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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Challenge November 2024 Word Race!—LAST DAY!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by Findswoman , Oct 20, 2024.

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  1. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Hey JCF Fanfic! It’s time once again for the…

    November 2024 Word Race!

    [​IMG]

    As the year begins to draw to a close, we all could use a little motivation to keep ourselves writing. Fortunately, that’s what JCF Word Races are all about! You simply set a word count goal for yourself to accomplish during the month of November—as large or as small as you want—and then try to achieve it. Easy, huh? (And you’re not really “racing” against anyone besides yourself!)

    Links to past word races: November 2023, November 2022, November 2021, November 2020, November 2019, February 2018, November 2018, February 2017, February 2016, June 2016, May 2015, December 2014.

    Here’s How It Works!

    1. To sign up, post in this thread saying so between now and November 1, stating the word-count goal you would like to set for yourself.
    2. Beginning November 1 (at midnight in your own time zone), keep track of your word count. Don’t start counting before that date! (Or, put another way, any words you write before that date don’t count toward the Word Race. Honor system, here.)
    3. Throughout the month of November, use this thread to keep us posted about your progress and generally let us know how you’re doing. We’ll record all participants’ word counts in the index below.
    4. Keep writing through your 11:59 pm (23:59) on November 30. Post your final count on December 1 or 2.
    5. As with all challenges and all writing projects to be posted here, please adhere to the TOS and to the JCF AI Policy for Original Content. (More below on why I’m emphasizing the AI policy.)

    FAQ!

    Q. All right, what’s in it for me? What do I get if I achieve my goal? Are there prizes?

    A. The main things you get are the satisfaction of having gotten words written and hopefully also the motivation of a supportive community! :D But because we know it takes a lot of work and effort to achieve writing goals, I am pleased to say that this time we have decided to offer more concrete awards in the form of COLORS! Yes, this year, for the first time, you can win COLORS for achieving Word Race goals of 1000 words or more. Here’s the breakdown:
    • Anyone who meets their goal of 1000 to 5000 words wins 48 hours of colors.
    • Anyone who meets their goal of 6000 to 10000 words wins 5 days of colors.
    • Anyone who meets their goal of 11000 to 20000 words wins 1 week of colors.
    • Anyone who meets their goal of 21000 to 49000 words wins 10 days of colors.
    • Anyone who meets their goal of 50000 words or more wins 2 weeks of colors!

    Q. Is there a deadline for signing up? Can I sign up even after the challenge starts?

    A. Yes, you may sign up at any time during the month of November if you decide to take on the challenge, but you will of course have that much less time to build up your word count.

    Q. Do I have to specify which projects I’m working on? Does the word count I report have to apply only to those specific projects?

    A. Nope! That rule only applies to our WIP Month challenges, in which participants commit to working a certain amount on their unfinished stories. For this and other Word Races, you don’t have to commit to a specific project, and your word count can come from whatever project(s) you want. (Provided you adhere to the TOS and the AI Policy; again, more below.)

    Q. Why should I even try? I know I won’t make my goal.

    A. Do you? [face_batting] Here are some things to consider. First, remember that a little encouragement can go a long way! With your fellow participants cheering you on, that might be just the motivation you need to get into a writing groove. And second, even if you end the month writing less than your goal, you will still have that many more words to your name than you had at the beginning of November—which is still worth celebrating! That’s the main point of the challenge in the end, even more so than achieving exact numbers.

    Q. What about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo or NaNo for short)? Don’t you usually run this Word Race in conjunction with that? What if I want to participate in both and track my NaNo progress here?

    A. Yes, we have indeed run this challenge in conjunction with NaNo in the past. However, we have made the conscious decision to distance this challenge from NaNo this year, and here is why:

    This year, the official NaNo administration announced in their Zendesk FAQ that they are not disallowing the use of generative AI in their challenge, on the grounds that to do so would be insensitive to the “classist and ableist issues surrounding the use of the technology.” Without getting into detail, we Fanfic mods don’t mind saying that we are extremely disappointed in this stance: it defeats the purpose of a writing challenge, essentially condones plagiarism, insults disabled and economically disadvantaged writers, and is at stark odds with our own forum’s policies concerning the use of AI. (You may read more about the NaNo controversy here and here, among other places.)

    Can you still participate in NaNo along with this challenge and track your progress here? Sure—but with this extremely important proviso: per the AI policy of these forums, NEITHER your word count, NOR the stories you post as a result, may include ANYTHING written using AI. Yes, I have both bolded and italicized this for emphasis, and thrown in a dose of ALL CAPS too—because there is zero tolerance here: anyone who is caught violating this rule will be immediately disqualified and banned.

    And that’s it for the rules and regs! Sign on up, and may the muse/moose/mouse/etc. be with you!

    [​IMG]
     
  2. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Index of Participants and Goals!
    devilinthedetails: 6000 | 5152
    Happy Sando: 18,000 | 10,138
    earlybird-obi-wan: 12,000 | 15,000
    Kahara: 6000 | 300
    Mira_Jade: 50,000 | 30,124
    Findswoman: 3000 | 3527
    Chyntuck: 13,000 | 30,674
    ViariSkywalker: 15,000 | 15,450
    Gabri_Jade: 25,000 | 25,072
    Kit': 6000 | 6039
    Raissa Baiard: 1000 | 1056
    Pandora: 7000 | 11,131
    amidalachick: 2000 | 2000
    DarthIshtar: 20,000 | 2,654
    Mechalich: 55,555 | 68,500
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2024 at 2:29 AM
  3. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Index of Champions!

    Goals reached or exceeded:
    Mechalich: 55,555 | 68,500
    Chyntuck: 13,000 | 30,674
    Gabri_Jade: 25,000 | 25,072
    ViariSkywalker: 15,000 | 15,450
    earlybird-obi-wan: 12,000 | 15,000
    Pandora: 7000 | 11,131
    Kit': 6000 | 6039
    Findswoman: 3000 | 3527
    amidalachick: 2000 | 2000
    Raissa Baiard: 1000 | 1056

    Different tier reached:
    Mira_Jade: 50,000 | 30,124
    Happy Sando: 18,000 | 10,138
    devilinthedetails: 6000 | 5152
    DarthIshtar: 20,000 | 2,654
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2024 at 2:39 AM
  4. devilinthedetails

    devilinthedetails Fiendish Fanfic & SWTV Manager, Tech Admin star 6 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2019
    Ooh, yay, so excited to get writing for this event in November[face_dancing]

    [​IMG]

    I'll humbly set myself a goal of 6000 words this time around, and consider any progress I make toward it a victory.

    Especially since I'll be in charge of the library where I work (including doing payroll and running the Board meeting) for three weeks while the director is out for three weeks.

    So November will be a bit of a busy month for me, but I will persevere:p
     
  5. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    @devilinthedetails sounds great! Got you in the index now. Good luck as you navigate this busy month; you are absolutely right that any amount we can make toward our goals counts as a victory! Sending all best vibes. :cool:
     
  6. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Shelf of Shame - Winner star 5 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    @Findswoman Thank you for hosting this challenge! Can you please remind me if words written for outlining count?

    Oh, and about this:
    Just...
    [​IMG]
     
  7. Happy Sando

    Happy Sando Word Race Champion star 4 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Jun 23, 2023
    Okay, yeah, I'd like to sign up, please. :)

    Had taken a brief step back recently, but am keen to re-focus, particularly while I shake this blasted flu. Just looking at my calendar... trying to measure the depth of the hole I'm about to dig for myself... nah, the heck with it. Let's be brave. 18,000 words.

    And for a bonus bit of motivation, if things go well and I hit that target, I'll share a trailer with y'all in the FanFic Trailers thread. :)
     
  8. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Word Race Champion star 7 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    With diaries and angst to complete I like to sign up for 6000 words
     
  9. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus, Word Race Champion star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
    Heaven knows I could use a kick in the pants; maybe this'll be it :p

    Before I choose a specific goal, and at the risk of sounding mercenary, a question: do you qualify for colors if you successfully hit the color threshold but miss your specific goal? For example, if you set a goal of 3000 words but only manage to write 2000, will you get the colors reward for writing 1000 - 5000 words, or not because you didn't reach your specific goal?

    Also, I'd just like to reiterate that I am grateful for the forum's AI policy. I've never signed up for NaNo myself, but yeah, that's really disappointing to hear of this development from them.
     
  10. ViariSkywalker

    ViariSkywalker Word Race Champion star 4 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2002
    Omigosh where has 2024 gone if it's already word race time? 8-} Thanks for hosting this year, @Findswoman! I also have a question before setting my goal... :p

    Piggybacking off Gabri's question, what about the flip side of this? If you set a goal in one tier but end up writing enough to place you in a higher tier, do you get the colors for the lower or higher tier? For example, if you set a goal of 15,000 but end up writing 21,000 in a fit of inspiration, would you get one week of colors or ten days?
     
  11. Kahara

    Kahara Chosen One star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2001
    Signing up for a goal of 6000 words - because why not? :p
     
  12. Mira_Jade

    Mira_Jade The (FavoriteTM) Fanfic Mod With the Cape star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2004
    [​IMG]

    I AM SO READY FOR THIS

    This year, I'm going to go all in. I've only ever signed up for NaNo once, ages ago, and failed quite spectacularly; even 30k has been beyond my grasp the last few Word Races. But I have a good feeling about this year. It may just be the one. Let's see!

    Sign me up for 50k words, please! :cool:


    And thank you so much for hosting this Word Race, @Findswoman! [:D] Everything looks to be off to a smashing start already. [face_dancing]
     
  13. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Hi again, everyone! First of all, the index has been updated: @Happy Sando @earlybird-obi-wan @Kahara @Mira_Jade you’re all in the index now, and it’s wonderful to have you all on board. You got this! :)

    Sando, I hope you are all better soon. Drink those fluids! ;)

    Re AI: @Chyntuck and @Gabri_Jade , I had the same reaction as that Picard gif when I found that out about NaNo! There was a time when I thought sometime in the future I might just give NaNo a try... now, however, I have no intention of doing so until such time as they definitively abolish this nonsense. [face_frustrated] I too am grateful that we have that policy in place and that we put it in place before things had any sort of opportunity to spiral out of control.

    Now to answer the excellent questions that have been raised:

    Looking back through our past word race threads, yes, it looks like words written in the process of outlining has indeed counted in the past, and we are fine with counting them this time, too. :)

    And to address Gabri’s and Vi’s queries together:

    &
    Thank you both for raising these points, as they didn't occur to me at all—but should have—when I was contemplating the mechanics of awarding colors for this challenge. We mods talked about this, and since we generally believe the more colors the better, we are completely happy to award the appropriate duration of colors for both these scenarios as well:
    • If your word count goal is in a higher tier but instead you achieve the word count of a lower tier, you still receive colors for the lower tier.
    • If you exceed your word count goal enough to place you in a higher tier than your original goal, you receive the colors of that higher tier.
    Progress, after all, is still progress and deserves to be recognized! @};-

    And finally, while I'm here, I am going to set my own teeny tiny goal of 3000 words, or 100 a day. I'm hoping even that small amount can motivate me to conquer my phobia of working on more than one project at once! :D
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2024
  14. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Shelf of Shame - Winner star 5 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Thank you @Findswoman :)

    So, having done a bit on math on the back of a napkin: 4 drabble sets + 1 one-shot + a bit of outlining = 7500 words. That translates to 250 words per day, and I think (hope?) it's feasible.
     
  15. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Sounds great, Chyn, and you're most welcome! Got you signed up in the index now for 7500. :)
     
    Last edited: Oct 21, 2024
  16. ViariSkywalker

    ViariSkywalker Word Race Champion star 4 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Aug 9, 2002
    Awesome, thanks @Findswoman! :D

    I'm going to go with a goal of 15,000 words. I've been trying to reach that goal for the last few word races and haven't hit it yet, but hopefully I'll make it this year. :p
     
  17. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    You absolutely got it! Just added you to the index. Glad to have you on board, and sending good vibes your way! :)
     
  18. Gabri_Jade

    Gabri_Jade Fanfic Archive Editor Emeritus, Word Race Champion star 5 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2002
  19. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Excellent! You're all signed up, Gabri. Great to have you on board—and I believe in you, too! :D
     
  20. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus & Word Race Champion star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Setting myself a goal of 6000 words - hopefully I can use it to get myself to finish how it ends…


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  21. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Sounds great! I've got you signed up, and I too am looking forward to seeing "how it ends"! :D
     
  22. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    Thought the better of it.
     
    Last edited: Nov 21, 2024
  23. Happy Sando

    Happy Sando Word Race Champion star 4 VIP - Game Winner

    Registered:
    Jun 23, 2023
    Aww, thank you! :) I'm getting there, but it's slow going. Hopefully my writing will be faster!

    Best of luck to everybody! We got this! =D=
     
  24. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Great! I can totally sympathize, as my October has been packed with holiday stuff as well. I’ve got you down in the index; thanks so much for joining up! :)

    That is great to hear! All best to you for the speediest recovery possible, and you are so right: we do indeed got this! :cool:
     
  25. Raissa Baiard

    Raissa Baiard Chosen One star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 1999
    Ok, I’m going to sign up for 1000 words. Which isn’t much, but I will honestly be surprised if I manage to do it, given how things have been going.