NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month

This month I've been participating in NaNoWriMo. (Pronounced just as you see it.) It stands for National Novel Writing Month.

Every November NaNoWriMo.org challenges writers around the world to finish a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days. On average writing that many words requires 1,667 words a day. If you type 40 words a minute you can complete the words in about 40 minutes. The hard part of the challenge is to have a readable novel afterward. Most don't. I didn't.

But since I spent the first week of November in China (in vacation mode) I decided to see if I could complete the words. I actually completed my 50,000 words before the end of November.

You Won!

So I won! What? What did I win? What? Tell me.

Absolutely nothing.

Well, not absolutely nothing. I received this little banner you see off to the side here. Not everyone got one. I have tried this challenge twice before and didn't get past 10,000 words. I never got one of these then. So this is a small victory.

Truth be told, the stuff I wrote is basically a stream of conscientiousness. Mostly drivel.

I had a story idea when I started. But soon into the story I hit a ditch, couldn't steer the story back on track, wondered aimlessly, and finally tumbled down the hill of despair. By then I had written about 15,000 words. I didn't want to be a quitter. So I kept writing.

It soon became just a matter of making it to the daily word count:  One thousand, one hundred, and sixty one words a day.

In retrospect

It's not hard really. Once I resolved not to care what words I was writing, I sort of relaxed and enjoyed wherever the words took me. All I had to do is keep my butt in the chair and press the computer keys, one stroke at a time. The letters eventually formed words that seemed to accumulate faster when I didn't bother to watch the status word count at the bottom of the screen.

Some days I even blew past the daily quota of 1,667 words. While "in the zone" one day I wrote 4,070 words. Four thousand and seventy words. Whoa.

Even if I couldn't think of anything to write, I'd write that I couldn't think of anything to write. I'd write: "I can't think of anything to write . . . except about the folks I met yesterday" and then I'd begin writing about the people and the events from the day before. Sometimes I wrote about the weather, or the plans for the day, or something I had read in a book. Often those writings became part of the blog at travel.daveterry.net. Sorry.

The point is, writing has a soothing effect. It relaxes. I could watch the sun come up and go down while writing and sipping coffee. Of course, once in a while I do need to get out and experience something so as to have an event to write about.

And I guess that's the real advantage to doing it daily. Writing, even if it's a few words a day, is therapeutic. It puts things in perspective.

...dave
Writing doesn't just communicate ideas; it generates them. - Paul Graham

Daily Illustrated Journaling

I try to make it a point to journal everyday, if only for a few minutes. The main point is to remember the fun people, enjoyable food, and warm friendships made and enjoyed, especially while in China.

Journal about the simple things
Of course, you don't have to go to faraway places to record memories. For example, Ruth showed some how to make sushi, Hawaiian style (or at least as mom made it). We had wine and coke. We made barley tea, a very strong Japanese tea that requires boiling, as well as Chinese green tea. (That's the little green things in the upper right portions of the left page. Can't you tell?!) These are simple activities that are easy to record anywhere.

Of course, none of the daily sketches are anything fancy but they bring back tons of memories. I post these to help you see that your entries don't have to be fancy, they can take just minutes to do but years later you'll have a richness in your journal like no other.

A sketch is worth 10,000 words
If a photograph is worth 1,000 words, then your own sketch must speak 10,000. I've often looked at a photograph I took and couldn't remember the people or the event. That's never happened with any of my sketches.

We remember our sketches and the feelings they bring back much faster than written words. The words though, supply what the pictures cannot. The two combined make for a powerful record of a memory book. Lewis and Clark practiced this kind of journaling when they traveled. Their journals are some of the most incredible, especially when you consider the conditions under which they were written. No hanging out in an air conditioned RV overlooking the setting sun. No. More like tents and backpacks resting against rocks while they massaged sore feet from miles of walking. Still they found time to write and sketch. (Check out the Lewis and clark journals here.

Rather than paste stuff cut out of magazines into your journal, I'd encourage you to draw your own memories. Don't do anything real fancy. Keep it basic. Over time your sketches will improve, perhaps become framable art. But the point is to remember the times. A few lines in your journal will do that.

I notice that many that come to my blog are searching Google for "365 Journal Entries." My guess is that they want journal to record a year's worth of memories. My journals are usually at least about 400 pages. This enables me to carry a years worth around with me. Sometimes when I get stuck, I'll flip back and re-read or review other sketches. It's enough to boost me or jog my creative juices to create the next day's illustrated journal entry.

Later when the paints come out, color wash a few and enhance your images. You'll be surprised that a little color (or even a monochromatic hue) bring your quick sketches to a whole new level. Oh, and while you have color on your brush, go back and touch some more past sketches. You'll be glad you did.

Use the right tools
Craftsmen know that good tools make a difference. The only thing to keep in mind for illustrated journaling is to use a waterproof ink. I use uni-ball Vision Micro pens everyday. They are cheap, easy to purchase at any Walmart or art store, and provide a jet black line. I wish uni-ball made them in brown.

These sketches were done in Noodlers waterproof whaler's brown ink. (I mean, come on, you need waterproof ink on a whaling ship. Right? I know this isn't too politically correct but don't blame me, I didn't give the ink its name.) This ink was a special run and I picked it up from jetpens.com but you can get a similar Noodlers Standard Brown Fountain Pen Ink at Amazon.

But if you do go out to jetpens.com check out their cheap Preppy 05 fountain pen. I bought about four of them and filled them with my own ink. Just remove the cartridge and fill the body with the ink of choice. (Put a little Vaseline on the threads to prevent any possible leaks.) For three dollars you can't go wrong.

...dave
Every artist was first an amateur. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

illustrated journaling - China apartment

Just a quick sketch from our China apartment. Trying to get a sketch-a-day out but not too successful.

Sometimes the journal becomes a list of TODOs.

The cabinet was found in a second hand store. There are so many solid wood items in second hand stores here that it makes me wonder why anyone would visit the Ikea-Look-Alike store here. Most of that stuff falls apart within weeks. It's only "pressboard" (sawdust mixed with glue) and looks so sterile. There is to character.

The owners of the apartment bought the entire living room furniture (couch, eight unmatching wood chairs, table, three cabinets) in a day and had it delivered for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere or if purchased at Ikea.

The sketch was done with a Preppy Fountain pen filled with brown Noodler's Bulletproof Whaler's ink. Then I added a quick watercolor wash.

(Still sketching in China but the days are numbered. Check out travel.daveterry.net for details.)

...dave
Failure is not an option. It is a privilege reserved only for those who try.