And I must not go.
(With apologies to John Muir.)
It happens around this same time every year. I get an itch to once again try Nanowrimo.
Nanowrimo or National Novel Writing Month, is a challenge to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November.
No editing. No revising. No stopping.
I have several “completed” novels on my shelf. At least two I’m in the process of editing.
They all need severe editing.
Editing that I should probably be doing rather than writing another post about why I’m not writing, or why I’m not doing Nanowimo.
There are multiple reasons that it’s absolutely crazy to even think about doing Nanowrimo this year.
I have a full time day job.
I have a weekend job, currently as a Haunt scaractor at Kings Dominion. That runs through Saturday, November 2.
The following Friday, I being rehearsals for Winterfest, also at Kings Dominion. That runs through New
Year’s Eve.
I do the graphic design and social media for Chamberlayne Actors Theatre and our next mainstage show goes up on December 6.
Then, I’m co-producing and designing the set for the show that goes up in February. And, while it’s not been publicly announce, I may or may not be acting in that one. (May).
Mid-November the season announcement comes out for another theatre company where I’m directing a show in April. Details when they announce.
You’ll notice that I didn’t even mention the yard and the house.
Or Christmas decorations.
So, trying Nanowrimo is a bit crazy, right?
What’s that saying about giving something to a busy person if you want it done?
Granted, I’m the only one who wants me to do Nanowrimo again.
Well, not true, I’ve got some online writer friends who introduced me to the concept almost twenty years ago.
It’s also true that I’m already currently writing a thousand words a day. It would not be that much of a struggle to convert those to a new Nanowrimo project.
If I had an idea. Or a plot. Or the first sentence.
I have two weeks to decide. If you asked me today, I would say no, I’m not going to attempt it.
Don’t ask me tomorrow. Or on October 31st.
If an idea, or closely related insanity, hits, I just might try it.
And, I do mean “try.”
There’s no shame in attempting it and throwing in the towel which, of course, being a Hitchhiker’s Guide fan, I always have with me.
I started writing this just to list all the reasons I’m not participating this year.
I may have talked myself into it. If I do, and that’s a big IF, I’ll let you know in December.
Or, at 50,000 words…
Okay, I thought I was done but this is a little creepy. I literally, at this moment, got an email from the NaNoWriMo folks with the subject linee “Finding the time to write…”
That’s a little creepy.
Or, a plot line. Stay tuned.