Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Reverb 10, Writing Communities

December 7 – Community Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

While I spent much of this year deepening my relationships within existing communities, I did find two new communities this fall. One was in Nanowrimo, the National Novel Writing Month. Although I only went to one write-in, it was definitely a community of people participating. Online, on Twitter, in person, a diverse community focused on a single goal. It's something I plan to continue. I also was invited to join a small writing group. We've only met a few times, but that is a community I do plan to continue and connect with more deeply in 2011. It took me over a year, maybe two, to really find people to give me feedback on my writing, but now I do feel like I've been able to find those people to give me those invaluable critiques.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Oh right, Nano is over.

So National Novel Writing Month is finished. I had a few other things on my mind at the time (more on that later), so its passing was quiet. Plus I reached my goal point with my novel.
I wonder what it will be like next year. I anticipate being under highly different circumstances (more on that later too), so I wonder if I'll be writing an entirely new book, or editing the memoir I've started. I'd like to start something entirely new. Still, I don't think I'm going to be entirely consumed by it. I like it, and I will do it again, but it didn't impact me the way I expected.
Part of me feels that I "cheated" and that's why Nanowrimo didn't consume me. "Cheated" because I edited my work, rather than writing from scratch. But on the other hand, I think there may be too much emphasis in our world on doing things a certain way, by the book. And if a person doesn't follow that path, s/he's a failure. I don't buy it. And so I'm not calling myself a Nano cheater.
I look forward to whatever challenge next year brings!