Writer's block
November is National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo challenges would-be authors to write a 50,000-word novel entirely in the month of November. The novel doesn't have to be good and is not even published, but the goal is to simply write something, with the idea that many people want to write a novel but never buckle down and actually do it. NaNoWriMo is the effort to knock out 50,000 words and worry about things like editing after November.
Two years ago, I wrote a novel via NaNoWriMo. After years -- really, a couple decades -- of wanting to say I penned a novel, I finally did it. My novel wasn't that great, but when I go back into it now, besides the irresistible urge to start editing, I still feel a great sense of accomplishment, as well as see what I did well. Reading it again reminds me that though I'm an inexperienced novelist, I may not entirely suck at it.
Last year, I jumped into NaNoWriMo again with a great idea that I'd been kicking around for years. Then, November happened. I got hit with a lot of freelance work that I can't afford to turn down. I turned 40. We went to Texas for five days. I had a few good writing sessions, but I never got beyond 2,500 words. And I can't pick up where I left off -- the spirit of NaNoWriMo is such that you start from scratch every November.
So here I am, six days before Nov. 1, wanting to try what I failed at last year -- writing another novel. I just went to the NaNoWriMo website and logged in, and as I did, my excitement level rose a little bit. I want to knock this out again and feel as satisfied as I did two years ago. I just have one problem: I have no idea what I am going to write about.
Sure, I have some abstract ideas, but nothing with an actual plot attached. After reading the Song of Ice and Fire books, I'd love to do something medieval fantasy-related. Bright Lights Big City explored young people getting utterly lost in the 1980s in New York, and Less Than Zero did the same with L.A. -- why not try that with the Midwest (and maybe the early '90s)? Gen X is around 40 now -- I thought about writing something akin to a written version of "The Big Chill" but with my generation instead of my parents' generation. I like all these concepts and a few more swirling in my brain, but I can't get beyond the concepts themselves and into a flowing plot, with a beginning, middle and end.
Two years ago, I had everything ready to go before Nov. 1 -- index cards with my characters, what each chapter would contain, and so on. I deviated from that original plan often, but at least I had a destination. This year, I don't know if I can come up with a destination in five days. So I'm debating winging it, potentially setting myself up for frustration or discouragement if it goes nowhere. However, the goal is 50,000 words -- I can wing it and massively adjust the plot later. Or, I can commit to blogging like crazy next month -- and hitting all the big blog ideas I've been putting off -- instead of writing a novel. With the latter approach, at least I'd be writing something.
No matter what, my goal for November is 50,000 words. Ask me how it's going, encourage me, and harangue me. Just don't be disappointed if you were expecting a novel and got blog posts, and vice versa. I need to remind myself of that, too.
Two years ago, I wrote a novel via NaNoWriMo. After years -- really, a couple decades -- of wanting to say I penned a novel, I finally did it. My novel wasn't that great, but when I go back into it now, besides the irresistible urge to start editing, I still feel a great sense of accomplishment, as well as see what I did well. Reading it again reminds me that though I'm an inexperienced novelist, I may not entirely suck at it.
Last year, I jumped into NaNoWriMo again with a great idea that I'd been kicking around for years. Then, November happened. I got hit with a lot of freelance work that I can't afford to turn down. I turned 40. We went to Texas for five days. I had a few good writing sessions, but I never got beyond 2,500 words. And I can't pick up where I left off -- the spirit of NaNoWriMo is such that you start from scratch every November.
So here I am, six days before Nov. 1, wanting to try what I failed at last year -- writing another novel. I just went to the NaNoWriMo website and logged in, and as I did, my excitement level rose a little bit. I want to knock this out again and feel as satisfied as I did two years ago. I just have one problem: I have no idea what I am going to write about.
Sure, I have some abstract ideas, but nothing with an actual plot attached. After reading the Song of Ice and Fire books, I'd love to do something medieval fantasy-related. Bright Lights Big City explored young people getting utterly lost in the 1980s in New York, and Less Than Zero did the same with L.A. -- why not try that with the Midwest (and maybe the early '90s)? Gen X is around 40 now -- I thought about writing something akin to a written version of "The Big Chill" but with my generation instead of my parents' generation. I like all these concepts and a few more swirling in my brain, but I can't get beyond the concepts themselves and into a flowing plot, with a beginning, middle and end.
Two years ago, I had everything ready to go before Nov. 1 -- index cards with my characters, what each chapter would contain, and so on. I deviated from that original plan often, but at least I had a destination. This year, I don't know if I can come up with a destination in five days. So I'm debating winging it, potentially setting myself up for frustration or discouragement if it goes nowhere. However, the goal is 50,000 words -- I can wing it and massively adjust the plot later. Or, I can commit to blogging like crazy next month -- and hitting all the big blog ideas I've been putting off -- instead of writing a novel. With the latter approach, at least I'd be writing something.
No matter what, my goal for November is 50,000 words. Ask me how it's going, encourage me, and harangue me. Just don't be disappointed if you were expecting a novel and got blog posts, and vice versa. I need to remind myself of that, too.
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