I am jealous! And have been for a while.
I think it was Sunshine Scribe who first mentioned NaNoWriMo. That's National Novel Writing Month. The idea: during the month of November, write a 50,000 word novel. Focus on quantity over quality, an act to get the creative juices flowing.
Then I heard about NaBloPoMo and found out that Something Blue is participating. That would be National Blog Posting Month, the idea being to post something on one's blog every day of the month. I find this one slightly ironic, as I had been in a good pattern of writing every day here for over a month--something that ended with the events of Friday, October 13th.
But I am jealous of those who are participating in either of these challenges. Both of them elicited an "Oh, I want to do that." I toyed with the idea until I forced myself to be mature and responsible.
I have to give a seminar report on my research paper at the end of the month. And then write the paper (OK, it's not due until the beginning of January, but I need to get it done before I leave for Christmas so that I can study for the exam I'll have a couple days after the paper's due date).* Then there's the term exam I need to write. Soon. And oh-so-many pages of reading to do.
So this would be the dilemma posed by my blog. It has gotten me back into the habit regularly. I like that, as opposed to a journal, it encourages me to think about single topics and to shape my thoughts a little before putting them down. It is an outlet I have sorely missed. On the other hand, it makes me yearn to do more with my writing. I had forgotten just how fulfilling it is.
I'm already taking on a bit more. My first post over at Mommy Blogs Toronto should be up sometime soon. And in my other life, I have a chance to write something for a newspaper--a one-off, but tempting, nonetheless.
And I know, I've fully acknowledged, that I cannot handle both academic work and creative writing at the same time. And it's not something I can afford right now.
Speaking of which, off to some reading...
* It's a 15-20 page paper. And probably a 10 page presentation. Would that count towards the 175-page goal?
3 comments:
Hey, I've finally found another person who starts her term papers prior to the day before they're due.
I really wanted to do NaNoWriMo, but like you I just can't manage academic AND creatiev writing. And, um, blogging.
One day.
MM--I always start papers as soon as I can, and my seminar makes it impossible to put it off for too long since we have to present our research-in-progress. This does not mean I occasionally leave the finishing part to the last minute. What comes to mind is the 60-hour period last spring in which I wrote 2 15-20 page papers.
HBM--Thank you for separating out blog writing. I tend to lump it in with creative writing, but by reminding myself it isn't quite, I get another category--and I actually manage to blog on a regular basis while working on the academic stuff. So I can count that as an accomplishment.
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