O M G It Is Nanowrimo

That time has arrived again. It’s November and National Novel Writing Month or Nanowrimo¹. I don’t know what to write, it’s 30 days of 50000 words, roughly 1500 words per day will get me to my end goal, but I’ve never managed it in the past. Could this be the year that it’s done, could it?

In previous years, efforts have centred around me writing a fiction novel, but perhaps that’s where I’ve gone wrong. Maybe I should just write something, each day, whether it be an extended journal entry, an article or a scene from some future masterpiece of heroic fiction. Who cares? OK, yes technically the purpose of the contest is to write a book in 30 days, not a perfect final draft but something that will give you the beginnings of your novel, however, if that hasn’t worked in the past, then perhaps a change of tactic this year will stand me in better stead.

The practice of writing every day is the most important thing. I want to be a writer, I need to impart my internal ruminations to the world because I think that I have something useful to say. God knows, at times I’m the most opinionated person I know. Giving people the benefit of my considerable knowledge and experience. Well sometimes that’s true, other times I’m merely speculating, but I love conversations. I love talking to people, and people mainly like talking to me.

How do you translate that into written form.

Visual conversations are being taken care of using my photography website and journal. I’ve had at least one for a considerably long time now, and I’m in the process of consolidating. I don’t want to be the ‘online’ split personality anymore. Consolidating my online personas into one space will help me deliver all that is me in one space. No longer having to split focus, I can ‘brand’ me and have everyone recognise or deal with me as I am in all my confusing difference.

I am a writer, photographer, web developer, digital consultant, solutions architect, project manager, wannabe semi-pro commercial photographer, sociologist, urban cultures ethnographer, journalist, debater, foodie, traveller, world citizen that hates that America voted for a man like Donald Trump to be their president.

Every day, well not every day but most days, it’s like ‘What has Trump done today’ The man is always offensive, the opportunist plunderer and self-indulgent billionaire. The cynic in me say’s he’s only out to enrich himself and his big money mates, Everything, literally EVERYTHING he’s done over the past 10 months has demonstrated this, and yet, people still support him. ENOUGH ALREADY!

I’m on my way to work, on the train, the steady rhythms of the wheels over the tracks is quite relaxing. My posture and writing position on my MacBook Pro is not correct though, I’m beginning to feel a slight strain on my inner arm just above my wrists. Both arms. I move the computer in about 6 inches to see if this will help me. Not sure it will make a difference but at least my arms are now resting on the table, as opposed to me unconsciously holding them up.

We’ve just arrived at the Elephant and Castle station. I’m about 10 mins from my stop. The journey is a pretty comfortable one as I’m able on this route to sit in the first class carriage, which has tables and plenty of room to stretch out. I don’t need to put my bag on the floor, as this carriage is not usually full. Even if it is, there are overhead shelves in here, unlike in the other wagons where the chair in front of you is 4 inches from your face.

I’m a third of the way through my word count for today. Not much but it’s a constant stream (ish), I’ve only stopped a couple of times, a pause for thought. A break to search for inspiration as if at a crossroad looking in all directions to see which would be the most promising route.

I’ve often asked the question “if standing in the middle of a stream, do you wade towards a destination to find what you’re looking for, or do you stand there to see what comes past you in the current.” I’ve always purported to be that person that stands in the middle of the stream, waiting to see what comes past.

There’s another way to phrase that though. Rather than standing in the stream. Imagine being in a boat, and the flow is now a river with a gentle current. Do you paddle to your destination with purpose, or do you let the current take you and give yourself time to see what’s on the riverbanks along the way?

So it is with inspiration. I look for it wherever I am at the time. Sometimes it hits you though, and as long as you have pen and paper, or a charged laptop or even phone, you can jot down notes which later can be used as part of your research.

Well, haven’t yet attained the 1500 word count for today but there is time.