NaNoWriMo---Where did it GO?

I gave fair warning back in early November that I would be unavailable for November-that writing would consume me-and it nearly did. So much so that I forgot that I had written the previous post-and had forgotten to hit the publish button!

So, if you are up for a bit of redundance and some new insigh-ride along with me for the writing...

I rose to the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days. Yes that was fifty-thousand. Whew-even took a lot of energy just to write THAT!

It took some time to recover from the reeling spin that NaNoWriMo put on my life. I thought it would not be too hard to write an average of 1,667 words a day. I think most of us type that many words in a disconnected format on FaceBook or Twitter or commenting on blogs. I assumed (yes, we all know what THAT means!) that I could just write each day and be fine.

Well, it didn't help to start 3 days late. I had forgotten about the whole event from reading about it in 2009. I had stumbled upon National Novel Writing Month via a tweet ...or was it a FaceBook post? That part I don't remember.

What I do remember is the exhilaration I felt joining thousands of people worldwide embarking together on this voyage of WPD, the purple line and 30 days and nights of literary abandon!

First of all I did not win according to the word count. The title of "Winner" was bestowed upon those that hit the magical mark of 50,000. I humbly limped along at 25,000. So I consider myself a "Half-Mo" instead of the full "Wrimo" moniker that was christened upon masses.

I did discover many interesting things:

1. Aiming low is the best way to succeed-anywhere became upward progress!
2. If I didn't write it then, I probably never would have started
3. Writing 25,000 words of possible crap was still writing 25,000 words
4. Art for art's sake made me feel pretty damn good about myself
5. New friendships were formed with other Wrimos on FaceBook
6. I am a writer. I AM a Writer. I am a WRITER.

How did I do that? How was I finally able to declare myself a writer? I finally put aside some of the self loathing baggage that was holding me back from writing. This was the greatest gift from this experience. But it did not begin with November. It began earlier in 2010 when I connected with Mark David Gerson, a writer, an author and now a screenwriter. His gentle prodding and positive feedback propelled me forward. I found energy, my own voice, mirroring back to me in the words from his book, The Voice of the Muse. If you find that you are feeling an urge to write-that is your muse softly supporting you. Listen and if you want more confirmation, meditate with Mark David's YouTube post: You Are a Writer You might surprise yourself.

I found a kinship in those who struggled along side me on line. We would rant, discuss, rave and rejoice in flukes, failures and flights of writing fancy. That was a big help. the blank page was not so big and foreboding when I knew I had my Wrimo besties on my shoulder. I think we were all part of each other's muses.

I believe we are all writers. Maybe not on paper with words, but with art, drama, engineering, dance, song and our individual lives. We write the path for our own journey. I have discovered that is a more enjoyable trip with kindred spirits along for the ride. A personal parade where friends and family cheer us on, throw confetti and sometimes want our autograph.

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Although I still have baggage about being creative, being a writer; I know I have downsized from a full steamer trunk to a knap sack. My inner critic is less intrusive and easier to distract.I will be wring again in November, with my eyes on the prize of writing 50,000 words.