h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi there!

I'd like to interview you on the topic of last year's nanowrimo, which Happy Nerd tells me you took part in.

We want to encourage people to take part as part of a new set of challenges in a space called Create. The interview would appear in the Post.

Anyway. Here are some questions. Thee are a lot! Feel free to pick and choose. If possible I;d like them back by Thursdayish. You could post them here, or to s underscore solnushka at yahoo dot co dot uk.

How many times have you taken part?

Why did you decide to take part?

Did you complete the 50k?

What is your book about?

Describe your favourite character.

Describe your favourite moment in the book.

Did you carry on working on the book after November?

What was the best thing about taking part?

What was the most difficult?

Did you hit a wall?

What got you through to the end?

(Or why did you stop?)

How much preparation did you do?

Have you got any tips for anybody thinking about giving it a go?

Would you do it again?

Okay... you can delete some of the answers if you think it's too long.




How many times have you taken part?

Twice so far.

Why did you decide to take part?

Someone put a poster with the words “Write a Novel” in big shiny letters where I could see it. The second year I just wanted to see what would happen to my characters next.

Did you complete the 50k?

Yes...if the occasional rambling rant can be included in the word count.

What is your book about?

I dumped a group of teenagers in a dream world. Then I set whatever monsters my imagination could churn out on them. What can I say? I’m cruel to my characters.

Describe your favourite character.

The bad guy! He mostly just sits behind a desk and gloats. Very easy to write.

Did you carry on working on the book after November?

No. It’s just sitting there on my hard drive waiting to be edited. I might get around to it in a couple of years.

What was the best thing about taking part?

I actually finished a story I started. I’m terrible at getting to the end...or the middle.

What was the most difficult?

Those last four thousand words. I miscalculated and started the ending too soon. It was just rambling filler for a bit there and now it’s too linked in with setting up the ending to just delete.

Did you hit a wall?

Not really. There’s always another mad monster waiting in the back of my brain. I really feel sorry for my main characters. I think they spend the other 11 months of the year recovering .

What got you through to the end?

I was just waiting to see what would happen to my characters next. Like many of the people who took part, my characters sometimes acted without my permission.

How much preparation did you do?

Preparation?

Have you got any tips for anybody thinking about giving it a go?

The maths is that you’ve got to write 1666 or more words each day. Work out how long it will take you to write that much and schedule that into your day. People who just try to slip in whenever usually run out of time.

And coffee helps a lot too.

Would you do it again?

Definitely, but I’m taking this year off.

Thank you! Sorry, I didn;t get a chance to reply before the foop.

I'll let you know when this is going live, hopefully this next Monday.