I quit!

That's your choice, of course, but just by thinking of the folks who regularly come to write-ins, if you added our ages together to get yours, you'd have to be something like 200 at least. I'm forty, and I'm definitely not the oldest of the write-in crew.

O.K. anElusive,

I'll accept that challenge...

My age and any one other participant of our region would most likely put the total at 70 years old or more...

I don't believe that you are quite there just yet? Although you have never shared that information with me, personally I mean? Of course, I could be wrong... I can always be wrong, that's just a fact of life, but I don't think you are over 69! {{{{{{smirk, yuck, snicker, weg }}}}}} };-}

I don't know whether you are being serious in making this comment or if you are just being facetious? However, I do understand that there can be many reasons for one not to participate in this year's challenge. If you are sincere in your withdrawal, then I wish you the best and hope to see you at future events. Otherwise I offer you this challenge: If a busted up old geezer like me can give it a go, so can you!

Write On!!!

~~ T.S. Othydon ~~

Aww, please don't quit. Just because I'm young doesn't mean I'm not friendly!! :-(

No! Don't quit!

Even though I'm young, people mistake me for far older than I am. And, you know, some of the best authors weren't exactly spring chickens. Tolkien, Lewis, Chesterton...there are many more.

OK, OK.......ya got me! It was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, and it was supposed to be a response to what someone else wrote - not a thread itself! I goofed up when I posted it, then didn't see a way to delete it. I'm 64 years YOUNG, wrote 1,960 (a very good year, btw!) words last night, and I'm going to cross that finish line if I have to get over it in an Amigo from WalMart!

I really appreciate all the encouragement you've given me, and I hope you'll all forgive my facetiousness. As I read through the roll call, I was struck by how many young people are participating, and I was feeling pretty old.

I'm biting off a lot this year - want to write my serious novel this time - the one that means everything to me. I've attempted to start it during other NaNo's, but have never been able to write more than a page or two. Last year's win with my kids' novel has taught me it's all right to write poorly the first time around and that I can actually finish something. Both lessons I tried to impart to my writing students (middle and high school) for 25 years, but could never quite learn myself. NaNoWriMo - and all of you! - have taught me to be a real writer, not a "constipated" one who could never get words out unless they were perfectly written.

So thank you - all of you AND NaNoWriMo. And WRITE ON, EVERYONE!

(See? You were right, T. I'm not over 69!)

I'm very relieved that this topic was not to be taken seriously. :) And I'm pretty good at the whole posting in the wrong place thing, and have lost track of how many times I've done it in other places!

Good on you for working on your serious novel. I understand that desire to have all the words be perfect, but that's also a really good excuse for not writing. My current mantra is 'get the words out, just get them out, fix them later.'

Looks like you've got an excellent start as far as word count! At this rate you'll hit 50K in no time. :)

-Anne