This morning I signed up to participate in NaNoWriMo, which is National Novel Writing Month, in November. October's challenge to blog every day for 30 days is my attempt to prime the pump before digging in my heals to make some serious headway on this novel I've wanted to write and have been super stalled on.
My friend/cousin-in-law, Christina Thompson, is going to participate with me which is just plain awesome because now I'll have a buddy. Someone else insane enough to just jump off in the deep end without the certainty that they even know how to swim. Love it. Looooove it.
In that vein, though, I think during October I'm also going to endeavor to write a couple of off topic short stories, just to stretch and flex my creative writing muscles. I once compared novel writing to a marathon which I'd never trained for. While a few short stories still aren't going the distance (oooh, sing the Cake song if you know it - Yes, Rachel Dodd, I said CAKE :)), it will at least get my mind back into things like plot, voice, and whether or not my characters feel real. If anyone has any particular story ideas that they'd like to see me write, feel free to leave some notes in the comments.
Yesterday, my blogger best friend, who has turned into my coaching best friend who I haven't yet met in person, sent me a picture of a journal with peacock feathers on the cover. She said she saw it and immediately thought of me. I love when people see things I'm currently all about and think of me. It means their paying attention. I'm feeling very loved and safe this morning, which is perhaps why I've found the courage to officially claim my participation in NaNoWriMo, as opposed to just thinking I might do it.
I started to write "if I finish an entire novel" but I caught myself and remembered that I want to write more empowering phrases about my goals sooo starting again When I finish an entire novel in the month of November, that will be the culmination of a life long dream. I've been thinking that I wanted to write one ever since... I dont know, 5 or 6 years old. I started one (and got a lot farther than my current one) in late high school and continued to work a little in college but it was on a hard drive that fried. I have some of the chapters on paper in a box of remembrance stuff but looking back at my style of writing, it's just not a project I want to continue.
In the effort to link today's post to yesterday's, writing a novel, whether I do it in a month or my lifetime, is a marker of my first passion: letting myself play and dance with rhythmless childlike joy. Writing in all of its various forms is one of the ways that I am living a passionate life.
Are you living a passionate life? How do you know? Feel free to share in the comments!!
Finding freedom in choices, balance and FUN. Breaking a few rules to things the way that my heart tells me (but nothing illegal!) and sharing the honest journey of a soul that wants to make the world a better place starting with myself.
It's great that you decided to take the leap of faith. NaNoWriMo is a big deal, and it would be easy to play it safe and just wait until another year, if ever. But if not now, when? Best of luck to you in your endeavor and in the 31 day blogging challenge. Nice to meet you! :-)
ReplyDeleteYou're so right. Now is the only time we know we have. Lovely to meet you as well. I will be swinging by your blog as soon as I respond to my comments here. I love this challenge. So many really great people participating!
DeleteI am pretty excited to see what you create in October and in November. Speaking of rhythmless childlike joy....it is raining here....and there are puddles....I really want to go puddle stomping!
ReplyDeletePuddles!!! I want to stomp in puddles with you. We don't have any right now, so I guess I'm coming to Canada (at least in my imagination). :) I'll keep you posted on my creative writing efforts. I think I might have to take GK on a nice long walk around the farm to gather inspiration.
DeleteThat's so exciting! I do NaNo too, but I do it "my way". I don't sign up because I know all the online "support" will distract me and I know that I won't complete 50,000 words in the month anyway. I just know myself and my life. But that doesn't stop me from writing every day in November. I took a year and a half to finish my 2011 NaNo manuscript and I sold it to Month9Books, so I consider that a success! This year I plan to do a NaNoReWritMo and finish a manuscript that I've let sit far too long. I want to publish that one too!
ReplyDeleteMy real goal for NaNo is much like yours, to write every single day of November. I'm less concerned with 50,000 words than genuine effort but since I know I respond well to big goals, I'm not yet rewriting the terms, just gonna take my swing at that beautiful word count and see how it goes, knowing that I will deeply and profoundly love myself regardless of the outcome. :)
DeleteYou go girl! Amber <3
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amberelli. I'm a little nervous but definitely up to the challenge. 50,000 words shouldn't be too hard for someone who talks as much as I do. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm not quite up to the NaNoWriMo challenge, though I'm looking forward to experiencing it vicariously through you! I have a novel in creation, too, though I've chosen a weekly call with my writers' group as an accountability tool. Even when we're writing badly, we're writing! #31dbc
ReplyDeleteOnce, at a reading when I was in college, a girl in the MFA Creative Writing program said what felt like condescending words to me. "Keep Writing." I was young enough to think that I'd never have any problems writing. Today, I frequently sing those words to myself like the fish on Finding Nemo... "Just keep writing, just keep writing, writing writing writing writing". Soooo NaNoWriMo or not, the fact that you're writing means you're a step or three ahead of me today. Get it girl! :)
DeleteI'm glad you're doing the 31 day challenge too. I encourage you in all of your writing endeavors; it's so hard to make it a priority. Well done!
ReplyDeleteBlog challenges are exceptional for introducing us to cool people. Thanks for the encouragement. I'm glad you're in this with me too. Hail to all of us who share pieces of our world through words! :)
DeleteOMG... you said CAKE... Ok thanks for getting that song in my head.
ReplyDeletePS... I am super proud of you. I can't wait to see what more you come up with. :)