Ready, Set, Go

First things first.  It’s been a while since I posted on the blog.  I’m hoping to revive it.  We’ll see how it goes, but I’m optimistic that I'll have a few things to say in the coming months.

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November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).  The premise is simple: Write a 50,000 word novel in a month.  The reality is difficult.

I’ll be teaching a NaNoWriMo workshop at the Fishers Public Library (5 Municipal Drive, Fishers, Indiana) on November 3^rd from 7 to 8:30 PM.  Registration is required, if you’re interested.

To be honest, in the past I wasn’t a big fan of NaNoWriMo for a variety reasons.  I really didn’t think it was possible to write a novel in a month.  And I still don’t think it’s possible to write a polished, publishable novel in a month.  I think it is possible to write a first draft.  Maybe.  I also think it’s possible to discover an idea with this exercise.  But the biggest plus, and what turned me around about NaNoWriMo, is that it motivates writers to sit down and write.   It helps to create the habit of showing up. Writers write. NaNoWriMo is a good place to start.

One of my mantras to new writers is “Get out of your own way.”   Excuses for not writing are getting in the way of your creativity all of the time. Trust me, there are million reasons why writers don’t write.  You have to push through every wall you build for yourself and write.  The more you write, the better you get at sitting down to it.  And that’s where the magic happens.  It’s that simple.  Sorry, but we all are our own worst critics and our own worst enemies, and we all get in our way of writing the novel we dream of writing.  Figure out how to get past your excuses.  Write.

So, if you’re considering participating in NaNoWriMo, keep a few things in mind:

·       * Set your own goals.  It doesn’t have to be 1,667 words a day.  It can be a hundred. But write every day and track your progress.

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      *You can’t edit a blank page.  Save your judgment for your work until December, or later.

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      * Remember that it is an exercise.   

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      *Write for the fun of it.