Camp has begun!

Today is the first day of Camp NaNoWriMo and I am very excited.  My goal for camp this April is to write another 50,000+ words for a novel.  This one has grown on me.  It is titled 'Reunion Stories: The Triumphs, Trial and Tribulations of the Lincoln High Class of 1978.' I know its a bit of a long title, but I wanted it be be clear what I was talking about.  I've already made some good progress and even have an excerpt I am willing to share.  Enjoy!

Excerpt:

Mona picked up on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Hi, it’s me.  You busy?”
“No, not really, just working but that can always wait.  What’s up?”
“I just got a request from someone I barely remember to join the Facebook Group.  Do you remember Tad Roberts?”
“Tad Roberts. Tad Roberts. No it really isn’t familiar,” said Mona lost in thought.
“I looked up his picture and he was that one kids who was so into Disco, with the bell bottoms and the silk shirts open to the waist and the chains on his neck.  You know he wanted to be John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.”
“Wait, I think I remember him. Afro and glasses?” Moan asked, her memory sparked.
“Yep, that’s him.  Or I should say was him.  He said he now goes by Teri,” said Jaime.
“Are you serious?  Do you think he’s transgender or just gay?”
“I don’t know, but there has to be a story in there somewhere.”
“I bet most of the alumni have at least one interesting story.  You know what, I think we should try to gather as many stories as we can and put it all together into a book.”
“That’s a great idea!  We could ask everyone to submit whatever stories they want, whether from High School or what’s happened to them since.  I bet we could get it all together and publish it for the reunion. Let me look at something.” Jaime was searching out a website on her computer. “Got it.  We could self-publish the books in full color for about $70 per book up to 150 copies.  It could be a sort of updated yearbook.”
“Of course that will be a lot of work,” Mona hesitated.
“Come on, I think we need to do this.  I’ll tell you what, we can put up a poll on the page to see if people would be interested.  We can ask if they would be willing to contribute as well as if they would be willing to buy one.”

To be a writer, one must write

Honestly, that is all it takes to be a writer - writing.  Now to be a successful writer, writing needs to become a habit.  I've been following both Paul Guyot (@Fizzhogg) and Brian Koppelman (@BrianKoppelman) both on twitter and their own blogs (http://paulguyot.net/ and http://briankoppelman.com/ respectively) for a while now and I have learned so much from them.

All of their advice and wisdom, however boils down to the fact that to be a writer you have to write. Every. Single. Day.  Write when its easy and the words just seem to flow onto the page of their own volition.  Write on the days when you have no idea what to write about as well.

Don't be intimidated by the empty page. Rather hear its siren call, begging you to put pen to paper and fill it with your words. Those words don't have to make sense at first, write what you feel and what you want others to feel.  Write about what you see and hear and smell and feel around you.  Its amazing how the slightest prod can turn into some of the most wonderful stories or scenes or dialogue that you've ever written.

Don't get me wrong, just as often as not, when you do this you may get something that's god awful.  that's OK too!  The process of expressing yourself is a learned behavior and the more you practice it the easier it becomes. Nothing written is a waste of your time.  Everything helps you to become a better writer.

So, have you written today?  I have. :)