You know, I have to wonder why the creators of NaNoWriMo chose the month of November for such a work-intensive endeavor. With Thanksgiving taking up a very long weekend for any US participants (and really, unless you don't go visit family or aren't in charge of cooking Thanksgiving dinner, those days between Wednesday and Sunday are goners) not to mention the fact that November 1st starts at midnight the same night as Halloween, it's really a short month. Plus it's only got 30 days to begin with.I'd think some time like March would be better. Or January. Both months have nothing much happening in them, they both have 31 days, and they both are at times of the year when the northern hemisphere is hemmed in by cold and dark and those of us living in it more likely to be motivated to write.
Oh well, I'm sure they had their reasons.
Anyway, I don't know that I'll be able to make it up until midnight tonight to get started. But it sure seems lame not to do so. Like falling asleep at 11:45 on New Year's Eve, just when Dick Clark's big ball is about to descend.
I wonder if it would be okay if I pretended I was on Eastern time rather than Central time. I mean, who really cares? Technically, I could use Greenwich time as my marker and get started as soon as we finish sorting all the trick or treat loot and checking it for rusty razor blades. I plan to post my word count here, but I can just wait until tomorrow morning to do that, right?
Of course, the sooner I start the sooner I have to decide on the story I will stick with for the next thirty days. And wouldn't you know this weekend I was hit with a wonderful premise that has nothing at all to do with anything I've already been working on. In fact, it's not even in the same subgenres.
But I've been very good. I spent yesterday brainstorming the new idea and doing some rough research, all of which I jotted in an empty Word document and saved to look at when NaNo is finished. I've brain dumped so my mind is clear and free to focus. My only allowable diversion from writing on one story and one story alone is to blog daily. Cause blogging doesn't count since it's not fiction, right?
For one month, I hereby vow to be monogomous to one story and one story only. I won't look at another story. I won't think longingly of other characters. I promise to love, honor and cherish my NaNo story until 50,000 words or death us do part.
Or until midnight, December 1. Greenwich time.
2 comments:
Good luck on the NaNoWriMo project!
I'm not doing it this year, but I guess the equivalent -- I've set a deadline for myself as Nov 30 to get the book done, so I'd have a month to revise before deadline...but that's 50K left. I'm freaking out, so I imagine all of the participants are too.
And I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but Ramadan is ending and Eid is coming up this week...it isn't going to make for a very productive week, I think. Sigh.
Being married, and child-less, I can't identify with your need for TIME. I appreciate it, just can't identify. Slow down, lady. Slow down, and smell the coffee, or whatever. The kids or family will survive if you choose some time for yourself, whether it be November or March. Enjoy life a little. Take a deep breath and say: today is mine, tomorrow is mine and noone elses'. This week, or weeks is mine, all mine, and I am going to enjoy them, and make the most of them. Not for someone else, but for me. Don't let yourself sit 10 years in the future, and wish you had done something else, DO IT! Be selfish, you certainly deserve it. Being a martyr to your family and time is being a MARTYR. You won't be canonized, admired, or otherwise remembered by being hassled by the lack of time. It is there, take it. Just my 2 cents, Mom.
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