NaNoWriMo

Hello!!  As you can see from my "all about me" sidebar, I am feeling a little squirrellee.  I got my thinking cap on.  I am ready to go!!


For those of you who may be scritching you head, corn-fuzed, let me explain.  I am a NaNoWriMo participant, first year attempted, first year registered.  NaNoWriMo is the nifty little, well shorter, name for "National Novel Writing Month".  It's actually a bit of a misnomer, but we don't get finicky about these things.  Internationally, folks participate, which is super-kewl!!


After the first year, the creators decided November was a more suitable month than July.  The goal is that we all (individually, that is) write 50,000 words.  That's about 175 pages.  Which is not quite novel length, more like a novella.  Again, we don't get picky about these things.  We start at the crack of November first and type or write like fiends for the next few weeks, ending on the 30th.


So that is the (inter)National Novel(la) Writing (or typing) Month (of November) in a nutshell (see?  squirrellee sidebar).  So what's the big deal, you say, about doing this in a month?  

Welllllll, it has to do with goals, timelimits, and producing quantity.

See, too many, myself included, often fall into the "one day" trap.  Ya know, as in, "one day, I will write the next great American Novel" (or British, or Russian, or Australian, or whichever nationality you are).  Some of us are, oh um, how can I politely say this....well, more than a bit anal about the whole gotta-phrase-this-thought-exactly-right and THAT can mean that I, um I mean folks, can get bogged down in the whole perfection thing that ain't ever gonna happen and THAT can lead to mass paralysis of the mind, which is SO not a good thing.  No, no it's not.

So the idea is that if we just write, write, write and don't think and overanalyze; then the sheer quantity creates a flow...or the flow creates a quantity...or both simultaneously combust.  The point is, there is bound to be something worth mining out of 50,000 words.  I mean, it can't all be bad.  It won't all be great, sure.  But, at least there is SOMETHING (fifty thousand somethings) to work with, to mold into something that might be publishable...or whatever you choose to do with your words.


So, that's why I've been clearing my schedule, tying up loose ends, trying to get all the things accomplished throughout the month of October so that I might have the time available to do this writing stuff in the month of November.  Thanks to all the faithful readers of my journal, the visitors that leave comments.  A huge appreciative grin and huggle to the few folks that take extra time, to go that extra mile, and make that extra effort...thanks for being so encouraging, supportive, and eager to see what I produce.  I am kinda curious, too.

We are able to create notes, chapter outlines, character development, conduct research, etc.  Just NO writing of the work til November first.  That is some 12 hours away, we can start as of midnight local time.


Sure, cheating is possible.  But you know you cheated and you just cheat yourself.  Besides, it costs no money to participate and there is no cash reward at the end.  You earn a great sense of accomplishment.  You might even get a great piece of writing from it.

So, I'm gonna give it a shot.  See how much I grow...