What is this?

Downtown Dandelions is going to be my first novel. It will be written in the month of November as a part of National Novel Writing Month. I expect it to suck. Big time. It's a first draft, written in 30 days, so let's not get any grand expectations here.

This blog is an attempt to make my misery public and for some odd reason share the results with the world. Essentially, it's yet another weapon in my growing arsenal of persuassion to keep at this month of insanity. I shall accomplish 50,000 words in 30 days and call myself a novelist. There's no backing out now. You can't make a web site about the attempt and then not come through. That's what I keep telling myself.

I've always wanted to write a novel. But it never happens. I can definitely call myself a writer. I've got the degree, the day job, the bylines. But writing a book has always stood as the ultimate pinnacle. A novel is the ultimate confirmation that, yes, I am a writer. It's a badge of honor. A symbol of pride. And it's also shit.

Anne Lamott has said that publication is shit, and I continually try to remind myself of that. Yet the desire exists.

And yet I never have the motivation to make it happen. Glancing through the writing category of my personal blog is rather revealing:

• March 19, 2001: I want to write a book
  
• March 31, 2001: I've started writing a book
  
• May 7, 2001: Book by 32=beard & cooky
  
• January 4, 2002: More Whining About Wanting to Write a Book
  
• August 8, 2002: I Still Want to Write a Book
  
• March 21, 2003: Publication is Shit
  
• April 29, 2004: Why Aren't I Writing a Book?
  
• May 9, 2004: One novel. 58 hours.
  
• May 13, 2004: No 58-Hour Writing Spree--Yet.
  
• October 8, 2004: November Rain

Which finally brings us to National Novel Writing Month. The idea is to give yourself a difficult yet doable deadline so you can make this thing happen. I'm tired of saying I'm going to do it. It's time to actually do it.

Part of the joy of writing it in 30 days is that you banish your inner-editor. That results in a lot of crap, but it also lets some brilliance shine through (hopefully). So let's just deal with the crap and hope enough brilliance comes through to make it all worthwhile.

And best of all, when it's all said and done, I can finally stick my nose in the air and call myself a novelist. Stupid? Yes. But so is pretending writing a book is the greatest thing ever and never actually trying it.

My intentions with this blog are simply to post my writing for the day and maybe a word count update. Don't look for commentary, because that's time I could be putting towards my word count. Enjoy what you see, but be forewarned: it's crap. I know it. Feel free to comment or leave encouragement, but know that I probably won't take the time to respond. Don't feel free to critique because I definitely won't have time for that. I already know it's crap, I don't need you telling me so. This blog is more for me than it is for you.

We clear? Good.