I haven't been living up to my hope of checking in here and creating something once a week. I've had the blinders on and my tunnel vision has zoomed in on National Novel Writing Month. It's pretty fun. November is National Novel Writing Month. The goal is simply to write 50,000 words in one month and yes, they can be 50,000 words of nonsensical hoopdidooda if you like. 50,000 words is roughly 1,667 words per day. I literally didn't think of doing it at all until I found myself wandering around a bookstore with a fever, on steroids and wearing a unicorn onesie the night before the first day, it was Halloween. At 11:45PM, 15 minutes before November 1, I was still trying to figure out what, and how to download the software I would be using to write with and also setting up my account through NANOWRIMO. Being that I was sick and on drugs, I decided that the only way to do this was full steam ahead. So I have been doing lots to get my word count to 43,000! the last three days my word count has been at its lowest. somewhere between 1,000-1,500 if I had been writing at the rate I was writing at I would have already crossed the finish line.
This is my fourth time doing NANOWRIMO and my first time ever being ahead of the word count and let me tell you it is a whole different view from a head of the game. I can do things like think about how my novel is having an existential identity crisis.
For me, to be successful at NANOWRIMO means to silence the critic and move ahead. And if silencing the critic is not possible one must still move ahead. Making decisions, making things happen especially when everything is either confusing or boring is necessary.
It's nice to have something that has a beginning and an end, that has defined parameters and that sweeps in and stirs up life. It totally makes life different. There is always the word count. Rather than simply going out for the night and leaving the to do list to the curb, there is the voice that says "you could write more" With every decision that I make there is always the poking of the piece.
So what am I writing about? The quest for inspiration....To find out more about NANOWRIMO visit http://nanowrimo.org
