Thursday, October 30, 2008

NaNoWriMo

My creative writing class and I are going to be participating in a program called National Novel Writing Month, or fondly referred to as NaNoWriMo.  It is an online program that provides the support and motivation to people like me who keep saying someday to get just in gear and write. My students are participating  in the Young Writer's Program where they get to set their own goals.  I'm challenging them to try at least 10,000 but feel that there are many who can set theirs at 20,000 or more.  I'm also giving extra credit to those who can write more than me.  

How many words did I commit to?  50,000.  That is the number that an adult needs to do to "win".  Here are the series of thoughts I've gone through since I committed to doing this.  

This will be amazing!  I've wanted the chance to write for a while and this is it!

Wait, I have a full time job, three kids, Enoch's birthday, Halloween, football playoffs, when am I going to do this?

I'm a semi-organized person.  I can do this.  It will be good practice for when I start my Master's in January.

What the hell were you thinking?  You can't even get laundry done and now you are going to try to write a book?

What a great example this will be for my students to see me write and struggle along with them.  This is great.

Plot!  Characters!  Setting!  and you wrote your goal in Sharpie!  Sharpie's don't erase!

I still have two days to finalize the ideas before I start to write.  I still have two more days.

I only have TWO MORE DAYS!!!  I AM A MORON!!!

(serenity now, serenity now, serenity now...)

The lovely little calendar in the upper part will show the days that I did really good at writing and the ones I didn't do anywhere near what I wanted.  I'm posting this so others know, will keep me accountable and maybe I can pull this off.  

I now dive head first into my self-created insanity.

4 comments:

Allyson Condie said...

You can do it! I am cheering for you! That may not be as helpful as babysitting your kids or something, but know that I am rooting for you here in Orem! :)

Erin said...

Go get em, tiger!

Harmony said...

You are crazy, but GO TASHA! I heard about this from a former roommate who's a word junkie. Check her out at lifewithwords.blogspot.com.

Unknown said...

James and I have both considered doing this as well this month... We started a novel together. I think we're crazy and we don't have half as much going on as you do! Good luck!