My parents were strongly against my doing NaNo (I still did it twice though) and when I mentioned Screnzy to them they started yelling at me. So I'm doing screnzy in secret. My plan is to tell them about it once I've won, at which point they can yell at me all they want and it won't make any difference. Anyone else in the same boat?

I kinda was...my mom didn't want me to because "we're moving this month" (only across town though this time) and I was like "can I do it anyway?" She was pretty pissed at first and said I "can't totally hog the computer or complain when someone else is on or whine about having to get home to type". Pretty fair if you ask me, especcially since I was going to hand write it :) That meant I could use the computer ^^

I am... only because my parents will want to read the script when I am done, and since it has a lot of gay kissing and relationship stuff in it (and they are really against that sort of thing), I do not want them yelling at me. And I really do not want the awkward conversation that goes along with it >.< So, Screnzy is staying a secret. Despite the desktop calendar that they see whenever they get on the computer. But I refuse to let them read my script! >.>

Since I have my own laptop to write my Screnzy I still didn't tell my parents I was doing it, as I didn't say about Nano back in 07'. First of all, they don't know about the sites so i'd have to explain the whole idea and it'd be boring and I'd feel stupid. Secondly, they would want to read it and I'm totally against that!
But, really I have difficulty to understand why someone would forbid you to write. It's a good activity for someone, especially when you're young :D

When I did Nano I kept it a secret, because I was fairly sure my mom wouldn't approve of it. Even after I won I didn't tell her.

This year, I mentioned Screnzy to her, but she wasn't all that enthusiastic. As expected, she thought it irresponsible because I should be busy with school. The thing is, I can manage both school and Screnzy. It's just that no one believes I can. >.>

I was going to, but just as an experiment, I mentioned it to my mom. She wasn't overly enthusiastic at first, but once it became clear that I was doing it, with or without her support, she caved. I get the ominous feeling that I'll have to do NaNo in secret, because of me starting high school next year, and trying to do cross-country. How I will keep it secret, I do not know. Oh well, I'll just focus on getting through Screnzy, and cross that bridge when I come to it.

To all of you secret Screnziers, I salute you and your dedication.

My parents no nothing of Screnzy or NaNo - only that I have written novels, and my Mum knows about the play I am writing - but yes, I keep both a secret, mainly because I would get hounded about how many words/pages am I up to, how many have I written, can we read it, etc etc. I'd rather they read/see it when it is perfect because I know where I need to change stuff and where I don't so its just easier that I keep it to myself till its 100% complete.

I told everyone about NaNo last year and my mother was always on my back about being couped up in my room, and blamed NaNo for it.
I haven't said a word about Screnzy. She's still on my back about being couped up in my room, but she always does no matter what I do.

Donate & get your own shiny halo!

My mom knows I'm doing Screnzy, but she really doesn't approve of it. It's not like I have too much homework this semester, but she still worries about it. She also doesn't think that I write 'full' scripts with stage directions and so on. And I was like 'screen plays are different.' They are, because I can simply say that Nathan and Sunset walk to the table and let the director worry about where the tables are. *sigh* Also, it's not like I find this to be too difficult. I did just jump up 20 pages in two hours because I really focused. (Focusing on writing for just one hour straight is super awesome.)

So, yeah, my mom knows but I don't really talk about it all that much.

My mum knows I'm doing it, but she keeps asking me what my plot is and can she read it pretty please. And so I'm pretending I've given up and deleted it, because some of the first scenes...well, if you get through three sentences without a character swearing, then you're lucky.

My parents don't know anything about Screnzy or NaNo. Well, I did mention it and try to explain the premise to them the first year, but they didn't really "get" the point of it. ("You're not going to publish it? Why write it?") I neglected to mention it to them last year. As for this year, I told a friend I was planning on doing it and she expressly forbid me from doing it. But I did it anyway, and finished insanely earlier than I thought I would.

I did catch my mother reading Water for Elephants recently and mentioned it had been a NaNoNovel. She proceeded to bug me about publishing. Oops. Not doing that again.

I can understand how your parents (many of you) are concerned about your homework getting done.

In my case, I'm 18. I graduated last year. I do piece work at home. I'm not letting the huge orders that sprung up unexpectedly tihs month keep me from Screnzy. I also didn't tell my parents I'm doing it. People who talk to me online (old friends and acquaintences from writing sites) and my boyfriend know, but none of my family knows. My father lost my trust years ago because he stole my notebook, lied to me that I must have left it at school (where I knew it wasn't), read it, and told all his friends and my teachers about it. This was three years after Columbine, back when I was in 6th grade, so they reacted harshly and condemned me for my writing because I've always been drawn to dark fantasy.

If you think you have a problem with your parents not understanding why you write, that you write, why you like to write, why you write what you do, or why you don't feel they have any business stealing your property and reading it behind your back, chances are, I've been there. I got in an argument with my father the other day for reading over my shoulder.

My advice is to write longhand and use some kind of alternative alphabet. I used Elder Futhark runes for a long time in order to keep prying eyes at home and in school away from my notebooks, and it worked.

I'm also a longhand writer. I hate just writing on the computer. The transposition from handwritten to the computer gives a chance to edit and catch mistakes. I'll probably sound old to some of you, but I started writing before I had a reliable computer, and once I did, I kept my files online rather than on my computer once they were complete so my father, with whom I shared the computer at that time, would not be able to find them. I now have my own laptop, so this is no longer a concern, but I don't let him use it for long, and I never leave it out where he could find it. It's always in my room where he can't get to it without retaliation. I also never leave notebooks lying around where prying eyes might find them.

Seven years later, I still don't trust him with my writing. I haven't forgiven him, and I still write dark fantasy. It has never detracted from my ability to complete schoolwork, homework, or my piece work orders. I also learned very young to write in bed with a flashlight and hide notebooks. If my father even asks about what I'm writng, I'll just grab it and leave the room. Perhaps I've helped some of you.

By the way, I have no desire to be published because being published means selling the movie rights, and I don't want my novels turned into SFX extravaganza 3D movies.

There are sites online where you can publish for free internet reading. Lunaescence, FictionPress, and Mibba spring to mind. As long as you're at least 13 and have an email address, you can get a free account. Many publishers won't accept unsolicited work or work written by a minor or charge large amounts of money to even read your work. You can always tell your parents you're running into that, you would rather not sell the movie rights to your novel, or that you are choosing to publish online and free instead.

By the way, parents can confiscate all profits from a child writer, just like a child actor. If your parents are stage parents who want to turn you into a trophy or use you as a cash cow, you need to tell someone like a teacher, counsellor, or other family member.