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Post by madsniper on Sept 26, 2007 17:38:58 GMT -5
I've read that phrase several times on the site, but not an explanation. What are word wars?
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Post by dragonchampion on Sept 26, 2007 20:03:33 GMT -5
I believe they are series of phrases that originate from different individuals that are usually in a state of conflict, but that's just my interpritation of what a, "word war," is.
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Post by Pipe Organ Wolf on Sept 26, 2007 20:52:56 GMT -5
I was under the impression a "word war" was a contest to see who could get the highest word count in a set period of time. I guess we'll have to wait for Poofie to tell us.
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Post by Poofiemus on Sept 26, 2007 21:24:15 GMT -5
Pipes is exactly right. Usually held either at write-ins or over an instant messenger, a word war is where two (or more) writers write madly for a particular time period. Usually this time period is fairly short, 15 minutes or so typically, though some will last as long as an hour. When your timer person says to stop, you stop even if it's mid-sentence or mid-word, then you get a wordcount for the ammount you just wrote. Usually, while the writing is frantic, the actual comparison of the war's result are pretty casual, at least in my experience. It's partially because some people can write more in 15 minutes than others. I tend to average around 620 or so, but my online friend Mewie tends to be around 400 or so, and my university buddy Cory regularly clocks over 700.
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Post by dragonchampion on Sept 29, 2007 1:01:30 GMT -5
the last time i was clocked i could only time somewhere between 87 and 156 wpm, it depended on my mood really.
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Post by Poofiemus on Sept 29, 2007 16:42:21 GMT -5
For words per minute, that's pretty good! Those numbers were per FIFTEEN minutes, the standard time span my friends and I tend to use. Though last year the admin on the official NaNoWriMo chat decided to do thirteen minute word wars for no apparent reason. XD
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Post by Pipe Organ Wolf on Sept 30, 2007 20:45:14 GMT -5
I'm averaging about 1100 words in 20 minutes. I still haven't made up my mind for Nano, though. I'm doing a HaikuWriMo for October. Haikus are easy for me, though. I could probably write my month's worth on the first of the month. lol I'm going to force myself to do it every day, though. Now that my HUGE weekend's over, I'm on a downswing.
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Post by Poofiemus on Sept 30, 2007 21:22:50 GMT -5
Haikus? Easy? Wow, writing poetry of any kind is, for me, like pulling teeth...especially structured poetry like haikus. All my poetry is very strange free verse. XD If you're averaging that much per 20 minutes, a few good word wars will really put you on the right track for a NaNo win, maybe even bag the thing. Sure, you're draft will be peppered with NaNoisms, and it won't be perfect, but no NaNo-Novel is, ever. Just go for it.
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Post by Poofiemus on Oct 2, 2007 11:10:12 GMT -5
By the way, NaNo sign-ups are now open! Only twelve hours or so late, but whatever.
My username there is Poofiemus Unique. If you'll tell me what your usernames are, I'll add you to my NaNo buddies list and we can be all, well, buddy-buddy. =P
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Post by Pipe Organ Wolf on Oct 2, 2007 19:22:39 GMT -5
Still thinking about it. I've just been commissioned to do some custom inlay work on an upright Bass, to scrap some pipe organ parts, and to repair some twenty-year old electronic pianos. I have so much to do, it's not even funny.
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Post by madsniper on Oct 2, 2007 20:07:59 GMT -5
Signed up! I'm madsniper, of course, and I've already friended you, Poofs.^^
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Post by Poofiemus on Oct 3, 2007 15:24:33 GMT -5
Sweet beans! I'll add you right now. I've been reading the NaNoisms and Dare threads on the forum, but the whole freakin' site's so SLOW right now. It was almost this slow last year, and they never fixed it. I hope they do this year.
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Post by dragonchampion on Oct 3, 2007 21:05:20 GMT -5
I just joined Nano, I'm dragonguardian. I don't know what to do next though.
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Post by Poofiemus on Oct 3, 2007 21:14:58 GMT -5
For now, relax. Browse the forums; personally, I find the dares thread on the plot doctoring board and the Nanoisms thread on the NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul board the most entertaining, though there are also boards dedicated to specific genres as well. Outline if you want to, work on character development if you feel it's necessary, but don't actually start writing the draft yet. At 12:01 AM your time on November first, you're allowed to start writing. The website also then opens up the excerpt and word count verification functions. You have until 11:59 your local time to hit 50K. To do this, you have to average 1,667 words a day. Some days you'll go over; some you'll go under. Word wars are always an excellent way to catch up if you fall behind. I'll go add you now, Champ! Maybe I should go to the Writing Groups and Clubs and make a DnS thread there too. Or do you want that honor, Snipes?
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Post by Pipe Organ Wolf on Oct 3, 2007 21:39:13 GMT -5
I tried just browsing the forums as a guest. I was really intrigued by the threads where people asked questions trying to learn about some aspect they were writing about. I just wish it was faster. That'd be a great resource if I had the time to wait for it.
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