Scary. starry night

Nanowrimo v Hallowe’en

That’s the real battle, not the ghouls and the reindeer squaring up across the aisles in the supermarket from October onwards, we know how that one ends. The ghosties and ghoulies are vanquished by the 1st of November.

 

That’s when the scary bit starts. Most of the world is waiting for a knock on the door, counting the hours until the stroke of midnight and the annual ghoul fest is over for another year.

 

Others, you and I, my friend, stare into a blank void as the chimes strike out into the darkness, a rolling toll of tension circles the globe as each time zone reaches the witching hour and the hammering and scratching begins.

That lonely place, a blank screen or sheet of crisp white paper. Pristine as the fresh snow fields in the high latitudes awaiting the first footfall, 

The moment, the first impression, once made it is there, it exists, even if you later delete it. 

You made the mark!

The last chord of midnight fades into silence, and another clock ticks into life – a pulse of creativity. Thirty days, to fifty thousand words, and you can make all the excuses you like. The only person you’re cheating is yourself.

Reach the end and the deed is done, Midnight strikes again and November clicks over to December. 

1667 a day will keep you on track, and the chunk of verbiage qualifies. 

The length of the Great Gatsby, twenty seven thousand shorter than Where Eagles Dare, and every word counts.

You wrote the draft of the novel you always said you would write.

I'll see you on the other side.

Good luck!

Martyn