NaNoWriMo

Yes, I am taking another stab at everyone's favorite national novel writing month. Yes, I have attempted to participate before and failed miserably. Yes, it goes against my usual slow and steady writing pace, one that has served me well in the past. Now STOP AND LET ME EXPLAIN IMAGINARY OBJECTOR.

I do have some good reasons to attempt it. For ONCE I'm not smack in the middle of a novel. I'm in the middle of revising and editing a novel, but I'm not actively working on it. It's almost time for me to start a new project anyway.

And... I'm kind of slow. My turn around time for books has been getting worse when I need it to get better. Now, I don't believe in shutting down the internal editor, as some do. You need him or her just as much as you need the writer. Otherwise, honestly, you're probably just going to wind up with a steaming pile of poo come December 1. What you DON'T need is an internal critic, the terrible voice of doubt slowing you down and making you second guess yourself. I think it's important to find the happy medium between trusting your instincts without going overboard and throwing all caution to the wind. Speaking of wind, that was a windy way of saying I want to learn to write more, and faster, without sacrificing quality.

My new novel will be my first stab at sci-fi, a story tentatively titled "The Red Elevators". It's about three orphans who escape an oppressive planet to find a universe that reviles humanity (in many places we are property, with no actual rights as people). Distraught, they decide to set out on a search for Earth, the lost home of humanity. All goes awry, adventures ensue. It's a story I have had on the back burner for a couple of years. It might have stayed there, had a friend not told me I should right a story about a future where the idea of Earth had become a myth.

It's also a story I started once before. I have two chapters and a prologue written. Yes, I am cheating! Don't tell anyone. I'm not counting them towards my word goal, if it makes you feel better. What I have needs some revision, but it would be a waste to throw it out. In fact, some of this preliminary writing is posted on this blog, if you refer to the link "The Red Elevators" to your right in the sidebar.

I wish I had the energy to stay up till midnight and fire the first volley of the battle, but I must sleep. Tomorrow, it begins. Assuming anything coherent issues forth, you'll be the first to know. I might even post it here.