Preparing for N-Day
So I don't think I mentioned this, but Jamie and I went to Borders the other day. He apparently got a big bonus on his paycheck from commissions and decided we could splurge a little. It was also Sweetest Day, I guess (woo for Hallmark holidays). Not the sort of commercialized BS we usually celebrate, but we had the extra money so why not.
At Borders, I decided: "Hm. No Plot? No problem! Oh. Why the hell not?" This seems to be a month of why the hell not all around. Since this is my third year participating in NaNoWriMo, I thought I might as well buy the acclaimed book written by its founder Chris Baty. I started reading it. I'm not disappointed.
I'm only on page 35, but I've already decided this is a book that ALL of my writing friends should invest in. It's really not that expensive either. $14.94 U.S. For a writer's reference book at 175 pages, that's a pretty good deal actually. Especially when the most popular resources (Writer's Market anyone?) average out around $50 a piece.
I don't know how many of you out there are actually going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year yourselves. I haven't talked to many of you in a good long while. It seems the people who joined me two years ago have, for the most part, given up on trying again ever again. Writing isn't for everybody, I guess, but that doesn't matter. The point is, even as Chris Baty says, is just to drive yourself crazy endeavoring to accomplish something creative. With the help of a deadline.
He says pretty much everything I've been telling myself for the past few years. I miss the deadlines I used to have in high school, for instance. The best writing I ever remember doing came out of me because of an assignment being due the next morning. I remember staying up late on the last possible day to get my essay written and hacking out the most convincing piles of drivel I ever remember writing. My teachers always gave me A's, so they must not have been all bad.
In any case, I may have changed my mind. I might not write about the elf this year. Though I'm scouring my brain for any random given character name and concept that's fresh and new right now. As much as I'd like to write about the things that have been rolling around in my head for months an years, it just isn't the sort of thing I should be taking into National Novel Writing Month.
I only hope by November I come up with something.
At Borders, I decided: "Hm. No Plot? No problem! Oh. Why the hell not?" This seems to be a month of why the hell not all around. Since this is my third year participating in NaNoWriMo, I thought I might as well buy the acclaimed book written by its founder Chris Baty. I started reading it. I'm not disappointed.
I'm only on page 35, but I've already decided this is a book that ALL of my writing friends should invest in. It's really not that expensive either. $14.94 U.S. For a writer's reference book at 175 pages, that's a pretty good deal actually. Especially when the most popular resources (Writer's Market anyone?) average out around $50 a piece.
I don't know how many of you out there are actually going to participate in NaNoWriMo this year yourselves. I haven't talked to many of you in a good long while. It seems the people who joined me two years ago have, for the most part, given up on trying again ever again. Writing isn't for everybody, I guess, but that doesn't matter. The point is, even as Chris Baty says, is just to drive yourself crazy endeavoring to accomplish something creative. With the help of a deadline.
He says pretty much everything I've been telling myself for the past few years. I miss the deadlines I used to have in high school, for instance. The best writing I ever remember doing came out of me because of an assignment being due the next morning. I remember staying up late on the last possible day to get my essay written and hacking out the most convincing piles of drivel I ever remember writing. My teachers always gave me A's, so they must not have been all bad.
In any case, I may have changed my mind. I might not write about the elf this year. Though I'm scouring my brain for any random given character name and concept that's fresh and new right now. As much as I'd like to write about the things that have been rolling around in my head for months an years, it just isn't the sort of thing I should be taking into National Novel Writing Month.
I only hope by November I come up with something.