenge accepted. Coming October 1st: A new goddamn novel.
ReplyDeleteI unfortunately do not have the time to write that amount of content in the time alotted, but I will unofficially participate and just see how much I CAN do.
ReplyDeleteI also probably suck at writing, having never written any dedicated piece since high school, which was 3 years ago. I will do this just for the casual entertainment and to discover just how much talent I have in me, if any.
but serious I'v never written anything in my life but I think I could do this. I'm known for being unnecessarily stubborn and sticking ridiculously hard at some things. so this is more me proving to myself im capable of something that takes time and shouldnt be rushed ....
ReplyDeleteso yeah il be entiering :D I hope :D.
'Insane'? I'm not insane, I'm just a pony that likes to have fun throwing parties for all my friends! Oh! I should throw you a party, too! We'll call it a 'Because Party'! Just because! Oh, I'm so excited! Are you excited? I've never been so excited, except for that one time I decided to throw a 'Because Party', but really, who can top that?
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we just have it in November and do both of them at once? I've finished nanowrimo twice but am not about to do that two months in a row.
ReplyDeleteHm. Sounds like a plan. But thanks so much to school I have NO chance on perfecting my huge crossover plan in JUST 30 days.
ReplyDelete@Blayze Kohime
ReplyDeleteBecause some people would want to do this, AND their own original story for NaNo. Trying to do 100,000 words would be even more difficult.
Besides, there's actually a month in between Sep and Nov. It's called october.
Time for me to go public, so as to put that much added pressure on myself to make sure I follow through!
ReplyDelete5 days to get the last chapter of my current story written; I'm halfway there now. Then, use any leftover time to work on an outline. Come the beginning of September, proceed to write like some sort of love child produced by Twilight Sparkle and Pinkie Pie.
tl;dr I'm in! And many thanks to Siraj/Noble Cause for being willing to coordinate this event! You rock!
@NDupree93
ReplyDeleteOh, silly! October is- *GASP* It IS a month!
This is a BAD idea with little to no notice. There, I said it. You are making a HORRIBLE mistake doing this with less than a week to prepare, and are setting up writers for failure.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I may give this a shot. But can it be a collection of stores instead of 1 huge story?
ReplyDeleteTo put this into perspective, the 50k words requirement is still 1,669 fewer words than the latest chapter of Fallout Equestria...
Not sure if that makes it more feasible or means Kkat is insane... O_O
@Roy G. Biv
ReplyDeleteIt's just for fun, I'm sure a bunch of people will drop once they realize how long it is.
@Roy G. Biv
ReplyDeleteHave you ever done NaNoWriMo? Half the fun is the batshit insanity you get when you run out of ideas on day five.
The other half of the "fun" is the last week, when every third word is an adjective and you find yourself smashing your skull into the keyboard, hoping that serious head trauma might give you another page's worth of inspiration.
@Roy G. Biv
ReplyDeleteSpoil sport, half the fun of NaNo is just getting to put out a story. It by no means is going to be perfect, that's why many people spend the month after editing and revising. NaNo is just meant to test yourself, and to get the story you want to tell out there. Tons of people every year fail it, but it's still a lot of fun.
I imagine a ponified version will be even more exciting.
More contests to get the creative juices following!
ReplyDeleteNot really much a write myself. But hope anypony who participates has fun.
my masochism sense are tingling!
ReplyDeletethis should be quite fun, until it isn't. But I think that's part of the fun
@108Echoes
ReplyDeleteYup, NaNo veteran as well as helping organize with the other brony writers doing the actual NaNoWriMo over on DeviantArt. While I still feel this is a foolish, ill-conceived, poorly timed knock-off idea where the authors will have little to none of the support and perks that NaNo provides... I do wish nothing but the best of luck to those who DO attempt this September idea.
I may disagree completely with the timing and announcement of this project, but I don't wish those participating any ill will. I want them to succeed, even if I worry privately that they won't & will give up writing. Just because I may not care for an idea does NOT mean I wish bad thoughts towards those that decide to follow it.
If that makes any sense, I dunno. I have at least calmed down from my initial outrage.
@Roy G. Biv
ReplyDeleteI can understand where you're coming from, but I also think you're being a little bit too worried about the whole thing.
I don't think anypony is going to completely give up writing over the fact that they couldn't accomplish a very large number of words in a set time frame. Indeed, if one failure is all it takes for them to stop putting words to page, I would argue they weren't all that into writing in the first place. If they didn't experience that set back here during this, it would come during the an attack of that dreaded foe of all authors; writer's block
And as for the lack or preparation time? (shrugs) I'll agree that less than a week isn't the best window of opportunity for some, but I'd argue that it has its merits too. Less time to overthink ideas and start convince yourself you can't pull it off, for one. I remember my first time doing NaNoWriMo; I had a wonderful sci-fi type story I was going to write, got 3 days in, and realized that I cared too much about what I was writing, and wanted to go research a dozen different things for just the first couple of chapters. I quickly gave that up, started writing a humorous superhero/ comic book piece, and finished with two days to spare. All pretty much pulled out of thin air.
Now, can anypony do that? Heavens no! But I think as long as people treat this more as an exercise to help motivate themselves to come up with some ideas to work with, and maybe come out with all the grunt work done on a good sized piece of MLP fan fiction, they'll have some fun and a few stories to share at the next get together they go to down the road.
I have to agree, roy, you're being a neighsayer. I've never done anything like this before, so I think I'm saving up for nanowrimo...but I'm tempted to do a pony version for napowrimo (I'm going to go for nanowrimo with non-pony, gasp).
ReplyDeleteI can consider it warmup...
I don't really see, why this event should be a good idea. Forcing a writer to write at least a set amount of words in a limited time frame seems a bad idea to me. What if the writer has a better idea sometime in September, but gives it up, because of the contest? Or has to stretch a story to an unnecessary bad length / cut it short because of the length requirement / time line? The community would miss out on some fanfiction that could otherwise have been great, if not for the contest :(
ReplyDeleteThe idea of such a contest would work only, if it gets a writers who would otherwise write nothing to participate. However, I really don't see that happening unfortunately, given how many authors here would write their stories anyway, but without silly restrictions.
Not to spoil everyone's fun here, but I think if a writer here has an idea that wouldn't work well with the restrictions here: just write your story the way you want to and don't worry about the contest. The readers will thank you.
I have to admit, after having a night to sleep on this and think some more I don't think I'll be participating after all. Like I said, I'm preparing for the actual NaNoWriMo as it is. Plus I have other fics I want to write right now as well without trying to create something so huge.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if we were given more time to prepare and somewhat diminished goals (perhaps 25k words instead of 50k?) this would make a better event. As it stands, however, I can't justify participating right now.
can we plan it before the first so we know wtf were doing? O_o
ReplyDeleteSo, wait, does it need to be one solid project that we haven't started yet? Or can I continue working on the series I already have started?
ReplyDeleteI DO have another, EPIC idea in mind, but I'd hate to neglect my fledgling Moon Princess Adventures in Ponyville.
This is just the kind of motivation I need to spur me on to actually write a fic I've had in mind for ages.
ReplyDeleteI don't have much literature to my name (an 8-page Starfox fic back in grade 5 is all I've really done), but this contest is tempting...
ReplyDeletePerhaps I should give it a go. Even if I don't make the deadline, I can still submit it as a standalone project afterwards.
Confound these ponies, they drive me to write...
So wait, about how many pages is 50,000 words on a standard Google Doc?
ReplyDeleteSomething like 150 pages, depending on how much dialog you've got.
ReplyDeleteThis does sound kind of... insane.
ReplyDeleteEveryone should also keep in mind that half way through the month season 2 starts up.
ReplyDeleteNew episodes can take up a lot of a bronie's free time (watching them over and over, discussions, new PMV to watch, new fan art, ect...) but it could also blast a hole in a fic if the new season cannon conflicts the story you're writing.
This is a problem I can easily foresee in the story I'm planning so I'll have to hold off to avoid massive rewrites half way through.
Sign me up! I'm finding it hard to not start writing now, but I won't break the contest rules. Good luck, everyone!
ReplyDeleteOh hell, this means I MUST FINISH EVERY OTHER PROJECT IN THE NEXT THREE DAYS.
ReplyDeleteFORGET IT, WE"LL DO IT LIVE. FOR POOOOOONIES!
I really want to do this. I've been trying to get back into writing, but it's so hard without much incentive. That's the main reason I've stopped a story halfway through in the past. But if I have some pressure, I think I can do it. Even if I fail, it will serve as experience.
ReplyDeleteDo you have to start on midnight September 1st, cause that seems outrageous. I can start September 1st, but no midnight.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure you don't have to start writing at midnight. It just means you can't write any earlier than that.
ReplyDeleteOH LORD, HERE WE GO
ReplyDeleteI stumble into 50,000 words every so often...
ReplyDelete...I wish I was joking...
@Moth
ReplyDeleteJust do what most fic writers do, don't try to worry about Canon. I remember reading tons of Harry Potter fic that would disregard certain books, or certain parts. There's even an entire category on the mugglenet fic boards called "Epilogue? What epilogue?".
When it comes to fanfic, just worry about doing a good story, regardless of its potential canonicity.
I did Scott McCloud's 24 Comic challenge and succeeded, and I've meant to try something like this. It's more a marathon than a sprint, of course.
ReplyDeleteBah, I've never even written over 5,000 words in my life, don't know how I'll do with 50,000, but I'll compete just for the fun of writing my first pony story.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if I could come up with something that not only used 50k words, but 50,000 differant words! While still following a story I mean. I'm about 96.4% sure that I couldn't...
ReplyDeleteBut the Oxford Dictionary website says "The Second Edition of the 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary contains full entries for 171,476 words in current use, and 47,156 obsolete words" And I speak french too, so that's got to add a few more words.
Maybe it's crazy, but wouldn't it be wonderful to see somepony manage it? ^,^
No... I really wish I could...
ReplyDeleteThis month is going to be one of the biggest in my life, and I won't have time for it.
It is with regret that I say this. I am sorrowfully going to have to decline this.
Hope to participate in the next-coming event.
Bye.
Grr, I have an idea for a gigantic fic that would be perfect for this...Except that I already wrote chapter one. Perhaps I can start counting at chapter two?
ReplyDeleteWell.. im juggling College, and having a social life for the first time.. but what the hey, ill give it a go.
ReplyDeletehee hee.. i made a pun.
And here I was, looking for an excuse to actually write a story idea I've been working on in my twisted, fucked up little mind. Consider me on board. MY shipping fic can wait. It's time for some good old fashion ponylore and grimdark up in this pony.
ReplyDeleteI did NaNo last year. I made it to November 15th without any problems at all, and then swimming and basketball started and I bailed two days later after realizing that all my writing time had been on the bus rides to and from school that I no longer had.
ReplyDeleteWith my schedule the way it is, there's no way in hell I'll be able to do this for the entire month. But I think I'll use it as an excuse to focus more on writing the story I've already started (and published) here. Maybe play around with that I Am Legend crossover. Guess I'll see what happens when it happens.
I've got something I'm going to write for this. I don't know honestly if it's got 50,000 words in it quite (though It took 4 pages to outline it properly so that might be a good sign) It's also going to be [Normal] [Adventure], rather than something epic or grimdark or sad, which makes me think it's destined to obscurity, but I don't really care. I'm writing it anyway, and if NaPoWriMo helps me get it out, then that works for me.
ReplyDeleteI'll be laying out the first words in less than an hour.
I never got a confirmation on this from the email or anything, but I'm still going through with it.
ReplyDelete@kal413
ReplyDeleteSame here-I didn't get a reply to my inquires about the event either; any other ponies with the same issue? Gonna have to start two days late-but I think I'll manage. (I've already got my outline + some scribbles from today in class...)
I'm hoping we get an update post from Noble Cause & Seth in regards to NaPoWriMo, just a quick little one...
As for myself, I'm going to go [Adventure] [Grimlight] [Light Shipping], with some inspirations from Dinatopia and thrown in.
in any case, this is gonna be absolutely insane-
Good luck everypony.
Damn you procratination...Damn you to hell ;w;
ReplyDeleteI wrote up a storm and now I've hit a block 12 pages in... I think I might drop out..