NaNoWriMo: Here I Go...

NaNoWriMo--no, it's not some obnoxious Aggie yell. It stands for National Novel Writing Month, and it's an actual THING with a Facebook page and a hashtag.  In the month of November, writers stop talking about that novel and actually start writing it. A whole novel. In a month. The hardcore NaNoWriMos follow a crazy calendar that will word count them to a 50,000 word novel by the end of November. And I'm going to DO THIS. I'm ALL IN. Seriously.

This. Is. Happening.

Well, sort of. Because I like my family, my job, and my sleep, I don't think I can commit to this count craziness. Not yet. But I am embracing the idea behind NaNoWriMo, which is this:

 And so that's what I intend to do.

In January, I used this blog to make the shaky whisper of a confession that I am finally writing "THE BOOK." It started to take shape over the spring, mostly living inside my head, and this summer it morphed into a novel that actually lives on my computer. With chapters. And characters. And an outline. And stuff happens. And I wrote almost every day. And I was ON FIRE.

And then school started. And I stopped. And the excuses started to flow. No time, busy, wait until summer, blah, blah, blah. But then something wonderful happened. I met two teachers at MHS who are aspiring novelists, and we are all making our way in the same boat. So we started meeting--and talking--and sharing. These wonderful ladies told me about NaNoWriMo--I had never heard of such a thing. And that's when we decided to commit ourselves to this project. So I'm not only going to try this, but I've got a team. I've got peeps. And I've got accountability. And that's what I NEED.

So instead of word counts, we are making our own individual goals and contracts. We will meet weekly after school to discuss and share our progress, ideas, and frustration. I made my own contract, and for the sake of full disclosure and accountability, I am going to share it here :

In order to participate in NaNoWriMo in the month of November, I will:

• write for at least 30 minutes 4 out of 5 weekdays (take Fridays off).

• write for an hour on Saturday.

• write for an hour on Sunday.

• keep a log of my writing time for accountability. I will average at least 4 hours a week.

• meet with my Writing Group to share my ideas and progress.

• limit my social media use and not use it as a form of procrastination.

Now in terms of the NaNoWriMo standards, this is the Lite version. In fact some might scoff and think this is nothing. But my goal is to build some writing stamina. To make writing a habit during one of the busiest times of the year. If I can do this, then I will count it a success.

So there you have it. In one of my busiest months of the year, I am going to get serious about writing this book. Because it's not going to write itself. No more excuses. I'm sick of them. NoMoExNo. 

I am putting this out here in the blogosphere because I'm a firm believer in the power of proclamation. If you say something out loud (or write it on a blog), it breaths life into the idea. And I need some accountability. I need people to ask me how I'm doing so that this dream of finishing this book won't just be an idea that lives in my head, but something that I am committed to and serious about accomplishing. Now honestly, I'm not ready to tell you what the book is about. As I've said before, I'm not ready for anyone to tell me that my baby is ugly, and I've got a fragile writing mojo going right now that must take root and grow if it's going to see me through this process. So if you are still reading this and you see me in November, just ask me how it's going, and I'll give you an honest answer. I would appreciate it. 

So join me in NaNoWriMo! You don't have to write a novel, but just write. If you have let the writing habit slip, then just make some attainable goals and get back on track. If you want to start writing, then start. That's what this is all about. I would love to know if you are on this journey too, so leave a comment below and let me know. We can be in this together.

Let's do this, November. NaNoWriMo...Here We Go!!