OK, this is a repost of hte email I sent just in case you've decided not to accept emails, but still want to read the ravings of a lunatic.
Hello Monterey WriMos,
I am sitting at my computer, counting down the minutes now until the launch of this year’s NanoWriMo. Similar to years past, I’ve felt a rising sense of excitement through the week, and I am sure you have felt the same, whether you are a returning veteran, or a newcomer. I thought that before the madness starts, it would be good to take a moment to wish everyone good luck.
By signing up and participating in this challenge, far ahead of many people who have a novel they’d like to write someday. For our newcomers, sometime in the next few hours, you are going to be putting words on paper that will change your life. No longer will you be someone who’d like to write a novel someday. You’ll be the person who is working to fulfill that dream. A month from now, you’ll look back and feel a great sense of accomplishment over what you’ve created this month. 30 days from now, you will have brought a story into this world that did not exist before you worked up the nerve to sit at the computer and pour your subconscious thoughts on your virtual paper.
At the moment, the idea of 50,000 words might sound like a daunting task. Keep in mind though that the number one thing that causes people to fail at NaNoWriMo, is the act of actually sitting down and writing those first few words. Sure, once you start, you will definitely have highs and lows during the month, but at the end, you will have a creation you can be proud of (even if you refuse to show it to anyone before you rewrite it).
The best way to ensure success this month is to sit down before you embark on this challenge and promise yourself that you will finish (or die trying). If you make that honest promise to yourself now, and hold yourself to it, nothing—short of death—can stand in your way. NaNoWriMo is really a challenge for your mind, a challenge of your willpower more than a challenge of how many words you can pen during a month. If you set your goals now, you will be able to finish—I promise you.
For those of you who can make it out to our write-ins, I encourage you to join us at Bad Ass coffee in Seaside. A side benefit of NaNoWriMo is the cool people you get to meet during this event. We’ll be at Bad Ass tomorrow night from 7:30-9:30 (they are staying open late, just for us.) We’ll also be at Bad Ass on Wednesday nights (same times) each week in November.
If you can’t join us for the “official” write-ins, pop into the forums so we can share this experience with you. There’s a very good chance some of us might be able to meet with you at other times, or other locations. Even if you can’t meet, we’re more than happy to discuss progress with you and offer encouragement throughout the month.
OK, time to start preparing my documents and files that will play home to the words I am about to write. Good luck to everyone. You’ll be hearing more cheesy encouragement from me throughout the month. See you on the other side.
Al (yangnome)
ML Monterey, CA
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Metaphors be with you
yangnome
Municipal Liaison
Monterey, CA
