Motivation/Writing a Book

Starting on November 1, I’m writing a book. The book will most likely be the worst piece of literary failure ever written. But that’s not going to stop me. There’s an organization that created National Novel Writing Month, where wannabe authors write upwards of 1500 words per day for an entire month, totaling about a 175 page, or 50000 word book.

To me, this is going to be a learning experience. Hopefully, I will be able to teach myself how to really hunker down and get work done. Of course, it’s also going to help me write better. 175 pages from now, I hope to have a much better grasp of my narrative voice and storytelling ability.

One of the biggest issues I’ve had over the past few years has been motivation. I’ve never been able to motivate myself to do things, even if I knew they were worthwhile. From studying for finals, to learning how to cook, it’s been a tough job to get myself to do anything. Even updating this blog feels like a chore sometimes.

These days, few people ever take time out of their lives to do things strictly for themselves. This is going to be the first real attempt I’ve ever made to take on a large project solely for my own development as a person/author/narrator/nerd.

Even by the start of the novel, I’m not sure how the character will develop and grow. If you’ve ever felt a connection to a character in a movie or book, the feeling is similar except much more tangible to the author.

Wish me luck; day one is just around the corner. Donations of coffee will be appreciated.

Isolation

I’ve talked about self reflection before, but not how to do it. It’s a concept that used to be hard for me to grasp. So what, I go into the woods, sit around and think about stuff?

Hardly.

Like most things, before you can get anything of value out of it, you’ve got to practice. It’s your own blend of meditation and relaxation. There’s no way to write out a step-by-step process. You are the best person to use to find out how to let loose and take a look at yourself. Do something that you love to do, but do it alone.

At the very least, you will figure out if you really enjoy certain activities or just the social aspects of them.
Some people go to the gym, put on headphones and become consumed in their thoughts. Others sit down and do a crossword puzzle. Whatever it is that you are doing, make sure that you do it for yourself. Too often are people these days consumed by treating other people the right way and appealing to other people’s opinions. Take some time out of your day to leave room for yourself. Eventually you’ll figure out what works for you. If you aren’t afraid to go out and take risks socially, be sure to do the same for yourself.

Writing a Novel

Since the Rudius Media message board was taken down, the various sections have been reestablished in other foums. Through the reincarnation of the writing section, I discovered http://www.nanowrimo.org. Nano is short for National Novel Writing Month.

Joining the other people attempting to write a novel should give me the encouragement I need to write on a daily basis. I'm going to start writing my draft on the first of november, and write at least 1500 words per day. It's going to be no feat of literary brilliance, but hopefully I will learn a lot about my own writing style.

My Nano novel should help me develop my own writing style and I will try to keep this blog updated regularly. I haven't decided whether or not to publish it as I go, but I'll be updating how I feel I have developed along the way.

I encourage anyone who has even thought about recreational writing to take part in this with me. It's going to be one hell of a commitment, but joining a community like Nano might be just the encouragement you (and I) need.

Wish me luck.