Joining NaNoWriMo this year

[matchstickman]

I missed out on this last year because I was not aware of it. I am something of a writer; some would say a gifted amateur, most would say a wannabe hack. Still, I may have to throw my hat in the ring on this one. I have been toying with an idea for a novel where peoples dreams are government regulated, and when everyone starts having nightmares in the wee hours of the morning, the governments most gifted and least likable agent to correct the problems.

 

[baronsamedi]

I've self-published 2 books on my own and at least one of them is doing pretty well these days. I have many more waiting to be shoved into the breech and a zombie serial that I write for free. I also wrotee some erotica under a nom de guerre. That was awhile back, though.

 

[matchstickman]

a zombie serial that I write for free

A man after my own heart. Have you read anything by Jonathan Maberry? That man can write about farts and lollipops and make it entertaining. Patient Zero is hands down one of the three best novels I have ever read, period. And I read A LOT!

 

[macnutz]

I've recently finished the second draft of my first novel. The hardest work I have ever done and I've had some very unpleasant jobs. I wrote almost five hundred pages before I figured out what the real story was. Then started over. There must be a easier way.

 

[baronsamedi]

I've read Patient Zero! Me and this chick in mortuary skool used to swap zombie books.

 

[matchstickman]

I've read Patient Zero!

That man makes me wonder why I even bother buying a pen. I hope to one day write half as good as him.

 

[yoru]

I'm in this year as well, but likely won't finish until halfway in December -- so technically fail, but who the hel says you have to give up just because you fell behind eh? I wrote a 50k back in July as well, and that in 15 days -- so I think it'll balance out :P
This time its a man that gives up his kidney to a random donation at 22 and more or less a reversal of mortality: That is, rather than a character who fails to obtain immortality, he wants to die and lives to be 90 --- written as memoirs because I needed first person to be able to freely through his thoughts in there effectively.

 

[matchstickman]

Ive been working on my entry for about two hours total and am already up to 2,000 words. If I can keep my discipline up this should be a piece of cake.

 

[baronsamedi]

The stars have to be aligned just right for me to hammer on a book. Two fiction works marinating right now. One is about a guy who is trying to settle into life as a widower and accidentaly becomes a "super hero" by virtue of his own bad luck and personality quirks. I've actually been picking the brains of some Real Life Super Heroes (Yeah, some guys actually DO put on a cape and tights and go out to fight crime) for that one. Another is a vampire story (which is actually a small part of a series dedicated to a man who uses a pact with a Dark God to create a monopolistic retail chain, the stores of which are built upon nexus points/portals to Hell etc.)It's intentionally comical as most of the supernatural entities work on the night shift at a warehouse store, but if you've ever worked overnight shift at a Wal-Mart as a stocker, the idea of a Vampire slinging pet food, a sexually starved werewolf in hardware who stalks the pretty redhead in the toy department and a grocery department full of angry gnomes isn't too far from reality.

 

[markw4mms]

if you've ever worked overnight shift at a Wal-Mart as a stocker, the idea of a Vampire slinging pet food, a sexually starved werewolf in hardware who stalks the pretty redhead in the toy department and a grocery department full of angry gnomes isn't too far from reality.

How right you are, have you ever worked at my store? :D

 

[baronsamedi]

No, but I doubt there are too many differences in the bizarre, world of the Wally World Night Shift. I worked pets for a year and when the debacle about the mojado undocumented workers in the cleaning crew put egg on uncle Wally's face, we 86ed the contract labor and I got a gig heading up the maintenance crew overnight. The environemnt was still surreal with all the speed freaks, misfits and convicted felons (and then there were the customers) but I made do until time to move on.
It was the one job where I could physically assault someone and they got fired for provoking me. and we caught a food stealer by injecting a bottle of soda with syrup of ipecac and my manager fired him in the bathroom as he puked his guts up.
That and working 10-7 full time and going to school full time put me in a mental state where anything was possible. Perfect fodder for a book.

 

[markw4mms]

Yep, it's a definite freak show in there some nights for sure. I also worked the pet department, but have been moved to grocery at my request after developing a hernia from all the heavy lifting ( 50 lb bags of dog food, and cat litter).

 

[baronsamedi]

Yeah. Pets will put it on ya. My main character works pets, but he's gotta get off before sunup. Not a hard thing to negotiate as long as you can keep pets uner control and don't let the backstock bury you.

 

[markw4mms]

He'd never last in my store, we rarely get out of there before 7:30-8:00 because there is always so many picks and backstock to work through. Somehow, I think the home office seems to think we have about 100,000 more sq ft of building than we really have. I keep waiting for the shelf stretchers to come in on the truck, but they never show up. :lol:

 

[matchstickman]

It was the one job where I could physically assault someone and they got fired for provoking me.

you fellas are bringing back some very fond memories. I was classified as the electronics guy on overnights for 9 months, which is why I was confused when I wound up in pets, chemicals, sporting goods, and even the freezer. My dept manager would bitch at me cause I wasnt doing her work, and my asst manager would yell at me because I wasnt doing their work. I just eventually told them to take a flying fuck in a rolling donut.

 

[markw4mms]

Welcome to Walmart, where job titles are meaningless! :lol:

 

[matchstickman]

Welcome to Walmart, where job titles are meaningless!

No shit. If I worked on commission when I was in electronics, I probably could have retired at the age of 25. I moved so many high dollar TVs out of our store that our electronics department was one of the highest selling in the state for the two years that I worked there. Guess I just wasnt good enough for them!

 

[markw4mms]

Guess I just wasnt good enough for them!

I have news for you, no one ever is good enough.

 

[matchstickman]

I have news for you, no one ever is good enough.

Im glad I quit when I did. Turned out to be the best thing I ever did, but I know that for some people that is not an option. Hope you hang in there and take care man. Dont let them get you down.

 

[markw4mms]

Thanks,unfortunately it's not an option right now .