Well... it appears it's almost that time of year again.
November.
Or, if you're like me and keep track of your months by whatever unlikely goal you set for yourself at the beginning of that 30-something day period, it's not just November --- it's NaNoWriMo.
National Novel Writing Month.
For the uninitiated, National Novel Writing Month is not actually some official month dedicated to the writing of novels, but rather a nonprofit organization that aims to promote creative writing by encouraging amateurs and slightly-more-than-amateurs to start and complete an entire novel (defined as a work of at least 50,000 words) during the month of November.
If that sounds like a lot --- well, it is. Full disclosure, I have never "won" NaNoWriMo and actually completed a novel in one month (or any amount of months, if we're being completely honest with each other).
But I intend for that to change this year. I intend to start a novel on November 1, and complete that novel some 4 weeks later on November 30.
So what's different this year? What's given me this newfound (and seemingly unearned) level of confidence? Is it just "pre-game" arrogance---the sort of cockiness a boxer feels before stepping in the ring and getting his head rocked---or is it something more? A legitimate self-assurance, perhaps? The feeling that my abilities have reached some special critical mass, maybe?
I'm not sure, to be frank. I want to assume it's one of the latter options, but history (MY history) tells me that that might not be the safest assumption, at least as far as this blasted NaNoWriMo goes...
But I'm curious---is anyone else attempting to complete National Novel Writing Month this year? Leave a comment, hit my line, interact with the page---let's get a little NaNoWriMo roundtable going here on read.cash.
And seriously, if you are attempting the feat this year, please comment with whatever advice or tips you have for someone who's never quite crossed the finish line yet. I would appreciate it a lot.
'Til next, folks. It's good to be back.
-BC Alexander, read.cash's resident Narcissus