Well, now I’ve done it.  I signed up as an official participant in the 2009 NaNoWriMo.  NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month.  Participants start at 12:01 am on November 1 and have until 11:59 on November 30 to write a 50,000 word novel.  If you win, you get nothing more than bragging rights and the satisfaction that you have now written that novel you have always said you would.    No one is going to read your novel, and considering you wrote 50,000 words in 30 days, that novel is going be in sore need of  multiple re-writes before you can ever even consider submitting it for publication.

Chris Baty, author of No Plot, No Problem, is the instigator of NaNoWriMo.  In his book, he advises in preparation for the month that one acquire a notebook, a “magical pen”, a word processing device, a totem, and special clothes, such as a hat,  to wear while writing.   This is all to make the process of writing the novel special.

I do have a word processing device so that’s covered.   I am making notes in a ordinary composition book that I have decorated for the occasion with the picture of a toilet — a toilet because this notebook is a big dump of my ideas.  There is nothing clean and neat about the inside of this notebook.  When I have a thought about the story, I jot it down.  It’s perfect

I don’t think I’ll  wear special clothes either — that would be too distracting.  But don’t worry, I won’t write naked either, if that thought came to your mind.  No, sweats and a t-shirt, that’s the most comfortable ensemble for me.

I might have a totem, though.  I’ve always been partial to pelicans.  I have this alebrije, a little Oaxacan wood carving of a pelican, brightly painted and just perfect to set above my computer.  Yep, he’s going to sit there and cheer me on when I get stuck.

I think the one special thing that I will go out and buy today is a “magical pen”.  Borders and Barnes and Noble always have some cool pens next to the check-stand so I might splurge on a fancy pen just to mark the occasion and kick off the month.

I think one more thing is needed to start the month.  First a time of reflection.  Recently, I discovered the library in a neighboring city.  What an amazing place… better than the dumpy library in my town.  So I acquired a card and am going there this morning to sit in the stacks, read up on some material I need to start the novel, and just be in a quiet, literary space to contemplate the undertaking.

Second, a celebration is always needed whenever a special undertaking initiates…. I’m getting together with some friends tonight for Halloween.  It seems appropriate since Halloween is the celebration of the Celtic New Year.   It seems to me the perfect send-off for a month of monastic-like seriousness.

So, if you don’t hear from me for a while, you’ll know what I’m doing.   I hope I reach 50,000 words, but if I write only 500, that will be fine too

L.Gloyd (c) 2009

PS:  I’ll be posting my word count here on my blog (in the left column) so check back from time to time to see where I’m at.  Thanks.