(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:24 am)
In the course of our regular online communication, my blogger buddy Colleen mentioned that November was NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month when writers across the globe pinky-swear their intention to pound out 50,000 words in 30 days. Feeling unusually willing to put myself through pain, I virtually exclaimed, “I’LL DO IT!” though I wasn’t sure what I’d be getting into. So I went to a meetup at the nearby Merrimack Public Library, fortified myself with free stickers, and decided to take the plunge. It seems like an interesting way to participate in an activity that is simultaneously solitary and bigger-than-myself.
We are encouraged to do everything we can to make the commitment public, since that helps keep the pressure on to finish, as the sting of future shame is a powerful motivator. As typical for me when it comes to these kind of challenges, I have done zero planning or organization, though this morning I decided that I’d pay homage in some way to the boundless optimism of Harry Harrison’s The Stainless Steel Rat series; they are about the right length (200-some pages of pocketbook-sized novel) and I used to read them in high school when I needed a boost of energy. The Good Lord Knows that I could use a boost of energy this year.
Anyone else out there doing NaNoWriMo? If ya want to link-up as a writing buddy, here’s my profile page.
3 Comments
I’ve had an idea for a novel rolling around in my head for a bit over a month, but hadn’t really committed to hammering out a draft. This looks like an excellent opportunity to take the plunge, with a deadline and some accountability, even if the penalty is only embarrassment. So I’ve signed on.
It seems as if every November, I have special circumstances that make it impossible for me to commit, and that’s true this year too. But in 2010 I did Script Frenzy, the scriptwriting equivalent of NaNoWriMo, where you write a 100-page script in a month. It was an absolute blast.
I’m doing NaNoWriMo this year again (my third year participating), and am using your brainstorming tool to develop the concept I thought of. I’ll let you know how it goes! And I’ll look you up/add as a writing buddy.