NaNoWriMo

Apparently, November is NaNoWriMo, which, as you already know, obviously stands for “National Novel Writing Month.”  And I have decided to participate.  I have until the end of the month to write a novel of 50,000 words or more.  And it is terrifying and exciting.

Part of the deal is that you are supposed to tell people that you are doing it, thus giving you an incentive to finish and not look like a total loser jerkpants to all of your friends.  So far the only person I have told about this project is my wife, and she already knows that I am a total loser jerkpants, so the motivational tool was not effective.  Hence, I am revealing to the world in these very pages that I am writing a book.  For real.

I’ve tried writing books before.  I got pretty far into one in college.  It was set at my university and was basically about me and my friends, only with more lasers and time travel.  I never finished it, but I do have a two-thirds finished, 56,000 word document that is most likely terrible.  And then several years ago I had another idea for a book, and wrote approximately one chapter of it.  Finishing things is not my strong suit.  I also have half of an opera written and 99% of a master’s degree.

But this time I’m really going to do it.  I swear.  Because if I don’t, then you will all know it and think bad things about me.  I’m actually on target, and have 16,422 words written so far this month.  Of course it is only a first draft, but I’m sure it will be perfect and on the shelves in time for Christmas.  Or not, but I’m having a lot of fun doing it.  I think writing Tenor Dad (and actually sticking with it) has given me some confidence and discipline that I needed, and even though a novel is a lot different from a blog, I’m sure it will be of the same high quality that you have come to expect from me on a daily basis.  In fact, it might be better, because I will probably go back and revise, edit, and otherwise fix stuff in my book.

So, in conclusion, I do not have time to write any more blog today, because I have another 1500 words of my book due tomorrow.  And if I actually do finish it, I’ll be sure to let you know!  You know…in case anybody ever wants to, like, read it and stuff.  (<—- example of good writing!)