 |
| Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month |
Hard to believe, but it’s that time again! November is
looming up fast and November for many writers means National Novel WritingMonth. Thirty days of frenzy and exhaustion as they try to rack up 50,000 words
by 23.59 on the 30th.
NaNoWriMo is in many ways a Very Very Good Thing. So much
of the writing life is about procrastination, waiting for conditions to be
better, writing in fits and starts – a month in which you dedicate yourself to
major production levels is a month where you can discover what you’re capable
of. Many writers are amazed, once they get into it, to find just how much they
can achieve. They start December with a pile of messy pages, but pages which
can lead to other pages, pages which can be edited into shape.
So, yay for NaNo.
But I’m not doing it this year.
If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, or you’ve read
my last blogpost, you’ll know that this year has been all about distraction. Service
providers have let me down and my days, weeks and months have been filled with
lists, correspondence, shouty scenes and anxiety. Even now, I’m barely coming
out of it.
If I sign up for NaNo this time round, the dark side of
it may be revealed – it’s another form of pressure and I really don’t need any
extra pressure right now. The voice, that
voice any writer is so familiar with, the shrill nagging ‘Why can’t you just
get on with it!’ voice, will raise its decibel-level even more.
I have projects. I have ideas. I also have clients whose
work needs editing, workshops to run … so my own work will have to wait a
little while longer. I’m fairly OK about that. I believe in the work. It can keep,
just a little while longer.
Are you contemplating doing NaNo? I genuinely think it’s
worth considering. I’ve done it before, and always on my own terms – I've written posts about previous years’ NaNoWriMos, including the technique
that I’ve found served me best when aiming for ultimate productivity. You can find my posts here and here, and earlier ones here and here.
If you are
doing NaNo, you could do part of it at my next writers’ retreat, Fictionfire by
the Spires: Reboot and Troubleshoot, here in Oxford from 7-8 November. The
title tells you what I’ll be focussing on. I’ll run four workshops designed to
get you back in touch with your writing and help you with issues you’re having
with your project. There will be peaceful time for you to just … write. There will be constant tea and
coffee. And buffet lunches. And cake – there must always be cake.
It’ll be fun. The group will be small (maximum 8 people),
friendly, supportive. You’ll be in Oxford, one of the most gorgeous cities in
the world.
To find out more about what’s involved, visit my website.
Here’s what people had to say about my two previous
writers’ retreat weekends, in St Ives in Cornwall:
‘It took me out of
my day-to-day environment with all its everyday complications and gave me a
space in which to write.’ C.J.
‘I can’t recommend
this event highly enough! If ever you have the opportunity to attend one of
Lorna’s workshops, grab it with both hands!’ C.W.
Can’t make this one? Sign up on the website to my mailing list, to be kept informed.
And if you’re doing NaNo, enjoy the ride!
No comments:
Post a Comment