Manic Monday

The Reading Nook Re-deux
Perhaps you don’t already know that we’re smack in the middle of NaNoWriMo.  Really?  Well, don’t feel bad; I’d forgotten about it too, until my bestie reminded me. 

NaNoWriMo = National Novel Writing Month = a bunch of people who consider themselves to be the next great American Novelist devote all of November to churning out an original novel in 30 days.  There’s a website devoted to it; you log on and track the hours you’ve spent writing and the number of pages you’ve written.  Theoretically, at the end of the month you’ll have an original manuscript (or at least your first draft) ready for publication.

Unfortunately, to my knowledge there isn’t a NaCoPubMo in December (National Contract for Publication Month).  Nonetheless, if one can actually accomplish this feat in 30 days, one could at the very least check off a bucket list item:

ü    Write novel.

True to my usual style, I approached NaNoWriMo thusly:

·         Forgot all about it (for first full week of NaNoWriMo – everyone loves an underdog, right?)

·         Once reminded (by bestie), made grandiose plans to devote myself entirely to finally writing Great American Novel…or something Hollywood would want the rights to

·         Announced plans to Officer, in case he had plans for dinner or clean laundry during the Month of November.  He smiled his special “my wife’s on a mission” smile and backed, rather diplomatically, out of the room being sure to make no sudden movements.

·         Opened laptop and stared at cursor for hours.  Checked pinterest obsessively (in case someone pinned a how-to-write-a-novel-in-20-days, of course!)

·         Revamped writing schedule in light of upcoming holidays.

·         Reworked plot synopsis.  Twice.

·         Succumbed to writer’s block

·         Determined my space (read: kitchen table) was the source of my literary woes.

·         Searched pintetrest for home office ideas and luxury cabins to which an author might escape in order to write NGAN* in 19 days.

·         Wrote a blog post (or three).

·         Painted nails

·         Read another writer’s draft pages.

·         Gave up

·         Searched pintetrest for motivational quotes and changed computer wallpaper

·         Reworked writing schedule, allowing for the fact that I’m two weeks behind everyone else

·         Talked Officer into replacing the reading nook (read: laundry collection site) with command/writing center

·         Went to IKEA.  Got lost.  Emerged two days later with (among other miscellaneous items): 4 table legs, wood with which to fashion a desk top, and a box smaller than my engagement ring’s which purported to hold the makings of a desk chair

·         Built desk (okay, the Officer built the desk, but I tightened the Dickens – literary humor – out of the legs to get it to stop wobbling) and chair.  I deserve a degree in engineering now.

·         Replaced reading nook with writer’s nook

·         Took pictures of said nook and wrote blog post about it

·         Reworked writing schedule.  Again

Hence, in honor of NaNoWriMo, here’s the new Writer’s Nook unveil

Before [as reading nook]

 

After [as writer’s nook]

 

So, dear reader, are you participating in NaNoWriMo or just No-Shave-Novemember?  Either way, enjoy your pre-Thanksgiving week!

 

  *NGAN = next great American novel