Monday Musings: To 10,000 . . . and beyond (maybe)
November has swept over me like the tide sweeps over a grain of sand on a beach. Welcome to NaNoWriMo. For those who were not and are not repeatedly bitten by the persistent and often painful gnat of creative writing, National Novel Writing Month is a world-wide, organized, 30-day event in which people from all walks of insanity commit to churning out a 50,000 word novel. That's roughly 1667 words a day.
It doesn't sound like much - but believe me, it is. I feel as though I've already spent an eternity staring at a blinking cursor with far too much white space in front of it - knowing vaguely what should fill that space, but stymied for words to continue. And yet, I stare some more, and tap my fingers on the keyboard, and remind myself that I can't give up only 7 days in. Last year I made it to just shy of 15K before throwing in the metaphorical towel and walking away, beaten. This year I am determined to make it PAST 15K.
Why then, am I still taking the time to keep reading books? And blog about them? To keep myself sane (ish). And frankly, to remind myself why I'm trying to write.
So, on to this week's book:
Snuff by (Sir) Terry Pratchett
If you've never embarked on a literary adventure through Terry Pratchett's Discworld, your tour of the multitude of scifi/fantasy universes simply cannot be considered complete. The Discworld series - now composed of 40-some books - is full of humor, satire and insight. (Admittedly, when I read them I focus mostly on the humor.)
Snuff follows the misadventures of Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch - a man who, much to his dismay, finds himself elevated to the rank of knight and gentleman by his loving wife. Forced to take a vacation at his country estate, he none-the-less finds that there is still work for a "copper".
Terry Pratchett, despite his diagnosis in 2007 of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease, continues sets the writing bar for ludicrous, belly-laugh-inducing, yet thought-provoking humor.
A point of interest: He is indeed Sir Terry Pratchett, having been knighted by the queen in 2009. Wikipedia tells me that he subsequently made himself a sword, to go with his knighthood. His coat of arms appropriately features an Ankh and two books, as well as the motto "Noli Timere Messorem". Look it up yourself. It's worth it! Then read a Pratchett book. Or two. Or three. Or. . . I don't know . . . all of them!
It doesn't sound like much - but believe me, it is. I feel as though I've already spent an eternity staring at a blinking cursor with far too much white space in front of it - knowing vaguely what should fill that space, but stymied for words to continue. And yet, I stare some more, and tap my fingers on the keyboard, and remind myself that I can't give up only 7 days in. Last year I made it to just shy of 15K before throwing in the metaphorical towel and walking away, beaten. This year I am determined to make it PAST 15K.
Why then, am I still taking the time to keep reading books? And blog about them? To keep myself sane (ish). And frankly, to remind myself why I'm trying to write.
So, on to this week's book:
Snuff by (Sir) Terry PratchettIf you've never embarked on a literary adventure through Terry Pratchett's Discworld, your tour of the multitude of scifi/fantasy universes simply cannot be considered complete. The Discworld series - now composed of 40-some books - is full of humor, satire and insight. (Admittedly, when I read them I focus mostly on the humor.)
Snuff follows the misadventures of Commander Sam Vimes of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch - a man who, much to his dismay, finds himself elevated to the rank of knight and gentleman by his loving wife. Forced to take a vacation at his country estate, he none-the-less finds that there is still work for a "copper".
Terry Pratchett, despite his diagnosis in 2007 of early-onset Alzheimer's Disease, continues sets the writing bar for ludicrous, belly-laugh-inducing, yet thought-provoking humor.
A point of interest: He is indeed Sir Terry Pratchett, having been knighted by the queen in 2009. Wikipedia tells me that he subsequently made himself a sword, to go with his knighthood. His coat of arms appropriately features an Ankh and two books, as well as the motto "Noli Timere Messorem". Look it up yourself. It's worth it! Then read a Pratchett book. Or two. Or three. Or. . . I don't know . . . all of them!
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