ImageIf you’re not cool enough to be a part of the super cool blogging world (where we would rather interact with total strangers than real people, via the interwebs, because those people on twitter are my friends!), you may not know that November is National Novel Writing Month.

Or NaNoWriMo.

The idea is to write everyday for the entire month of November, averaging about 1,667 words a day (or some math like that) so that at the end of the month, you have your first crappy 50,000 word novel. We have online communities, idea forums, and even real life author people like James Patterson and Lois Lowry to dispense advice and support for the roughly 250,000 nerds worldwide who have sold their soul to this project. There are weekly write-ins at libraries and cafes, and my Raleigh-Durham group has a pretty active chatroom where we can “meet” for encouragement and writing sprints – setting a timer for 20 minutes to do nothing but write. (I could go on, but will not. If you’re intrigued, want to join, check out their helpful “how-to” and all about here.)

nanorhinoI’ve kicked around the idea of writing a book for forever. I’ve said this before, but one of the strongest inclinations/visions for my life is to wear yoga pants everyday, write books while living in a cabin on the water somewhere, and have wine for breakfast. There is little more I want from life. Except a hammock. And a puppy. Calorie-free cake frosting for every meal.

The problem is that I’m not very creative. I can tell my own stories up and down, embellishing a bit here, changing a name or detail there, and do my best to make my friends and family laugh. But to come up with a completely original idea and see it through? That sounds impossible.

It’s a good thing I’m competitive to a fault.

I’ve decided to do this thing because a. I’m unemployed b. me gusta writing c. I’ve already “met” some people and d. everyone knows your first (and second and third and twelfth) book will probably suck. So I might as well go in with that mindset, write some rubbish, and then next time, when I’m ready to bind together and submit the story of my own peculiar and perilous journey through life, maybe it won’t suck as much, having got most of the suckiness out of the way with the first attempt.

This calls for planning!  I must set myself up for success!!

I’ve been “busy” tweeting, tumblring, Pinteresting all kinds of writing ideas. I’ve found some incredible websites, read some terrible ideas, but I have finally created my survival kit and routine for NaNoWriMo.

Things I Need:

thinking cape, under dreaming tree.
thinking cape, under dreaming tree.
  • an outfit. I bought this hideous, shapeless, unflattering patterned cape thing at Target a few weeks ago. Boyfriend said “what…is….that?!” I like to call it my thinking cape. I wear it under my dreaming tree wall art, and magic might happen there. I wish I smoked a pipe. That would go really well with my thinking cape. (best said in a creepy whisper.)
  • time. omg. i have that! tons of that!
  • idea. I kinda have that.
  • playlist. obviously, I have a playlist. it is eight hours long. I spent about as long constructing it, because making playlists is my spiritual gift. currently playing “home.” which is distracting because I love a good whistling song.
  • ALWAYS mason jar as much as you can.
    ALWAYS mason jar as much as you can.

    refreshments. in mason jars. because mason jars. and by “refreshments,” we mean wine. but not too much, because then I start going off on tangents and end up looking at pictures of baby frogs in the amazon for hours with no idea how I ended up on that rabbit trail.

  • BUT also lots, and lots, and lots of caffeine. To compensate for the late nights with wine.
  • she's so amazing.
    she’s so amazing.

    candles. with jane austen quotes on them, that smell amazing, and the quote is amazing, because she is right up there with Jesus in my book.

  • a story board! with new sticky notes! and pretty pens my Gma sent me! a place to get inspired and be organized and productive and stuff. I’ll probably never look at it again.
  • the sound of rain. in a cafe. without having to actually have it rain or leave my house. oh WAIT – there’s a website for that!!! click here. amazeballs.
  • Also, some motivation. Here we go.
"you can do it!"
“you can do it!”

So, if you don’t hear from me for the next few weeks, it’s because I’m supposed to be doing NaNoWriMo.

Or, if you do hear from me, and way too much, it’s because I’m supposed to be doing NaNoWriMo.

:)

Alright. I’m off to hang out with my writing friends in our super secret chatroom.

My Saturday nights RULE.

Related articles