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A #NaNoWriMo Fraud

So far, NaNoWriMo 2015 has been a steaming pile of fail. Word count is barely 2,500. Not 25,000... 2,500. I'm planning on making up some ground in the next few days, and more during some upcoming travel. Lots of hours in the air, in airports and hotels, and even more on the road should give me ample opportunity to get many thousands in the bank. All the way up to 50K? Doubtful, but I'll keep moving.

But tomorrow, I face a moment of truth. Tomorrow, I'm going to visit an English class at a local middle school to talk about NaNo. The students are doing it in teams, and the teacher asked me to come share my NaNo "life story". How I got started, how (and why) I keep going, what NaNo means to me, how it's changed my writing, etc.

Never has Imposter Syndrome been so sharp-edged as it is right now. Who am I to talk to anyone about NaNoWriMo, let alone impressionable kids? I'm just a half-dead writerfish, flopping on the rocky beach of Real Life Lake, thrown there by an unexpected storm that has lasted for days and days.

With a 2015 word count that would be marginally sucky for Day 2, let alone Day 10, it's going to take some brass and brutal honesty to face these kids. I'm gonna say something like this:

Yes, I love the challenge of NaNo, even when I'm not always able to make it happen. It's why I keep coming back.

Yes, I wish I could effortlessly knock out 50,000 wonderful words without any angst or gnashing of teeth. So does every other writer. 

No, this year's is not going well for me. But this year isn't over yet. And even if I crash and burn this month? There's always December.


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Posted

7 comments:

  1. Andy HollandbeckNov 11, 2015, 5:34:00 PM

    Hang in there. Buck up. Keep reaching for the stars. Be the best you you can be. And all that other bullshit.

    More importantly, make sure you emphasize how, in order to really understand what you're saying about NaNoWriMo, the kids in that class really need to buy a copy or two of Verbosity's Vengeance.

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    1. Tony NolandNov 12, 2015, 2:08:00 PM

      I mentioned it, and one of the kids kinda, sorta, maybe thought that she might at some point see if she could take a look at it and think about possibly wish-listing it for some time in the future. So that's pretty much one sale right there.

      Delete
  2. KjMNov 12, 2015, 7:20:00 AM

    I second what Andy said above about Verbosity's Vengeance!

    Regarding NaNo, there's always an 11,000-word sprint on the last day, right? Hang in there, Tony. The important thing is that you're writing.

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    1. Tony NolandNov 12, 2015, 2:08:00 PM

      Dragging myself forward over broken glass, yes. 8-)

      Delete
  3. Janet AldrichNov 12, 2015, 8:11:00 AM

    You're not going to hear any criticism from me. I'm right there on the shores of Lake Real Life, flopping around with you.

    Count me in on the "VV" promotion. You can show them it can be done, and done well.

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    1. Tony NolandNov 12, 2015, 2:10:00 PM

      At least they might have gotten some amusement out of the story of repeated rejection by agents & publishers before it ended up as an instantly forgotten self-pubbed ebook. Or inspiration about commitment to one's dreams. Or something.

      Delete
  4. Cat RussellNov 23, 2015, 12:23:00 PM

    I think that sounds awesome. I would love to hear you speak at my elementary schoo- er, my school. :)
    I think you'll do/did great. I'm sure the kids love you. It's about the process, not the result, and the process is what happens EVERY DAY. :)

    ReplyDelete

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