Getting Brave: Gearing up for NaNoWriMo
After much musing, pondering, and many well-timed kicks with steel-toed boots from my pal Angela, I have decided to take a leap, and participate in NaNoWriMo next month.
This is, in a word, terrifying.
- I have never written fiction. Ever. Stretched the truth a little creatively here and there? You betcha. But never have I set pen to paper with the intent of creating a tale of my own.
- I have never committed to such a hard deadline. Those are two very real numbers, 50,000 and 30 Nov 06. You either make it, or you blow it. That’s a lot to face up to.
- If I do this, then I am a writer.
That last one is the toughest of all. I mean, sure, I write here, for y’all to see what’s up with me, the Boyos, and come along on this wild ride of a life. But somehow, being a writer is a different animal. It’s more committed, somehow. It’s claiming an identity that I’ve always aspired to and always allowed the stream of life to carry me away from.
I’m taking November to reclaim a bit of myself. Jason’s being a gem about it, and already planning ahead for how he can arrange household duties to give me the uninterrupted time it’s going to take. I think he sees, even if he can’t enunciate, what a big deal this is. Even if I downplay it.
And of course, by telling all of you… my feet are really held to the fire. I have to make it, right? I must focus, I will accomplish.
And maybe if it isn’t complete drivel, I’ll let y’all read it. =)
My favorite novelist Anne Tyler said that when her kids were small, as she was doing the daily stuff, a character kept presenting itself to her and a story began to grow up around him. When she finally was free, several months later, she wrote the story. I was fascinated by that. A character presented and a story grew up around him… Any characters come to mind compelling enough to tell their story for them? Or will your framework take a different process? Whatever, Girl, you have my heartfelt support in this. love, V
I’m concidering it this year. I failed horribly last year, but maybe this time I can stick to it.
If it helps at all, you’re not alone! Besides, you roped me into this thing as well. I presumed for mutual support, no?
You can do it! WE can do it!
YOU CAN DO IT
GO KICK SOME FICTIONAL ASS
I WANT TO READ IT
Please…???
I’m so stoked you’re doing this, and I’d love to read what kind of fiction comes out of you if you care to share in the end.
But I’m not doing this contest, so does it mean I’m not a writer anymore?:-)
It’s funny the various hoops we have to jump through to consider ourselves “writers” when in fact a writer need only to write.
Keep to that deadline though. It’s an admirable goal.
Hey, Bravo to you! I tried NaNoWriMo a couple of years ago. I even bought a tee-shirt, because I thought it would inspire me (I turned it into my clothespin bag this year :). I got about halfway through my novel, and then my paying job interfered and I just couldn’t work half the night, write the other half of the night and then get up in the wee hours to attend to my little ones. Good luck to you though - from another aspiring writer, unschooling Mom