Well, it’s the time of the year again where I agonize over whether or not I’m going to do NaNoWriMo. I don’t know why it’s even a debate anymore, really, except that it’s never a good time to drop whatever I’m currently working on for a new thing. And to be honest, it’s getting a little overwhelming how many terrible first drafts of novels I have sitting around waiting for me to get to them.
Still, I’ve been doing this for six years now, and I’ve won every year. There’s history in the game now, and I’m not going to break the streak. Especially when I can tell myself all sorts of good stories about needing to incorporate more practice into my writing and how Nano is the ultimate practice.
On that note, I’ve decided I’m going to push through in October on getting as much done on my other projects as possible. And then I’m going to see if I have what it takes to write a romance novel. I’ve been reading enough of them, and I’ve been wondering for over a year now if I might make a go at writing something a bit feminist to join the immense pack of well written things that are a little bit suspect in message. Nano is for finding things out. If it turns out I can’t write a romance novel, then I’ve only spent a month on figuring that out. The bonus of not being able to do it means that I also won’t have another hurt first draft of a novel sitting lonely on my computer. The bonus of finding out that I can write one is that there will be more feminist romance out there in the world. Maybe, eventually, if I ever get to editing it.
Because of course I’m being feminist about it. And wildly American, surprisingly. I’ve picked a really terrible title and am looking for better suggestions, if you have any. It’s got to be punny, with bonus points for those that mash up second wave feminism and bawdiness (or first wave, or third… I’m not picky). Brian came up with “Romancing The Vote” which almost works, but doesn’t quite. Here’s my hastily scrubbed together cover and synopsis:
In Suffrage or in Health:
Boston, 1891. Charlotte keeps a close secret that would surely ruin her and all her marriage prospects if discovered: her pen name is Susan Catt and she’s the one behind all the incendiary suffragette articles in Frank Godwin’s Illustrated Magazine. And with handsome but proper Henry Harcourt just about to propose it’s more dire than ever that Charlotte keep that other name from ever getting out. After all, Henry is everything she said she wanted with plenty of gilded halls and money besides. Isn’t he?
If only broke, uncouth Frank Godwin wasn’t so tempting… And so willing to accept her as herself.
Anyway, I’m happy I’m keeping to tradition. I’ll have a full on outline in a few days, and then I just need November 1st to roll around so I can start cranking out the words. It’s nice to be done with this so early in the game; quite a change from last year when I did this all without an outline 2 days before the deadline and imploded a week later. But I also know from much Nano experience that pre-planning alone is not enough to keep the implosions at bay. Think good thoughts for me.
Need a writing buddy? Come find me! I’m Caseykins, and I will 100% buddy up to you back: http://nanowrimo.org/participants/caseykins
Casey E. Hamilton 