I don't know exactly how many times I've "won" (written 50,000 words in 30 days) NANOWRIMO - so I checked it out and OMG I started 8 times, but only completed 3 times. 3 times - that is somewhat embarrassing (because I really thought I'd written like 6 novels!), but oh well, it is what it is.
I am determined to finish my novel this time. I kind of have a story (I fleshed it out a little during a group write with my Cape Cod NANO group) during a zoom call. I got involved with this group that is 3000 miles away during my first adventure in NANO land in 2008.
This 'novel' is kind of writing itself, which is, to me, the most fun way for things to happen - letting ideas just pop in and then following them wherever they lead. Odd things happening that are unexplainable even to me (for now), and I just follow the thread.
There is something nice about having a quantity rather than quality goal. That is what Chris Baty, founder of NANOWRIMO suggests. That way I can keep moving and not let things like absolutely inexplicable and maybe even stupid plot points stop me. They could get resolved as I wind my way to 50,000 words. I'm only at 3,468 right now (that is, by the way, not just on-track, but I could even finish a day early if I keep up that pace!).
So seat of the pants writing is actually how I would like to live my life. Just following threads that feel right, and knowing that when and if necessary, I will figure "it" (whatever it is) out. Just follow my gut and listen to my inner nudgings and keep moving. Kind of like Maude in Harold and Maude. If you don't know Harold and Maude - check it out. It's only on DVD with Netflix, but it's included in Amazon Prime (I did your leg work for you - now go watch it unless you don't have either then you are on your own)!
So... the miracle in all of this is two fold. First, I've been writing early in the day which is amazing because, somehow, I wind up feeling like I have more time in the day!
Every day for the last 2 months I've been writing 750 words a day through the site 750words.com. I wouldn't usually do it till the end of the day, sometimes very late in the day. I wonder if I was thinking about it all day long, and so it weighed on me as something I would need to do, but having done it early, I have the rest of the day to do other things. I might need to start writing this blog earlier in the day as well, though I like to see what the day brings before I do this... I'll see... Anyway, early writing seems to make me feel like I have more time.
The other miracle is other creative endeavors that are opening to me. Before I start to write I do three things. I play piano for 15 minutes. I do a one song Nia dance party, and then, the pièce de résistance, I do a Zentangle for 15 minutes. So far, My day two Zentangle is either 1/2 to 2/3 complete. I have enough white space to do more tomorrow and maybe even enough for a 4th 15 minutes on day 4.
On October 23rd I started to talk about my journey with Zentangle and even shared my first two. I like my third one even more, and the one I'm doing on my own is really creating heart flutters! I think that this art form has my heart and is a wonderful form of self-expression for me.
So - piano. Haven't played for years. Never really learned to read music. I am LOVING just doing scales. I think by the end of the month I might even be able to at least sort of read music! And then the dancing. Well, it is really fun to move my body and I don't do it enough. I walk a lot, but walking is NOT dancing!
So those are my wonderful miracles - more time, and having fun being creative in different ways.
The reason I am doing the piano, Nia, and Zentangle is that I was given an assignment in Pam Grout's book Art & Soul Reloaded to "create some ritual to perform before you begin your projects."
So I decided it might be fun, before I got down to writing, to open up different creative centers which made me think I should play the piano downstairs that I get tuned twice a year but that is never touched outside of that! Thank you Pam - and being willing to create Zentangles on my own without a class - meditataive, creative, artistic - thank you Pam - and dancing - well that's really a thank you Emily Fletcher (founder of Ziva Meditation), but also a few friends who told me about Nia - which is fun and somehow freeing. All three are actually!
In an earlier assignment, Pam told us to start a blog. I'd started this one years ago, but her insistence got me to start up again and I am loving doing this! It is fun. It is a way for me to explore my thoughts and ideas and to share them with any poor soul who stumbles upon this!
I haven't been doing my Course in Miracles lessons lately, and I'm okay with that for now. I will wait until I am inspired to do them again before continuing because as I am learning - forcing myself only builds resistance and resisting is the best way to NOT accomplish!
I hope that at some point I am brave enough to talk a little about the novel I am writing. But for now, it's my own personal deep, dark secret. Plus at 3,468 words there really isn't much to talk about - which really isn't true, but since I have no idea where I'm going with it... I'll keep it under wraps for now!
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