Congratulate me for breathing, erm, I mean participating in NANOWIMO

Donning Flame Retardant Suit.

Okay, now that's done, lets get started.

If you're like most people, November invokes memories of dysfunctional turkey dinners, in laws and pumpkin pie.

If you're a writer then November means it's time to write a novel in 31 days. Welcome to National Write a Novel in  Month month.

I dearly miss the days when participation was a skeleton writers kept in their closet. In the old days I was never was pressured to participate. Two years ago, I got tired of making polite excuses and set up an account but I managed to avoid participation. This year a friend is dragging me along kicking and screaming. I have nothing against NANOWRIMO. I'm sure it's a lot of fun for some people in the same way crash diets are fun. And that's just what it is, a crash diet. Unless you count thinking about writing for 11 months out of 12 a serious pursuit.

NANO was developed to help everybody and anybody write a novel without the being burdened by troublesome grammar, story structure and plot. Or commitment. Give yourself permission to write badly. It's the word count that matters not the content.

I kind of understand. This has motivated people to follow through on something they've been thinking about doing. Notice I didn't say wanted to do. If you want to do something, you do it. If you thinking about doing something but don't then it's not that important to you. In my opinion NANO is a gimmick but I've never participated, so I concede that maybe I just don't get it.  I'm participating with my friend because she's my friend. Perhaps at the end of the month I'll understand NANO more. Right now it just seems to fall under the self-esteem building category of "Congratulate Me for Breathing."  If I win, you are required to send me a beer or, if you live in Dickshooter Idaho, a keg.

---