Well, my observance of National NO Writing Month ended one day into November. I was planning a steadfast boycott of writing this month, per my post here. My plan, however, was foiled by the one thing I can’t say no to: a double-dog-dare.
Yes, that’s right. I was double-dog-dared to write not one, not two, but three books during the month of November. Because, really, everyone else is writing ONE book. Who cares? Let’s make this a real challenge and up that ante. Three books – written, edited, formatted, and published. You think I can do it?
Now, now – we’re not talking novels. We’re talking books. I’ve got a few ideas in mind (in fact, I just finished formatting one of them). I promise these books will contain nouns, verbs, adjectives and other words. I promise to arrange those in sentences which will make up paragraphs. Most of those paragraphs will probably make sense. Some of them might even include pictures, because what are words without pretty colors? Spiffy, eh?
It’s not that I can’t write a novel inside of a month. I wrote Night Undone in one month, but it took me months to research it before I sat down and became a single-sighted writing zombie. Since my suspense novels are faction, they do require a lot of research, which includes interviewing multiple sources and sometimes traveling to the locations where the books take place. Perhaps that’s why I’ve been working on the sequel to Lust for Danger since 1991. Or maybe it’s because I’m really good at procrastinating. And really, what’s a novel anyway? Just a bunch of made-up stuff. No matter the reason – the three books I will produce this November will not be novels.
You realize, of course, that this raises the question: is NaNoWriMo – National NOVEL Writing Month – in fact discriminating against other sorts of books? I believe it is. It should be NaBooWriMo – National BOOK Writing Month. That’s perfect, of course, since it starts the day after Halloween, and BOO will have already been said numerous times. Besides, NaNo sounds like something Mork from Ork would say. Or, something you paid that woman to say at your bachelor party while she was spanking you and you were wearing diapers. You should have destroyed that video while you had the chance, right? What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay there.
Books, like compromising videos, are forever. And my contribution to that eternity will be three books during November 2012. You want in on this double-dog-dare or what? So far, one author who shall remain nameless (Laurie Boris) is going to send me really good gluten-free cupcakes if I can pull this off. Another anonymous author (Bigelow) is going to send me gluten-free donuts. I got room for at least one more – after all, all those baked goods are bound to make me thirsty. Anyone in to send coffee? It may be a good idea to send the coffee now. I have a feeling I’m going to be pulling quite a few all-nighters to meet this dare.
For all the masochists out there. lol
Who, me? 😉
Good luck Kat, I know you can do it. I haven’t a cat in hell’s chance of taking your challenge but I will send you coffee. The finest beans I can lay my hands on.;)
One’s done…got the print proof of another in my hands – all my edits are back…that third one’s going to be the toughest! Thanks for the encouragement, Audrey! 😀
Good luck! My cat likes to help by doing that too.
Thanks, Vickie! I’m pretty cross-eyed at this point, but I’m trying like heck! 🙂
Are you effing crazy?????? 3 BOOKS in a month? Who knew you were such a masochist? Oh, right. The Evil Mastermind….
I’m really glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read your comment. It really made me laugh out loud. Yes. I really am that effing crazy! 😀
Of course, if anyone can do it, it’s you 🙂 Good luck!
Thanks, Daphne!
I applaud your ambition….and then I go back to being much less productive than you.
Thanks, Brian. I don’t think productive is the right word. How does insane sound? 😉
You go, Kat. I know you can do it. Though I won’t finish any this month, I don’t think, I am always working–which includes thinking, right–on about 5 or 6. So I’m pulling for you and I can bring coffee.
Well, has anyone double-dog-dared you? We can probably arrange that! Thanks for the vote of confidence, Jacque!
LOL! I had planned to do the same. I had a really badly written trilogy that I was going to completely rewrite. I’ve just got half way through the first one (and reached 50K of words) and realised that half of what I’ve already written needs to be gutted due to the arrival of a rather enormous plot bunny :-/
Good Luck though 😉
Hey, those plot bunnies usually make it better. That’s a great reason to write fiction. It’s also a reason why I’m not writing fiction this month. 🙂
I have every confidence in you, Kat. The truly insane can accomplish things us mere nutjobs only dream of.
Lunatics of the world, unite! Thanks, Lynne! 🙂
Now, how long are these books going to be? I mean, a 10k word book a week isn’t that hard. 😉
For me, my own challenge this month will be to write my NaNo novel after we close on the new house. Hasn’t been any time to start yet. So we close on the 20th, I start on the 21st, and have ten days to write 50k words.
Piece of cake, right? 😉
Assuming nobody expects you to help unpack, sure. Otherwise… (Congrats on the new house, Kevin!)
10 pages is still a book, right? Nine pages of pictures and one of text? 😉 Actually, this one does have photos and text, but it’s over 130 pages long. It’s the first one for the month: Indies Unlimited: Authors’ Snarkopaedia Volume I
. Congratulations on your new house, Kevin. And good luck with NaBoo!
Thanks! And good luck with your BOOKS! Sounds like an awesome challenge. 🙂
Ah… Kat, your energy and enthusiasm never fails to impress me. Good luck with that, you lovely person.
T.D., you’re so sweet. Is lovely code word for nuts? It’s okay if it is. 😉