Yes, dear readers, it is that time of year again. National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) is only six days away.
This year's idea came to me backstage during the one and only theatre production I did this year. I was literally in the wings waiting for my cue when suddenly the main character's name, the world, the setting, and the plotline all popped into my head fully formed. I've been doing this long enough to know this was it. I went onstage, did my scene, and then came backstage and wrote down as much as I could in my journal before my next entrance.
And then, like I usually do, I ignored it for the next four months. (Otherwise I'll write it and have nothing for NaNoWriMo.)
I am really excited about this one. I knew before I even got this idea that I wanted to do a science fiction story, but I could never have manufactured this one by brainstorming. Sometimes brainstorming works, but more often I find my best ideas are just 'given' to me and all I have to do is write them down. Those are the moments that make all the mockery and ridicule for pursuing this craft worth it.
This idea took my recently-developed love of modern-day parables and mixed it perfectly with the outer space setting I wanted -- so perfectly that this book literally could not work set anywhere else. The whole plot hinges on this setting. And it fits right in with all my rants about Evangelicals. I have not been this excited for NaNoWriMo in literally almost a decade.
It all starts next Tuesday.
If you want to write your own, check out nanowrimo.org for details and to sign up. It's 50,000 words in 30 days (or 1,667 words per day), and not one word needs to be 'handed in' or 'graded.' Nobody will see it unless you want them to. This is purely writing for the sake of writing. No pressure (other than the 30-day deadline).
