October 24, 2006
now with more profanity! also more exclamation points!!!
Last year, I decided that a really FUN thing to do would be to write a novel in thirty days. And no, I’ve never really wanted to write a novel (although I WAS voted Most Likely To Write the Great American Novel in my senior year of high school, which is more a testimony to how few people in my senior class actually showed up for class meetings than evidence of any deep desire to be a Writer). To this day I have NO IDEA why speed-writing a novel seemed like a good idea, although I’m willing to blame the martinis. Or the children.
Of course, I was like seventy two hours into the Novel That Wasn’t when Henry ALMOST got himself expelled from preschool, which turned out to be a real time-suck. I wrote 1800 words and then stopped and spent my days alternately hiding in the bathroom crying and driving from one doctors appointment to the other.
The end.
Sort of.
THIS year, no way in hell was I going to even pretend to write a novel (although YAY to everyone who is! you go! write something really great! or at least finish!). Instead, I’m going to accept M. Kennedy’s challenge to post every single day in November, because who can resist this:
Of course, since I commited to this, I’ve had a ginormous case of Writer’s Block, and have found myself thinking things like WHY COULDN’T HENRY HAVE LOCKED US OUT OF THE HOUSE IN NOVEMBER? IT JUST HAD TO BE THIS WEEKEND, DIDN’T IT? HE COULDN’T WAIT, SAY, TWO WEEKS TO DO THAT? NOOOO. OF COURSE NOT.
Already I am irrational. November should be fun.
So the upshot is that I have no idea what will be posted here in the next week (see above: GINORMOUS WRITER’S BLOCK), but after that, get ready, people. Because for the next month, I will post every goddamned day. Saturday! AND Sundays! And I will deploy much profanity and haphazardly overuse punctuation! Especially the exclamation point! Particuarly on the weekends!
I give you fair warning: at some point, I will be reduced to cataloging the contents of my pantry or drafting grocery lists. Probably at many points, actually. Also, there will be pictures of my shoes. LOTS of pictures of my shoes. In fact, I may need to buy MORE shoes, just to fill the space between the first and the thirtieth day of November.
Posted by Susan @ 8:44 am • Uncategorized
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October 24th, 2006 at 10:11 am, daysgoby Says:
Cool!
A lot of my favorite blogs are doing this - November should be a terrific time to read!
Now I need to go to Mrs. Kennedy’s and figure out how to get one of those buttons up on my blog.
(And, S, really, as if you could run out of words!)
October 24th, 2006 at 10:21 am, Jonathon Says:
I’ve been seeing this November post-a-day thing everywhere. SO MANY places, in fact, that I think I may have no choice but to take part.
Besides, like you said, WAY easier then writing a novel!
October 24th, 2006 at 10:22 am, Velma Says:
I’m doing it too, although I may be screwed because we lost our camera at a drunken party over the weekend. How in the world will I post every day without resorting to photo essays? Aaargh!
October 24th, 2006 at 11:21 am, Erin Says:
You have convinced me. I will do it, too!
Also, when you said you had a ginormous writer’s block made me think of my husband. He has a habit of being a pain in the butt (a ginormous one, actually). When I tell him that he is a ginormous pain in the butt, he says “Cool! I’m ginormous!”. And, as pains in the butts go, he is.
October 24th, 2006 at 11:26 am, Melissa Says:
I will be tuning in specifically for the profane punctuation. Especially on Saturdays.
The 30 day novel thing terrifies me, especially as I have no novel-ish ambitions, but my husband did it a couple of years ago (all the way through! To 50,000 words! Which is not really a whole novel!) and had great fun. I’ll stick with the blog.
October 24th, 2006 at 11:28 am, Kristen Says:
So this was a fussy thing, huh? I’ve been seeing references to it but didn’t know where it came from. These days, I’m lucky if I post twice a week…I don’t know if I can pull a daily post out of myself. Maybe I need to stop placing such a high priority on sleep, though. Yeah, that’s probably it.
October 24th, 2006 at 11:31 am, Jeana Says:
I LOVE your exclamation points. Especially! In the middle! Of sentences!
And also, who needs another novel when you can see pictures of someone’s shoes?
Bring it on.
October 24th, 2006 at 12:44 pm, MJ Says:
Shouldn’t this be done in February so you’d only have to post for 28 days?
Let me know if you need me to email you my grocery list. I’d be happy to help out.
October 24th, 2006 at 1:17 pm, Candace Says:
More shoes = good.
I’m doing it, too, though I haven’t announced it. And I’m having that surgery in November! So I’ll have to have posts ready for Pete to publish for me! So, no pressure!
October 24th, 2006 at 2:42 pm, Mrs. Chicken Says:
Awesome! I’m in too! How fun.
October 24th, 2006 at 2:49 pm, adria Says:
It sounds like a fun challenge - I think I might join in the November fun too. I really want to post daily, but sometimes the words cannot reach the fingertips.
Cant’ wait!!
October 24th, 2006 at 3:07 pm, Laura Says:
I am doing NaNoWriMo and have already set aside several days for 1600 copies of “How Now Brown Cow.”
So as not to tax myself.
October 24th, 2006 at 6:23 pm, Anonymous Says:
Sounds like fun. not sure I can do it, but hey the peer preassure is on and “everyone is doing it” so I have to too.
I look forward to hearing those pantry list and seeing your shoes…
October 24th, 2006 at 9:13 pm, chris Says:
I will be tuning in daily for! the photos! of SHOES!
October 24th, 2006 at 11:16 pm, scribbit Says:
You may not be posting about your pantry, but when you write about your closet we’re always listening.
October 24th, 2006 at 11:52 pm, Andie D. Says:
I signed up too. What the hell was I thinking? I’m lucky to get a post in a WEEK these days.
Give me all the profanity you can muster - I’ll be right there with you.
October 25th, 2006 at 6:35 am, WriterGrrl Says:
Personally, I think that once you have kids, people should give you credit for GETTING UP 30 days in a row.
October 25th, 2006 at 8:37 am, Lauren Says:
Since the whole purpose of my blog was to make myself write more, I should try this everyday thing too. It’s harder than I thought it would be–coming up with things to say that are important enough for other people to read. Your posts always make me laugh, and I’m sure your November challenge will be just as humorous!
October 25th, 2006 at 7:02 pm, julia Says:
Dood. Do what I’m doing. Start writing NOW and then post it up during November.
It sounds like my blogroll is going to busy in November.
October 25th, 2006 at 7:06 pm, The Daring One Says:
Nanowrimo kicked my butt last year too. I have about 20,000 words of some sort of hideous literary spewage hidden away on my computer as a result of last year’s attempt. Strangely I’ve decided not to do it this year. I’ll enjoy reading your daily posts, though.