Tuesday, October 29, 2013

NaNoWriMo Survival Kit Preparation + Local NaNoWriMo Kickoff Party

Okay, maybe survival kit is a bit of a stretch for what I've made. But I do really want to win NaNoWriMo this year. The depressing tone of my first post really made me think of how much I need to try this right now. Even if those 50,000 words turn out to be utter trash, I can at least have the pride of knowing that I tried.

Anyway! On to my survival list! 

  • Inspirational notebook: I've already used the notebook for outlining my novel during my lunch breaks at work. I'll also be needing it during the month of November for jotting down random notes when I just don't have time to type. 
  • AlphaSmart 3000: I just got this new baby in the mail today. I've wanted one for sooooo long, and I'm glad to have one for my novel writing experience. A portable keyboard with a no distractions interface for writing? Sign me up!
  • 3 boxes of Annie's Bunny Graham Friends: I need a delicious snack that at least has the pretense of being a bit healthier for me. 
  • A fresh store of Earl Grey tea: I also have some pumpkin spice coffee on hand. Caffeine is going to be need to power a number of critical junctions in this journey. 
Also, I attended my local municipality's Kick-Off Party. I got to meet some local Wrimo's along with getting some much needed social interaction with new people. We played a couple of party games with our novels then got a chance to just chat with each other.  Hopefully, I'll be able to attend the group's first official write-in for the season this coming Sunday. ^_^

Sunday, October 27, 2013

So I'm Embarking On An Adventure Again

If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest away from home I've ever been. 
~Samwise Gamgee, Lord of the Rings

A writer is a person who writes, correct? I don't write very often anymore, so I'm not quite sure if I warrant the title at the moment. I used to write. I used to submit myself to the altar of editors, hoping and praying to have my poetry published. Sometimes, it was published. I felt glorious shining moments upon seeing my words online at various sites and even rarely in print. But more often, I felt worn down. I burned myself out in late high school with a desperate drive to write, not just for writing's sake, but to give myself the high of being published, the high of feeling like an acceptable person propelled up by this outside self esteem boost. 

And so I burnt out. I left my high school years and stopped writing. Poetry didn't flow from my fingers, and the words would not touch my mind. Throughout my years in college, I was an editor for the honors program literary magazine at my university, and I took two different creative writing courses. But the ideas still would not fly. And that is why I am here writing at this moment. I wish to reclaim that part of myself that lies weakened. I want to water the creativity that I've let dry up over the course of time. I want to finally stop running from the fact that being a writer seems to unprofitable and impossible and just write. I just want to write and be a writer and enjoy being a writer. Maybe I'd like to attempt publication again one day. But for now, I just want the words to come. I just want this thirst to go away.