Thursday, October 25, 2012

National Novel Writing Month

I have decided to have a go at writing a 50k word novel during November as part of National Novel Writing Month.

The general aim as far as I can see, is to really focus the mind and simply get on with it, rather than coming up with hundreds of excuses about why it cannot be done. And the website recommends that you should tell everyone of the intention, so that it is difficult not to apply yourself and at least have a go.

I am not sure how a busy person like me will make time for this, and I am thinking I will probably need to write about 2500 words per day as I wont be able to do it every day, so it will definitely be a squeeze. I suspect I may be writing during the evenings when I have finished with casework and meetings and all that other stuff that demands my time. But you know what they say, if you really want something doing, ask a busy person!


Obviously I need a plot to work to as there wont be lots of time for brainstorming, so I have been drafting something which is now on two sides of A4 and I hope will keep me on track as I work through the month. It is basically a series of short stories connected to each other by a central theme, so if I need a rest from one I can start on another and come back to the first one later.

The advice is not to rewrite or edit as you go but to get it all out there and then perhaps spend December doing all that. (She says as though it was that simple, laughing at her own madness.)

I reckon that even if I only manage half a novel in November, it will at least have been a start and I wont have lost anything.

So watch this space, the writing starts in 6 days time. I may try to find time to come and tell you how many words I have done, periodically, and you can hopefully encourage me along a bit. I might also come and ask you questions about things I don't know about so that you can help me with the research.

Exciting times, I cannot really believe I am going to do this, but I am looking forward to it. Do wish me well!

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