I've signed up for NaNoWriMo, basically a "write-a-novel-in-a-month" dare sort of thing.

Various writers have various approaches. Various writers have various things that motivate them. Dares work for some people, but for others they don't. My first novel was written during a two-month dare, and I think it turned out reasonably well. Earlier this year, I cranked out a novel draft for my second book (and it turned out rather poor, I think).

So the last two months I've written a grand total of one story. My production has been abysmal, so I'm using this dare as a way to re-motivate myself. Writers should have a very large amount of internal motivation, or they're never going to make it. But they need some positive reinforcement or...they're never going to make it.

It's been over a year since my first sale, and the more time passes without another one, the further I slide into a funk. Lack of confidence is not good for any endeavor, but it definitely doesn't help with the creative process (though it's always an intrinsic part of the package).

Anyway, all this to say I'm in one of those low swings with regard to my writing and I'm hoping working on what I consider my third novel will pull me out (at least slightly).

This is a book that has stewed in my head for years, starting out as a short story (not a very good one), then expanding into a novel-length idea, outlined in various incarnations. I think it's finally time to set it down in something other than a gobbled mess, and do it right.

I remember a quote by Stephen King where he says you can tell good stories from bad by how alive they are in your mind. If you still haven't set the story down right, but it's still alive in your mind, it still needs to be written. If not, then it's deader than day-old horseshit.

This story's been alive in my mind for years, so instinctively I know it's got legs. I won't be talking about particulars here, just posting my word count (I'll be shooting for an average of 1500 words a day).

See you at the end of the line.