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business as usual
The one-year anniversary of the discussion board is coming up, which means I have to make a decision. Either I have to pay to renew the license on the software that runs the board, or I have to take it down. I'm leaning towards taking it down, as there has never been a great deal of activity on it, and the license is quite expensive. The whole undertaking was really an experiment; I'm not particularly attached to the board and can let it go without much soul searching. At the same time, I wanted to raise the topic here first.
So. Jenniferanne asks:
What do you think of writing challenges like the National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)? Do you think this is good incentive for people who are really struggling with getting a novel down on paper (or on their computer screen) or is it just a set up for failure?Here's the "About Us" stuff from the NaNoWriMo website, so you don't have to go over there straight away:
National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.My first thought on this is that anything that gets you to write is good. Sometimes when things aren't going well it works to force yourself to speed write, pushing anything and everything onto the paper. Kinda like flushing out the system, to use a rather dubious image. So I agree with the organizers on this basic premise. I also agree that you have to go into it knowing that most of what you produce may not work at all. If you go into it to challenge yourself and see what happens, then it can be very useful.Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over talent and craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly.
Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down.
As you spend November writing, you can draw comfort from the fact that, all around the world, other National Novel Writing Month participants are going through the same joys and sorrows of producing the Great Frantic Novel. Wrimos meet throughout the month to offer encouragement, commiseration, and -- when the thing is done -- the kind of raucous celebrations that tend to frighten animals and small children.
In 2003, we had about 25,000 participants. Over 3500 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline, entering into the annals of NaNoWriMo superstardom forever. They started the month as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors, and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists.
My only problem is the last sentence. Personally, I don't call a hunk of work a novel until I think it's finished, and by definition this challenge can't produce a finished piece of work.
Off to look (as I do every year) for the darn turkey-brining bucket. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and I wish everybody out there a good one.
November 24, 2004 06:57 AM
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Comments
I agree -- I did the less time-consuming 3-day novel writing contest and ended up with 20,000 words that technically qualify as a novella (novelette?) but that don't work as a finished product. I take it out and look at it every once in a while, thinking I'll fix that rushed ending, those sloppy transitions, but in reality, the poor thing will probably never become a real novel.
The experience was worth it, though. I learned that I can really crank it out when the pressure is on. I also learned that my work needs to "cook" -- my first ideas are too simple, too obvious, and the really good twists and turns and character development come with time and polishing.
Posted by: Jena at November 24, 2004 07:59 AM
Thanks for responding, Sara. That's how I felt; it hasn't been very good stuff I'm getting down on paper and it's not a novel.
Thanks again for looking at this and I'm going to keep on writing!
Have fun looking for that baster!
Posted by: Jenniferanne C. at November 24, 2004 08:05 AM
I'm not particularly attached to the board and can let it go without much soul searching. At the same time, I wanted to raise the topic here first.
I know that I don't tend to read a writer's blog and their board. I'll occasionally search out a board if someone has referred to a discussion there, but I prefer blogs. However, I'm just one reader.
Posted by: Marjorie at November 25, 2004 04:46 AM
I don't usually read the discussion boards either. But maybe you can get a sponser to pay for the boards. I know I don't usually visit sponser links either.
Posted by: Nancy B at November 28, 2004 08:54 AM