This funny sounding thing is just National Novel Writing Month.  Though I tend to prefer the shortened version of NaNoMo.  November is the month.

The premise is that if you make the commitment, you can write a novel in 30 days.  Now, as a novelist myself, I don’t quite buy that. I believe that writing a novel requires a good bit of rewriting to reveal all its inner workings.  But, I do see that with diligence and 30 days you can have a really good start or a half decent first draft to call your own.

Perhaps the greater gift of joining in the fun is what I call the writing “head of steam.”  When you wake up at night with a solution and scribble it down, hoping you will understand it in the morning. When you hear the perfect dialog in the shower.  Or when you’re doing other things, like going to your job, eating or being with other people, but all you can think about is when you’ll be able to get back to the desk!  If you’ve religiously done NaNoMo so far, you probably have caught that fever.

In previous years, I haven’t participated in this ritual.  Mainly because I didn’t have a novel to work on.  Perhaps I felt a little intimidated by it, as well.  This year, I have decided, with a novel in hand, to play.  Though by my own rules.  There are a number of projects on my plate, so I’ve set aside time I know I can give to it, including a big chunk over the Thanksgiving Holiday.  Wanting a little more than, “I’ll spend some time on it,” I set a few goals, too.

I’m finding there’s a momentum building. I’ve stuck to my promise, so far. I’m making progress and feeling good about it.  And I’m planning what I’m going to work on in December.  Perhaps on the same kind of schedule.  If this keeps up, just think what I can get done!