October, the Lull before the Storm

(Nanowrimo.org)

Happy October!  I can't believe there are only 3 months left in the year.  Where has the time gone?  The leaves are changing, which I haven't had a chance to see--I need to go into the mountains and take some pictures--and Halloween costumes, decorations, and candy are on full display in all stores.

But there's something else that's fantastic about October.  It's the month before November!  And what's so great about that?  November is National Novel Writing Month!  For one month you lock yourself away and devote yourself to the insane task of writing a 50,000 word novel.  And October is the month you get to prepare for said task.

Of course, you can't start writing the actual novel (dialogue and prose), but you can outline, plan, and create detailed character profiles.

Nanowrimo (which is National Novel Writing Month broken down) started in 1999, and I first attempted my first nano novel in 2003, failing, then again in 2004 and 2005, failing again.  But last year, 2011, I decided to give nano another go, this time finishing a very raw, rough draft.  But I finished!

What do you win?  A printable certificate and bragging rights, naturally.  All you have to do is complete the task to win.

Anyway, I'm going to do it again this year, only I'm taking a different route.  On a couple previous posts I've mentioned a Graphic Novel I'm working on with my brothers.  I've worked quite a bit on it, but I thought it would be cool if each chapter is a mini short-story where I continue to flesh out the plot and allow the craziness of speed writing to bring me so many great ideas.  When you sit and write for the sake and love of writing, it's amazing what your imagination will throw out at you.  Unexpected.  Characters you never thought up will appear before you, ready for action.  And plot ideas and twists will write themselves.  Of course, it is all rough . . . so December is nation novel revision month :0)

Besides working on the graphic novel this month, I've got a couple books on writing I'm going to read, and a goal of reading a short-story a day.  (I have issues of "Realms of Fantasy," which has now gone out of business, and "The Magazine of Science-Fiction and Fantasy," which is still going strong, laying around with 100's of stories I still need to read.)  This months is going to be fun.   

Sarah