Speaking of how distractible I am...I got interested in National Novel Writing Month, which is an organization rather than a governmentally-recognized holiday. I like the concept: you commit to writing 50,000 words over the month of November. There's a website where you can get encouragement and advice, and talk to other people who are trying the same thing, and where you can be held accountable for your commitment. http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/dashboard They help you track your word count, and allow you to post exerpts if you choose. They're also very careful about maintaining your privacy/copyright; for example, at the end, when you submit your novel for a validating word count, they explain how you can randomize the word order before submission. Kind of cool.
There are also forums where you can talk over plot ideas and stuff. I particularly like that you can give away ideas too. There are whole sections that just provide you with complete characters or quirks etc. As a person who enjoys making lists, that has special appeal to me.
The thing about this idea is, of course, that I got distracted right away. Plus I am eager to find excuses to avoid doing such a difficult thing as consistent writing. It's the 12th, and I've written about 560 words so far. I haven't actually got any plan for a plot, which does tend to slow things down! The fellow who started NaNoWriMo (as it is affectionately known) has put out a book called "No Plot? No Problem!" but I have purchased quite a number of how-to-write books in my time so I'm going to try to finish them before buying another one. What a concept!
My stepson also tried to help me out using writing techniques he learned in school last year. They were great, and even inspiring...I think what I want is a teacher who not only teaches those techniques, but also looms overhead, grading me on my efforts. I wonder if that would cause me to finish?
I hope you readers (I assume you are plural, ha!) go and check out the organization website. If you've ever been tempted to write, it's an interesting motivational tool. Good luck on that. I don't expect to finish--or even to write any more than those 560 words, really--but I'll try to remember to post here when the time is up.
Dec. 23, 2011 update: Yeah, I didn't write any more than those 560 words. I think I really need to go through that entire process that my stepson was describing--basically, coming up with the entire plot before writing. I had nothin'.
