Just so everyone knows, this account (sb_starbright) is my secondary account. Since I never log in to it anymore, I'm turning mod-ship over to my main account, so all mod posts will be made by oni_kita. All questions should go to that account as well.

On another note, to try to get things going again around here, take a look: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/age-group-20s/threads/2423?page=1 We have a CF thread over on the forums. There's been some confusion about the terms, but Dragonwings was kind enough to explain the difference =D

Also, if you go on over there, let's not be jumping on anyone posting who isn't really CF. We're all more mature than that, right?

Who all is participating in NaNoWriMo again this year?

Well, CF Wrimos, we're in the home stretch now. There's just 10 more days - a bit less than that where I am, actually, as it's late in the evening - before November 30th. That's right. We have 10 more days to get our word counts up where they belong if they aren't already there.

I'm sure many of you are like me and are struggling to catch up, whether you're 10, 15, or even 20K behind. Maybe you hit writer's block and couldn't bring yourself to try to write until you knew what you were doing, or maybe you just weren't motivated, or you're behind for any other number of reasons. But don't be discouraged! You can still make it.

There's still a bit more time left this weekend, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner for US participants, plus one more weekend after that. Thanksgiving right there is a whole day to write! Use it! If you have to, stuff yourself with food as fast as you can and then whole up in your room, your favorite chair, a random corner, or even the bathroom, and write, write, write. Don't let anyone distract you.

Have a word war with yourself; get glow stick bracelets and write until they aren't glowing anymore (with the occasional bathroom or snack break, or just get up every so often to get the blood flowing again. You don't want to hurt yourself.); check out Write Or Die (they have the very unpleasant sound of a baby crying - among other things - if you stop writing for too long); take a walk or a hot shower or bath (that can help get the ideas flowing, along with making you feel good); promise yourself a tasty treat for every so many words you write - anything to get yourself writing and get that word count up.

You can throw a random ninja in for one scene, never to be seen again - hell, throw in a ninja squirrel or an army of ninja penguins hell bent on taking over the world to turn it into a giant ice skating rink! Talk about an albino peacock, or have your characters break out into a fun rendition of 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, or give them a wacky dream sequence or two or three.

But whatever you do, don't give up. There's still time and you've come this far, so why stop now? You have a story to tell, so tell it.

And in the interest of trying to get more discussion going around here (ya know, since I've been neglecting this place...and for procrastination's sake, since I'm a pro at it) who wants to share some funny mistakes they've seen in their writing so far?

I found a good one when I was working on mine during my lunch break:

There were a lot of mishaps during training that day, including hand to hand combat ending up falling down the bank into the river.

*facepalm* It was supposed to read "There were a lot of mishaps during training that day, including in hand to hand combat with Kaz and Maxwell ending up falling down the bank into the river."

So...start sharing! (Or get back to writing. One of the two).

Here's some writing software you can use for NaNoWriMo. Both programs have a 30-day trial so you can use them for free just for November! Just be sure not to install it until the 1st of November!

Scrivener

and

WriteWay

Enjoy!

If you haven't discovered Writer's Digest, you might want to check them out. Here's one article on some suggestions for your main character:

How to "Up the Stakes" for Your Main Character
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/how-to-up-the-ante-for-your-main-character/

I'm pretty sure I said yesterday that I would come back later with something. And instead I got distracted working on my outline XD Go figure.

I will have some fun NaNo-related icons for everyone this weekend, once I have a chance to get Photoshop reinstalled on my laptop. In the mean time, I'm adding a link to a CF NaNo FaceBook group to the links along the side and in the community profile. If you use FaceBook (which I don't...) then you should check it out.

(And if anyone noticed and is wondering about the 'mod pot roast' tag...that's because NaNoWriMo has eaten my soul already. When I try to type 'mod post' it keeps coming out as 'mod proast'. So now it is a mod pot roast.)

Heya, everyone. This is your mod, sb_starbright. Anyone new should check out the rules prior to joining, though they're pretty straightforward.

If you'd like to make an intro post, that would be awesome, so we all know who you are. I'll go first. Because so far I'm the only one here.

My name is Kita (no, not really, but that is what I go by). sb_starbright is not my main journal; it's my writing journal, and no I will not tell you what my regular journal is, though...most of you may know anyway. >_> Anywho, I'm 20, childfree (obviously) and this is my 3rd year participating in NaNoWriMo. Last year was the first year I participated in write-ins, and I really enjoyed them. I look forward to the ones we'll have this year. I have 2 cats, and 5 rats, and lots of plot-animals running around refusing to give me much in the way of decent story ideas. And despite typing for a living, I can't seem to type today.

I'm still semi-debating on my story this year; I have an idea and I like it, but I'm not sure what to do with it. I can be a very indecisive person. It drives me crazy.

And now, I have to get some work done (because reports are finally coming over to be typed. Yay! ...not...) I will come back later with some plot ideas, or dares, or something fun.