Inching further along the aforementioned limb...

Okay people - only a few more days before NaNo kicks off! You can still find the 100 Themes variation, but it's now here: [link]

Writing 2000 words a day (roughly) can be a bit grueling, or even overwhelming, since one doesn't usually pay attention to word count. Even worse: writer's block will hit you, sooner or later, and you'll sit in front of your computer screen with a blank page in front of you going 'what was I thinking?!' Or, you'll have spells of apathy where you can't even look at your own story without wanting to hit the 'delete' button.

So what's the point of all this? A writing tool for your toolbox. Allow me to introduce Write or Die, courtesy of Dr. Wicked. NaNo had a link to this site last year, and I ventured to check it out. Here's what it is: it's a web application which provides you motivation to write.

This motivation manifests in several strengths ranging from a pop-up window (which, like a Librarian, will gently prompt you to continue on) or, on super-crazy insanity mode, will begin to un-write your hard penned prose if you wait too long.

With parameters you define (either a time limit, or a word-goal), knowledge of impending consequence provides a certain amount of motivation, thoguh I'll admit, it's nto a cure-all. It does help, though.

When I first tried it, I was like 'yeah, right, like that's going to work...well, let's see...' a thousand words later, churned out at high speed to avoid the Librarian's Reprimand I was sold, enough to recommend it to others. ^_^

Now, you can find it here: WriteOrDie.DrWicked.com
Or you can run "Dr. Wicked's Write or Die" through your favorite search engine (you all probably already know this, but for those bit by malicious outgoing links...and it's what I would do, if someone was telling me 'hey, check out this website.)

Happy noveling, and good luck competitors! Hang in there - you can do it!