Brainstorm

Now that I have joined NaNoWriMo I have been brainstorming about what I should write. So far I find that I am faced with the same familiar problems as usual. Do I really feel passionate enough about any subject to stick with writing a story let alone a novel? Many of the themes that intrigued me when I was actually writing way back in the day seem very trivial now.

Will I really be able to write 50,000 words? Isn't worrying about it now really just setting myself up to fail?

Some of the stories I find intriguing these days are really other people's stories. Is it really fair of me to steal their stories like some thief in the night? Is that what real writers do? I really need to shed any obstacles that can hold me back and just jump with abandon into the project.

I have, including today, 9 days to decide what direction I will take. Wish me luck!

Becoming a Writer

A few Years ago a coworker of mine told me about NaNoWriMo and I thought, "Hey, I want to do that!"

National Novel Writing Month takes place in November every year. Participants from around the world set a goal to write a 175 page, 50,000 word novel in 30 days. As they say on their website, it doesn't have to be a good novel the goal is quantity not quality. You don't worry about mistakes you just get the words out there. Throughout the month you log into your account on the NaNoWriMo website and update your word count. You can post excerpts of your writing for other people to read. Participants in different regions meet up throughout the month to encourage each other. This is exactly the kind of writing jump start I need!

When I first learned about it we were already two weeks into November so I didn't join. However, I made plans to do it the following year. The only thing was that I chickened out the following year citing a number of hockey games and other things I was doing that would take too much time away from writing. So, yesterday I set up an account on the NaNoWriMo website. This is the year I write a novel darn it!