And the title goes to…

To recap:

After a few false starts and a couple of failed attempts, I began work on my first novel as part of National Novel Writing Month in November 2010. In no way did I complete the manuscript in a month’s time, as was the goal of the event, but I faced my fears about writing the novel and gave it a nice start.

The premise is a simple one and I’ve been wanting to write it for a few years now. I’d envisioned it in my head as a screenplay so delving into novel writing with the story was a nice and unexpected challenge. In my head, I’ve always called the story  ‘Crazy Sue,’ no matter which method of writing  I use to tell it. The plot is a fictionalized account of  my last year as an undergraduate, living with a needy and unstable roommate my best friend and I would refer to as “Crazy.” The title was nailed into my head as being permanent, so imagine my surprise when said best friend suggested “One Year Lease” as a better option.  I thought she loved the original title; we’d been referring to it as that for years so I was taken aback and hurt at the prospect of changing it. I decided to settle the matter the adult way and created a survey for this site asking my readers to choose the better title. Of course, I was sure ‘Crazy Sue’ would win, hands down, so I wasn’t worried. The title held a special place in my heart and there was no way I could sacrifice it. My readers would surely agree.

Turns out, I was wrong. The winner of the title survey was not my own, but my friend’s: One Year Lease. So, with resistance, I tried to refer to my novel with the new title. It was difficult at first, but  now, it’s grown on me and I love it even more than I loved ‘Crazy Sue.’

The new title, I feel, will allow me to branch out and tell a different kind of story: a story of two friends trying to survive their final year of college, instead of focusing on their situation with a roommate from hell, which can serve as a subplot. The new title will allow me to tell the story I initially wanted to, without the reader having a preconceived notion of what ‘crazy’ means.

I’m excited to see where this novel takes me. I have so many I want to write. Let this be a fantastic start.

Until next time,

The Accidental Blogger

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is over

Well folks, it’s official: National Novel Writing Month ended on November 30th. I was off to a great start, but by Day 4, things began to waver. First came a weekend job in Las Vegas, grading papers, family obligations and the biggest hurdle of all: my partner was offered a job in Oregon, which meant packing up our apartment and being without furniture for a week. Then came the actual drive to Oregon, moving things in, buying things we left behind or lost, trying to explore an unfamiliar city, etc. Before I knew it, November was over and my novel was only in its beginning stages.

I did not let that deter me, however, because the important thing is that I started my first novel. With a draft of four chapters (and a prologue) complete, I can move forward and keep writing. Although I did not win NaNoWriMo by finishing the novel, at least it’s off to a great start and I have something to build on for the months to come.

Oregon is a different experience from LA, and although I am only here until the 13th of December to help the hubby settle in, now that I can finally breathe, I hope to resume the novel and write as much as I can before my journey back to California. The fact that it actually feels like Winter here will be a true inspiration, I’m sure.

To anyone who didn’t finish, keep writing away. The start is all that matters; the rest will come easily. Don’t give up.

Write on!

The Accidental Blogger

Happy Thanksgiving to all the writers out there!

Hope your NaNoWriMo (National Writing Month) novels are coming along smoothly. Gobble up some turkey and get to it before time runs out.

Happy Writing!

The Accidental Blogger

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) officially begins!

It’s November 1st and for writers across the country, that means National Novel Writing Month has officially begun. I’m excited to have begun my first novel, and this is both harder and easier than I thought. I am the kind of writer who proofreads as he writes, but it’s nice to write with no inhibitions. I like letting the words flow without worrying that they aren’t strong or good enough. There’s always time to edit, revise, and rework after the month is over.

This is a fantastic challenge for a first-time novelist like myself, and I am excited to see where the month takes me. I hope I finish my novel by the 30th. It would be an amazing accomplishment.

Stay tuned,

The Accidental Blogger