The. End.

November 30, 2010

Do you hear the silence surrounding you now that it's December? Now that National Novel writing Month is over, silence--blessed silence--replaces the clack of the keyboards, the scratching of pencils, and the grinding of mental gears as Nanowrimo participants created 50,000-word manuscripts out of nothing but their own creativity.

It was a hard month. Ask any of us. November is always the month that a cold sweeps through the office, or a dishwasher breaks or--let's not forget--we get together with all of our family for a huge Thanksgiving feast.

But, it was worth it. I feel like I've met new friends. No, not the fellow writers who came to our write-ins, though they are great too, and I enjoyed meeting them.  But, I'm thinking of my characters. (Last year, I even got so caught up with them that I kept calling my son by the name of my main character. He forgave me.) The places and people I wrote about this month have taken on a reality of their own, and it's this more than anything else that I love about Nanowrimo. I've never felt strongly that reading actually takes me someplace new, as though I were there. But writing? Yup, writing that place, the people, and the background makes it real for me. That's some ride.

In whatever way writing makes you feel stronger, richer, or happier, I hope you'll consider joining us for Nanowrimo 2011. Think about it. Your book will still be there, waiting to be written. And the library will still be here to help.

Enjoy your sleep, Nano winners. You've earned it.

Brian M.
Boardwalk Branch