2nd Time Around

So I’ve decided to write another novel in a month, this time taking the plunge with the rest of the crowd in November. This decision is inspired in part by my own recent entry. I mentioned that I wanted to write two novels a year. Just wanted the J.D. Robb side of Nora Robert’s amazing speed novel writing skill. I said it in the sort of off handed tone which we attribute to dreams that just a tad out of reach. Like the stars. 

But then I asked myself, why not? What was really stopping me? I mean, with the novel in a month process, I could theoretically write two more novels before Jan 1, 2007. One more novel is not only possible, but with a committed decision on my part, inevitable.

I remember excitedly explaining to my coworker, "It’s like, with this novel in a month process, I can totally achieve my goals in production. I mean, it’s so amazing. All you have to do is write the novel, in like, one month. It’s magic."

I realized I was talking like one of those "How to Draw" books, you know, the ones that start out with, "Draw a Circle. Now put another circle underneath it. Okay, now draw Spiderman." But for me, the novel in a month thing actually works. The trick is accepting suckage. A novel written in one month is going to have a huge degree of suckage. Once you can accept that, put aside the self doubt, then you can commit all of that energy you were spending battling sucky prose and put it towards writing great quantities of sucky prose.

Some people have definitely looked at me surprised that I’m doing this again. Afterall, I still haven’t even revised the last novel yet. But for me, I think a part of my desire to repeat Novel in a Month is to regain that feeling of confidence in my writing ability. Even though I kicked that self doubt aside brutally when I wrote the last novel, once again, I feel it crawling back into my life. Tiny doubts make me question my instincts, and edit before the creative rush is complete. I know how harmful this is in the long run. If the cure is blast out another novel, then so be it, I’ll blast away.

Nuff said.