I was doing so well with this blogging thing and then something called “life” decided it didn’t want me to do that anymore. After a series of herculean struggles too horrible to mention, I have returned. My apologies.

I’m going to need to get back into the habit of writing if I’m going to survive the next month with my wits intact. You see, November is National Novel Writing Month, 30 days and nights of literary abandon. The premise may seem ridiculous at first: write 50,000 words in just 30 days; however, it’s not as crazy as it may seem.

I caught the NaNoWriMo bug last year and while I barely eked out 18,000 words during that month, I did learn some valuable lessons about how to approach the daunting task of writing a novel. For instance, I finally grasped the importance of outlining before you write (a revelation that was too little, too late). I also learned about bribes, self-imposed threats, and the adrenaline rush of hitting upon the perfect phrase (Seriously, who needs drugs when there’s NaNoWriMo?).

Now, like most people, I am completely buried in things I need to get done in the so-called “real world.” I have a capstone project due in the middle of November, papers to write, and discussions to attend on top of a 25-30 hour work week. I have a million things that already demand my complete attention and this might be the straw that breaks my back. Or I may rise above the insanity into literary nirvana. I’m really hoping for the latter.

I am now just 5 days away from the starting line; from allowing my soul to be devoured; from complete surrender to the creative ether. This time, I have a plan. I am armed with research, character sketches and an outline pinned to a large bulletin board in my house. At the stroke of midnight on November 1st, I will take the plunge. Who’s with me and what are your strategies for getting to 50,000 words?

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[Also, you can add me as a Writing Buddy at NaNoWriMo.org. There, I’m jeberle.]