Let the Games Begin....NanoWrimo 2008

Well, I've gone ahead and done it...again. I'm hopeful that this time my attempt at NaNoWriMo is successful, as I crashed and burned three days into it last time. What is NaNoWriMo you may be asking yourself? National Novel Writing Month. It is a courageous effort made my thousands of would-be novelists, bloggers, cigar-smoking bureaucrats looking for a distraction, teenagers, housewives, crazed lunatics, English majors, and yours truly to write a 50,000 word novel all during the month of November. My dear neighbors, the Thayers, have this year guilted me into the project, noting that almost every week I loudly exclaim, "I've got my novel written...it's all right here!!" (insert visual of me pointing vehemently at my noggin'). In a last ditch effort to have me put up or shut up, they said, "Great...you're all set for NanoWriMo!".

Looking for a quick exit. Stage left. Trying to jump out the window. My office is in my basement.

Damn. I'm committed.

It is now 7:21 pm MST. I have written...um....nothing. It's amazing that when you boast about having an entire novel already written (insert previous visual) when it comes time to put pencil to paper or finger to keyboard, nothing happens. Well, lots of things happen, actually...you find the laundry that hasn't been done. You begin to identify the various types of mold and fungus growing in your refrigerator. You say, "Wow! A 5700 piece jigsaw puzzle! Awright!". You create other projects. The dog gets fed. And you write nothing.

So here I am. The monitor mocks. I wait. In this linguistic duel I am already compelled to admit defeat. But a little piece of me (insert previous visual once again), reminds me that it's in there.

I have four hours and 35 minutes left to get my first 1500 words down. I have consumed 1500 chocolate calories consuming leftover Halloween candy waiting. I have wasted 1500 minutes surfing the Internet and playing on Facebook today. But the words...nope.

Four hours and 34 minutes to go....33...32...31.

If you care to join me in this month-long exercise, see the link to the right. Happy writing. Or not writing.