NaNoWriMo

That is correct, I am planning on taking part in the 2008 National Novel Writing Month annual challenge. I plan to write 50,000 words over a 30 day period of time to jump start a novel. I am very excited about this. I have told my wife and my dad. Both seem happy for me, both kind of gave me the "yeah right eye". How in the world am I going to make this happen when the longest piece I had ever written streched just north of 10,000 words. At this time, I am not 100% sure. What I am sure of, is that I am going to tell other people that I work with so that they can ask me, "How is that novel doing," and I really hate looking like an ass to my co-workers.

Ok, that isn't the only plan that I have. I am working on a gameplan. First, I have six weeks to prepare myself for this onslaught of forced creativity. How can I force creativity...I think that is somewhat easier to do then what it sounds like at first blush. Here is what I plan on doing.

• Write everyday. No exceptions from yesterday until November 30th. NaNoWriMo is November 1-30. I have six good weeks to get into a writing habit. I have written the last two nights between 8:45 and 9:30. Both nights I have successfully written over 1000 words in that timeframe. I know, you just did the math and figured out that, um hey Einstein, that will only equally 30,000 words over 3o days (60% of the goal). I know that.

• For the next two weeks, I am going to write for 45 minutes only. I am going to make every effort to stay on the same time schedule that I have started on. This will be difficult as a number of my favorite shows are either airing new episodes or will be starting shortly. But I feel strongly that this is why DVR was created. As much as it may pain me to miss House when I know my wife is watching it and wants me to watch it with her, I will be typing my little heart out in the other room.
• For the next two weeks I am going to start at my standard time and write until I finish my thought/story completly as I can. This may only take me the same 45 minutes or it may take a hour and a half. I think it will depend on the writing experiment that I plan on doing that day.
  
• The final two weeks before NaNoWriMo...oh boy, this is the one that I think is going to take the most determination and grit. These two weeks, if I accomplish anything going into November and learn something about myself it will be the last two weeks of October. I am going to establish 2 separate writing times, one in the morning and the already established evening writing time. I hate mornings. I hate them with a passion. However, paradoxically I tend to feel more creative during those times than after working, struggling with the kids, and trying to relax. The morning session will also be 45 minutes to an hour long, but instead of having a particular writing assignment, I am going to write and plan my outline for my novel. I have an idea already and shared it with my wife. She seemed to really like it and really like the name of my main character. Her reaction was really encouraging.