November is National Novel Writing Month

"Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap."


November is National Novel Writing Month. It is a "fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30."

The website NaNoWriMo is packed with well organized information, support and inspiration. There are FAQs and a forum for peer support. Groups are set up by region, and you will even have the chance to meet with fellow writers in your area.

The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel by November 30th. Quality does not matter. Quantity is key. This website's goal is to motivate writers to write every day, no matter how they feel or how busy their lives are. It helps to push writers out of editing and rewriting and fussing over the details such as flow or plot consistency. A writer is his or her own worst critic. Him-hawing over the finer points can be done at any time, but if there isn't enough to him-haw over there will never be that novel you've always been meaning to write someday.

Make someday this year!

Collecting Comics

Comics. So entertaining. Such diversity. Heros. Villians. Anticipation. Money. Conventions.

If you have never picked up a comic, try it. No one has to know. Buy one on ebay. There's more to comics than Archie or Spiderman. Sure there are X-Men and The Hulk, but there is so much more than even those seen as of late on the big screen!

I've never been big into comics, but I understand the love of them. Seems I've always had friends that are deep into comics - those that read them... those that collect them... those that are just plain manic over them. They bring such joy and pains to those that gravitate toward the hobby. Not enough time, not enough money, too many choices, so many good things...

Comic enthusiasts I salute your diversion!

Those that think it's just geeky in a bad way - I invite you to pick up a copy of something that strikes your fancy and read it cover to cover. You do and decide you don't like it, well you gave it a fair shake. I'm thinking you'll have  greater sympathy and perhaps even find yourself sneaking into the comic shop at your local mall... it's OK, I'll keep your secret! (Just let me borrow your latest copy to read!)

Find your inner child; pick up a comic!