Experiences in Na No Wri Mo - The Beginning, Part One

For years I have heard the term: NaNoWriMo. Apparently, there is a collective of crazy people in the world who commit themselves to each writing a novel in a month -- specifically the month of November. The word count, set by the event organizers, is 50,000. Which is a lot of words for one month, my friends.

Spectacular!

For as many years as I have heard of NaNoWriMo, I have wanted to give 'er a go. 50,000 words in one month is 12,500 words a week, or 1,667 words a day, or, if you are like me and confine your writing to primarily 3 days a week, is 4,167 per writing day. (Don't ever let anyone tell you that you won't use math, kids!). In recent days, my fiction writing average has been roughly 750 words per hour, although that is with me brainstorming as I go. I am convinced I can do better.

Still, for me to successfully write 50,000 word in 30 days, I am going to need to stretch myself. I do work 3 days a week at an Art Gallery, run my own editing business, have a daughter who requires my chauffeuring skills and a dog who finds nasty canine ways to express displeasure when she feels ignored. Not to mention, I have other projects on the go.

My first novel, for example, is currently under consideration by an agent. My second novel -- radically different from novel number one -- right now sits at 23,500 words and growing. I have three weeks of Autumn colours and warming sun-rays calling my name before November hits. By then, novel number two should be heading past midway. Realistically, am I going to want to tear myself away to start something new? Perhaps this is yet another November which is less-than ideal for a project of this magnitude.

And then, one September afternoon, my eldest son comes in from a run, plunks himself down on the sofa opposite me and announces, "Mom, I think I am going to do Na No Wri Mo this month. I think you should do it with me." I have a 23-year old son who not only shares my interests, he likes me enough that he wants to share the experience with me. Son bonding before he finds some hussy and leaves me for her? Sold!

And so, without thinking it all the way thru, before considering all ands, ifs, or buts, and because nowadays nothing is real until it's on Facebook, I double click on my status bar, announce to the world that Eric and I have decided to participate in Na No Wri Mo month together in 2018, and I click 'share.'

"I put it on Facebook," I tell him when I see him next, "There's no backing out now!"

And thus it begins...