Go, Go, NaNo!
Today is Day 5 of NaNoWriMo. I have not yet done my NaNo time today, but I will. Current word count 8,294 of 50,000. I hope to smash through the 10,000-word mark tonight.
I’m a greyhound at the track when I sit down to NaNo (It’s a verb! It’s a noun! It’s SuperFun!), even though as I take my seat in front of the keyboard I cannot tell you what I will write about. I just expect to pound out 2,000 words and I do.
The NaNo experience: A story appearing out of the darkness.
By this time last year, I was already in a muddle, hating my (lack of) story. Not so this year. I see potential; I like the idea behind the words I’m writing, if not the words themselves.
The idea didn’t exist before I started writing, and the continued writing is what is shaping the idea. (Truth be told, it’s only half an idea at this point, but the other half is there–I just can’t see it yet.)
If I were a sculptor, I wouldn’t expect my David to appear by itself. I would expect to chip away at some rock. A story is a sculpture; ya gotta get in there and chip away at some rock. Find what’s inside. But it’s a forgiving sculpture. If you accidentally whack off a nose or ear, you can go back and put another one on.
I know. All writers rave about the writing process, and it’s much the same for everyone, so it’s all been said before. Nonetheless, it’s one of the most exciting experiences I know. Week 1 tends to be the easy one, so I’m reveling in it.
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teacherninja Wrote,
Good for you! I got the No Plot No Problem book and banged out a serviceable novel in a month this past summer. Can’t do it now with full-time work, family and grad school–but maybe after I graduate.
You do it every year?
Link | November 6th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Becca Wrote,
Perfect grqaphic, Jen!
Link | November 6th, 2008 at 9:25 am
MotherReader Wrote,
I love the idea that NaNo is a verb. I’m also very impressed that you can sit down and just start typing stuff. I suppose I could too, but it would look more like this:
I am writing but i don’t know what i’m writing yet how about now? no not yet…
Link | November 6th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Jen Wrote,
teacherninja-I watched the game in 2005. Played and won in 2006. Played and lost in 2007. I hope to be a lifelong player.
Becca-Thanks. It’s a fractal.
MotherReader-That’s exactly what it’s like sometimes–no kidding! If you keep going, though, other stuff will creep out.
Link | November 6th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
jone Wrote,
Hang in there. You can do it. Neve have participated in the Nano for novel but have doen the poetry challenge in April. Some day!!
Link | November 7th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Jen Wrote,
Thanks, jone. And thanks for mentioning the poetry challenge. For those who don’t know, NaNo also has a screenplay challenge and a Young Writers Program.
They do a variety of great things.
Link | November 7th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Sherrie Wrote,
I’m off to a slow NaNo start (does that make it an adjective?) I have less than 1,000 words so far. But I’ll get there. The closer the deadline looms, the faster my fingers type!
Link | November 8th, 2008 at 11:02 am