Blogging My Novel

For the first time, I am inviting you all to participate with me in my own private novel-writing process.

I write the same way I breathe. Constantly. Compulsively. Sometimes I have trouble doing it well, and it makes me panic. I experience a feeling of extraordinary well-being when I am doing it voluminously and well.

I have opinions of other Nanos that are probably uncharitable.
1. I want to smack anyone who logs onto any public forum and announces "What have I gotten myself into? I must be crazy!" If you're so intimidated, don't do it. I've done it several times and lived, so I'm not really sympathetic. We're all busy. We're all intimidated by the commitment we've made. But notice, we're NOT all whining about it.

2. I am not interested in cheerleaders. I know that everyone has to start somewhere and that it's nice to be able to say "I'm writing a Harry Potter fanfic with faeries and a new character based on my younger brother who's Harry's new best friend." And then a zillion other people jump on board and tell that person what a genius s/he is and how great they're sure it will be. Perhaps it's just sour grapes on my part. I have written all my life, and have received very little encouragement for it.

3. I am infuriated by people who cheat. What the hell is the point? You're not winning anything of value, here. You're winning a 50,000-word first draft of a novel that you had to write yourself, that you're going to have to do another 11 months' worth of work on to have a saleable product. Nobody is impressed if you suddenly come up on November 2nd with 300,000 words. We just think you're an insufferable wanker.

4. I am a very curmudgeonly person in writing, but very nice in person. That being said, I don't want to meet you. I don't want to leave my house. And, most of the time, I would like the people in my house to leave for a while and get out of my hair. I am annoyed with the tendency of Nanos to obsess about the next partying opportunity. I am not in this to go to parties. I am in this to force myself to write some stuff down, although I do that all the time anyway. I also like the t-shirts. Except this year's.

5. I am first and foremost a writer. Sure, I do lots of other things, but I'm a professional writer. I make money doing this. So I don't want to hear how full of shit I am from someone who's accumulating half-finished first drafts in a folder stashed away under their unmentionables.

6. I do not represent that either my routine or my process are suitable for anyone other than myself. I'm certain that many successful writers do their thang in ways that are 180 degrees different than my own. That's great. They're not asking me for help, and laughing at me behind my back if they deign to notice me at all. I will probably post little insights into my process, but I don't claim that if you do what I do you'll get anything but tired. Truthfully, that's about all it gets me a lot of the time.

Next issue: Tips and Tricks