A Challenging Challenge
Inktober is a challenge for artists in October to produce one ink drawing per day, for 31 days. It is a fun activity for artists, and I enjoy following friends and other denizens of the world wide web as they push through creative stagnation and hand cramping to enjoy and improve their craft.
As it turns out, the very next month is National Novel Writing Month. For the month of November, writers, professional and amateur alike, are challenged to write a 50,000-word novel from scratch. For the math fans out there, that is approximately 1,700 words per day. According to the official website, 50,000 words is roughly the size of The Great Gatsby.
Let’s break this down. Currently, The Watcher in the Woods (novel) is 15,805 words. I, at one point, was cranking out chapters every other day or so. That was a lot for me. Two kids and a full-time job later, I am very dubious that is a doable challenge. I mean super dubious.
Sup-dubious?
50,000 words, what the %$@# am I thinking?
Well, I had an idea once, that slept in the back of my head. I kept it there, to incubate and grow. One day, when I had completed other works, I could wake it from its slumber and see what could come of it. But to start on it now would be premature. Additionally, the idea of cranking out a novel, with that many words, in this little time (currently the 3rd of November) seems impossible.
However…
What’s the worst that could happen? I don’t finish it and the space and time collapses into an infinitesimally small singularity, destroying everything we love and care for in a fraction of a fraction of a second?
Wait, that is actually pretty bad.
No, the worst that could happen is I don’t finish and I have a half or 2/3rd completed manuscript. I could put back to sleep for later, keep cranking it out until it is done, or just abandon it all together. This month could be a warm up for later works, good practice, and experience working with a “deadline.”
It’s a win/win.
I’ll update you all, in a couple weeks and talk more about how it is going, word count, and overall comments about the challenge. Wish me luck!
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some writing to do.