November! Many things afoot…

November is upon us. Two months left to go of 2012, and I’m feeling ambitious.

Or insane.

Or both.

It’s been a while since I seriously considered Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month). A friend/former colleague commented on Facebook when I posted something about it, and I realised that we’d been working together when I did it in 2008. That was an interesting month. I remember at some point giggling hysterically (and not in a good way) while my boyfriend at the time hugged me and patted me gently. Ok, that makes it sound like I was having a breakdown, and really, that wasn’t it. But it was that moment that the dawning realisation hit me that I wasn’t, writing like that, going to churn out a perfectly formed novel by the end of the month. That’s perfectionists for you, though.

I did, however, make it, and I still look on the writing of it that year as my first ‘proper’ Nanowrimo success. I did it back in 2006 with the very first beginnings of the Dragon Novel (which looks so naive now compared to my plans for it these days), but I didn’t finish the story in those 50,000 words. I did with ‘Touch’ in 2008. It has become a trunk novel since, waiting for my attention to its plot and words (and the line I love to tell people as an example of the dreck Nano results in – ‘He picked up a handful of pens in his hand.’) I think one day I’ll return to it, and the world it is part of.

Funny though, the hook of the plot for ‘Touch’ is strikingly similar to ‘Stitched’, my WIP for Nanowrimo 2012. And I have to confess I’m slightly cheating a bit. I already have 35,000 words for it. That’s the first act and then some. So the plan for November is to get the novel done and to a draft of 85,000 words.

So far, I am on track (see my handy widget):

See also my participant page on the official site.

But Jacqui, that’s not *that* insane, you might say. You’ve done it before, and working full-time rather than part-time too. Shouldn’t this be a walk in the park?

Well, except for the fact that Nanowrimo never is, and also… I’m taking on two other things…

The first is is NaBloPoMo. This runs every month of the year, the idea being to post on your blog at least once a day (so is National Blog Posting Month). Being a rather inconsistent blogger, this seems like a great idea – and coupling it with Nanowrimo I think works. I can always post my word count if I can’t think of anything else that day.

The second is an initiative of Shanna Germain, NaNoLoMo (National Novel Loving Month). The idea is to write a short review of a book you love each day of the month, to share you love and appreciation of the written word. Despite the ‘novel’ in the title, it is not purely restricted to novels, which is a relief for me, and also gave me the idea for what I’ll do this month. I’m going to be reviewing some of the books that have had an impact on me, starting from early picture books until novels I read this year. I have complied a list of twenty books so far, and there will be more. The trick is, really, not be embarrassed by my loves. That desire to seem sophisticated, or at least of possessing good taste, is strong, but I think for this month I need to keep those voices at bay and remember that our loves are what they are, and embracing them will no doubt make me and others a helluva lot happier.

So… that’s my month ahead. Thus far, Wrimo words done, and this blog posts counts for the blogging. Now off to do a review…

I did tell you I’m insane, right?

Mirrored from jacquelinebrocker.esquinx.net.

Nanolomo: Mog in the Dark

Mog sat in the dark and thought dark thoughts.

It strikes me as interesting that one of my favourite books as when I wasn’t even 10 was published the year I was born (1983 – which additionally is when another favourite, So You Want To Be a Wizard, was also published – that’s coming later this month).

But that’s by the by.

Mog was a series of children’s books created by Judith Kerr. I had two when I was a child; Mog and the Baby and Mog in the Dark. The latter was always my favourite – I suspect to the chagrin of my mother, whose tastes has always run more to realism than my leanings towards the fantastical.

Basically, Mog is the family pet who has been left outside in the dark. Hence, Mog sits in the dark and things dark thoughts. Dark thoughts that involve giant mice and big birds with teeth, all out to get poor Mog who just wants to be inside with her people and her supper. As Mog’s imagination and sleepiness start to grow, we find ourselves in a world of Mousedogbird’s and Mog finding the ability to fly, until… she wakes up, and finally gets her supper.

It’s hard to know why exactly I loved this. I think it was partly in Mog flying, partly in her wild imagination that grew her prey into her own predators. I think also the way the words were placed on the page, how the words told the story. (It was intended for very young readers, and I think it has a vocab of only about 50 words.) The repetition and rythmn of it is something that has stayed with me, and on hearing it again recently, it brought back lovely warm feelings, not just of childhood comfort, but of an awakening imagination (which I’m now inflicting on all your poor sods. )

Hearing? Well, if you have a bit of time, a lovely lady has read the book on this YouTube video. Radiohead fans might be especially interested…

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And who else is writing for Nanolomo? Click to find out!

Mirrored from jacquelinebrocker.esquinx.net.