I blinked, and suddenly we’re at the end of October. I’ve no idea how this happened. Wait, I do. I’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time at the school again. It seems even though I’ve been gone for almost two years now, I still know more about what goes on there than anyone else. At first it was gratifying to know I’m still needed, but it’s reaching the point where I’m starting to wish they’d learn to figure stuff for themselves. I suppose I could have left them detailed written instructions and made sure all the curriculum and policy documents were available and easily accessible from a central location in both printed and digital format…oh, wait…I did!
Every time I visit the school I’m just strengthened in my resolve to not go back to my old job. But I’ll do a proper rant about that later.
Because just now I need to focus on NaNoWriMo, which is a mere seven hours away in my time zone. I’m nowhere near done outlining for the new novel, but at least I already have a brief synopsis. Go give it a read, why don’t ya!
Actually, I want to apologise in advance for the posts about NaNoWriMo and writing that are due to come – apparently watching someone write is the most boring thing on Earth (courtesy of a member of my writer’s group on Facebook who’s NOT doing NaNoWriMo). But I enjoy this novelling madness, and I enjoy sharing my experience with you. So deal with it.
Today I want to introduce you to my writing team for this novel, but first, a salute to a fallen hero:
In spite of his name, Scaredy-cat was a brave little soul and helped me immensely during my first NaNo, but sadly he didn’t make it to this year’s. I’m not sure what happened, but I suspect my niece ate him – his disappearance coincided with their visit after Christmas last year and a few weeks later while straightening up my desk I came across his severed tail. Gruesome and tragic, but life goes on (for all except Scaredy-cat, of course).
Which brings up to the line-up for this year…
Plot-bunny is back (plot bunnies are the driving force of NaNo-novels everywhere, after all, except when they derail everything by taking you down some or other rabbit hole), and I’ve called up Asterix with his bottle of magic potion to take up the slot left open by Scaredy-cat’s departure.
But leading the charge for this year’s novel, with his NaNo-themed viking helmet and a sharp axe (I couldn’t find one with a hammer), is NaNoDuck! He squeaks. But his horns are made of children’s modelling clay, so I don’t take him in the tub with me 😉
Yeah, it’s silly, but silly is good from time to time. And whatever gets one writing, right?
If you’re doing NaNoWriMo, good luck. If not, sorry for forcing you to share in it.
On your marks, get set, NaNoWriGO!
if all else fails...use a hammer 
Aww NaNoDuck! His squeaks will rile you to action, make you wanna write.
I’m intrigued by your synopsis and curious to know what happens.
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I’m afraid writing an intriguing synopsis is easy. So far it’s proving rather difficult in the execution. But hey, I’m writing and that’s the important bit.
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That is important. Keep going.
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Good luck!! NaNo started 13 hours ago here, but I haven’t managed to start yet. I have pages and pages of notes, but haven’t typed the first official word. Want to be writing buddies? I’m registered as Aspiring Scribbler. 🙂
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I’ve found it’s best to just start writing, just to get into it. I waited for midnight and managed 820 words before sleep claimed me. That’s more than I managed by day 4 last time around 😀
I’ll go look for you now to add you.
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I’ve been typing madly all afternoon, and I’ve hit the 1667 daily average, but I want to write another couple of hundred before I go out tonight 🙂
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Great work! I still have the whole day before me, and feel strangely alert after the little sleep last night, so I reckon I can churn out another couple thousand today so I’m actually ahead this year.
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Indeed, great to see you back – and all the very best for NaNo. I have something myself this year to actually write but no time this month to do it – will be running my own personal NaNo style writing frenzy a bit later…
It’s kind of funny, thinking about it – I think this contest is scheduled for November because it’s northern hemisphere autumn and the world winds down a bit, whereas for those of south of the equator it’s spring frenzy.
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Yes, all these things do seem to be optimised for the Northern hemisphere – they get Easter in spring, Halloween in autumn, and white Christmases (considering also that the date for Christmas was chosen to coincide with the winter solstice – just makes no sense in the South, nor do the other holidays).
Over here we’re basking in an unseasonably warm spring with the temperature at one in the morning close to 30C, so I can’t even consume inordinate quantities of coffee to fuel the writing frenzy. I think I should look for a recipe for ice coffee…
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Welcome back. I’ve missed your posts lately!
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That’s kind of you to say 🙂 It’s good to take a break every now and then. Change is as good as a holiday, they say.
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