Is this "wrong"?

[trenchcoatedson.livejournal.com]

I have a dilemma. See, I really want to write a fanfic for NaNo. I've spent the past three years when participating writing my own original story, but I'd like to tackle a fic this year. Problem is, I can't think of an idea. Other problem is, I already have a multi-chapter fic in the works. I was thinking: Could I take that pre-existing fic, and in the start of November, start counting the words from 0? Meaning I would NOT include any of the pre-existing words in the word count, which I definitely know is "cheating". Would that be okay, though? What do you all think?

edit: THANK YOU for the overwhelming response and even advice! You all are so very kind!

Comments

[fangirlism]

I think it's discouraged, but it's not like anyone but you would know

[wyldlingspirit.livejournal.com]

There's a message board especially for NaNo Rebels -- those of us who are doing what we technically shouldn't, i.e. fanfic, nonfiction, adding to a pre-existing condition, etc.

Go for it!

[alishenai.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about nonfiction but I thought that fanfiction was allowed.

[aralieclauds.livejournal.com]

This is unrelated to the current thread, but I love your icon :)

[bigunen.livejournal.com]

where are the rebels housed?

[pernwebgoddess.livejournal.com]

Fanfiction isn't rebellion. :) The only rule we have for content is that it must be fiction. :)

[jupitersings.livejournal.com]

The rules say not to, though that's because it will be more difficult to write 50k on a story that you've already invested yourself in to. I've done it before, and it's not as though they're going to disqualify you for it.

[unconventional.livejournal.com]

I know people that have done that, and feel it's more write 50,000 words than write a whole brand new novel. I think it's okay, as long as your 50k for November is all November-original.

[hendrikboom.livejournal.com]

Technically, the rules say NO. Because this seems so arbitrary, they explain that it's to protect you from havein a November of no fun, as you are just frustrated with the story you're too bonded to the be able to really mess around with it.

But with a bit of casuistry, go ahead. Write yourself a sequel, or write a defective novel that lacks a beginning. Hey, no editing in November, right? So when you get around to editing it in February (or whenever) that's the time to discover that you have a ready-made beginning sitting on your backup drive somewhere.

Two warnings:

(1) For nanowrimo, only count words you wrote in November. The easiest way to do this is to open a new file when you start on November 1.

(2) Don't obsess over making what you write consistent with what you wrote before. It isn't until you finish writing that you really have a clue what your novel will really contain. One professional writer that uses outlines report that there's usually only a 25% overlap between outline and final text. Allow yourself to be creative when you're writing in November. Worry about consistency afterwads, when you edit. You may find the beginning you've got in mind now no longer fits, because you've learned so much more about your story when you did the actual writing! (which is another reason for not editing prematurely.)

-- hendrik

[alison-sky.livejournal.com]

In this community, FYI, fanfiction Nano's are supported 100%, so you will find brotherhood here.

Instead of worldbuilding, you have a different type of research that involves understanding worlds and characters created and making sure you have their voices in a way that would be beliveable to other fans. It's a different kind of pressure.

Also, when you submit for verification, you can change every letter in your Nano to the letter P. it's an automated computer server that just does a wordcount. no one will ever read it during that process. *shrugs*

And as for pre-existing... just don't count the words from before midnight on November 1st. Start a new "file" so that you don't forget, and no cut and pasting bits for flashbacks. Then you're set.

Good Luck!

[elialys.livejournal.com]

It's my second year doing NaNoWriMo, and I decided to do fanfic this year. It was great trying an original novel last year, but in the end, I haven't finished it, haven't even looked at it again lol.
Like you, I have a multi-chapiter fic in the works, on which I haven't really been working on lately...so instead of thinking of an original plot again, for a story I know I won't finish (I NEED to know where I'm going when I write, I need plans and ideas neatly written down on paper), I decided to work on my fanfic and get ahead! I will start a new document for it, and even try to reach 100,000 words this time (yep, that's how much ideas I have on papers XD).

I don't think I'm cheating, really. This is supposed to be a personal challenge, whatever that challenge is to you :)

Good luck!

[incommune.livejournal.com]

That's what I did last year. Sortof. I mean, I wrote a little over 50k, all brand new words, during November. It ended up being this sortof... middle segment chunk that is pieces of the end of the one novel (began in NaNo '07 and now finished with another chunk I wrote independent of NaNo all together) and pieces of what will be the sequel of that novel (unfinished). I write non-linearly, and that's just how it worked out. At the end of the day (month) it turned out to be a couple of fairly cohesive large chunks, some of which I wrote straight through and some of which I sortof framed and filled out. I never have had the impression that NaNo wants to really box anyone in to any one particular process, which is how I would view hard and fast rules like you MUST be writing on a totally virgin idea to you and you MUST write beginning to end and your novel MUST hit and fit within a target of 50k or so words, et cetera. But, obviously, you can't include pre-existing work in your NaNo word count cause that would also kinda defeat the point.

[chokethewind.livejournal.com]

I did fanfic last year, and I'm thinking that's what I will be doing this year. I didn't finish it, so I didn't go through the process of even trying to "publish" it, or whatever option they give you after you're done. For me, it's still writing, it's still getting work done and it's creative. It's a challenge for myself. I say go for it. :)

[claudia-nic.livejournal.com]

I'm going to write fanfiction this year and even found out over at NaNo that it's allowed. So no problems there. I also think that as long as you start with a new chapter on november 1st and count words from then onwards, nobody could complain about what you are doing. And since it's fanfiction you are already attached to your characters anyways, otherwise you wouldn't want to write about them!