Onely.Org

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH November 1, 2008

Hi Copious Readership,

I’m going to try to keep posting this month, because I think Onely is just the most fun hobby, but as Lisa said in her previous post, we’re a little swamped. One reason I in particular am swamped is that it’s NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH, created by Chris Baty.  I really recommend this event for all you creative types out there. Why? Because when you are trying to write 50,000 words in thirty days, you have no choice but to tell your inner editor to shut the hell up. Chances are, even with your inner editor bound and gagged, at the end of the month you will have good writing mixed in with a lot of crappy writing–probably more good writing than if you had worked with your inner editor during the month, proceeding at normal writing pace (“oh, I can’t put in that sentence, it has too many clauses and doesn’t mesh with my character’s motivations” blah blah). 

NANOWRIMO forces us to take Onely time for ourselves. Allow perhaps two hours per day to get in your allotment of 1667 words–less if you can not only gag your inner editor, but tie him up and lock him in a closet with a valium drip. 

–CC