A Novel in November

I must confess I did not actually write an entire novel in November.

I planned to, but it just didn’t happen. I stopped once and never got started again.

Still, I feel pretty good about what I did do, which was to write a little more than 3,500 words.

Sure, that’s not really that much, but it was something. It was a start, which is more than I’ve ever done before.

Usually what happens is I get an idea and think about it and work out some plot details, but never actually put pen to paper — or fingers to keyboard, actually. So, 3,500 words, while far short of the 50,000 NaNoWriMo goal, is pretty good for me.

Also, now that something is actually started, even though it’s not National Novel Writing Month any more, I’m thinking of trying to keep it going. I want to know what happens next to these people. (No, I have no idea what will befall them. I’m hoping they might.)

I do have an ending for the book, and it is written already. I just have to figure out how to get there from the beginning.

The ending also clarified in what genre my book falls: romantic comedy. This I should have known. It is generally my favorite kind of movie.

So 3,500 words and counting. Maybe by next year, this one will be done, and I can start a new NaNoWriMo project and get twice as much writing done in that month.

After all, if I add 3,500 words each year to my total, in 14 years or so, I’ll get to 50,000 words. If I double the words every year, it will only take about five years to write a book in a month — as long as the month isn’t February. It’s too short.

Laura Wilson can be reached at 372-5000, Ext. 230, or .