Happy Nanowrimo Eve! Oh, yes, Happy Halloween, too.
I am pleased to report that I have finished my novel. Um, except that I need to keep tweaking it here and there. And there is a risk I will realize that something major still needs reworking. But sure, let’s call it finished. I am pleased to have reached this point because today is the last day of October, which means, as you know, that it’s the eve of Nanowrimo.
I have observed that some writers are not drawn to what is known as National Novel Writing Month. Alas, they tend to be writers who strike me as destined for greatness. They understand at a visceral level that there are no tricks to writing other than engaging in the deeply reflective process of writing, sometimes one carefully chosen word after another…
To which I say, ahem, but did you notice the bar graph? Sure, I could work all month to write a few good paragraphs, or I could push to produce, on average, 1667 words per day, which adds up to 50,000 words (of varying quality) by the end of the month. Which means I would win. (What would I win? Don’t get bogged down in minor details. Focus on the win). It is satisfying to see that bar graph creep higher and higher. And they even have online badges you can earn as you go along.
I love writing first drafts, even if I know all too well that where there is a first draft, more drafts will follow. Nanowrimo has helped me more than once to move from “meaning to write” to “actually writing.” So I dive back in again tomorrow, returning to work on my SF series (targeted to YA or possibly MG).
In addition to making a commitment to write, on average, 1667 words per day, I have also challenged myself to post to my blog each day. Some days, the blog posts might be especially short… but that’s okay. As long as I show up to work on both goals each day, I will be on track. And cheers to anyone else out there who is giving it a try this month. Write on :).
reader. writer. 