NaNoWriMo starts

Where did you start writing for National Novel Writing Month?

I don’t remember where I started writing in 2008. Probably at home, while checking in with fellow Wrimos on the Nanowrimo fora for central North Carolina and Ireland.

In October 2009, I went back to Ireland to gather more research for the novel I’d drafted in 2008. While in Dublin I met one of the MLs (municipal liaisons coordinate Nanowrimo events for a region). She was kind enough to arrange a pre-nano meetup at The Library Bar in the Central Hotel. It wasn't quite November yet, but it felt like a great start to hang out with fellow Wrimos from overseas.

The Library Bar in Dublin

November 1, 2010 — this is probably the best picture I'll ever take of starting Nanowrimo. I was camping in Cape Canaveral, where I’d gone to see the space shuttle launch. The launch kept getting postponed (and finally cancelled for that month), so I ended up camping in Florida all week. Here I am in the predawn hours on Cape Canaveral beach, starting a memoir.

Cape Canaveral Beach, Nov. 2010

My camper starred again as Nanowrimo 2011 debuted. I went down to South Carolina to research my family saga’s sequel. Not that I’d finished the first story yet. Historic Camden hosted a Revolutionary War re-enactment right where my Irish immigrant family lived — you guessed it — during the Revolutionary War. I learned lots of good details about life in that era, and wrote several posts about colonial life here on Travels with Books.

Before

So, where did I start Nanowrimo 2012? Right here at home. As a little bit of excitement, I did turn my spartan guest room into a cozy writing den.

First I vacuumed the room, which hadn't been used in a while. I'd been meaning to add the rug. I dragged a little shoe dresser into the guest room for a desk-table, than attached a reading lamp to it.

Here are the “before” and “after” pictures:

After

We'll see if the pillows give me enough back support.

See the little shelf of writing inspiration? I need it — I’m the most plotless I have ever been.

I really don’t want to start another novel when I haven’t finished the work-in-progress that’s so dear to me. My Bible study idea didn't work out because I can’t find my research notes. My current idea (as I type this) is mostly nonfiction, something along the lines of: 30 Days, 30 Blog Posts.


I may add in some creative writing exercises to help fuel up or reboot the novel come December.

Good thing I have a copy of Chris Baty’s No Plot? No Problem! (aff link). You can read my review of No Plot? No Problem! on the new Wordsmith Studio site.