Hello everyone, yes I’m whipping that Halloween story off the top of the list pretty damned quickly as today is the first of November and so the rustlings of the infamous NaNoWriMo can be heard around the globe as Writers and Authors alike prepare themselves for a bit of a writing knees-up.

What is NaNoWriMo I hear a non-Writer ask? Well, the basic premise is:

This illustrious event is held annually throughout the month of November where Authors and Writers alike are encouraged to write at least 50,000 words of a new story. Starting November first and heading out from there. There are blogs, groups, pages, hashtags, all sorts of things to allow Authors and Writers to gather and boast about their work, to brain dump, to share ideas and so on. It’s an international gathering of Authors and Writers and is pretty amazing and overwhelming all at once. The goal of NaNoWriMo isn’t so much to flood publishers with thousands of freshly finished and hastily written manuscripts come December (no matter what some people may think). It’s really just meant to be a supportive, interactive and fun event where Authors and Writers can come together and discuss their passion, be motivated to write and all in all have a good time with the thing we love best – Writing.

Okay, so now you’re up to speed on the basics of NaNoWriMo. The rules and ideals may vary from place to place, site to site and group to group… but! That is the general idea all the same.

As for me, I’ve been invited to attend various things and participate in various groups for NaNoWriMo for a few years now. And, as flattered as I always am, I always seem to be in the middle of either finishing a manuscript or working on its edits for publication. Heck, I’m an emerging Author, I need to be adding books to my name if I ever want to really get out there and get more attention. So, never wanting to start a new project when so engrossed in an existing one, I decline all these lovely invites.

It happened again this year and I felt like such a dirty stop out. I mean, I’m an anti-social cow at the best of times and my real life friends know not to expect me to interact or participate that often in social gatherings… As it’s just not me. See my post on mental health! But I still feel guilty when I don’t attend, just in the same way I feel guilty now for declining another NaNoWriMo.

And so I’m making a stand and deciding to be with my fellow Writer’s and Authors, if only in spirit. I feel I’m not really breaking the rules, merely moulding them around my reality so it looks like I’m fitting in. I do that so well in real life so I thought why not. 😉

As some of my friends and followers of my Facebook page know, I’ve been struggling with working on my current manuscript There’s no place like Hell for some months. My supernatural creatures don’t quite gel, I keep writing scenes I love and want to keep… that just aren’t sitting well with me for now and causing me to baulk at continuing to write. Normally when I hit these patches I just press on and clean up the mess afterwards or, more often than not, realise it does all actually work when I look at the entire story. So far this year, bumpkis. I do admit other things in my life have been helping me run away from writing as they needed my attention more… but I’m now embracing what I can of NaNoWriMo and using its creative energy to finish my manuscript. Ta da!

Yes I know you’re meant to write a whole new story during November, but see my previous comments about being mid manuscript and moulding the rules around me. I had set myself a goal to have There’s no place like Hell finished by August. I missed that. Now I’m aiming for the end of November and hoping the good will, momentum and energy of a month long international Writing festival will give me the strength, ability and will power to make it happen.

Wish me luck; my aim is at least 5,000 words a day. It’s time to ignore the house and garden (as neglected as they already both look), pull up my often mentioned big girl’s panties and get on with it. On top of my 5,000 words a day will be my blogs (I’m hoping to launch three new ones soon and have regular posts to them), my penpals (yes I do have some) and the usual day to day writing I do for various things. Yes, you can tell why I want some luck on my side. 😉

To all Writers, Authors and people wanting to start out on the road to writing by jumping into this year’s NaNoWriMo – Good luck to you. Let your desire to write, your passion to create and your love to communicate guide you through a successful month ahead. And even if you don’t make it to 50,000, true Writers and Authors aren’t judging you for it. We’re applauding you for doing your best and just having a go and celebrating this fantastic month with us.

So, grab your pen, pencil, crayon, paper, notebook, laptop, whatever and get out there and Write!

May your creative mind mingle with others and make the most beautiful literary music.

Until next time,

Janis. XXOO

PS: May your first few weeks be fuelled with left-over Halloween goodies like this. 😉