Plans for this diary (2009 Edition)

I have a lot of plans for this diary and I thought it would be good to write an entry about it to basically set goals to what I intend to do and accomplish this year through this diary. These are not the only things I plan to do this year, but these are the events I plan to do that will require the use of this diary in order to accomplish. With that I want to let you guys know and myself by setting these goals online that I am basically declaring that I have every intention of setting forth with these plans and intend to finish each one within the time that is going to be allotted for them. Without further delay, here are the major plans I have envisioned for the diary for 2009:

1) Script Frenzy

Next month (April) is the event where writers will attempt to write a 100 page motion picture screenplay in 30 days. They will have from April 1st until the end of the month to complete this task, and the only reward they will have for finishing on time is the satisfaction of a job well done, and obvious bragging rights (not to mention a cool banner to post online). I considered participating last year, but passed for reasons I’m not ready to get into right now. This year I am determined to get involved and complete the task on time. One factor that made this decision a slam dunk for me was a rule change the site made this year. Unlike the previous years, Script Frenzy has lifted a ban and is now allowing people to submit scripts of adapted works. This means you can take a favorite work of fiction and adapt it into a script and that will count. Hey, people win Oscars for adapting novels so I’m not sure why it never counted before. We I started to browse through my collection of books and look for something to inspire me to transform into script form, only one book stuck out for me. It was one that I first read over twenty years ago and has been a favorite of mine for a very long time. The novel is a satire that people of all ages can enjoy, and as far as I know it has never been adapted to script which is a travesty because it’s an amazing piece of work. With a book that I am very passionate about in my corner, I would be surprised if this script isn’t finished in 15 days, let alone 30. But that’s how I am going to attack this project.

I plan to use this diary to mark my progress as the month goes by and give updates two or three times a week, and even post some samples of the script online for the reading pleasure of my favorites. My favs will also be the only people who are aware of what book I am also going to adapt. I’m very excited about this project and will spend a good chunk of March doing research and getting ready to start writing. I won’t cheat. Not a single page will be written until the first of April, but when that day comes I will be ready to hit the ground running and you’ll see a lot of progress made in the first few days. Like the novel projects in November, the first few days a critical and a good start makes or breaks how the whole month goes. But that’s the first big project I plan to take part in online this year. 100 pages in 30 days, no sweat…

2) Blogathon 2009

This July will mark my fourth Blogathon. Incase you guys are not aware of what that is, a blogathon is a marathon for the mind. A blogger takes pledges for charity the month before the event begins and then spends 24 straight hours writing online to earn that money to donate it to a good cause. In order to win the pledges, the blogger must write one entry in their forum every 30 minutes over an entire 24 hour period. No writing in advance either, all original entries. It is an exhausting event. I should know because I’ve successfully completed it three times. Through those three prior events that took place in July of 2005, 2006 and 2007 were brutal but worth it as they all collected over one thousand dollars for great charities. Last year, the website that hosts the event took last year off. I decided to follow their lead and take 2008 off as well… but this year I’m coming back to the event and plan to raise a record amount for another great charity. This time out I asked Leah what charity I should write for this year. It’s funny that the three previous times I never asked her for any input on what charity I should write for so this time I went out of my way to ask her. I was going to give her some time to think about it but she didn’t need any and immediately spit out her answer. It was an interesting charity, one I will reveal at a later time.

Like every year, I believe the event will take place in late July. And like previous years, I will be using this diary to post all 48 entries. There isn’t any other site where I would want to post these entries as OD is the best place around to host an event like this. The support I get here and the notes are awesome as always, and I will use this site and whatever connections I have to raise as much money for charity as I can. When it’s all said and done I will be exhausted, tired and aching all over but it will be worth the effort. There are always challenges and things to work around, but in the end I will work over the entire 24 hours. Hopefully some of you will hang around to support and leave notes. Maybe some of you will participate and support a charity of your own. It’s always fun to write and leave notes together. The more the merrier!

3) National Novel Writing Month

The last big event I plan to use this diary for this year is National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo for short. It’s only been three months since the last November ended but I am already making plans to participate again this year. This event is very much like Script Frenzy, but instead of a script you are writing a novel. The goal is to write 50,000 word novel in 30 days. It’s a daunting task, but I have completed the task three straight years in a row. I plan to extend that streak to four years in 2009. I don’t have any novel ideas just yet, and usually I don’t start brainstorming until after the Blogathon is finished. Even though you are not allowed to write anything prior to November 1st, that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with plot points or character sketches and map things out. I plan to have a decent blueprint in place before the event begins because not having a plan and just writing blind going into November is the worst thing you can do. Sure, it’s possible to just wing it but what you’re left with at the end of the month is just crap that you’ll not be able to use for anything afterwards. I take each novel very seriously and plan to revised and then eventually submit each one when ever they come to their eventually completion. The one thing I love about NaNoWriMo is that the deadline of the 30 days really helps me focus and get my arse in gear. I write more in November than I do in the rest of the year, and I think it’s the presence of a deadline that helps pump out the material. Just like the previous three Nanos I have written, I will be using a progress meter here on the diary to update people as the month progresses, and even post a few samples for the reading pleasure of my favorites (or friends now I guess). I am determined to may my word count for the forth straight year, so I hope some of you will be there to leave feedback and support as I progress to that deadline and goal.

Like I said above, these are not the only things I plan to do this year, they are just the events that I will use this diary for greatly while participating in that process. These three events will be cataloged and marked often as possible and chapters will be created for each one as always for people to look back at for years to come. I am participating in these three events for numerous reasons, but also because it something that I want to do and think will keep me out of trouble and do something good and constructive with my spare time. I think these events are a lot more productive than watching movies or playing video games, and when it’s all said and done… I’ll have something tangible and I can be proud of accomplished, and that alone makes all three of these things well worth the effort.

So those are my plans for this diary for 2009, besides the usual personal entries and political rants. It’s good to set goals and for this diary those are my goals for this coming year. I’ve still got plans and things I want to do in the real world and I’ll still do those, but for this diary and this forum… that’s the plan. I hope everyone is having a great weekend and I might be back later today with another entry. Until then, take care.

Peter