NaNoWriMo, December, and Other Things I Like

At last, December has arrived. More specifically, December has arrived and is in full swing. Amid the beauty of the winter snow lies the hectic rush that the season always brings. Time blurs by, filled with Christmas shopping, family gatherings, staff parties, piano recitals, outerwear shopping and, of course, the desperate rush to finish student marking before the two-week break. It's a wonderful time of the year, but also an insanely full one. And this on the heels of National Novel Writing Month in November.

If you've never heard of NaNoWriMo, here's a quick summary: it's an international, not-for-profit event, where writers sign up and attempt to complete a 50,000 word novel in a month. Now, I use the word "complete" loosely. The novel is no more completed at the end of the month than, say, a house is once you finish the frame. I don't know about house building, so perhaps the metaphor doesn't quite work, but you get the idea. The 50,000 words, at least for most writers I know, works as the starting point. It is a very rough first draft, subject to months or, for some, years, of tweaking and revision. But it is, at least, a start. And, for me, a thrilling, exciting, exhilarating, emotionally fulfilling start at that. Now, you have those writers who, of course, frown upon the month of writing. They say it encourages bad writing. They say it rushes the process. They say you should be writing every day so why make a month dedicated to it. But I say to those critics... "Nay!" Listen, everyone, people engage in NaNoWriMo for a number of reasons. A number of valid reasons, I might add.

For instance, writing 50,000 words of anything is challenging. When you're creating worlds and characters and conversations in a coherent fictional story within the time frame of a month, I dare say, it can be exceedingly challenging. But some people enjoy a good writing challenge, especially if you're literary minded. For that reason alone, I'd encourage anyone who loves writing to give it a go. It is, frankly, fun.  Moreover, though, NaNoWriMo also allows you to set a writing goal - publicly if you wish - and gives you a deadline to meet. It provides a structured opportunity to write and a way to convince friends and family to give you space to do said writing - some people need that. It encourages you to connect with other writers (through forums, local write-ins, etc.), and gives you a designated place to talk about your work. It provides the opportunity to work through writer's block by forcing you to keep going, to keep writing, to make your word count. Sometimes the only way to get over writer's block is to write. When you're trying to write 50,000 words in 30 days, you are forced to write, even amid your writer's block. And let's not forget that it gives you an opportunity to create that first draft you've been waiting to create. As I tell my students on a regular basis, you can't edit what you don't have. Finally, there have been a number of very successful books published that had their start in NaNoWriMo. Ever heard of "Water for Elephants"?

The problem with NaNoWriMo, of course, and maybe a reason the critics dislike it, is that some people think that a month is all it takes to create a literary masterpiece. Unfortunately, unless you are some kind of writing genius, that is not the case. But sometimes, a month is all you need to get a good start.

Anyway, this November I wrote 50,000 words of my next novel. The novel is finished, in that it has rising action, a climax, falling action, and a resolution. But it's not actually even close to finished, in that I have about 50+ notes along the margins of scenes to add, details to change, and items to revise. And that's not even including the editing that needs to take place, from mechanics to structure to word choices. The novel won't actually be finished for a very long time. But boy was it a fun way to start it.

Now, we're onto December. And life is so full I can barely breath. Marking and shopping, mostly. And prepping for classes. And planning Christmas activities for my Sunday School kiddies. And attending social gatherings, which I'm not complaining about. Actually, I'm not complaining about any of it really. Life is full, but it is good. The tree is up, the lights are on, and the Christmas music is playing. I have my novel patiently waiting for me on my laptop, a cup of coffee in my hand, and a stack of marking on my desk. I am blessed with work, blessed with family, blessed with the beautiful snow.  And of course, with the ability to procrastinate.

My essay marking calls now, I must answer. Happy second week of December, everyone!

Words, words, words...

I love words. I mean, obviously I love words. I am an English teacher, after all. And a writer. And an avid lover of fiction. Oh, and a talker. Major talker here.

Words can be beautiful. They can create pictures from nothing, really. Just letters combined in the perfect order, placed in the perfect sentence. And then - life! Colour! Beauty. In fiction, we see entire worlds created through words. People, who existed only in the writer's mind, are brought to life. They become real to the readers - so real that, at times, we weep for these word-made creations.

Words can be used to inspire, too - and not only in fiction. "I have a dream," announced Martin Luther King Jr - and, with their very feelings given those eloquent, powerful words, a generation of movers rose up and took action. His words were simple on their own, but perfect when combined.

Words, of course, can also be deadly. Ninja words, I like to call them. Stealthy, those ones.  They sneak up on you, dressed in night, and spring out before you even have a moment to think.  Causing all sorts of destruction and injury and metaphorical dismemberment. By the time you realize what's happening, you can call them back, but those ninjas have done their damage. Or your damage, to be more honest. My damage.

Anyway, words and I have a love/hate relationship. :) So here's a question for you: What are some of your favourite words?

Spec-whaaat?

I first heard the term "speculative fiction" two years ago, from my writer-sister. What, I asked, is Speculative Fiction? She defined it for me, and I realized it was a perfect description of my very favourite types of stories (whether told in written form or through film and TV).

Wikipedia (my students would be furious to find me quoting Wikipedia, but I'm going to do it anyway) defines speculative fiction as: "an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, weird fiction, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalytpic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion, and visual arts." 

In other words, it describes the BEST genres EVER. 

I mean, I don't necessarily love all those genres. Not a horror fan, to be honest. And I'm not exactly sure what "weird fiction" means. And while I like some high-fantasy stuff, it's not ever my first choice. But give me a superhero story any day and I'm happy. And supernatural fiction? Awesome. Absolutely love dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic fiction too. I think my favourite, of course, would be fantasy or sci-fi set in our own time and place. Can't get enough of that stuff. 

Maybe it's the what-ifs that hook me. What IF someone could fly? What IF there were aliens living here, right now, passing as ordinary human beings? What IF a secret organization spliced human and animal DNA together and made a beast out of an ordinary soldier? What IF, what IF, what IF.

We have been given, as human beings, these amazing imaginations. I love seeing the things we can dream up. And no wonder we dream them up. After all, "there are more things in heaven and earth", as Hamlet tells Horatio in one of Shakespeare's classic speculative fiction plays, "than are dreamt of in your philosophy".  I believe he's right. There's so much here than what our minds and bodies comprehend. 

I also love how we can use these imaginary, fantastical worlds to ask real-world questions or to point to truths in humanity.  Stephen King, a master of speculative fiction, points out that "fiction is the truth inside the lie." I like that. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "fiction reveals the truth that reality obscures."  Again, I agree. And, although I don't share Orson Scott Card's world view, I do love a number of his works, and find myself nodding enthusiastically when he says, "we care about moral issues, nobility, decency, happiness, goodness - the issues that matter in the real world, but which can only be addressed, in their purity, in fiction."

I think speculative fiction also plays a role in just giving us freedom to imagine the what-ifs. Maybe that's what I love most about it. To simply enjoy the beautiful gifts of language, of expression, of storytelling, of imagination, all working together in harmony. 

J.R.R. Tolkien puts it beautifully: “Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape? If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”

Storytelling

I often start my English Language Arts "Narrative" unit with discussion about why storytelling is important. The ideas, at first, often revolve around the craft of fiction writing: students mention (and rightly so) that if you want your stories to be read, you must actually be good at telling them.

Eventually, though, we get to the idea that storytelling is actually important for much, much more than just writing fiction. Making an impression during a job interview often depends on your storytelling skills. ("Can you recall a time when you were challenged in your previous job?" OR "Describe one of your professional weaknesses"). Engaging friends in conversation often requires a certain storytelling skill too, doesn't it? We've all had those friends... or been those friends... who try to tell about an experience and then the story kind of just falls...flat. Storytelling is important.

A colleague of mine - also an English teacher - recently shared her own, true story during the high school chapel. She began it by introducing it as "the story of a girl". As she wove her story together, complete with symbols, numbers, and overt literary devices, she painted such a vivid picture of setting and characterization, that I - and the students in the room - could see it... could see her. The structure of her story drew us in, and the language she used captivated our imaginations and kept our attention completely. 

Her story was about self-doubt and self-loathing. About the lies the Enemy wants us to believe about ourselves. About thinking you are not a valuable person. In all truth, her story made me feel, at first, sick. Sick because I have felt as she felt as a teen myself, and because so many teens now feel as she felt; sick because the beauty of her words belied the ugliness of the lies she - we - believed. As her story continued, the sick feeling dissipated as I was caught up in the beauty of the narrative and suspense of the rising action. As we reached the dramatic and heart-pounding climax, where God intervenes at exactly the most crucial moment, it was all I could do to keep from weeping - or from gasping in wonder. Or from laughing, in joy, aloud. The room was silent and everyone listened intently. Then as she described, with a wry humour and even some imagined conversations, the process of transformation and affirmation God took her through, we were right there with her. 

She just told us a story.  That's all. A true story, but a story nonetheless. But the way she told it was extraordinary enough to demand the rapt attention of a full room of high school students, and to be potentially life changing for the students who most needed to hear the beautiful truth she presented.  

As I listened to some students talking about it later, I thought - this is why storytelling matters. Because lives can be changed when they hear - and understand -  and believe - the right story. 

New Beginnings

Some people, generally, have trouble with change.  I tend to like it. The change, I mean. It signifies fresh starts. Movement. Growth. In my mind, living is synonymous with change.

Not that all things need to change. I love teaching English. That can stay the same. And the school I teach at - loooove it. And I wouldn't want to change my family. They are, obviously, fabulous.  But even within those constants, there are changes, right? I mean, new students every year. Growth and staff changes at the school. And my family ages, has additions, grows in their own ways. Change within the status quo.

I'm always finding myself on the quest for changes within my personal life as well. Not the deep, introspective, "what can I do to improve myself today?" questions, although self-improvement is great. I do some of that. I'm working on cleaner eating. I'm wearing my retainer again. I'm striving to set devotional time aside daily. I'm creating goals to organize my desk space and keep up with laundry. I'm even doing regular coursework marking (Woot!). But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm also not talking about finding a different husband or set of friends (all are wonderful).

What I actually mean is - where will this adventure I call my life take me next? And right now, it seems to be leading me back to my first literary love: Fiction Writing.

I've been on creative hiatus for about ten years, where I've been happily focused on teaching, having my babies, and doing some professional nonfiction writing. Lately, though, I feel that familiar calling to world-making. Over the past three years, I've had the joyful experience of writing two full-length YA novels, and I'm almost done the (much less joyful) editing process for each. I  co-authored a YA novel with my writer-sister two summers ago, and we're close to completing our editing of that one, too. I'm currently in the midst of planning my next.

In honour of this return to creative writing, I'm excited to launch my new author page and blogspot.  I'm looking forward to see where this new journey will take me. Hope you'll join me!