Thursday, October 26, 2006

No Excuses This Time

Two years ago I'd just started a new job and just didn't have the time. Last year...I don't know why I didn't do it last year. Oh, yeah, some bad things were going on last year and I just couldn't get it going. But this year I have no excuses. I have the all the time in the world. I have the desire. I'm ready.

Yes, starting November 1st I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month, awkwardly known as NaNoWriMo. Many of you have already done this. Now it's my turn. Over 30 days I'll be writing a 50,000 word novel. And, dammit, I'm gonna make it good. Because that's how I roll.

I've actually been chewing over two separate ideas for two years now. Both are set in Pittsburgh, both involve a character who plays online poker. However, the one story was going to be something of a bildungsroman, dealing with a how the past repeats itself through generations and the immutability of memory, utter nonsense like that. The other is about an amoral sociopath who commits the perfect murder and wonders if getting away with it kills all the fun. I couldn't decide which story to commit myself to, and also couldn't decide if either could be plumped out to 50,000 pages. So, in a moment of inspiration that came in the middle of a shower (where most of my brilliant ideas arrive) I think I'm going to combine these two stories into one glorious whole. Though, as I concede, blending these two rather disparate plots into a coherent story may pose something of a challenge.

But that's what I'm looking for, a challenge! So, at midnight on November 1st you'll find me hunched over my laptop. True, I'm hunched over my laptop most midnights, but for at least one month I'll be working on my novel.

This will of course cut into my poker playing, alas. But, hey, playing is research, right? Heck, I might write off my bad beats on my taxes this year. If I decide to pay any taxes this year. That's a joke, federal government. Just a weak joke.

I mentioned the other day that I've been playing well, and I did that just to test the theory that the mere mention of a good streak will bring that streak to an end. Once again, the theory stood up to observation. Oh, to hit a flop again. But I won half it back and so felt like I actually had a good day. The fight, it is a long one.

posted by Gene @ 8:13 PM   |