It’s NaNoWriMo time (National Novel Writing Month) this November! I signed up to write a 50,000 word first draft of a book along with hundreds of thousands of other crazy people around the world. That’s 1,667 words per day, for those of you doing the math. This is my third time around, and I’ve already made the goal, but I’m still going! All this means so far is that I now have three shitty first drafts adrift in the Cloud. But I’m having fun, and it’s helped me commit to a daily writing practice.
I started this irregular and un-scheduled blog four years ago to push myself into a writing routine. I also wanted to explore being retired, aging, and grandparenting while exploring my new city. I feel at home with the blog’s short essay form, writing reflections on life. If there’s not something new to say it means I need to rustle up some adventure or discovery.
I also meet with my beloved “writing practice” groups that grew out of a course I took in 2019 with writer Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones, 1986). Since then I’ve continued to meet with various groups almost every day on Zoom and have dear friends I’ve never met in the flesh. Perhaps you too have Zoom friends. This astonishes me. Friendships go deep as we listen to each other read words from the heart, sharing innermost experiences and thoughts, along with delicious sentences and scenes.
Back when I led writing classes for homeschooling kids, I used Goldberg’s rules of writing practice: keep the hand moving, don’t worry about spelling or punctuation, lose control, be specific, and feel free to write the worst junk. After reading aloud, listeners only say thank you, no criticism given. It works! Kids who were bored with writing assignments, or disliked the kind of writing taught in school rediscovered the joy of making up delightful stories, as they had when they were younger.
But I was my own worst student, and I still couldn’t write freely without stopping and starting a thousand times, waylaid by self-criticism, fear, indolence, or insouciance.
Now (it’s never too late!) writing is a daily habit, and NaNoWriMo offered an irresistible opportunity. This time I’m sharing the experience with about 20 writing buddies, all scribbling away in parallel universes. We check in with each other and share the highs and lows of the adventure. It keeps me going!
My granddaughter joined in with a more modest goal, appropriate for a nine year old. Listening to her adventures of Detective Corn, a unicorn that appears to be her alter-ego, has been a charming infusion of energy to my own project.
It feels like I’m pouring out all the thousands of words that I avoided for so many years. My shitty first draft may end up floating about on the Cloud as well, but for now, I’m having fun.
Rivers and Roads PDX 
I did NaNoWriMo a few years ago. It was so much fun; and writing shitty fiction was fun, since I don’t write fiction. I have wanted to do it again, but haven’t been inspired as to what to write about. Good on you!
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I’m doing something akin to memoir but in 3rd person, which is making it a little more fun I think. Lots of people do it without an idea, flying by the seat of their pants, as I did the first time. It’s just fun. Thanks for being here!
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That’s what I did too. I made up a story of what happened after my mother died and my sisters and I (in third person) were cleaning out the house. I kept working on it after NaNoWriMo, but it’s still terrible! I am not a planner, but I do need an idea. Next year won’t be the year, as my memoir will be published that month, but maybe 2023.
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I love this. I have so appreciated the support this month and I’m wildly impressed by your number of words on the page. Wonderful ! I’m grateful you continue to share here, too. Your blog is one of my favorites. Thanks for the mention, Nancy !
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Thank you so much – I am so glad to be sharing this journey, all these journeys, with you!! We will keep on slinging words forever!
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Yes we will ! And just because the calendar flips to a new month doesn’t mean the momentum has to stop ! You’re an inspiration.
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It goes two ways, for sure.
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hats completely and totally off to you
fearless writer
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Fearless should most certainly be in quotes. Or perhaps it’s more of a roller coaster kind of thing. It helps to have you here reading, so thanks!
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Nancy
When I return from Poland perhaps you share one if your 3 novels that are floating in the Cloud!! If they are anywhere near your blog quality then it would be a delightful read!!
MaryJo
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They are all most definitely shitty first drafts and not for any human eye. Even I cringe as I read. My blog is edited and edited within an inch of its life. So much easier to edit 1000 words than 50,000! We’ll see. I have a stronger spine now than I did long ago, so maybe this time I’ll make it into something. Good to hear you might return from Poland one day! 🙂
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I’m so impressed!
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Thanks for being here Patty – readers do keep me going!!
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What will publication look like that you won’t be writing? Book promo? A worldwide tour??!!!
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