Nannu Nannu

NaNoWriMo? Sound like something from that ancient TV series, Mork and Mindy?

Well, now you’re showing your age, eh?

In fact, that gag will be lost on anyone under 50, which is hopefully some of you.

NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month.

I half heard about it last year, but never really got to look at it closely. I also was doing too much other stuff to partake. Same applies this year – except, that I am dropping some of that stuff for a short while – and going to give it a go. Wohoo!

Many people have reasons to partake in an International event such as this, about 75,000 to be precise. But mine is quite simple.

I seem to have got stuck, for the first time in my writing career, with one book going forward - and that one has itself got stuck on Chapter 5. Don’t get me wrong, I can continue it, but I don’t feel it flowing. And if I don’t enjoy writing it and making myself laugh, then I am pretty certain nobody will enjoy reading it. Yes, stalling it may be costly, as it is a sequel to the memoir I released recently, and it was due out by Xmas. A few hundred sales missed, maybe. But if I wasn’t happy with it, it is best not released, surely. Not for now anyway. I would like to think I, as a cross section of independent authors, don’t do it solely for the money. Thank God. We wouldn’t get too fat if we did.

So, to this NaNo thing?

Yesterday I spent a few hours kicking some ideas around my brain.

Write about what you know, they say. Sound advice, especially if you want to scribe a whole novel in a hurry.

Sheep, I thought. I know about them.

Nah. Dismissed. Too specialist. But then I got round to thinking of other subjects and each time my warped mind kept seeing them played out by sheep characters.

Mad? Yes, definitely.

A sheep detective story? Well, I have already done a Cow one of the those.

Then on went the TV and all the rubbish that is shown to the masses – who all watch it religiously. X-Factor, Strictly, brain-dead soaps and mindless documentaries. Just like sheep really.

So then it came to me in a flash. Most of the world are actually sheep, but in human form.

Then bingo, an idea was born.

Within an hour, a story arose, and then an early night.

By today, I am chaffing at the bit and starting to write snippets.

But there is 6 days to go before the November kick-off, during which time this stupid story will fester, evolve and mutate.

So far, here is what I have come up with: A political romantic comedy erotic thriller-drama – with some sheep in it.

Warped I know. But after 50,000 words in 30 days, it may either be crazy or genius. Or possibly both. Or, more likely, neither.

I have never wished 6 days to pass so quickly in my life. Can I cheat and start now?

Nah. You can fool a lot of people, but never yourself. Someone said that once. Wise old owl that he was.

If you fancy a crack at it too, don’t be shy, go to http://www.nanowrimo.org and take up the challenge.

See you on the finish line.

Oh, and just because you are taking part in the biggest synchronised writing stint in the world, that doesn’t make you a sheep…does it?