Plan for Axel "The Cush" Cushing
by Axel Cushing · 10/30/2004 (12:26 pm) · 6 comments
OK, lemme the URL out of the way right now. www.nanowrimo.org
So, why have I decided to stop my machinations on my game work for a month while I engage in what is an arguably unusual contest? Part of it has to do with my first game project, which unintentionally spawned what was shaping up to be a not too shabby novel. Certainly on a par with the better "Destroyer" novels, at least. Unfortunately, when the project crashed and burned, the novel was not among the survivors hiding in the wreckage. To this day, it's one of those files that I have on my hard drive that I can't really bear to open. Doing so just drives me to depression.
You might scoff at the idea and say "50,000 words in 30 days is easy." You'd be wrong. It's easy when you've got purpose, or at least a small audience hungering to hear more. It's a bitch when you're used to doing short stories and nobody has any clue you're trying something so monumentous. In a way, it's like the difference between a make forging a good knife and a man forging a good sword. With a little bit of bar stock and a good whetstone, a man can fashion a knife in a fairly short amount of time, no more than a week if he's taking his time. A sword, however, takes a lot more. More material, more time, more effort. The result is often worth it, but oh how the process can tax you.
Working at an average rate of approximately 1700 words per day, it's possible to get the job done in 30 days. The site notes that the work is not going to be high art, or even a decent wad of toilet paper. It'll be first draft stuff: rough, ugly, inconsistent, perhaps even pointless. But it's a beginning. And right now, it's exactly the sort of challenge that I'd like to try my hand at. I was a writer long before I was a game designer, and this is just the sort of thing to test my mettle. Hopefully, I haven't lost my touch.
So, why have I decided to stop my machinations on my game work for a month while I engage in what is an arguably unusual contest? Part of it has to do with my first game project, which unintentionally spawned what was shaping up to be a not too shabby novel. Certainly on a par with the better "Destroyer" novels, at least. Unfortunately, when the project crashed and burned, the novel was not among the survivors hiding in the wreckage. To this day, it's one of those files that I have on my hard drive that I can't really bear to open. Doing so just drives me to depression.
You might scoff at the idea and say "50,000 words in 30 days is easy." You'd be wrong. It's easy when you've got purpose, or at least a small audience hungering to hear more. It's a bitch when you're used to doing short stories and nobody has any clue you're trying something so monumentous. In a way, it's like the difference between a make forging a good knife and a man forging a good sword. With a little bit of bar stock and a good whetstone, a man can fashion a knife in a fairly short amount of time, no more than a week if he's taking his time. A sword, however, takes a lot more. More material, more time, more effort. The result is often worth it, but oh how the process can tax you.
Working at an average rate of approximately 1700 words per day, it's possible to get the job done in 30 days. The site notes that the work is not going to be high art, or even a decent wad of toilet paper. It'll be first draft stuff: rough, ugly, inconsistent, perhaps even pointless. But it's a beginning. And right now, it's exactly the sort of challenge that I'd like to try my hand at. I was a writer long before I was a game designer, and this is just the sort of thing to test my mettle. Hopefully, I haven't lost my touch.
About the author
Axel Cushing currently writes for the game site The Armchair Empire, when he's not working on game designs, novels, or screenplays.
#2
10/31/2004 (7:37 am)
Hmmm. GarageGames and NaNoWriMo. The mind boggles. :)
#3
10/31/2004 (11:14 am)
Hey, I signed up for this about a week ago. I'm Scared.
#4
10/31/2004 (3:14 pm)
My brother did this last year, and I believe he will be trying again this year. Its not easy! Good luck
#5
10/31/2004 (10:32 pm)
Book in a month - it's a bit like game in a day! Good luck.
#6
11/01/2004 (9:45 pm)
Well, I've managed to make a good start. A bit under 4300 words in the first 24 hours. I'm so proud of me. :) 
Associate Kyle Carter
Maybe we can start a GG NaNoWriMo support group, if others are doing it... :P