In one week I’ll start writing a novel. I’ll have 30 days to complete it per the agreement of the National Novel Writing Month program and my graduate Creative Writing course. The minimum word count is 50,000, but I’m striving for far more. The fictional story that’s been in my brain for more than a year will finally make it to the hard drive.
But, just because I’m not starting until November 1 doesn’t mean I haven’t already started. I’ve been taking many, many notes.
This story is consuming my thoughts. It feels real, like the characters are flesh-and-blood people, like everything that happens to them is a part of history. I’m not nervous about writing it down because the words are already clawing at the door to be released. What I am nervous about is everyone else.
I’m typically a very present person in all of my roles as wife, mother, friend, pet owner, church member, homeschooler, bill payer, house manager, watcher of Project Runway All-Stars… But a large chunk of my day-to-day will have to subside in November so I can accomplish my goal of writing a novel. It reminds me of when Chuck and I decided to run a marathon in 2008 and we took turns taking long five-hour runs for many Saturdays in a row. While the race was fantastic, the training was time consuming and it turned our whole household upside down. I’m thinking this is how November might be.
If you are a writer, then you know there is no such thing as reoccurring, productive, scheduled writing time. Writing happens when it feels like it’s supposed to happen, whether it’s convenient or not. Sure, there’s productive deadline writing, and that’s partly why I chose to participate in NaNoWriMo. The rush of a 30-day deadline is exactly the thrust this former journalist needs. But, until we reach the last weekend in November, when the deadline is looming, I’m going to rely entirely on instinct and inspiration, whenever and however they might transpire.
So, if you see my family wandering the streets of town next month, hungry, unclean, and confused, please direct them to a restaurant or drive them home because I’ll be busy writing.