National Novel Writing Month

I have been absolutely atrocious at updating this blog lately and for that I apologise. However, I do have valid reasons. Like I've returned to university so there has been loads going on. Such as, moving into a new house, which is filled with spiders. Then, killing all the spiders. Okay, so that didn't take too much time. Though I did have a lot of work involving the Ultimate Frisbee team and Freshers Fayre. And there have been many, many nights out. To top that all off, I got Fresher's Flu. Yes, it's a real thing, and yes it's hideous. I actually thought I was going to die. But now I'm better and ready to write! Oh, of course there have been lectures. Well, one so far. It was Writing History Fiction. And you can kinda guess it was a bit boring. I have to read Wolf Hall by next week. At this exact moment I have read 100 pages out of 600...it's not looking good. I mean, look how thick it is! At least I have it on Kindle so it's not too much of a strain on my arms in bed.

Anyway, this post isn't about that. It's about NANO, or National Novel Writing Month! A friend on my course made a group on Facebook about it and suggested we all join. I had heard of it before from another friend but never really considered it. The aim of NANO is to write your entire novel, around 50,000 words, in the month of November with no editing allowed. Everyone on my course has to write 8,000 words for their ECPs. But I'm sure they have a great idea in their head they want to write it all down and not just stop at 8,000 words, like me. I figure this is a great way of motivation and maybe I will have my first complete novel at the end of it. However, it will mean a tonne of editing. And what if Judy, my supervisor, doesn't like it? I'll have 50,000 words of waste.

Ah! No negative thinking!

There's 30 days in November so that means 333.3333 words a day. And since I already have 5,000 words that's even less. Only by a little bit, I know. I'm really feeling good about this. Pity November is a while away yet. I guess that means I'll have a little head start. Luckily, as I'm not planning on doing NANO officially I don't have to follow the November rule strictly. Besides I think my supervisor would be worried if I hadn't written anything by November.

I am thinking of posting the beginnings of my ECP; it's shaping up quite nicely. I want to show it to my supervisor first though to see what she thinks. Fingers crossed she really likes it.

Also, I have a new aim. To write 'but' less. I've noticed that I write it a lot, sometimes unnecessarily. I'm finding it surprisingly hard!