So, I can't believe I almost forgot again. The month of November, at least for the last few years, is known to nerdy parts of the blogosphere as "NaNoWriMo," or National Novel Writing Month. There is
a whole website devoted to the challenge of trying to write a 175 page (roughly 50,000-word) novel in that 30 day period. They focus more on quantity than quality to produce such volume in such a short time, but that practice can get a writer out of the vicious cycle of write a couple pages, then tweak and pick at them forever (or, as I have done, ignore them while percolating ideas in my head). I think I'm going to do something crazy here and try to complete it this month, not waiting for next year. I mean, if I have my way, I will have two children by this time next year, and one will be very small, noisy and demanding at this point, so I really had better get cracking before that if I want to have a real chance at it. Right? Is anyone going to do this with me? They even have sections for ideas if you don't have a plot! Seriously, check it out, especially if you've ever wanted to write a novel but just didn't have the motivation/self-confidence/etc. To keep myself accountable I will keep a running tally of my page count at the bottom of my blog each day so people can see my (hopefully not lack of) progress.
Also, if no one ventures to try the five-part poem that I did last week for Poetry Challenge, I will extend it by one week. I think it is too valuable an exercise to abandon, so please, someone, try it out. I promise it's fun!! Check my finished product out, as well, if you have a chance.
Word count: 2,301/50,000
Haiku News
We can all learn from
slum became a home.
I would like to know
just what
Hasan will say when
asked why he went nuts.
5 comments:
I would personally love the extension of the 5 part poem. I was reading about it yesterday and it sounds fun, I just haven't started yet. I'll try and get part one done today ;)
I've chosen to go with 5 days/5 haikus, assembled last week and dumped here. I call it....
The Bleakening
The unclouded sun
Gives off neither heat nor light
To my inward eye.
The dead-looking trees
Clutch with their naked fingers
At the frigid sky.
The blackbirds squabble
Over a greasy french fry
In the withered grass.
Icy car windows
Only emphasize the fact
That winter will come.
No resolution--
Autumn quenches my spirits
Routinely, every year.
______
I hate autumn. You can keep your crunchy leaves, and that whole "the frost is on the pumpkin" thing.
Yeah.
cicely
Thanks for the compliment over at my blog, and of course you may link the poem to yours. All best, H.
Cicely--although I disagree (I actually enjoy fall, maybe because my birthday and Thanksgiving are fun for me) with your hatred of fall, I appreciate your reasons and the striking images you bring forth in this set of haiku. 1,000 points for your honesty!
Hans--thanks!
Alicia--go for it! :)
Maybe I've just never gotten over a Southern California childhood and adolescence (it's 50 degrees out there! I'm freezing!), or maybe the words "Seasonal" and "Affective" are cutting lazy circles in the sky, but fall is not on my "to do" list. Halloween and Thanksgiving are temporary bright spots. By Christmas I'm more-or-less numb to it, which gets me through the winter, but as soon as the leaves start dropping, so does my mood.
And the nekkid trees are just ugly. They are actually improved by adding a dusting of snow, and when they're iced up, they can be stunning.
cicely
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