NaNoWriMo, the “write a 50,000 word novel in a month people”, are insane. But I did it anyway. I did it because I used to write all my long form stuff like I write my short form stuff. I obsessed over every line, focused on layout, and tried to make the first draft the final draft. This is fine for a 500 word blog post, but a crappy technique when it comes to writing a novel. I would get a page in, get discouraged over my lack of progress, and quit with a loathing of my “plot”.
NaNoWriMo’s goal is quantity over quality. Just get it on the page. Freed from the requirement of being “good”, words flowed out. I also picked a genre, horror, that also allowed me to suck. I mean, come on, it’s horror. When I edit video, I am fully aware of the concept of the first draft. The first draft is terrible. Always. It usually has no real resemblance to the final result. Once I allowed myself to have a terrible first draft, writing became much easier.
I quit because I got tired of going to bed at 2am every night. 50,000 words boils down to 1,666 words a day. Everyday. Rain. Shine. Freelance Projects. Blogs. Pushing Daisies. 1,666 words. It never stops. So I quit. I wasn’t emotionally invested enough in the plot to continue, but I don’t detest it. Which is a first.
So, I’m looking for a new novel plot. One that I want to write, now that I learned a few things more. One that doesn’t have a 1,666 word a day requirement. Help me out with picking a genre and I’ll even blog about my progress (just don’t expect 1,666 words a day, ’cause I’m not a machine).
How can you trust me, you say? I’ve already quit once, you say? I’m ingoring you, I say.
So, what genre should my novel have?
Note: Whatever genre I pick will likely be combined with comedy. ‘Cause that’s how I role.
Finally, an answer to my question! I guess I could have just called and asked you. One thousand six hundred sixty-six words (according to AP style, a number should be spelled if it is the first word of a sentence) is a lot to write every day. How many words were you at when you quit?
Oh, and the genre should be a light-hearted crime novel, like Columbo (not actually a book, but you get the idea) That would give you room to create lots of interesting characters.
I have just decided that I need to write regularly, but I also cannot make insane commitments like the NaNoWriMo. I’m a writer, too (and an editor), you know. Let me know if you’re interested in exchanging stuff for feedback every once in a while. Light-hearted crime novel actually sounds good to me as well. I have a sincere love for curmudgeonly middle-aged male characters. They fit well into that genre ;o)