Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Write, Write, Write That Book
I'm off to Calgary tomorrow for World Fantasy Convention, this trip in the midst of all sorts of angst about whether or not I should still be writing. Things are not going terribly well, although this weekend's trip will include the launch of Tesseracts 12, which opens with my story "Ancients of the Earth" (and which is reviewed for the first time here, partway down).
I intend to work the crowd as best as possible, talk with editors and agents, but I fear that this won't take me too far, largely because Calgary will not be attracting as many pros as WFCs run in American cities, especially in places close to major publishing centres (last year was in Saratoga, NY). In the meantime, Napier's Bones, my long-completed and once-almost-bought novel, still sits in limbo, ignored or held off by a large number, sadly rejected by a couple of others.
Couple all of that with a busy personal and work life in my new home and frustrated starts at various writing projects and I wonder sometimes if it isn't time to just pass on the whole affair. Sure, maybe a short story will come up every once in awhile, but perhaps I should just let it all go, maybe start again once I retire or, barring that, never.
But something is on the horizon that I've never tried before, something that might be worth giving a go before I make any permanent decision. November 1, this Saturday, is the start of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. I have to write over 1600 words per day, beginning with two days where I'm on the road. And dammit, I'm going to do my best.
All I have to do is figure out which project is the one. But starting this weekend (perhaps not until Sunday night, depending on whether or not I have internet access), I'll post updates here every day.
I intend to work the crowd as best as possible, talk with editors and agents, but I fear that this won't take me too far, largely because Calgary will not be attracting as many pros as WFCs run in American cities, especially in places close to major publishing centres (last year was in Saratoga, NY). In the meantime, Napier's Bones, my long-completed and once-almost-bought novel, still sits in limbo, ignored or held off by a large number, sadly rejected by a couple of others.
Couple all of that with a busy personal and work life in my new home and frustrated starts at various writing projects and I wonder sometimes if it isn't time to just pass on the whole affair. Sure, maybe a short story will come up every once in awhile, but perhaps I should just let it all go, maybe start again once I retire or, barring that, never.
But something is on the horizon that I've never tried before, something that might be worth giving a go before I make any permanent decision. November 1, this Saturday, is the start of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. I have to write over 1600 words per day, beginning with two days where I'm on the road. And dammit, I'm going to do my best.
All I have to do is figure out which project is the one. But starting this weekend (perhaps not until Sunday night, depending on whether or not I have internet access), I'll post updates here every day.
// posted by Derryl Murphy @ 11:33 AM 
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