NaNoWriMo

If you're like me, you've always had a little writing bug in you.  You read profusely as a child and you got lost in worlds much more fascinating than the one in which you lived.  But it did not end there.  You wanted to not only experience but create those worlds.  Hours were spent day dreaming about magic, intrigue, and even romance if you are honest with yourself.  However, your dreams of being an author are just that: day dreams.

In a day and age where self-publishing can be a legitimate way to get your work out there, it is becoming harder and harder to have excuses as to why you haven't wrote that novel you've been working on.  I feel the biggest block to most people is starting.  Even if you don't think you have the time, you really do.

I once was at a banquet where Jim Lehrer (which by the way Google wants me to spell check to Fuehrer) was the speaker and someone asked him "How do you have time to write so many books?"  He said that he gets that question a lot and that he makes a point to write every single day.  He might not have time to sit down and just write a book every day, but he makes a point that whether it be 10 pages or some notes on a napkin, he write every single day.  "Could you write one page a day?" he then asked.  Many people in the audience nodded or made some noise that indicated he should continue with his point.  "What do you have when you do that every day for a year?"

Photo taken from Wired.com

This idea has really stuck with me, and although I enjoy writing, I have to admit I have not actually taken this advice.  This blog is about the best manifestation I've come up with, but if YOU want to get going on your novel there is no better time than now.  November is Nation Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).  That means starting today you have one month to write, write, write.  The goal is to write an entire (if imperfect) novel from beginning to end during the month of November.  I feel this is a good alternative November activity for those who can't grow epic beards.  Even if you can't write a whole novel, it's a hell of a start.

If this idea intrigues you, I would encourage you to visit the official website for this event at: http://www.nanowrimo.org/.  You can track your progress and join a community that is there to support you and help you get that novel done.  So go out there! Do it! You can be an author!  Just think, you write just one and you can always introduce yourself that way.  The name's Bond.  James Bond.... author.