I got introduced by my good buddy Robbie ('Robster' to me) to the NaNoWriMo; the National Novel Writer Month. The idea is to write a 70.000 word novel by the end of the month of November. Start time , one second after midnight of November first and some people have had their apparent parties to kick off the event. What started out as 21 wannabe writers got together in the San Francisco Bay area to try to write that significant novel, got turned into thousands and thousands of people joining each year from different countries as well. For a humerous account on how it all started, click HERE.
This year, the people at NoNoWriMo will donate 50% of their funds acquired by the sale of their book or individual donors, in partnership with the non profit Room to Read, to buy books and establish libraries in Vietnam. In the past, NaNoWriMo has built 7 libraries in Laos and 3 in Cambodia. For more info and I encourage you to check this out, go HERE!
The idea is to write at least about 3000 words a day to get you started. Especially at the beginning. Robbie had his outline and everything and is no doubt banging away at his keyboard, possessed, obsessed! (it's a writer's lot in life) I figured, I always wanted to write (and have taken quite a few scriptwriting workshops and classes) and with my first therapy session coming up tomorrow, I figured what the hey! Why not? I did not prepare at all and just started to write. Not long hand but on the computer. If I did long hand, I could not read my own writing at some point. I am at 1572 words right now which is pretty good considering I had (and still don't) no clue as to what I would write. I'm going to enjoy the process for its own sake and hope I make it to 70.000, but most of all, hope to see where this story unfolds. The working title is Solsbury Hill, inspired by Peter Gabriel's song. Not even thinking about the lyrics, I always had images of kids from different backgrounds, coming out together from a shared ordeal that made them understand each other. I am talking VERY different backgrounds. So for now, my character Sanjit (a 12yr old Indian boy born in India who had emigrated to the UK with his parents) is on the plane, ready for takeoff, to go to Thailand for the summer. Don't think 'Lost', it's not going to be something like that. What the story will be though, I have no idea. Write hot, read cold. Then edit edit edit!
Good luck Robster, let's see how we do!
"Climbing up on Solsbury hill...
lalala...
My heart going boom boom boom
"Son," he said "Grab your things,
I've come to take you home."
Hey there! I'm glad you're making the attempt. The good news is that you only have to write 50,000 words, not 70,000. You're doing well so far. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteI treated today like a job and wrote 10,016 words in eight hours. I'll be in for more of the same tomorrow.
good luck to you on this... may the words flow faster than you can type them. :)
ReplyDeleteit sounds like a lot of fun. never heard of this before, but what fun and for what a great cause.
good luck to everyone doing it. can't wait to hear more.
btw, will you put yours online at any time so we can all enjoy it or will it be in the book and we'll need to buy it??
Robster, good, less words? Mind you, I probably will go over it at some point in time (post November) if inspiration keeps striking me. Good for you, I can tell you're psyched!
ReplyDeleteTooners, thanks for the good luck wishes. I have not even looked at how to put it online even though Robbie mentioned something about having it be formatted as .txt before doing so. I don't know if I'd put it on at this point because I'm not always that good with description; if I can't think of a word or the thing to describe, I write, "blablabla he pointed to the (thing that goes up and down)", lol, so that is dispersed throughout my writing here and there. I figured I could find out what it's called later and just keep the flow of writing going. I have not written for such a long time (in that style) that you loose you way with words. That and the fact that child bearing/rearing scratches off a few braincells too even though I've been told they'd grow back!
I'll have to visit you girl,I have to know what you're up to these days..I guess you're not being censored! phew
Ingrid
Don't post your manuscript online if you have plans on peddling it to a book publisher. Once you post it, you kissed your first publishing rights (and the money that comes with them) goodbye and you'll never get them back.
ReplyDeleteRobbie, no worries, I wasn't planning to. How's your writing going? I'm already behind but I am totally unconcerned. I'm still participating as far as I'm concerned and am having fun with it,
ReplyDeleteIngrid
I'm not sure I could do something like this. My artistic side leans towards painting and illustration. My writing tends to be more non-fiction based. The research time alone could take up to a month. Sounds like fun though and keeps us posted on the progress Ingrid and Robinator.
ReplyDelete