New Bloggy Update! 11/9/23

Let me start off by saying that probably, like some of you, I’m knee-deep in NanoWriMo. This is November, for goodness sake, the month currently designated as Nano, a world-wide event open to anyone anywhere, in which to write 50,000 words in order to “win”.

Started by Chris Baty in 1999, participation numbers have soared, beginning with twenty people in the San Fransisco area and which currently stand in the thousands. According to NanoWriMo’s page:

In 2022: 413,295 writers participated in our programs, including 85,000 students and educators in the Young Writers Program. 791 volunteer Municipal Liaisons guided 671 regions on six continents. 1,038 libraries, bookstores, and community centers supported novelists through our Come Write In program.

In other words, Nano is a “big thing”. At this moment in time, I am 31.38% done with reaching 50,000 words (I currently have 15,690). My five novels all started during a Nano (the first draft of each). This year, I’m starting In a Corner, Darkly: Volume 3 – which will contain 15 short horror/supernatural stories. Once I finish on November 30th, I’ll set it aside until, say, March ’24 before going back in and beginning draft #2 – thus starting/continuing the process until it will be ready for publication sometime in 2025.

There are other things happening in our lives during November, but Nano, for me, takes priority. Getting the words in every day is always something hanging over my head until I hit that goal of 1,667 (if you write this amount of words, you will finish with 50,000 by November 30th). This month, I have three events coming up: Romeoville Craft Show this coming Saturday, November 11, Normal West Bands Craft Show in Normal on Saturday, November 18, and finally, Parks and Crafts Vendor Fair in North Utica on November 25. (all in Illinois)

Because of these “lost days”, I feel extra pressure. Sure, it’s self-imposed, but it’s there and I plan to take some “off days” to write extra and boost those numbers. By December 1st, all the stress, overthinking, and pressure is gone and I set aside the “terribly written first draft of wacky ideas but some good germs” until much later. It’s what we do, isn’t it?

I’m going to forgo a “what have we been watching” this time around, but rest assured that I’ll fill the page next time with both clunkers and amazing shows.

Are YOU doing Nano? Let’s hear about it.