An Open Conversation With November
Well hello November. How did you get here so quickly? Nonetheless, it's nice to see you. In fact, I'm glad you stopped by, because we need to have a little chat.
You see, November, normally at this time I would have the welcome mat out for your NaNoWriMo luggage. I would have the plot bunnies all dusted, the desk stocked with metaphorical writing paper, idea-ink ordered in bulk, and signs posted all around the yard, informing everyone that Shhh, Be Wery Wery Qwiet, It's NaNo Season. In fact, this being November 1st, I would not normally be talking to you at all. I would be busy writing every moment I wasn't at work.
But not this year, November. After five years of successfully participating in - and winning - NaNo, I'm sitting this year out. I'm asking you to leave the NaNo bag at the door. You see, you've brought a whole bundle of other distractions this year, November. I have many social events scheduled for this month. I will have houseguests for an entire week. I am likely hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my place. Work has a number of very important deadlines.
You're quite right. I have had all of these distractions (and more!) during previous Novembers. And I didn't let that stop me from NaNoing with a will, that's true.
But you see, November, somewhere during the course of all these years, I've developed the habit of writing regularly. And producing quality content. Not as rapidly as I produce words during NaNo, of course, but with fewer adverbs and adjectives and other digressions in the name of word count I then have to cut out of manuscripts. I've become comfortable with writing at a regular, reasoned pace. I've been productive. In fact, I have a novel out for consideration right this very minute, and I'm working on several other stories of varying length.
So you see, November, I will be writing during your month. I will likely go to the pub and write on Sundays, just for tradition's sake. I will enjoy putting words onto the screen in measured doses, and I hope to end the month with at least one more finished draft than I started with.
But I won't be cramming 50K words into the month, just in the name of word count. I won't be keeping track of the NaNo scoreboard. I won't be trying to cope with the extra stress and strain, and the sinking feeling that I'm writing words just to fill a quota. And I hopefully will avoid everything else going to heck because I'm too busy writing to do anything else.
I still love you, November. I welcome you with open arms. And I still love NaNo, even though I won't be visiting this year. I just don't need the mandatory word count this year in order to feel accomplished.
It's nice to see you without that particular bit of baggage. You look good. Come on in, sit down, and make yourself comfortable. I might even make cookies.
You see, November, normally at this time I would have the welcome mat out for your NaNoWriMo luggage. I would have the plot bunnies all dusted, the desk stocked with metaphorical writing paper, idea-ink ordered in bulk, and signs posted all around the yard, informing everyone that Shhh, Be Wery Wery Qwiet, It's NaNo Season. In fact, this being November 1st, I would not normally be talking to you at all. I would be busy writing every moment I wasn't at work.
But not this year, November. After five years of successfully participating in - and winning - NaNo, I'm sitting this year out. I'm asking you to leave the NaNo bag at the door. You see, you've brought a whole bundle of other distractions this year, November. I have many social events scheduled for this month. I will have houseguests for an entire week. I am likely hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my place. Work has a number of very important deadlines.
You're quite right. I have had all of these distractions (and more!) during previous Novembers. And I didn't let that stop me from NaNoing with a will, that's true.
But you see, November, somewhere during the course of all these years, I've developed the habit of writing regularly. And producing quality content. Not as rapidly as I produce words during NaNo, of course, but with fewer adverbs and adjectives and other digressions in the name of word count I then have to cut out of manuscripts. I've become comfortable with writing at a regular, reasoned pace. I've been productive. In fact, I have a novel out for consideration right this very minute, and I'm working on several other stories of varying length.
So you see, November, I will be writing during your month. I will likely go to the pub and write on Sundays, just for tradition's sake. I will enjoy putting words onto the screen in measured doses, and I hope to end the month with at least one more finished draft than I started with.
But I won't be cramming 50K words into the month, just in the name of word count. I won't be keeping track of the NaNo scoreboard. I won't be trying to cope with the extra stress and strain, and the sinking feeling that I'm writing words just to fill a quota. And I hopefully will avoid everything else going to heck because I'm too busy writing to do anything else.
I still love you, November. I welcome you with open arms. And I still love NaNo, even though I won't be visiting this year. I just don't need the mandatory word count this year in order to feel accomplished.
It's nice to see you without that particular bit of baggage. You look good. Come on in, sit down, and make yourself comfortable. I might even make cookies.