The Power of Three . . . Or, NaNoWriMo!

It's November, and you know what that means! 

National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo is in full swing.  NaNoWriMo began somewhat innocuously in the late 90s or very early 2000s (if my memory hasn't failed me).  Back in the day, the whole point was just to write 50,000 words (or so I recall).  Nowadays, the point of this whole endeavor is to write an entire novel from start to finish in a month.

At the very least, it get you in your chair writing; best case scenario, you finish the month with something you can sell.  More likely, you'll have something tangible to get editing -- and that's nothing to sneeze at. 

I was working on something fairly pompous in 2001 and decided that I would just use NaNoWriMo to work further aggrandize that pomposity. 

Since then, I've participated in NaNoWriMo two more times.  Each time, I used it to work on something already in progress. Each of those works were long and complicated.  Also, something like 2/3 didn't reach the end.

So this year I decided I would sit down and write a book from start to finish.  It wasn't going to be bold, or complex, or difficult.  It would be a little plot heavy.  And it would be between 50,000 and 65,000 words.  Also, aside from a pretty intimate understanding of the three-act structure, I have no idea what the plot even is. 

So far, a C-130 has been shot down, terrorists are running around Oregon backwoods, and our hero has undertaken to protect a young woman who may hold the secret of humanity's destiny.  (Superficially, it reminds me of The Fifth Element.  A movie that came out right around the time I was introduced to NaNoWriMo.  Coincidence?)

I'm pretty sure there's going to be a shadowy government agency, kung-fu, a Shakespeare spouting hero, and possible space travel.  So, you know, the usual.

If you're participating, let me know how it's going in the comments.

Also, click HERE for a story about how NaNoWriMo actually started.