This time last year I was a little over halfway through Nanowrimo, an international event in which participants attempt to write a novel in a month (or 50,000 words). I was wrestling with a story I’d been writing on and off for several years and although hard work, it was liberating to just write and be damned. Writing without looking back, without tinkering with your copy, is essential if you are to have any hope of crossing the nano finishing line. There is also a lot to be said for the whole idea of writing as badly as you can. To be able to say to yourself “this is SO atrocious, so cheesy, so cliched” is incredibly exhilarating.
Anyway, I crossed the finishing line. Just. And then I put the manuscript to bed, at the back of the filing cabinet. I’ve tinkered with it since, but not much. My plan was to plough on with the rest of the story for this year’s nano, and then kick it all in to shape in the New year.
But the starting gun for Nano 2012 was fired in the middle of half term. There was no way I could manage 2,000 or so words a day (however bad they were) during the holidays – not fair on the girls, not fair on me either, frankly. I thought that perhaps a late start would be possible – I would have been happy to limp in at around the 40,000 mark.
However, on our return from Dorset a whole run of family-related events, issues and life stuff rolled over the horizon, as it does from time-to-time, and the slightly late start became a non-start. But a few days ago, whilst out on my morning run, and very much in the spirit of my new found love of running, I decided I could do a half-Nano (25,000 words) instead of the full Nano, and write like a demon for the last two weeks of the event.
I tell you this by way of explaining the lack of activity on my blog, and the fact that it may remain rather quieter than usual until the end of the month.
I’ll finish by saying that I really enjoyed all the comments on my last post – who would have known that a humble canvas shoe had so many names? It might warrant another post – not least because I have these two books sitting on my desk, and I am itching to read them.
Oh, one final thing, if you are hopping around the internet this weekend, there is a nice word game taking place here – I’ve found it a fun, if maddening, distraction this week, and it’s not too late to join in for round one.
PS trees are all in Ashton Court, a favourite place for walking the dog and now running.
Good luck Charlotte!
P.S. I have been getting such pleasure from the leaf colours this autumn (& the pink evening sky complementing them this late afternoon). Lovely photos for when the real thing has gone.
Lovely pictures! I’m doing NaNo too! Good luck! If you want to add me as a buddy I am:
LifeofaThinker
Great blog you’ve got here! I’ll be sure to follow!
Two more books for my Christmas list. I love David Crystal’s books -so readable and so interesting. Good luck with the writing.
Well done Charlotte for keeping your head down (I am sure I couldn’t but neither could I run). Lovely pictures of autumn.
My son did NaNoWriMo every year that he was in high school and loved it. Now that he’s in university, he has to write so many papers to write that writing novels has to be put aside for now. Thank you for introducing me to the David Crystal books. I didn’t know about him.
Boy, I should have proofread that before posting.
Love how you’ve rearranged the blog links on the side bar.
Have fun with the writing! The autumn colour is gorgeous this year isn’t it, and you’ve captured it so well
Thank you so much. Funnily enough, I was just working out my current word count when your comment popped up (not meant to be online, but can’t quite resist when I take a break) and I’m on target. Phew! The colours are incredible aren’t they, although most of the colour on the ground has turned to brown mush.