After being on several writing panels at Convergence, reading books on writing, and perusing many writers’ blogs over the years, I have noticed a disturbing trend. Everyone wants to be a big name, but once you “go big” it isn’t nearly as much fun anymore. You have to worry about sales and deadlines and contracts and all kinds of nasty things.
Currently, I don’t have deadlines other than those I set for myself. I can spend time just writing for fun. And one of my favorite ways to write for fun is Nanawrimo, National Novel Writing Month.
Nanowrimo is a challenge held every Novmeber, which dares you to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I have participated in it several times, and while I haven’t always produced salable material, I’ve always had fun doing it.
I think Nanowrimo gives authors two great opportunities. First, if you haven’t ever written a book, you can spend a month of your life and find out if you really have the knack. Secondly, it gives us all permission to suck.
This really sucks
I believe writers tend to take themselves too seriously, and when this happens, their ability to be creative disappears. You have to write with your heart on your sleeve, letting clichès and mixed metaphors fly like moths to a flame.
This year, Nanowrimo is expanding and offering Camp Nanowrimo in June and August for people who don’t want to do Nanowrimo in November. So, I’ve decided to go for it.
I’m not so secure in my suckuality that I’ll be posting my addled scribbling on a blog anywhere though.
I don’t have a plot for my Nano piece, but I do have a concept and a title. The book will be called High Moon, and feature stoner werewolves.
Oh PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me you’re serious about “High Moon” – that would be AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!! !!!! (and so forth, but my pinky is getting tired of hitting that exclamation point key) I absolutely LOVE “silly” monster stories – and that sounds almost as good as the lesbian werewolf one I read a couple months back (which really wasn’t that silly, since feminists don’t have a humor section, y’know y’know *wink*)
Oh, I’m always serious about humor. However, I am going to just let go and write, so I can’t guarantee it will be readable.
I wrote a Nano story a couple years ago about inter-dimensional airships and Soviet-run New Jersey that will probably never see the light of day.
Well, if you want them edited, I’ll give you a deal on it, so I can read them at least 😉 Heh.
Hi Shannon, I really appreciate this sentiment. Although it sounds fun to be a best-selling author, I think it would feel constraining to have the time pressures and the constraints of giving people what you think they want. I was thinking of this at one of the panels where Tamora Pierce was talking about her writing schedule. Although, I wouldn’t say no to being a bestselling author, either. 🙂 I’m rereading Minion of Evil; it’s very apparent that you seemed to enjoy the writing of it and have a great time writing it. (Hey, add me on fb–I can’t seem to find your or Stephanie’s… my info is on your author page.) Maybe I will do NaNoWriMo this year. Keep in touch! 🙂
I have a personal motto that there is no twist too strange, no joke too inappropriate (as long as it’s funny), and no running gag which can’t go another mile. This keeps things interesting.