Last year I signed up for nanowrimo. And finished in 21 days.
It is an interesting concept. Basically it is a dare. You dare yourself to write 50,000 words towards a novel, hopefully including a beginning a middle and an end – in one month. The month of November. No-one but me reads it. No-one even particularly cares if you get the 50,000 words, except you. Me. And when you load your novelette at the end of the month and the machine counts it and you have enough words, there is the sound of many hands clapping and you get a cyber sticker. But they will never know me. The challenge of nanowrimo is a personal challenge. I challenge myself. The BEST kind of challenge.
But I wrote very fast last year which is not unusual for some people we know – I love Bills writing – especially his poetry ( I have linked you to his new photography blog because I love that too and he gave me my Camera House – so it seems just as appropriate) but pretty unusual for me. I am not usually a fast writer – I blame Bill for that too. He taught me to type with my eyes closed.
So this time I have started 10 days late to up the ante somewhat. There are 30 days in November. So I have 20 days to write 50,000 coherent words.
It was rainy yesterday then it snowed. Not a good day for drying winter hay but a great day for writing.
I love a challenge. Don’t you love a challenge?
I do write, every day, of course. The big work is progressing. But nanowrimo is like a wee holiday because it is writing without pressure. It is just words. 50, 000 gorgeous words.
This story has a working title of The Thoroughly Modern Witch. It is about a mother and her teenage daughter. Though set in an inclement, volatile future with a supporting cast of beautiful old retainers in a deeply gorgeous crumbling estate falling slowly into the sea. There are cows of course – sheep, and dogs and a black cat. And an island. Enchantment. Banishment, and English teachers. But mostly it is about a girls awakening to her mother’s power. And a mother who will take on a lion to save her daughter then a daughters discovery of a fierce will to save her family. And that daughters need for her father and as the mother and daughter finally join forces the enchantment lifts and they seek him together.
So I may be a wee bit absent in the coming weeks, but deeply present all at once.
And oh yes, I will still be here with you every day. The farmy must go on you know. Just a few less words on the blog pages and a little less editing!!
Have a lovely day
your friend, celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
78 responses to “nanowrimo without the capitals”
It sounds like a wonderful, all-absorbing tale. Enjoy the process! xx
I don’t know if I could write a skeletal novel in such a short amount of time. That is quite a challenge. Good luck!
You are tap dancing and juggling and singing all at once with all this. Best of all- you are enjoying it. YEA! (Story line sounds great – crumbling into the sea – and that was just the beginning …delightful)
That picture looking out of the house is poetry.
All the pups and cat napping – and so cold already! (will freeze a little north of us tonight). It is time to dream, weave stories and write.
What a great challenge. You are inspiring me to write a story. It has been on my mind for months. I like how you refer to writing without pressure, just words. That’s what it takes to get started. Isn’t it?
absolutely and if you get stuck and cannot find the words, tell your characters to talk to each other for a while, just keep writing what they say to each other and very soon you will pick up your thoughts again.. c
Good luck with your challenge and we all know you will hit the mark again, probably with a few days to spare . . . to each their own ~ I love challenges but this to me would create stress in balancing the rest of my life 🙂 ! For the last couple of decades friends have been insistent I begin my ‘life story’, as it has been a somewhat unusual and unplanned ‘going with the flow’! Only a few chapters for composite books have eventuated . . . too easily distracted by the present to present the past I suppose. Oh, DO love all that sugar and spice, especially Boo and Marmalade in each other’s arms[ oops, paws!!] . . .
Your writing is great and doing it at your own pace is excellent. This is why I like the month of just the words. there is no real pressure to produce much of anything just the challenge to sit down and write a few thousand words a day, speaking of which!! back to the grindstone!.. c
I wondered is that Big Dog inside… I’m glad Saints asked, and that he’s inside. Clever moving his blankie in.
Despite it being being chilly your pics convey glow and light enough to warm the cockles and give the weather merit by association 🙂
You with nanowrimo and Julia inspired me to download the ywriter freeware, and cobble together my bits and pieces of writing on it. I don’t know that I have a novel in me but at least I’ll be able to see what I’ve got.
Maybe in a couple of years I’ll be ready for nanowrimo.
I’m glad Saints asked about Big Dog… I thought is Big Dog inside?… Wonderful 🙂
Even though it’s chilly, the glow and light in your pics are enough to warm the cockles and give the weather merit by association 😉
You with nanowrimo and Julia have inspired me to download the ywriter free software and assemble some of the bits and pieces I’ve written on their. I’m not sure if I have a novel in me but at least this way I can what I’ve got to work with.
Maybe it will be enough to get me to the point I can do
Apologies for double comment – gremlins – my second comment is superfluous & incomplete.
As long as we get a fair ration of Boo and Marmalade you can write a novel for the whole of the year… and a bit of Sheila of course…
Onward!
Adorable kitten and pup. Good luck with your story. I have every confidence you will make it in record time! 🙂
I’ve decided not to do NannyNannyBooBoo this month, but started working on a new book last week. (Because I’m a moron.) Still, I looked today and I’m at 10,040 words. Hmm. Good luck to thee.
I am going to find you and be your buddy! c
I haven’t even logged into the site.
http://nanowrimo.org/participants/bill-jones-jr
Winter makes the perfect writing season and your imagination is alive and well. Have fun!
I cannot wait for you to be published!!!!!
I have no idea how to go about finding an agent or a publisher, maybe I should finish the writing first!! and start sending it away.. c
I’m trying the agent route first…so far 6 rejections but I haven’t cried yet!! 🙂
You do like a challenge, to start NaNoWriMo ten days late! That kitten looks so tiny in these photos. Big Dog looks comfy in his camo bed. 🙂