[size=150]PLEASE NOTE - NIAD 6 HAS NOW FINISHED. THE NEXT NIAD WILL TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER - CHECK BACK FROM LATE AUGUST FOR SIGN UP DETAILS.[/size]
Some of you will recall that we never got round to scheduling a NiaD for last October because of an unwelcomed excess of Real Life™. When I announced that it wouldn’t be going ahead you lot were amazing, with exactly the right blend of disappointment and well-wishes to make me all warm and fuzzy, and help that Real Life™ seem manageable.
So, to say “Thank You”, I’m going to follow one of Jaysen’s suggestions: Welcome to a very special out-of-season version of Novel-in-a-Day: Novella-in-a-Day!
[size=200]Time is no substitute for talent[/size]
On Saturday June 17th 2017, we’ll be taking part in NiaD VI… Our SIXTH event to pool the collective talents of writers from around the world and write a damn fine book in just a single 24-hour period!
What is it?
If you’re new to NiaD please check out the FAQs for more details and background, but essentially:
At midnight (UK time) on the day of the event you’ll be emailed a brief of what you need to include in your chapter.
You go away and write your section without any knowledge of the wider story or where your chapter fits in the book.
You return your chapter by 8pm (UK time) at which point it’s turned into ePub, mobi and PDF books using the magic of Scrivener, ready for publication on or around midnight.
So basically we’ll be writing a novella… in a day!
How is Novella-in-a-Day different to Novel-in-a-Day?
Three ways!
It’s running in June (Novel-in-a-Day will run as usual this October)!
Each book will have only 12 chapters instead of the normal 24, so it’s a shorter, punchier, more novella-ier story!
Because of the smaller number of chapters, we’re expecting more versions of the book than normal, so there will be even more examples of each chapter for you to compare your style to!
Other than that, it will be the same NiaD experience that you know and love!
How do I sign up?
If you’re up for the challenge of taking part (and have read the FAQs to know what you’re letting yourself in for), let me know by posting in this thread!
We’ll be keeping the registration open until a few days before the event to produce as many versions of the book as the number of participants allows, so invite your writing friends to sign up too!
This post will be updated as people register their interest, to save people trawling through what I’m somewhat optimistically hoping will be a long thread!
Individuals in BOLD text have confirmed returns of their chapter – note as the day gets on it’ll take longer and longer for me to acknowledge receipt! Remember - and RTF file or text in the body or an email are about as easy for me as it gets! Which makes: 42 people across 4 books!
[size=150]PLEASE NOTE - NIAD 6 HAS NOW FINISHED. THE NEXT NIAD WILL TAKE PLACE IN OCTOBER - CHECK BACK FROM LATE AUGUST FOR SIGN UP DETAILS.[/size]
No, although it does mean a slightly more relaxed approach to word limits.
The overarching story is being specifically written to be a shorter, more compact story, but the chapters are being broken down in the same was as ever. So, you can expect to have a very similar looking brief to normal, with just as much stuff to cover and just as much opportunity to expand and show off your unique talents!
We normally ask that submissions be at least 1,500 words, and tend to receive submissions in the 1,500 to 4,200 range. I’m still asking for and encouraging submissions at least 1,500 word but with the caveat though, that it’s better to submit a shorter piece than to not submit a chapter at all, and that I’d rather have 1,300 brilliant, well-edited words than 1,501 okay ones.
Glad it’s all up and running again, though I have to say Real Life—if I might for the moment infringe your trademark—is very much getting in the way for me at that time.
But I wish everyone the best of luck and maximum fun!
I often wonder “Does Mr Piggy actually think about who he lets into these little parties? He should know that well edited and well written just ain’t gonna’ happen wid me. Let’s no even TALK ‘bout stickin’ to a wurd count limit.”
Hey, this is your fault you know! Revisiting some of my notifications (look, it’s been a while since I was here OK?) I discovered that NiADmini was your idea. Remind me that you owe me a beer. And whiskey. You owe me whiskey too*!
[size=85]*Proper whiskey that is. Don’t try passing off some of that southern moonshine that doubles as aviation fuel…[/size]
Any time. I have a nice bottle of Johnny Walker just begging for someone to empty it. Granted it will be an expensive drink… you’ll have to buy a ticket to the mainland
At the risk of off-topicking even further (it’ll take a helluva segue to get this part of the thread back on track) there’s a slight chance I’ll be on your side of the Pacific later this year. Maybe even your quarter of the North American land mass. Admittedly the odds aren’t high (who knew database development would cost so much?) but I’m still hoping.
If my investment in software pays off, the the odds go up. If it doesn’t, I’ll really need that whiskey when I finally make the trip.
And we all know that the best whiskey comes from the British Isles, homebase of the NiADmini!*
Savannah GA is your target. But I’m guessing your heading more toward Atlanta. Just a hunch.
As to the best whiskey, I will not disagree, but it depends on how you label said isles. Are they really “british” or should we just concede and refer to them as “scrivenish”?
I find that whiskey is a bit… light … for a proper NiaD of any kind. One must consider RUM as an option for NiaD-ing. Lighter on the pallet, mind freeing, inhibition reducing, and, if you do it right, you don’t feel it for a few days later. Other alternatives I think are viable would be tequila, russian petrol (vodka)(which is really just watered down ethanol), and sake. Any of those 4 are likely to get the creative juices flowing. And if not the creative juices, I’m sure the puddle of drool I’ll wake up in could be considered a fitting compromise to the observer.
Which brings us to proper NiaD-mini prep…
Case of rum
Several bags of ice
A few pineapples and cans of pineapple juice.
Pop a pound of popcorn and top with butter
5 heads of lettuce and a bottle of ceaser dressing
pad lock for the door
Pillow.
I just realized this is my normal work prep.
NiaD outline from Piggy.
There we go… now we are back on topic.
How long do you think it will be before the overlord forces us to our own “GET OFF THE OFFICIAL THREAD” thread? I have 2 more posts and he boots us. Unless vic-k shows up… then one post and we are outta here!
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