Well, that’s only sort of true.
I am writing a book, for National Novel Writing Month, and this will be my second time doing this. Last year, I had it all figured out – plot outlines, character sketches, a title and even a book cover design, all before NanoWriMo started in November.
This month, I had only a sort of idea about a setting and a sort of idea about a plot (which I could have described in a sentence or two) and that was it.
On November 2 (yes, a day late; last year I started at midnight Nov. 1), I sat down and started writing.
As of last night, I have 11, 172 words and a story is starting to form. Let me state that this is how I wrote all fiction before last year’s NanoWriMo – my motto all through college, earning my Creative Writing minor, was “start writing and see what happens” – and it always worked for short stories. But for a book? We will see, my friends.
For now, here’s an unedited excerpt of said “book” for you to read. Tell me your thoughts!
“I really owe you, big time. But more than that – I have had so much fun with you this entire semester,” Jake said. He looked shy, and Karen thought how charming it was that they were both so timid at this moment, sitting in the study alcove, the sun starting to go down as a sign that winter was officially here.
Karen wasn’t typically shy, in fact, everyone always laughed about how she tended to rattle on and on and on, especially in situations where she was nervous. She was certainly nervous now – so why was it she felt her tongue was tied and her mouth was dry and she couldn’t even think of what to say, much less if her mouth would work at all? Wow, her mind was certainly working …
And then – everything changed.
As they sat there, Jake facing Karen and the window, Karen facing Jake and the empty dorm hallway, the buzz of campus seemingly miles away – Karen saw her out of the corner of her eye. Rebecca.
Here she was, approaching on what was about to be a moment between Karen and Jake. Karen glanced away, looking Jake in the eye, willing for him to finish his sentence quickly, now, before the moment was broken and before he noticed her gorgeous roommate and before everything would be about Rebecca and Jake, and never Karen and Jake.