Do you know about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)? It’s where a huge group of people form a virtual gathering to write a novel in one month.
I’m considering doing my own version of it. Not writing a novel, but finishing the first draft of my memoir, so I’d be doing NaMeWriMo. (Say it with me, it’s fun!) I’d been thinking that since I just finished a couple big projects for school and don’t have any other major ones due until December, I should take November to hunker down with the thesis. Then I got an email about NaNoWriMo starting November 1 and thought, aha! A sign.
Internet, am I insane?
My goal for the draft is 80,000 words, and I’m at 45,000 now. So that means instead of the 50,000 NaNoWriMo requires, I’d have to do 35,000, which is a little over 1,000 words a day. (That sentence satisfied your math requirement for the week. You’re welcome.) I know my schedule is ridiculously busy, but I’d have to write the thesis anyway, so why not?
Should I take it on? Or should I play it looser and tell myself I’ll work on my thesis as much as I can and see how far I get? Maybe I’m a masochist (maybe?), but it seems more satisfying to go with the structured challenge, plus there’s something beautiful about a whole mob of writers going through the same hell together. Share the hell, I say.
What do you think: Am I, in fact, crazy for wanting to take it on?
A) Duh.
B) It’s a fine idea! NaMeWriMo, Woohoo!
C) I can’t even pronounce NaMeWriMo, and it sounds suspiciously like some sort of 19th century patent medicine for venereal disease. Proceed with caution.
P.S. Tonight is the Feminist Press 39th Annual Gala, and honorees include Arianna Huffington. If you’re in New York and have the cash for these kinds of desperately necessary fundraisers, come on down. The Press needs your support.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
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9 comments:
Go ahead and give it a shot. Maybe the NaNo(Me)WriMo concept will give you that extra push. Even if you don't do 35K words, I'll bet you can make a dent.
Okay, there's 1000 words a day or maybe 3000 words every third day or maybe 10,000 words one day and then you take a week off. Either way, in a month you could have a completed draft and that makes more time for letting it marinate. More time for editing. UPSIDE NUMERO UNO.
Also: the great part about doing it all in one go is that it feels so good to stop. UPSIDE NUMERO DOS.
TRES:you know where the Pimm's is and how to use it.
Ahhh. Yes, of course. Do it.
Barb
Just do it! Your not crazy...
Maybe you can get a huge group of people to do your thesis with you? That sounds like the way to go!
I'm doing it! Aided by Spanish upsides and plenty of Pimm's, how can I lose?
Sharon's Plan B is enticing, though. I could corral my own mob of writers and call it DeMeWriMo. Brilliant!
Deonne,
Go for it! I recently heard about NaNoWriMo, too, and have been toying with the idea of going for it an idea that started out as a short story but just won't fit - it needs more room, like novel-size room!
-Michelle
Michelle - I hope you do it. I definitely am, sanity be damned.
Yikes, I'm still afraid to commit! Waffle, waffle, waffle...
Mandy
Mandy - the NaMeWriMo commitment sees overwhelming this morning, since it's just days away, but I'm going for it.
If you're not up for it, don't worry about it - it's definitely not for everyone. You seem to have a pretty good writing practice going without it.
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