The NaNoWriMo Challenge!

Well, I've done it--I've accepted the NaNoWriMo challenge.  As I wrote in my earlier post, NaNoWriMo is the abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month, an international program to write a novel in a month.  In my post, I wrote specifically about the Young Writers Program because my son had decided to participate in that.   However, they also have an adult program, which my son has been....let's say, strongly encouraging....me to do along with him.  While the students can set an age-appropriate goal--my son is aiming for a minimum of 10,000 words--in the adult program, you must write at least 50,000 words to become a NaNoWriMo "winner."  And all that writing must take place in the only-30-days month of November.

It's a big challenge to take on, especially on top of everything else I'm already committed to do in November.  On the other hand, NaNoWriMo is something I've been planning to do sometime "when the time is write."  But when will that ever happen?  When do I think I'll have a November that is less busy than all my previous Novembers have been?

So with my son's encouragement, along with a couple of my adult friends who have also decided to participate this year, I decided that this year was when "the time is right."  If I'm going to do it, I would much rather do it while my son is also writing a novel, and I'm much happier with some adult companionship as well.

However, this does mean I have to cut back on some things, and this blog may be one of them.  I'll still try posting, at least periodically, but they will probably be posts that mostly refer to other resources that are appropriate to this age rather than a lot of original writing.  I hope you all will understand.  I'll be back to my more normal posting style by December.

I think they will be developing a widget I can put on my blog to keep everyone updated about how my writing is going (quantity-wise, at least).  If so, I'll add it to my side column so you can see how I am doing, for better or for worse.  The first day has been good, at least.  They have figured out that you have to write a minimum of 1,667 words EVERY day for all 30 days of November, and so far today I've written 2,446.  Personally, I'm aiming for 2,500 words per day, because that is how much you must write if you only write 20 out of 30 days, and I'm sure there will be some days where I'm too busy to write.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the novel.  And I've been stockpiling some good resources to share with you this month, so I'm not abandoning you completely.  For example, tomorrow I plan to post a great educational way to help your middle schoolers understand the concept that we reached an estimated 7 billion in world population this week.