Wednesday 26 May 2010

I need a good kick up the proverbial to start writing again and NaNoWriMo might just get me moving


I just joined Na No Wri Mo (National Novel Writing Month) run through RWAus. What have I done? I've made a comitment to write 30,000 words in June. New words for a new book I haven't really given much thought to. I don't even have names for my hero and heroine.

I sit here shaking my head. What is wrong with me? (lots, but let's not go there)

The way it works is that participants set a goal - while mine is a meagre two thirds of a category romance, others are aiming for 60,000 words - and more.

Some have chosen to edit their manuscripts rather than start afresh. Others are both writing and editing.
I'm now wondering if I should instead nominate to edit my ms, which is languishing from a lack of attention since I finished it in August, 2009. It needs more than an injection of botox to revive it. Nothing less than a full lift, nip and tuck. I don't know that I have the right mindset to do that just yet.

I think the gentle pressure from the rest of the NaNoWriMo team should be enough to get me started on this latest project. Each day of the challenge, which is called 50ks in 30 days, participants are meant to reveal their progress, which is displayed on a word counter on the official blog. Yikes.

I fear I am about to suffer for my art. In the meantime, it's off to suffer for my family - it's pea and ham soup on this dark and stormy night in Sydney.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

See you on the dark side, Shayne. Oh, sorry I mean the NaNoWriMo blog. *shudder*
Tam :)

Shayne said...

I hope to see you there Tam. I'm looking forward to it, but I have so much other 'real' work to do, it's already daunting.

Anonymous said...

hero and heroine? Danny-Boy and Peggy-Sue sound good...Danny Boy just couldn't understand why someone as elegant and leggy as Peggy Sue would bring a rat home with her night after night....maybe one night he should go out with her, but usually he was dog tired after chasing his tail all day

Shayne said...

I love it!

AJ Blythe said...

Shayne, doesn't really matter what you do or achieve - at least you'll come out the end with more than you started wtih :)

Oooh hero and heroine's names - they are always such fun to find.

Carol said...

Great goal... but how do you fit a life in around it! That's 1,000 words a day - which means if you miss a weekend it's 3,000 on Monday... remember how difficult it was to do when we wrote a book together! Sorry to be the devil's advocate but wouldn't 500 be a more realistic goa.l.

Shayne said...

I know you are so right Carol. I always overcommit.