Just Say (Na) NO (Wri)(Mo)

04 Nov Just Say (Na) NO (Wri)(Mo)

So I got inspired to write a blog post and then I realized that it was November so I should put a quick word in about NaNo and then I realized I could totally make it fit with the post I wanted to write, and then I realized I needed more coffee since this morning there was only about half my usual amount and then I thought well I’ll just write the post and then make the coffee but that sounded like a terrible idea so I started making the coffee and thinking about what I was going to write and it was all coming together beautifully and I was like oh I’m totally going to remember this and then I paused and thought I’m never going to remember this and I thought should I just go write some of this down but then I looked down and I was holding the coffee beans in my hand and so I thought well I haven’t even put these in the grinder yet so let me just do that but then I thought well I may as well just set the whole thing up because then I’ll have some time to write it all and so I’ll just keep thinking about the post and then I won’t forget it.

So now it’s about an hour later and I’m sitting here with my deeee-licious cup of coffee, and I have zero recollection as to what my original post was going to be.

Pause for my mid-morning Halloween candy break. Man, why don’t I eat more Milky Ways during the year?? They are really so yummy.

I know I should really change the title to Reasons #592-595 why I could never be a Writer, but I really don’t want to because I feel like if I keep staring at it, I’ll eventually remember what my original plan was.

I remember there was something about being all inspiring about NaNo and stuff. You know, go forth and write, all ye writers! Just do it!

I remember a bigger, older guy we called “Dad.” I guess some things never leave you.

You want to know something funny?

Wait, why do I always ask that? Of course you want to know something funny. I just remembered what the title meant. It was about Jack Handey because I looked at last year’s NaNo post and it started with a (slightly altered) Deep Thought.

I think I’ll make referencing Jack a new NaNo tradition.

So then I remember thinking how much I didn’t want to put that same post up again and Just Say (Na)No was sort of about that, like I just can’t do that—to you, to me, to the universe.

And then it also made me think of another Deep Thought, one I actually got to throw into a conversation last week and I was really excited about it because I don’t think I’ve ever been able to use this particular one before, although it seems like it would be an easy one. That used to be a goal of mine, you know, to use Deep Thoughts in conversations. I mean, before I had real goals. I mean, it wasn’t a goal exactly, but I just liked to do it.

Ok, never mind.

Anyway, it was Halloween and I was walking home from Kmart with my last minute banjo skeleton guy (that guy was awesome, btw) and other decorations and candy in my bags, one in each hand (hardcore fans, do you see where I’m going with this??) and some woman stopped me on the street and asked if I had a minute for her cause, whatever it was.

And I said, “Sorry, got these sacks.”

Yes! Double fist pump.

Anyway, in my head there was a really smart connection there between that and the just say no and how you shouldn’t just say no to writing and you should just say yes (profound, right??) and just write and not worry about how it sounds (clearly I don’t) and then edit it later (clearly I skip that part).

But if you don’t write anything, there’s nothing to edit.

So just say no to all the people who will tell you that this writing is a piece of shit. I mean, tell you that about your own writing. Because that’s what editing is for. And that’s what December is for. And January. And the entire rest of the year.

But November is for just getting those words down. So just go do it.

Huh, I guess the title really didn’t work. In fact not much of this really did. But you know what? It’s November, so I’m not going to worry about it.

Also, I’m not a writer, so I’m probably not going to worry about it in December either. I may start worrying slightly if February rolls around and I haven’t done another blog post. But I’ll try. Probably a lot of supportive comments would help.

Good luck to all of you doing NaNoWriMo! I hope you set goals, meet them, exceed them, and then some.