Who has won all their NaNo's?

This is my fifth year participating and my fifth win. I'll admit, it's easier with every year (you know what to expect, you're not so hard on yourself). However, I recently graduated from college and I'm now working a full time job on top of traveling. This year, I think, has been the hardest -- and the only reason I'm getting through it is because I'm stubborn, way too hard on myself and because I can't imagine a year going by without participating and winning.

Much luck to all those one your first and hundredth years with NaNo.

I'm 1/1 so far.
-Gigglesnort-

Me!
First year doing it, first year won.

I don't allow myself any option to stop or quit. Becca. Whatever comes up, I deal with it by just keeping writing. This is my third win in three years. I like what Chris Baty said in his book about everyone gets something out of doing this even if they don't win.

This will be my fifth year of winning, and my fifth year of participating. Each year it's different. My first year was a struggle. On the last three days, I was 27k behind. I wrote utter and complete crap then, and still managed to finish a day early. The next year, I was better prepared. I knew what worked for me (planning), and what didn't (handwriting it). I loved the story I was working on; it's still my favorite today. I don't remember exactly how far it was, but I remember having to try to catch up that year as well in the last few days. I also recognized that I suck at forcing myself to write until I hit at least 25k. That's when I can actually get excited about it. The next year, I decided I was going to try to write 100k. Of course, I failed at that. I, again, got behind and was scrambling the last few days, but I still managed to write over 70k (it might have actually been closer to 80k, but I don't remember...). The NEXT year was probably my easiest. I was bound and determined to write 100k. I hated the book, honestly. It was a really stupid plot, but it was the year I managed to con a few of my friends to do it with me. Again, I had to write like 10k on the last day. I am really terrible about that xD

This year was definately one of the harder years. I'm in my senior year of high school and just couldn't muster the enthusiasm for nanowrimo this year. I wrote less than two thousand words within the first four days, then kept telling myself I would just catch up on Thanksgiving break. And I'm struggling to do that right now. I'm actually rather proud of myself that I've gotten this far since last Saturday. I know I'll finish on time.

So basically, I'm terrible at procrastinating. I usually wind up having to write at least 10k within the last two days of the month xD I'm going to 35k before I go to bed tonight so I have fifteen these last two days.

This will be my third year winning, out of three, and I agree with what you say--it gets easier as you win more. I was at 19,000 words or so yesterday, but just thinking that I had already won two years in a row, I couldn't stand the thought that I was too lazy to finish this year (despite college applications and a whole mess of stuff that kept me from writing for many days in a row). It really propelled me forward and I wrote like a beast today.

This has been my toughest year yet, and I kind of regret that I didn't get to hang around the forums that much, but it's still been an awesome experience. :)

2nd year participating, 2nd win. Last year I got caught up in the wacky, anything-goes approach. Fun story, but I'll probably never do anything with it except dust it off every once in a while and read it with fond nostalgia.

This year I wrote with a really good outline, kept the larger plot bunnies away, and I have a story I can work with after Nano. Yay!!

Every year I have come away with something valuable that I can use in my future writing. Can't wait til next year!!

It does get easier. I'm five for five and each wordcount has gotten bigger than the last. You figure out how to pace yourself and how fast you can write, how to discipline yourself to write and not be distracted, what methods work for you, and what your strengths and weaknesses in writing are.

I'm seven for seven so far. To give you a picture of NaNo through my life, it has seen me through my last three years of high school and all four years of college, with this year being the last year of college.

It does get easier every year. At the end of my first year I was at 20k on Day 25. That's right, not even a thousand words written per day, and I had to write 5000 words per day to finish. I couldn't back out, though, since this was the longest thing I had ever written, the first book I hadn't quit at chapter two, and besides, I had already told everyone I knew about it. So I took advantage of Thanksgiving break and hit The End at 6:30pm on the 30th.

Also, my dog died on the 30th. This did not make things easier.

The next years were easier, though. Sure, there were the Week Two slumps and the blahs and the ups and downs that come with every NaNo, but I learned how to get over that quickly. It really is what Chris and all the authors behind the pep talks tell you.

Just keep writing.

I also finished 50k earlier every year, from the 27th in 2003 to the 14th this year. It's not because of gaining more spare time, either. If anything, I've taken on more over the years and just learned to budget time and, yes, type faster and shut up that inner editor.

Oh, and winning every year? Everyone I know knows I do NaNo, and many of them ask how my novel's going as the month progresses. I can't NOT finish, lest I suffer public humiliation. There's also the perfect record I want to keep, so there's a small element of pride involved.

One of these years I'm going to write 50k on the first and 50k on the other 29 days. Really. I'll leave the really high word counts to the real crazies. ;-)

4th year, 4th win. 50k+ every year, Year 1: 100kish, Year 2: 300kish, Year 3: 500kish, Year 4: 800k (I hope)

I just keep writing. I've always been able to type fast and I write year-round anyway, pretty much. This is the one month of the year to push myself to the very limit of what I am capable of doing and as you can see, each year I increase my goals. Next year? Dunno, I'm graduating this May, so if I have a job that's incompatible with Nano, we may see me drop back down to 300-500k. I think even with a stressful job, that should be possible.

I really don't understand how you guys are capable of wining on the 9th or getting hundreds of thousands of words. I am struggling painfully-excruciatingly-and I doubt I will make it.

I've won all of the Nanos I've participated in. Then again, I've only lived all the way through ONE participation-filled November, so, y'know, not that impressive.

Well, this is my first one, and unless something drastic happens, like my house explodes, I fully plan on winning.

So, if it means anything, I have won ALL of my nanos... sort of.. *cough*.

I do agree that it gets easier year after year, and my word count seems to grow. I hope to make 100k next year, which is a small goal for some, but I'll be proud, :)

Nope, not me!

I lost my first one. I had a million characters, and a million stories, and I was confused in my own world-building, and really, fantasy writing is just not for me. 35k words into it, I gave up and called it a night.

My second one? Flew by. 50K with a day to spare. I was so so proud of myself, although it's really quite crap.

This year, I don't want to jinx myself, but it looks like I will be winning. *knocks wood* I despaired for a bit halfway through whenI got ill and lost the will to live, but it returned with a vengeance.

Next year? Don't care what I'll be doing... I'll be writing a novel on top of that.

I just can't imagine now letting a year go by without writing a novel. It's like... the best measurement I have of my progress. Some of my shorter stuff is good and some is crap, but novels are too long and I can't hide my weaknesses. Something pretty drastic has to happen for me to miss a year, I think. *knocking again*

This is my third year of NaNo and I've won all the years so far. I haven't reached 50K yet this year, but fully intend to (there is no way I'll break my winning streak!)

I don't know if it gets easier every year I do it. I don't think it does. Year one was probably the least painful story-wise because most of us write that story we've been meaning to write for years. Red Brick Farm was already percolating in my head before I even started typing or heard about NaNo. Year two (The Gilded West) was more of a struggle for idea and plot but I had the confidence of a win under my belt which made me brave about it all. It wasn't as scary as the first year.

Year three has turned out to be much harder than I thought story and plot-wise. I chose an unfamiliar topic, and have struggled along trying to find out what my characters want to be doing for the next 50K. However, I think as I approach each year the 50K words become more surmountable. Write 5000 words a day? Sure, why not. Write 10K in a day, I'll give it a try. I think as I get more experience in NaNo the less scary the word count gets. I'm already looking forward to next year!

- And of course I stand in awe at the dizzying wordcounts of some of my fellow Wrimos, truly amazing numbers! Really encouraging too :-)

This will be my third NaNo. I won the other two hands down, and I have every intention of winning this one, too. In fact, I will win if it kills me, and considering how swamped I was with work and just... life this year, it just might.

Normally I'm not like that -- the type of person that has to win at any price, but NaNo is different. It's not a contest in that you're competing directly with others and "may the best writer win". It's more of a challenge that you set for yourself, and either you succeed at the challenge or you fail. If you fail, it's nobody's fault but your own.

To me losing a contest fair and square is no problem, but failing at a challenge I set for myself is just not acceptable, even if life really is making it legitimately difficult for me. I would really be disappointed in myself if I ever lost a NaNo.

Well... this is my first "real" NaNo, I suppose. I sort of heard of it when I was a youngun', but I never really had the time or effort to do it. So... I'll just say this is my first year, and first win. *grins sheepishly*.

4/4 so far.

And I don't feel the need to write more every year just because I already wrote 50K the first time. There comes a point where you can't outdo yourself. I don't like to do much more than 2000 words a day. It's just not me. I like to write thoughtful stuff at a steady pace.

I'm sick of just reading about stupid pink bunnies, much less including them in any writing of mine.

I've won every year but one. That one, I had a major lupus flare that left me barely able to get out of bed. Thinking was difficult (brain fog), writing impossible. I had managed 20k before the flare hit. Once it hit, I was too sick to care. I had a minor flare this year, but nowhere near as bad, despite also having the flu. I don't consider that one year a genuine loss, though, since chronic illnesses are not something you can really control.

Three years, three wins!

Honestly, I'm just the kind of person that once I set my mind to doing something, I'm going to do it, come hell or high water. It was the same way when I joined the Air Force. No matter how many guys dropped out of training, no matter that I ended up in the hospital a few times, I was going to make it. And I did.

There's no way I would let myself not finish NaNo.

I'm just jealous of the folks that learned about it before I did and have a few more years of NaNo under their belt.

So far, I've won every year (and plan to continue the tradition). It does get easier every year-- you figure out the right mindset to be in about your writing, learn how to turn off your inner editor, learn how to type quick and dirty, learn which specific techniques work for you (for me, a lot of repetition within sentences and POV switches have become part of my style). And it definitely makes me feel like I have to be doing it. Since I'm pretty busy this month, I would have skipped this year if I hadn't felt like I had to uphold the tradition, and like I had to win.
One thing I've never managed to do, though, is win with a green bar-- that is, before the 25th. Maybe next year? I've also never won with an amount much larger than 50k, so that's another goal to maybe work toward. Faster and longer. ;)

I've won four out of four years. Has it gotten easier? Not entirely sure, to be honest.

My first year, I only found out about it on the tenth and managed to finish well before the twenty-fifth with a spur-of-the-moment story that really took off. But once I hit 50K my speed dropped off dramatically. I hadn't written seriously for a long time before that NaNo and I had yet to complete a full novel draft, so I didn't really know how to get to the finish. Still planning to complete that one, though!

My second year went really badly, though I was planned a month in advance. I reached 50K with about seven minutes to spare, and made such a horrible mess of the story that I still don't know how to face it. My third year was similar, though I finished around 9PM on the thirtieth and had some time at the end of the month to celebrate. xD

This year has obviously been easier. I didn't over-plan, I just let the story come out as it wanted. I've been able to escape that mindset of '50K, the challenge is over now'. I think I've learned a lot about myself as a writer since my first NaNo. Doing NaNo each year is important to me because of how it made me truly understand my passion for writing, but at the same time it's not so important that I would wreck a story just to win.

Mind you, that doesn't mean I'm going to give up the honour of having won every year without a fight... :D

Participated three years. Won three years.

I'm just too stubborn to let one loss ruin the chain.

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- Formerly Lakitu. • My writing Live Journal.

This is my first year participating.
And I won this year.

It was an amazing feeling to win, to know that you've actually stuck to something and completed it.

It's my first year, and I've won, but I won with three days to spare and lost 5 days of writing in the middle when my computer crashed. Ergo, I think next year I'm going to try for 60K or 70K, because that would really stretch me and challenge me. Much more fun ! =]

Two out of Two won.

One for one here. Thank goodness for coffee! (I'm thirteen, but seriously, cut me some freaking slack.)

I've done two and won two, but this year I had a real struggle, because I've been in the process of moving and spent the first week in one country, the rest in another, not to mention jet lag and a nine hour time difference... Yea. But I won with some time to spare. I think the reason that it's been so hard this year is because of the complete lack of structure to my day.

I've done five in a row and won all of them. This year is my best year for a well structured novel. I have 22 chapters, 256 pages, and a great story. Practice makes perfect. So I'll be back next year provided Chris get's enough donations to have it next year. So far they haven't made enough to pay of this year.

pat