Wednesday, October 21, 2015

50k, Baby

November encroaches, promising colder, longer nights and days riddled with turkey. Both of which I shall embrace. One November event I have typically avoided is NaNoWriMo = National Novel Writing Month. The goal is straightforward. In the month of November, you try to clock in 50,000 words, approaching the lower bounds of a novel's word count. Hence, the title of the event.

I write Monday through Friday in the morning for an hour or two, but I'm a slower type of gent (using the term loosely) averaging anywhere from 300 to 1k. The daily target for NaNoWriMo is 1,667.

I tried one year and didn't bust out of the 20's. So you can see why I hesitate a little.

I even told my writing group just a few days ago, that I did not intend to embark upon that train wreck again. But here I am, thinking about it. Envisioning the word count piling up, the inspired ideas, the hated jock, at his locker with a small smile on his face,starting the slow clap that quickly envelopes the whole school until they are ALL clapping and cheering me. Wait. Why am I in high school? Gross. Anyway.

I'm doing it. Going to give it a serious go. Another one of the huddled masses stooped over my keyboard at odd hours. I don't plot, though. That also gives a fellow pause. This type of momentum requires a consistent writing. But, I would rather my story develop organically. Don't worry. My characters don't talk to me and force me to do things or any of that BS. I just enjoy the discovery that comes from writing without a plan and the problem solving needed to figure myself out of writing jams. Well, it helps that I write fantasy, cause you know, you can just make stuff up. It's fantasy.

Sure it's prescribed. Sure it's annoying. Sure some channels of  NaNoWriMo chatter annoy people. I don't care. It's time to shake up my routine a bit and stretch.

How about you? Rocking the NaNoWriMo? Or another new endeavor in November?


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