Thoughts on NaNoWriMo

Wow. November was a crazy month. Hold on a second...

There...that's better. I felt like I was screaming.

It's December 1 and I'm taking a little time out of my busy day to jot down some thoughts on my novel writing experience from the last thirty days. Actually, it was only about 28 days. As is my usual style, I finished my project three days early. All in all, I'd say it's pretty good for a first draft. If you read the opening parts, you know the content is a little tough. I didn't pull any punches with it. It probably will be considered too racy by Christians who read it. But tough. I can't tell the story and talk about the issue without diving straight into the reality of the evil. I did realize that having it flying around the internet like I was defeated the purpose and could provide some who are still tied up in sexual addiction to be even more lost. So I pulled the first half. The second half, complete with my character's epiphany and restoration, is on this site, in the November page.

It defitnitely needs a few re-writes. It's rough. There are sections that don't fit. Characters that are in the story, then disappear. I have to decide where they are going to go. The beauty of the creative process.

I was profoundly impacted by NaNoWriMo. The guy who heads it up, Chris Baty, isn't a Christian to my knowledge. But he's very motivational. I realized a number of things about myself -

1. I am infinitely lazy. I talk like I'm organized and disciplined, but it's a smoke screen.

2. I can write. And now that I've written the equivilant of a 176 page book, I'm an author! And as I wrote in a message on a forum at the NaNoWriMo website, "Anyone who thinks differently can just sit still while I cram the first draft of my book up a small oriface while I laugh". OK, a little rude. Sorry...

3. I enjoy the creative process. I've written on this before. That is a part of me that needs to come alive more. Hopefulyl, this will be the nucleus for that.

There's much more for me to speak on, but it'll come out as it's developed. hopefuly, one day "On the Fritz" will be available in your local bookstore. Or the movie will be in your mall cineplex.

On a separate note, I spoke to Pastor Noel and Lorenzo. I am signed up for a trip to Malawi that Noel is taking June-July of 2006. I mentioned to P Lo that I wanted to find out more about that trip. He e-mailed me back and said they had been praying for someone to step forward to help out. Hmmm...

Well, I'm off to work. All God's best to you. Talk to you again soon.

Walk with God...