Can NaNoWriMo steer us from Facebook, towards the next great American novel? — Guest post by Shirley

Editor’s Note: My co-worker Shirley is great because she pays me public compliments & feigns genuine interest when I whine in her office doorway. This week, we together decided to attempt the 10th annual National Novel Writing Month challenge, and pen 50,000 words in November! Daunting, but the solidarity should help. Sign-ups start TODAY at nanowrimo.org. Join us, and read Shirley’s reasons for participating below.


I’m a writer. Well, I aspire to be one. On days I do write, I consider it an accomplishment to fill a full page with prose. Once, I cheated by drawing a diagram which ate up half a page. A diagram! I cheated to take up more space in my notebook, like somebody was going to grade my progress. What will I do next? Trace my hand to draw a turkey? Probably. I have no shame.

This would be OK if I at least wrote on a daily basis. If I did that, it would have to get easier for me to actually write instead of simply brainstorming wacky schemes to avoid writing, right? Yahoo’s picks for best and worst dressed of the 2008 Emmy’s? Squeal. The truth about Tobias Vincent “Tobey” Maguire on Wikipedia? Ooh, makes my spidey senses tingle. And Facebook— oh man, don’t get me started on Facebook. I get the shakes when it’s been a few hours without checking friends’ status updates or whether anyone pet my (fluff)friend.

Other people have willpower— this I know. I’ve seen the way Sarah writes and revises everyday (I am simultaneously making a point & sucking up for future guest blog ops). I’ve seen it in the way friends train for marathons. Hell, I’ve seen it in the way my boyfriend flosses every single night. Like, every night. Blows my mind.

Right now, I don’t have that kind of stamina. I’m more of a sprinter than a marathon runner— short spurts of energy followed by desperate gasping and concerned looks from strangers. But I’m hoping to change that come November when I attempt NaNoWriMo, the annual challenge to write a novel of at least 50,000 words in 30 days. Insane, but perhaps exactly the intense blood, sweat & tears experience I need to push me into the serious business of writing. And I mean, for real, not this blogging shit.

Just kidding! (Don’t tell Sarah.)


Previously on SARAHSPY:
— Top 10 books I read this year so far, in the order that I liked them
— Response to Omnivoracious’s book-beer pairings — Guest blog by Ciara
— Armageddon in Retrospect releases on the anniversary of Kurt Vonnegut’s death
— The Girl’s Guide to Kicking Your Career into Gear
— If you can read this, make me a sandwich