As we approach the Ides of November, my luck begins to turn

Here begins the chronicle of my journey through the month of November 2008, the 10th Annual National Novel Writing Month, during which I will attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. I actually begin this blog on day 13 of my step closer to the brink of insanity. I have just surpassed 15,000 words and felt that now, at 11:45 p.m., it would be a good time to slack off and begin my blog rather than actually try to meet the goal set forth by the creators of www.NaNoWriMo.org and try to end tonight by celebrating having reached 20,000 words. Since I know that won't happen, tonight containing only 14 more minutes, I figured, what the heck. Why not join the rest of those so involved in making the most of the new millenium and throw my name into the hat of bloggers across the World Wide Web to see who finds me.

For those who are already confused by my rambling, please allow me to explain that NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, which takes place in November each year and challenges writers or anyone else who enjoys writing and someday hopes to write a novel to sit down and actually do it. Right now. Beginning on November 1, all of us who signed up made a vow (sort of) to write 50,000 words in 30 days. The creators of NaNoWriMo thought that 50,000 would be just about the shortest length a novel could be and still be considered a novel. It is meant to be an achievable goal, but still an admirable one. After all, if any of us can write a novel in only 30 days, what can we not accomplish?

This is where I find myself at this moment. At almost midnight on the morning of Nov. 14, I have reached 15,090 words. Those of you who can do math in your heads might have figured out that Nov. 15 marks the halfway mark, and that by the end of that day I ought to have reached 25,000 words. Right, not going to happen, considering I still have 10,000 to go within only 48 hours, I work full time, and I will be spending the majority of the weekend visiting with family, but I still have high hopes that I will catch up after Sunday and will hand over my 50,000 words, the result of 30 days of my life, on the evening of Nov. 30 and be able to shout to the world that I have completed the first rough draft of my very first novel.

Anyone reading along as I type, please wish me luck as I venture forth on my harrowing and sleep-deprived journey. My wish is that you will find inspiration in my cause and join me next year when I surely will not have learned from past mistakes and will sign up to do all of this again! Please visit www.nanowrimo.org for more information.