For this November I’ve decided to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the first time. For those that don’t know, the idea is to write 50,000 words during November, averaging at approximately 1667 words a day for the entire month. I’ve had an idea in my head for an opening scene since I was in school, but just never knew where the story would go from there. That is until this year, when I was in London and overheard two people talking behind me before the screening for White Noise. They were being very loud, as if they wanted everyone to hear about their lives and a few phrases that they said leapt out at me, so I stored them away in my mind, and on the train ride home I started slotting them together with the scene that I’d had in my head and they fit. It may have taken over a decade, but that scene is now written down. I started writing this morning, a little after 8am and wrote 2061 words in about an hour and twenty minutes.

For most of October I’ve been working on the story in my head, plotting it out, and I have almost all of it in my head ready to go. I just need to flesh out the middle a little, but I’m hoping that will come naturally with writing. I have the beginning, and ending down and just need to write them out. I’m hopeful that I’ll stay on course throughout November and even if it’s not finished, still start December with 50,000 words done. I know not every day will be as easy as today, as I’ve had that idea floating around for such a long time.

I’m also hoping to read a fair few books in November. I did read quite a few in October, and have been really enjoying reading recently. I’ve got Americana by Don DeLillo to read, as well as finishing Glory by NoViolet Bulawayo. I’ll also be watching films and reviewing them, as usual. I should have an review for the new Criterion release of David Lynch’s Lost Highway tomorrow, and hoping to see Black Adam this week. Watcher is also out on Friday, which looks insanely good.

I hope everyone has a great November. Let me know what your plans are for the month in the comments.

Thanks for reading,

Ashley