Sunday, October 31, 2010

Writing 50,000 Words

So, NaNoWriMo started 45 minutes ago. The Halloween frenzy is over (though the candy will linger for a month), and now I'm expected to write 50,000 words in one month while also writing my regular, paid work and taking care of familial commitments. I was excited to start it, but now that the time is actually here, I'm looking for other things to get done before I start. Write a novel quickly? Erm, I think I'll update my blog...

Before starting the book, I've learned two things:

1. High school never, ever ends. Ever. The cool kids still think they're the cool kids and still cling to each other to exclude others. This is true even if you never went to high school with these people. It makes no difference.

2. There is an actual product now that combines chocolate and wine. No kidding- it's basically liquid chocolate mixed with red wine. I can't understand how this was never invented before. Don't believe it? Believe it! Behold:



So, if you have a novel in mind and you need that kick in the ass to really get started, this might be the thing. Not the wine, though that would probably help, but using this arbitrary schedule to get over starting jitters and get a novel going. Writing the whole thing in one month as fast as you can may not sound practical, but who knows? It just may work.

1 comment:

Bonnie Way aka the Koala Mom said...

Some great writer once said that first drafts ought to be written in a hurry - asd fast as the words would come - because then rewriting could happen. My writing prof says the best way to learn to write is to rewrite. So go for NaNoWriMo - then you'll have material to work on for the rest of the year. :)

And someday, I'm going to do it too... though I've told myself that for a couple years now. Being in school and chasing two kids under three isn't very conducive to doing it this year, however. :) So I admire those of you who are doing it.