I was not sure, but NanoWriMo is a good thing. Once again, I have found that the things that scare me are the things from which I learn. Things. Such an all-encompassing word, one most of us cannot do without. My things, your things, whatever you wish to put in that mammoth open bag, or box. Imagine what you will. That is why we write, isn’t it.
I am writing better. Each day. Pushing for those 1,677 words. I knew it was true. I declared so earlier on this blog, and I have proved myself correct, at least for me. It gets easier, too. After the sixth day I noticed a difference. Write every day.
I was writing before, sporadically. Trying to “get out” short stories for those magazines and epublishers. “They” said, those who supposedly know, that a writer should include a list of all previously-published stories when submitting a query along with all the other information that agents and/or editors generally require with a sample of your novel. They want to see that you are successful, that you have previously been published. So I am trying. Only I am not a short story writer.
Some are. So many wonderful short stories out there, anthologies and all that. All those literary magazines. All those popular erotica sites on the web from which you can buy something to turn you on from one to five dollars. How do I know about those? No comment.
I love novels. I love to get deep into a character and watch him or her grow. I love to go somewhere else and live there for days or weeks. I love to learn about other times, other places. I practically never read short stories, never buy an anthology, even at the used book store. I appreciate a well-written short story. A few have amazed me; others have made me chuckle. Only they are not my “thing.”
I am so much happier writing my NanoNovel. I live it. I think about the characters. My writing is more fun and it is improving.
It remains to be seen whether a publisher will take a novel on its own merits. Maybe this is another place where ebooks offer more possilities for us all, particularly yet unpublished writers.