NaNoWriMo rules require that you write all the 50,000 words in the month of November. Unfortunately for me I had begun my journey a few weeks before I had even heard about NaNo.
I figured I'd just write as many more words as I had written before the beginning of November, but that is against the rules. So is my endeavor doomed before the start date?
Not really; the folks at NaNo are cooler than that. They have a special section for people who are operating just (or way) outside the bounds. These people are labeled "rebels" and are equally welcome into the NaNo fold.
So I am writing as a NaNoWriMo newbie rebel!
To help make an as smooth as possible NaNoWriMo experience I am following some advice I read on the NaNo site and also from duolit here. I've made an outline and doing so has made me realize that there are some holes in my story arc. Places where the narrative might slow down too much or just plain fall apart. Luckily this is in the latter part of the book, and I may be able to remedy this as I go along, or maybe the story will work itself out as I get there.
The other thing I have been doing for prep is to re-read a book I bought for my daughter (who is a much better writer than me) some time ago. Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly by Gail Carson Levine. I found this book useful as a basic writers' manual the first time I read it. Although it is aimed at young writers, and I am by no means young by age anymore, writer-me's age is comparable to a teenager. So I still find it gave me some of the basic pointers that a "young" writer needs. I'm about a third of the way in with plans to finish reading it tonight.
Found out about NaNoWriMo while following some writers on Twitter. Kept wondering for a few days what the #NaNoWriMo tag stands for and finally got curious enough to look. Well it stands for National Novel Writing Month. Authors commit to try and write a 50,000 (yes fifty thousand) word novel in one month.
For some writers this seems trivial, for others it is a challenge, for me; it seems like a daunting task at par starting from my sedentary office life and deciding to climb K2 next week. But there has been a story in my head for the last few years. It's been begging to be put on paper for at least a year now, and so I figured this will be the opportunity to do so.
This blog may be short lived, but I think it will be intense. It maybe a record of my success, or a chronicle of my failure from which I can learn some lessons the next time I try this.
So wish me luck, walk along with me, encourage me, or mock me as I try this impossible feat. They will all give me strength!
