Monday, November 8, 2010

Thoughts on Nanowrimo from 6026.

True I haven't gotten as far as I'd hoped.  True I've been attempting to maintain a life during all of this.  True my novel is going to need some editing.

But please forgive me nanowrimo folks, if I do not share your enthusiasm for word wars.  I know the point of this is to get as much down as possible, but at the cost your work's integrity? 

I'm sorry, but even if I am going to attempt 50,000 words in one month, they're going to be decent words that make sense and tell the story the way I want it told.  And maybe some of you are capable of the word counts past 50,000 that I often see the second week of November.  And hats off you are capable of that many words that quickly that do tell a good and engaging story.  But how many writers are REALLY capable of a novel full of turns and twists and character development and their own blood, sweat, and tears and some kernel of a truth that they want to communicate that's past 50,000 words after two weeks? 

How long did it take Jane Austen to write Pride and Prejudice?  How long did J.D. Salinger spend on Cather in the Rye or did Melville spend on Moby Dick?  It's true we're not Austens, Salingers and Melvilles.  I'm very aware of that.  But really.  50,000 words in two weeks?

And I'm sorry I am slow, nano group.  But my slowness means you don't even want to allow me to share what I had written during that 10 minutes when you were all racing each other to see who could spill their soul the quickest?  Because I'm not fast I don't count?  Really?  Maybe I don't in this particular exercise.  Maybe I'm missing the point of this.

Nonetheless, I will continue to slowly climb my way toward 50,000.  And hopefully I'll be pleased with them all when I earn the privilege of a bound copy.  It'll take me longer and I'll probably continue to say odd things that don't matter to the speed writers, but by God I'm doing this my way.  Are you?

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