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Overachievers are often (but not always) Nano veterans who have won before (perhaps not in an overachieving way) and continue to push themselves.  Having a fast typing speed is not required; while some overachievers can pass 120wpm, some top out at 50wpm.  Some of the higher-count overachievers are students who may have more free time than a full-time employee, whereas others are unemployed; however, it is possible for even full-time employees and [[ML]]s to overachieve, depending on their outside obligations.
Overachievers are often (but not always) Nano veterans who have won before (perhaps not in an overachieving way) and continue to push themselves.  Having a fast typing speed is not required; while some overachievers can pass 120wpm, some top out at 50wpm.  Some of the higher-count overachievers are students who may have more free time than a full-time employee, whereas others are unemployed; however, it is possible for even full-time employees and [[ML]]s to overachieve, depending on their outside obligations.


Because of their fast (and sometimes insanely quick) accumulation of words, accusations of cheating are sometimes leveled at overachievers.  While some users enter false numbers into the wordcount validator, either accidentally or as trolls, (some even brag about deliberately entering numbers for words they have not written from scratch), most high word counts are the product of an ordinary Nanoer who happens to be writing at a faster pace.  Nano has a strict no-cheating-accusations policy, something which can often be seen enforced in the Shoutouts forum.   
Because of their fast (and sometimes insanely quick) accumulation of words, accusations of [[cheating]] are sometimes leveled at overachievers.  While some users enter false numbers into the wordcount validator, either accidentally or as trolls, (some even brag about deliberately entering numbers for words they have not written from scratch), most high word counts are the product of an ordinary Nanoer who happens to be writing at a faster pace.  Nano has a strict no-cheating-accusations policy, something which can often be seen enforced in the forums when the topic of wordcount is brought up.  Despite this, as a group they tend to be among the most supportive of other people and their goals on the forums - sushimustwrite and Elluna Hellen are known for being in most of the major forums and offering encouragement and advice.   


The overachievers usually have a thread in the [[This is Going Better Than I'd Hoped]] forum to chat about their accomplishments, share strategies, and commiserate how far behind their overachieving goals they are.  They tend not to populate the [[NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul]] forum, as their word counts (which may be ahead of the regular quota but drastically behind on their own goals) often cause strife from those behind the regular quota.
Until 2013 the overachievers had a thread in the [[This is Going Better Than I'd Hoped]] forum to chat about their accomplishments, share strategies, and commiserate how far behind their overachieving goals they are.  They tend not to populate the [[NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul]] forum, as their word counts (which may be ahead of the regular quota but drastically behind on their own goals) often cause strife from those behind the regular quota. In 2013 a forum called [[Beyond 50k]] appeared on the NaNo site, designed for Wrimos whose goals exceeded 50k, or who found themselves at 50k but with an unfinished novel.


The [[50k Weekend]] challenge was the idea of a group of overachievers. Wrimos who complete the challenge write 50,000 words over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. Overachievers completed the challenge together for the first time in 2010, and some of them participated again in 2011.
==Overachiever Challenges==


== Well Known Overachievers ==
The [[50k Weekend]] challenge was the idea of a group of overachievers. Wrimos who complete the challenge write 50,000 words over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. Overachievers completed the challenge together for the first time in 2010, and overachievers continue to participate every November.  [[Milwordy]] was also the brainchild of an overachiever.
<!--note for adding people to this list: this is for folks who overachieve regularly and are somewhat known for it, not necessarily for folks who did it once and then never again. Would quite a few folks think of this person as an overachiever?-->
'''[[Lazette Gifford]]''': On the Nanowrimo forums, one of the best known overachievers is Lazette Gifford (Zette). Zette is a professional author in her own right, so has cultivated her discipline. This allows her to write copious amounts every November. In 2003, she wrote 156,345 words. In 2005, she wrote at least 200,000 words. In 2007, she wrote 210,575 words. <!--she wrote over 200k in '05, but the word counter topped out at 200k.-->


However, in spite of her amazing volume of work, she is well loved on the boards. She gives back to the community with a free ebook "[[NaNo for the New and the Insane]]" that offers a wealth of valuable advice on getting the most out of every day in November.
===The Quest for a Million Words===
After the [[word count bar]] limit was upped from 200,000 to 999,999 in 2007, people have set out to max out the word counter by aiming for a million words. The first Wrimos to succeed at this were Hanxa, Delayra, and Caeraerie in 2008. Kateness and Caeraerie hit the million words in 2009. In 2010 the word count bar limit had been reduced to 500,000 words, but that hasn't stopped several Wrimos from aiming for the million word mark. <!--Caeraerie estimates eight in 2009. Anyone? Also, I (Sushi) don't remember anyone succeeding in '10.-->


'''[[Kateness]]''': Kate has been taking part in Nanowrimo since 2005, and consistently crosses the 100,000 word mark. In fact, her first year, she wrote 500,343 words and is one of the few who has succeeded at the million-word goal. According to her blog, she writes quickly as a matter of course and has a huge competitive streak with things she is good at.
In 2011 the word counter maxed out at 1,000,000 words for the first time, and caillien and Captain Lonewolf exceeded that limit. Caillien went on to max out the counter in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and currently holds the record for most times completing the million. In 2014 witcykristy, Kiryuu-chan and TheMaskedCokie wrote a million words as well; S.Berry also maxed out the counter in 2014 but wrote an actual total of just over 1.5 million words.  She and Kiryuu-chan broke the million again in 2015. S.Berry and Kiryuu-chan both wrote over 3 million apiece. S.Berry holds the current record for most words ever written during NaNoWriMo at 3.030 million.


'''[[User:Sushimustwrite|Sushimustwrite]]''': Multiple-time participant in [[#50kday]], Sushi passed the mark of having written one million words in her tenth year during NaNoWriMo 2011. She is known for writing substantial quantities every year as well as being very active in the NaNoWriMo community to the point of starting and moderating this wiki. <!--I (FlatRose) lack facts and figures about this because NaNoWriMo.org is down for the November crash. I will try to remember to come back and add them but I felt like Sushi definitely deserves to be on this list.-->
===The Quest for a Million Words: Camp NaNoWriMo Edition===
During Camp NaNoWriMo April 2015, Orangekiss hit a million words.


==The Quest for a Million Words==
== The Future of Overachievers ==
After the [[word count bar]] limit was upped from 200,000 to 999,999 in 2007, people have set out to max out the word counter by aiming for a million words. The first Wrimos to succeed at this were Hanxa, Delayra, and Caeraerie in 2008. Kateness and Caeraerie hit the million words in 2009. In 2010 the word count bar limit appears to have been reduced to 500,000 words, but that hasn't stopped several Wrimos from aiming for the million word mark. <!--Caeraerie estimates eight in 2009. Anyone? Also, I (Sushi) don't remember anyone succeeding in '10.-->
As Nanowrimo continues to grow, the number of overachievers is likely to continue to rise. They are already a significant minority of the population, but are unlikely to become the majority because 50k words in a month is difficult enough for many Wrimos. A few overachievers have called for NaNo to be more flexible with setting goals beyond 50k, and opinions about this were actually gathered in the 2011 NaNoWriMo Participant Survey. However, the idea did not receive sufficient support from survey respondents. Due to the discontinuation of Script Frenzy in June 2012 (and its subsequent integration into Camp NaNo starting in April 2013), and record-breaking fundraising during NaNo 2012, some users called for Camp Nano to offer more flexible word count goals. This became reality for the Camp sessions starting in 2013, allowing people to aim for anywhere from as little as 10,000 words to as much as 999,999 words.
 
In 2011 the word counter maxed out at 1,000,000 words for the first time, and caillien and Captain Lonewolf exceeded that limit.


== The Future of Overachievers ==
Implementing flexible word count goals or multiple novel support during the main NaNoWriMo event in November in any fashion is unlikely, however, because the main Nano event is often seen by its participants (including some overachievers) as being about the 50k. In addition, there are no events at risk of discontinuation and/or integration into NaNo Main, and the overachievers are unlikely to ever be a substantial portion of the NaNo population.  Likewise, [[NaNo Rebel]]s are unlikely to see rebel-specific tools (such as the ability to validate scripts or art) for the same reasons.
As Nanowrimo continues to grow, the number of overachievers is likely to continue to rise. Even so, they will still only ever comprise a small percentage of the overall participants. A few overachievers have called for NaNo to be more flexible with setting goals beyond 50k, but as the overachievers are a small group of Wrimos and [[50,000 words]] is a doable but challenging goal for most Wrimos, it's unlikely that this will change in the foreseeable future.


As of 2009, a new group has emerged - Milwordy. These individuals strive to write 1,000,000 words, but over the course of 12 months instead of only in November. Nanowrimo is often used as the starting or ending point for their efforts.


==External links==
==External links==


[http://nanolanta.org/?p=115 Wordcount Doesn't Matter - And Why]: an article on wordcount from the perspective of an overachiever
[http://nanolanta.org/?p=115 Wordcount Doesn't Matter - And Why]: an article on wordcount from the perspective of an overachiever
==See also==
*[[List of published authors who write quickly]]
*[[Beyond 50k]] - the overachiever forum
*[[Tep Palk]]


[[Category:NaNoWriMo terms]]
[[Category:NaNoWriMo terms]]

Latest revision as of 16:19, 15 November 2016

Overachievers in Nanowrimo are those who consistently and purposely strive for more than the 50,000 word goal.

Overachieving

Nanowrimo is a challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. For most non-professional writers (and some professionals) this means banging out 1,667 words per day all month. And it can be a struggle. But, as with many challenges, there are those who take the word count as a minimum--those scattered few who manage, through determination, discipline and great typing speed, to write double or more the 50,000 word goal. They may either choose to write a novel of more than 50,000 words, write multiple novels, or may simply aim to finish their novel ahead of the deadline. Some may even take on the challenge of writing an entire 50k in a weekend or in a single day. These are the overachievers.

Overachievers are often (but not always) Nano veterans who have won before (perhaps not in an overachieving way) and continue to push themselves. Having a fast typing speed is not required; while some overachievers can pass 120wpm, some top out at 50wpm. Some of the higher-count overachievers are students who may have more free time than a full-time employee, whereas others are unemployed; however, it is possible for even full-time employees and MLs to overachieve, depending on their outside obligations.

Because of their fast (and sometimes insanely quick) accumulation of words, accusations of cheating are sometimes leveled at overachievers. While some users enter false numbers into the wordcount validator, either accidentally or as trolls, (some even brag about deliberately entering numbers for words they have not written from scratch), most high word counts are the product of an ordinary Nanoer who happens to be writing at a faster pace. Nano has a strict no-cheating-accusations policy, something which can often be seen enforced in the forums when the topic of wordcount is brought up. Despite this, as a group they tend to be among the most supportive of other people and their goals on the forums - sushimustwrite and Elluna Hellen are known for being in most of the major forums and offering encouragement and advice.

Until 2013 the overachievers had a thread in the This is Going Better Than I'd Hoped forum to chat about their accomplishments, share strategies, and commiserate how far behind their overachieving goals they are. They tend not to populate the NaNoWriMo Ate My Soul forum, as their word counts (which may be ahead of the regular quota but drastically behind on their own goals) often cause strife from those behind the regular quota. In 2013 a forum called Beyond 50k appeared on the NaNo site, designed for Wrimos whose goals exceeded 50k, or who found themselves at 50k but with an unfinished novel.

Overachiever Challenges

The 50k Weekend challenge was the idea of a group of overachievers. Wrimos who complete the challenge write 50,000 words over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. Overachievers completed the challenge together for the first time in 2010, and overachievers continue to participate every November. Milwordy was also the brainchild of an overachiever.

The Quest for a Million Words

After the word count bar limit was upped from 200,000 to 999,999 in 2007, people have set out to max out the word counter by aiming for a million words. The first Wrimos to succeed at this were Hanxa, Delayra, and Caeraerie in 2008. Kateness and Caeraerie hit the million words in 2009. In 2010 the word count bar limit had been reduced to 500,000 words, but that hasn't stopped several Wrimos from aiming for the million word mark.

In 2011 the word counter maxed out at 1,000,000 words for the first time, and caillien and Captain Lonewolf exceeded that limit. Caillien went on to max out the counter in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and currently holds the record for most times completing the million. In 2014 witcykristy, Kiryuu-chan and TheMaskedCokie wrote a million words as well; S.Berry also maxed out the counter in 2014 but wrote an actual total of just over 1.5 million words. She and Kiryuu-chan broke the million again in 2015. S.Berry and Kiryuu-chan both wrote over 3 million apiece. S.Berry holds the current record for most words ever written during NaNoWriMo at 3.030 million.

The Quest for a Million Words: Camp NaNoWriMo Edition

During Camp NaNoWriMo April 2015, Orangekiss hit a million words.

The Future of Overachievers

As Nanowrimo continues to grow, the number of overachievers is likely to continue to rise. They are already a significant minority of the population, but are unlikely to become the majority because 50k words in a month is difficult enough for many Wrimos. A few overachievers have called for NaNo to be more flexible with setting goals beyond 50k, and opinions about this were actually gathered in the 2011 NaNoWriMo Participant Survey. However, the idea did not receive sufficient support from survey respondents. Due to the discontinuation of Script Frenzy in June 2012 (and its subsequent integration into Camp NaNo starting in April 2013), and record-breaking fundraising during NaNo 2012, some users called for Camp Nano to offer more flexible word count goals. This became reality for the Camp sessions starting in 2013, allowing people to aim for anywhere from as little as 10,000 words to as much as 999,999 words.

Implementing flexible word count goals or multiple novel support during the main NaNoWriMo event in November in any fashion is unlikely, however, because the main Nano event is often seen by its participants (including some overachievers) as being about the 50k. In addition, there are no events at risk of discontinuation and/or integration into NaNo Main, and the overachievers are unlikely to ever be a substantial portion of the NaNo population. Likewise, NaNo Rebels are unlikely to see rebel-specific tools (such as the ability to validate scripts or art) for the same reasons.


External links

Wordcount Doesn't Matter - And Why: an article on wordcount from the perspective of an overachiever

See also