So fun to say, and so incredibly daunting to do!
For those of you who don’t want to click on the link, NaNoWriMo is short for “National Novel Writing Month”. Starting November 1, and ending November 30, aspiring (and accomplished) novelists risk sleepless nights, carpal tunnel, caffeine induced hallucinations, and alienation from loved ones, all in an effort to type out a grueling 50,000 word novel.
That’s right, Fifty THOUSAND words. In 30 days. (I know, they didn’t even pick a month with 31 days – those sneaky NaNoWriMos!!).
I first heard about the contest in the early 2000s from my then-boyfriend Jeff, who was an aspiring novelist himself. He’s actually gone on to get a short story published, and who knows how far he’s gone since then… I was enamored with the idea of NaNoWriMo from the very start, but never had the balls to try it out. Until NOW!
I’m a little nervous about the contest, I’ll admit that for sure. Writing has always been something I’ve really enjoyed, and had a modicum of talent at, but I’ve NEVER, EVER, had the attention span or discipline to churn out a full fledged, beginning-to-end story before. I can describe till the cows come home, but I’m lacking in story ideas. I need a plot. I’ve been thinking a bit about it, but nothing really stands out.
The other pressure of course is time itself. Angelo asked (justifiably) “When exactly are you going to write this thing??” It’s true, what with my long hours at work, my increasing obsession with Derby, and a ramped training schedule, there isn’t much time for anything else. I’m hoping to finally get a decent backpack for my laptop, and steal minutes here and there typing typing typing (look for me in coffee shops, stairwells, elevators, and picnic tables near you!).
In the end, the one thing that doesn’t worry me is the word count. I know I can keep on writing forever. 50,000 words. It may just feel like forever….