Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Chronicle Books (2004).
Description
Chris Baty, founder of the wildly successful literary marathon known as National Novel Writing Month, has completely revised and expanded his definitive handbook for extreme noveling. Chris pulls from over 15 years of results-oriented writing experience to pack this compendium with new tips and tricks, ranging from week-by-week quick reference guides to encouraging advice from authors, and much more. His motivating mix of fearless optimism and practical solutions to common excuses gives both first-time novelists and results-oriented writers the kick-start they need to embark on an exhilarating creative adventure.
User reviews
LibraryThing member marck
Baty has a quick, light-hearted writing style, which is important considering the task this book promises to teach you. "Heavier" writing books (i.e., John Gardner's _The Art of Fiction_) call out for much thinking through your process. But if you're going to turn out a novel in 30 days, we have no
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time for that! So Baty's book moves along at a fast clip, which means you can get back to writing your masterpiece faster. I knocked out over 56,000 words in my month, and though the first draft has yet to be finished, there is no way I would have gotten THAT far without Baty encouraging me to get my inner editor out of the way and simply pound out my story. Show Less
LibraryThing member tammydotts
I picked up No Plot? No Problem! by Chris Baty when I signed up for the 2008 NaNoWriMo that Baty cofounded. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month in which one attempts to write 50,000 words in 30 days usually in November. As Baty explains in No Plot, 50,000 words is about the length of
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The Great Gatsby or Of Mice and Men. The whole idea of the project is to write without editing. No Plot walks you through the month week by week, offering pep talks and tips for success. Baty sprinkles wit throughout the book and it’s an enjoyable read. Will it make you a better writer? Not on its own. Some of the tips will be helpful to some people, while other tips will be helpful to others. The whole book is not going to resonate with you. In fact, you may think some of his ideas are completely wrong for how you approach writing. Still, I found reading each week’s section as I progressed through NaNoWriMo to be a welcome distraction from meeting that week’s word count. Show Less
LibraryThing member EowynA
I've done NaNoWriMo several times now. The first was a novel called "Arts Pentathlon". It was fun and exhilarating, and I really didn't expect to kill one of my main characters off so quickly. But it worked out. The second time I tried, nothing jelled and and I didn't finish. The third time, same
I had decided that this year, instead of writing a new novel, I would use the month to edit my existing non-fiction book (NaBoEdMo). But reading this book has me fired up again. It would be good to write another novel. This book talks about the genesis of the NaNoWriMo Challenge, and the pitfalls. It walks you through the process, and the problems. But it does not give you a plot. It gives you a mental attitude of excitement and charging up your creativity. November starts next week. I have some half-formed characters and attitudes swirling in my head.... after reading this, I'm thinking I should go for it. Recommended.
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deal. The fourth time, I used it as a means of writing the first draft of a non-fiction book. I made it, but have not gone back to edit it yet. I had decided that this year, instead of writing a new novel, I would use the month to edit my existing non-fiction book (NaBoEdMo). But reading this book has me fired up again. It would be good to write another novel. This book talks about the genesis of the NaNoWriMo Challenge, and the pitfalls. It walks you through the process, and the problems. But it does not give you a plot. It gives you a mental attitude of excitement and charging up your creativity. November starts next week. I have some half-formed characters and attitudes swirling in my head.... after reading this, I'm thinking I should go for it. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member ALLLGooD
I participated in NaNoWriMo for the first time in 2007. I didn't make it to 50K, but it was an amazing experience. I read this book with almost 2 months' distance from it and I wish I had read it in October. I came to many of the same conclusions that Chris had made but through the hard way of
What I valued the most of this book was the normalization of the process, outlined week by week...the energy, the doubts, the hopelessness. But, he also gently offers ways to deal with those challenges that inspire the novelist. A lot of writing books offer good advice. But this book condenses to what is necessary for the NaNoWrimo-er. See you in November!
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personal experience. What I valued the most of this book was the normalization of the process, outlined week by week...the energy, the doubts, the hopelessness. But, he also gently offers ways to deal with those challenges that inspire the novelist. A lot of writing books offer good advice. But this book condenses to what is necessary for the NaNoWrimo-er. See you in November!
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LibraryThing member markflanagan
Chris Baty, founder of National Novel Writing Month teaches you everything you need to know about writing a novel whose only benchmark for success is daily word count. He is fantastically practical and encouraging in this book and there's no question in my mind that i am writing a novel in November
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- seriously. If you have any aspirations towards writing fiction at all, you will get this book IMMEDIATELY. Ask me - I'll send you my copy! Show Less
LibraryThing member JulieTurley
Baty's friendly and engaging style attempts to make the task of writing a 50,000 word novel in 40 days seem exhilerating and fun. Anecdotes from former Nanwrimo winners punctuate the text, along with a plethora of tips to keep going.
LibraryThing member melydia
The idea behind this book is identical to that of the internet phenomenon also founded by Baty: National Novel Writing Month, that is, writing 50,000 words of a novel in the span of a single month. There are no quality standards, and indeed you are discouraged from editing, rereading, or anything
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else besides increasing your wordcount. This book would more accurately be called The Joy of Writing. It's not exactly a how-to book, but rather an embrace-the-fun book, full of light-hearted encouragement and amusing asides. I will say that I never would have picked up this book had I never participated in NaNoWriMo. Its very subtitle sounds like a scam: "A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days." The thing is, this book is not about writing a polished, ready-for-publication novel in 30 days (though there are a few pages at the end on revising and rewriting after the month is over). It's about writing with wild abandon and how much fun it is. You won't learn much about writing in general, but you will learn a lot about what works and what doesn't in terms of your own writing habits. If you're fairly new to the writing scene and have always wanted to try your hand at a novel just for fun, pick this one up. On the other hand, if you are a serious writer who is looking for serious writing advice, you probably won't find much of use in here. Show Less
LibraryThing member kayceel
A writing guide for those of us who wrote 50,000 words in a month (National Novel Writing Month). Includes tips on location, setting, character development, plot ideas, etc, and also has a bit about editing and getting published.
LibraryThing member loveradiator
I bought this book last year, when my husband and I decided to participate in Nanowrimo on October 31st, the day before it started. I re-read the introductory chapters in preparation for another installment this year. I enjoyed it just as much the second time. The length of the book is pretty close
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to the 50,000 word target for National Novel Writing Month. It is funny and inspiring. Show Less
LibraryThing member severina
I fully intend to do NaNoWriMo this year, so what better way to prep than by buying the How-To book by its founder! The sub-title of this book is "A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days". I absolutely had a hoot reading it -- my favourite of his pieces of advice for the
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NaNoWriMo writer was to lower your expectations of your writing from "best-seller" to "would not make someone vomit". I LOVE THAT. Chris makes a very good case for why NaNo is such a great idea, and manages to make slogging out a minimum of 1667 words of shitty prose per day while ignoring everything else in your life for a full month sound like a fabulous idea. Show Less
LibraryThing member rcgamergirl
I love reading this the week before NaNoWriMo starts. I don't use many of the writing tips, or follow the weekly motivations. I just know after I read it, my mind will catch on and I'll start coming up with ideas that I can't wait to write about.
LibraryThing member SlySionnach
Not for the faint hearted! Chris Baty brings you along on his whirlwind adventure of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) which can happen every November (nationally by the site) or any month you want with No Plot? No Problem! Any writer wanting to do a first draft without any concern for
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quality -just to get ideas on paper- needs to read this combination of humor and inspiration! Show Less
LibraryThing member worldsedge
I am not so sure that there's as much as one piece of advice in this work I could point to as some sort of epiphany. However, Baty's enthusiasm is obvious on every page, and manages to be infectious without ever becoming obnoxious. Trite as it sounds, sometimes simply restating the obvious can be
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helpful, even if some of the particulars in his plan rather left me scratching my head. Show Less
LibraryThing member selfcallednowhere
I did NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, and this book helped me tremendously. I don't think I would have been able to finish my novel without all the tips, ideas, and encouragement I got from this book. Highly recommended.
LibraryThing member erincathryn
Not a reference book for everyone, but definitely had some great tips for completing NaNoWriMo.
Also written in a way that had me giggling out loud a lot.
Also written in a way that had me giggling out loud a lot.
LibraryThing member Nyota24
NaNoWriMo is an awesome idea. The book is a great companion for it, with its week-by-week guide for the whole month (or any month, for that matter). The NaNoWriMo Spirit is all about killing that inner editor, and this is a great guide for creating, maintaining and working with that headlong rush
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to keep writing whatever rises to mind for 30 days -- and beyond. Show Less
LibraryThing member Heather19
I love love LOVE this book. I bought it after NaNo last year and may not use it for an actual guide to NaNo, but the thought processes and the inspiration/motivation in this book is wonderful.
LibraryThing member thelibrarina
It's definitely possible to do NaNoWriMo without this book--especially if you waste your precious noveling hours at the nanowrimo.org website--but this book is reassurance, encouragement, and a kick in the pants all at once. I picked it up again before setting off into this year's novel, and I
The only thing that irritates me is that the sidebar articles are written in black on dark grey. I'm 25; I should not be getting eyestrain yet!
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finished it with a better idea of what I'm going to write...and more realistic expectations for the final product.The only thing that irritates me is that the sidebar articles are written in black on dark grey. I'm 25; I should not be getting eyestrain yet!
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LibraryThing member Triduana
I found out about this book a few days after the start of NaNoWriMo last year and ordered it straightaway, along with a few other writing books. I was into the third week when it finally got delivered, by which time much of the book wasn't that useful! Nevertheless I read the whole thing and found
I actually enjoyed it, it was entertaining and well written, and the case studies from other NaNoWriMo winners were a good inclusion. The way it was set out made it easy to read, and not so heavy going as some books on writing can be. I feel I would have found it much more useful to have had it before I started writing though. I'll pick it up again before the start of my next project.
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a good few useful tips, although it was more of a motivational book than a 'how to plan and write' book.I actually enjoyed it, it was entertaining and well written, and the case studies from other NaNoWriMo winners were a good inclusion. The way it was set out made it easy to read, and not so heavy going as some books on writing can be. I feel I would have found it much more useful to have had it before I started writing though. I'll pick it up again before the start of my next project.
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LibraryThing member LeeHallison
This book doesn't contain much helpful writing advice, but it might be what you need to get started pumping out that first draft during NANOWRIMO (national novel writing month). The book is encouraging but your time is better spent writing rather than reading.
LibraryThing member harrietbrown
A case can be made both for and against writing a novel in a month, just for the hell of it, but in case you decide you want to participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), this is THE book to read. Chris Baty is the man who created NaNoWriMo and inspired a movement in 1999. In 2004, he
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published this book, which is a good guide for finishing a novel in a month, with lots of practical advice and inspiration and encouragement to keep you going. He is also very funny and will keep you entertained and turning the pages. But DON'T! Don't read ahead. This book is best used as prescribed, reading it in order throughout the month of November, at each stage of the NaNoWriMo game. If you want to read ahead, don't do it in November as you're participating in NaNoWriMo; it will only mess you up. If you must read it ahead of time, do it earlier in the year, when NaNoWriMo is a mere blip on the distant horizon. Then go back and read it again, as the author directs, in November, while you're writing your novel. That way you will derive the most benefit from the author's instruction. Show Less
LibraryThing member Chris.Wolak
It's been a while since I read this one, but I recall it being motivational. Just get words on the page. Lots of them.
LibraryThing member CharlotteBurt
I now want NaNoWriMo to start at the beginning of March, so this book must be doing something right.
LibraryThing member DebraParmley
I've tried Nano and it didn't work for me. My process requires me to write in a different way than is described in this book. That said, there are tips in the book which are useful to new authors. I would be the last one to say the advice in this book is no good simply because it does not work for
The thing any writer must do with books on how to write is to hold on to the tips that work and let go of the ones which don't. Each writer must find their own path and what works for some may not work for others.
This was an interesting view into what works for the man who created Nano.
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me.The thing any writer must do with books on how to write is to hold on to the tips that work and let go of the ones which don't. Each writer must find their own path and what works for some may not work for others.
This was an interesting view into what works for the man who created Nano.
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LibraryThing member dukefan86
This was a fun book to read, since I'm thinking about taking part in NaNoWriMo this year. It seems like a fair amount of the book is "pep talk," which is a good thing when one is thinking about taking on the project of writing a novel draft in a month! I also enjoyed reading the advice, especially
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from previous NaNoWriMo participants. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English