preparing: nanowrimo

(If you are interested in actually learning how to prepare for NaNoWriMo, read this.)

I am generally more successful setting short-term (1 month) goals than I am with grand resolutions. For example I set a goal back in August to go to the gym every morning during the work week. That goal worked out so well in August, I decided to renew it for September. . .then October.

And now it's a habit.

Beginning November 1, I'll be working on another discrete goal: to write 50,000 words in one month. That boils down to writing 1,667 words a day - habitually - for 30 days.

That's a lot of words. But I want to develop the habit of writing, so I'm going to participate in National Novel Writing Month, a.k.a. Nanowrimo.

"Bob, don't you already have a habit of writing? You've been doing ack/nak for quite a while."

Blogging doesn't count, IMO.

"What are you going to write about?"

I'm not telling.

"So spell it out for me. What are you going to do?"

I plan to write 50,000 words in the month of November, then I plan to edit the crap out of it in December. Come January 1, 2008, I will make every effort to sell it.

"What is this nah-no-wry-moe thing?"

You can read about it here.

"When and where are you going to write?"

I take the Metra Union Pacific Western line train to and from work that gives me time to prep, edit and brainstorm. I plan to write at home in the evenings.

"You've written about writing before, I think."

Yes. But to prepare for November, I'm not going to write about how to write. I'm merely telling you that I'm getting ready to write. I won't pretend that I know how to write, and I certainly won't pretend that I have any advice to offer you of any real worth.

"Will you be updating ack/nak with your progress?"

Oh yes. For better or worse.