an exercise in percussive maintenance
Category: Books & Literature
For the first time ever, I’ve started reading a new book on the day it’s released.
For all the nonsense 2020 has thrown at us, it’s not all bad. For one, it’s the year that we got not one, but TWO new Dresden Files novels from Jim Butcher.
Continue reading “Release day”Today I’m starting on Unseen Academicals. The last time I get to read a Discworld novel for the very first time.
(I’m glad it’s this one, though, as both Raising Steam and The Shepherd’s Crown (at least, everything after the first chapter) were complete disappointments.)
A few years ago I took an online creative writing course (you can tell, can’t you?). Naturally discussion often turned to books, and at one point someone, on hearing about my love of fantasy, exclaimed, “But then you must have read Stephen Donaldson!”
There was an awkward silence, broken only by the chirping of crickets. (Well, not really. This conversation happened in an online chat forum, and I only saw the message likely hours after it had been posted, but isn’t it just awkward if someone assumes, nay, insists that you’re familiar with something…and you aren’t?)
Never heard of him, was my reply. Oh, the other person came back. You should. You’ll enjoy him.
See? I told you. Awkward.
Yes, in a total break with tradition on if all else fails… I’m actually writing my New Year’s post on New Year’s day. I said things were going to be different this year.
And to shake things up even further, I’ve decided to make a New Year’s Resolution. Not an intention, but an actual Resolution, with a capital ‘R’.
Until yesterday, my answer for this year was no. There have been some pretty big stuff going on in my life (that I will tell you about soon) and I just felt that doing NaNo on top of it would be pushing things a bit too far. Besides, I have only the vaguest idea of a plot, and October was so hectic there simply wasn’t time to work on an outline.
Then, somewhere between yesterday and today I decided, what the heck. What do I have to lose? Except my sanity and my sense of pride?
Nothing.
But if I win I’ll be that much closer to having a finished novel (again). I’ll have a 50% discount voucher for Scrivener. I’ll have the admiration of my friends and family. Strangers will stop me in the streets and ask for my autograph. Fans will camp out in front of my house in the hopes of glimpsing me as I pass by the window. Celebrities will tell their friends that they know me, even though we’ve never met. I’ll ascend to Mount Olympus and feast in the halls of Valhalla. I’ll…
I’ll stop now.
. . .
So, with only an hour to go before NaNo starts in my time zone, I declare that I’m going to write 50 000 words this November, or die trying (or at least severely embarrass myself in the process). I have no plot, my world-building is half done, some of my characters don’t even have names yet, but I’m going for it.
Because you only live once.
Because sitting on fences is bad for your health.
Because writing is fun, and hard work, and awesome.
And because if you never write that novel, it will never get written, and the world needs more books.
if all else fails...use a hammer 