Well, here we all are... Me in my comfy chair, contemplating the future with a degree of anticipation and terror, and you... doing whatever you're doing.
You may be wondering where all this started. Well, I've been writing stories and poems since I was a little girl and it's always been my dream to write a novel and become that which I admire most - a person who can transport others to a world far beyond the one we inhabit.
On many occasions I have started stories, I have used many techniques and ideas to try and get this seemingly insurmountable task done but with no success. I don't think it is the fault of the ideas, nor my writing ability, it's just a task which seems too large to be beaten by little old me.
And then one day I was walking through my local shopping centre and a sign caught my attention. I stopped and looked, making sure I hadn't misread as I wandered mindlessly towards the grocery store for dog food and milk. No, I hadn't misread. The public library had a sign out the front which read "November is National Novel Writer's Month". Well, I thought to myself, that is something that sounds right up my alley. So I looked into it and found that it was an event that has been going on since 1999, every year in November novelists the world over take on the task of writing a 50,000 word novel from scratch.
Now I was a little perplexed, how had I never heard of this? More importantly, could I enter? Would I enter? SHOULD I enter? I took a deep breath and registered, then immediately went into panic mode. What had I done??? One month to write a novel of 50,000+ words?
Well, I philosophically thought, maybe this would allow me to succeed where I never have before. Besides, even if I don't finish, I might get a lot further than I ever have before, and that is a cheering thought. Plus, I won't be alone, there will be many many more writers struggling along with me.
And as for this blog? Well, I thought I should document my progress, maybe others will find it helpful or encouraging, and maybe I'll be able to indentify things that work or don't along the way.
So, there we have it. In 11 days it begins... Bring it on.
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