Friday, October 28, 2011

Oh, Dear! What Do I Think I'm Doing?

Perhaps you didn't know it, but November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). There's even an organization. With a website! Participation in NaNoWriMo involves an insane goal of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.  I know all about it having failed spectacularly at it one time. My daughter, on the other hand, does a wonderful job of novel writing each November and is currently nagging encouraging others to participate with her. She has not, however, asked me even one time if I'm going to participate this year. She knows better.

Sign up yourself! It's fun; trust me!


So, while I am not participating myself, for the third year in a row I am forcing facilitating participation from my 8th grade Honors Language Arts class. NaNoWriMo has a Youth Writing Program geared to kids. It comes complete with lesson plans for the teacher, handouts for the students, and buttons. BUTTONS! They get to have buttons identifying them as novelists! So in addition to teaching grammar and vocabulary and persuasive writing/speaking, I am throwing in novel writing. I have 37 students and 12 computers. We will have to break into 3 rotating swarms groups of adolescent chaos. It's endless fun.

Sign your kids up! Keep 'em out of your hair occupied for a month.


But none of that is what I came here to tell you about. Here's the ridiculous thing I have done.

Why do I get myself into these things?
See? In addition to being National Novel Writing Month, November is also National Blog Posting Month. Who knew? The idea is that participants should submit a blog post EVERY DAY  in the month of November. 30 blog posts in 30 days! One a day!  What am I thinking? Perhaps you haven't noticed, but I've barely been posting once a week!

But it's too late. I signed up. My name is on a list somewhere deep in the bowels of BlogHer. I'm committed. Okay, let's all say it together: I SHOULD be committed! This is nuts!

On the upside, as I understand it, there will be writing prompts each day, so I'm not going to be left with only my own creativity to get me through this. And after a hard day of directing traffic in my classroom, I can clear my mind by focusing on the writing prompt. I hope.

So, there it is. I'm stuck, and I refuse to fail as I did with NaNoWriMo (it was a great story with magic and romance and ....words and everything!) Check back here every day starting Monday and see how I'm doing. Leave some words of encouragement.

OH!!! Stupid me! I should have saved this post for Monday! Then I'd be guaranteed at least one post in NaBloPoMo!  Sigh.

4 comments:

  1. Yay! I had no idea such a thing existed. Maybe I should do them both....Hahahaha. just kidding. Well, good. I knew better than to make you do Nanowrimo again. At least this way I'll still have something to nag you about.

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  2. You'll do great! Remember to tell yourself posts can be as long or short as you want them to - that helps me get motivated. Good luck!

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  3. Thanks, Diana. That's what I'm counting on.

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  4. Hi! It is Hannah From 6-7th period current 8th grade class. I know this post isn't recent, but it sure did remind me of my NaNoWriMo account I made last year, that I accidentally forgot about. I just logged on, but found out I have to wait for this November to create a new story goal. Anyways, I'm enjoying your blog, and can't wait to see you tomorrow, Good Night.

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