Creating Dangerously, and National Novel Writing Month

So.

I’ve gone and done it.

I’ve signed up for National Novel Writing Month,   otherwise known as NaNoWriMo.  The premise is simple: Masochistic writers sign up to write a 50,000 word work of fiction in 30 days. 

Getting that much done in such a short time means forced writing. It requires writing badly, as there’s simply no time for editing.   NaNoWriMo provides a great forum, local meetups, and lots of support, including knowing that thousands of others are simultaneously torturing themselves in this manner.

I haven’t even attempted fiction in over 15 years, so this should be interesting. But what’s so dangerous about it, you ask?

Inspired by Eric Maisel’s book, Fearless Creating, I’ve decided to tackle a very personal subject, drawing from a very pivotal time in my life.  It’s a deeply painful, beautiful, and soul-rending and magical story, with elements of controversy, shame, and growth.  It’s everything I’m very private about, and there is a lot of fear around the idea of committing it to paper, even in highly fictionalized form.  But there is a sense that I *need* to write this particular story, even though it scares me to death. It feels very dangerous.

But it’s in that very sense of danger that there’s a power, strength, and challenges.   It’s from that sense of danger that really good creative and novel work comes.  It’s in those shadows that the deepest, greatest art is born.

Even knowing that, it’s horrifically scary. Without tackling this through a forced-writing concept like NaNoWriMo, I would continue to procrastinate about it. I mean, I’m already procrastinating. It’s the second day of the project and I’m already behind by 1200 words.

So.. on with the danger! I’ll keep you updated. (maybe)

Meanwhile, you can check out previous ramblings on the topic of Dangerous Creativity