So, I had no plans to do NaNoWriMo this year. None. I mean, I’ve got to read twenty more books by the end of the year, and I’m typesetting five or six books, and I’m working on my master’s, and so on. Like I’d have time to write a 50,000 word novel.
And then I read an article about it in the Daily Universe.
There wasn’t anything particularly special about the article, but it got me itching to write, and so here I am again on the verge of 1,800 words a day for the next 28 days. I’ve been here before, by the way, in 2005 and 2006. And each time I lasted, oh, two days? Three? Looks like I’ve got a little tradition going on here.
In theory it shouldn’t be that hard to actually succeed — 50,000 words isn’t that much if you turn off your internal censor and stop caring about how good the book is. And it would feel so good to finish a book, even if it’s more slush than substance. I think I’m going to do it. I’m ready to throw the whole thing out (so to speak) when I’m done, and hopefully that plan will keep me from feeling any pressure to make it good. I’m just going to let myself ramble for 50,000 words and see what happens. And I’m going to set in the present day so that I won’t have to think out all the logic of some fantasy/sci-fi world. This should work. If I don’t get distracted.
Now to figure out how to silence this little voice on my shoulder that keeps asking, “What on earth are you getting yourself into, Ben?” :)
[tags]NaNoWriMo, writing[/tags]
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I spent an hour starting the novel tonight and so far I’ve written 2,258 words. It’s coming along easier than I expected — inner dialogue is a great way to fill the space, I’ve found. :) And so much for not going the sci-fi route; the premise so far is that the protagonist finds his roommate has built a time slingshot. I’m not sure what happens after that — but then again, that’s the joy of writing, finding out what happens as you go along.
I do have to admit that right before I started writing, I was not at all feeling like going through with this. “Blast it, Ben,” I said, “you’re not giving up.” And so I wrote a small note that says, “You are going to write this novel if it’s the last thing you do. –The Wiser Ben” and posted it on my monitor’s power button.
I’ll blog from time to time about this, but you can keep posted on progress via my NaNoWriMo profile.
Oh, I bought a recorder Moleskine notebook earlier today as motivation to write this thing. It’s my new writing notebook, for jotting down words or phrases or ideas that come to me (not only for this book — which I’m calling Out of Time for now — but for other projects, too). Hopefully I can fill it up by the month’s end. :)
And I’ve done diddlysquat on my midterm. It’s due tomorrow. Bother.
Was I that voice on your shoulder today?
ps you’re more ocd than I thought.
Haha, very funny. If it was you, I’m afraid I’ve stopped listening. :P
So, I wrote another 2,020 words this evening after slaving away on my midterm for six or seven hours. The beast is slain, though, and the daily dragon has been harnessed as well. By the time I’d finished the midterm, I needed a break and so I read two more chapters of Stephanie Fowers’ Rules of Engagement (a novel about BYU dating). And then I didn’t really feel like writing — I just wanted to spend the rest of the evening reading, so I could get closer to finishing The Thirteenth Tale and finish the introduction to The Princess Bride (which I’m now reading for the first time). But I re-read that note I wrote to myself and decided that I was going to wrote those 2,000 words if it killed me. And it didn’t kill me. I suspect that there will be many more days like that this month, days where I absolutely don’t want to write and would do anything to avoid it, but hang it all, I am going to finish the 50,000 words this time, so help me. Nothing but death can stop me. :)
You know, I really admire your persistence, energy, and productivity. If I could learn how to be as productive as you are in one hour, it would be worth all the obsessive compulsive disorders out there. I’m proud of you for sticking with it! Larry and I discussed your energy and projects yesterday, and we both just kind of shook our heads in disbelief. Here’s to Benjamin Crowder.
Hey, you’re reading Stephanie’s book! She’s about five years older than me, but I grew up in the same ward as her family (she’s my oldest sister’s age). Nice family. More than a dozen kids. :)
I started the book while in the U.S. in September (my mom has it), but I don’t really “get” the BYU dating subject matter, so I put it down and haven’t finished it. I really feel like I should, though…
Yay! I’ve also done Nanowrimo for the last few years and also haven’t ever gone very far. I’m going to do it this time though. I’m off to a slow start but things are looking up. Other than the fact that I think my main character hates me. I don’t blame him. His life is pretty miserable right now.
Meghan: LOL, thanks. :) I’m not really as productive as y’all think I am, I have to say. I waste a lot of time. More than I’d like, at any rate. And this body of mine likes to get tired way too quickly. I can’t wait till the resurrection — then my productivity will skyrocket! :P
Rikker: Small, small world. :) It’s definitely BYU-centric. You should still read it, though, if only to help you better understand this blog. ;)
Mary: I hope you’re still hanging in there. Don’t give up! Keep moving forward. And give your main character at least a little bit of a break — let even just one little thing go well for him. ;)
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