On the November Wing

Ah, NaNo. That magical time of the year when for 30 days, I’m pretty much checked out on anything other than typing. A lot. Chances are if I’m not typing, I’m off being ill. One November, I had the worst case of strep throat I’ve ever had – also the only case of strep throat I’ve ever had! Another, I didn’t personally get sick, but my beloved red tabby had his second case of feline cystitis – I spent the last week of November in and out of the vet office with him. The winner, of course, was the November where I spent half of NaNo with half of my face paralyzed thanks to a bout of Bell’s Palsy. In the end, that’s neither here nor there – sadly, Bell’s Palsy did not end up playing a part in my novel.

I spend all year, starting with December 1^st, thinking about what I will write for the following November. To be fair, that’s not the right way to go about it – I should think about what I’m writing tomorrow, but NaNo is exciting. I feel like my best ideas are saved for NaNo every year, and I’m hoping this year will be no different.

This year is extra exciting for me: my story is in many ways a sequel to my (unfinished) story from last year. A young inventor named Fen has just been hired at a small company for his knowledge in the now-outdated use of steam power. While cleaning his new basement office, he finds a copy of blueprints for an airship that was made up some hundred-or-two odd years ago. Overwhelmed with ambition and a hatred for the mage energy now used to power his home country of Pridd, Fen sets out to finish the blueprints and build an airship.

On paper, that sounds pretty good (I hope). It’s an idea I’ve wanted to write for years now (and made a botched attempt at CampNaNo this summer with!), and I feel like I’m finally ready to tackle it. Besides, I have a lot of art of Fen. I mean a lot of art. My outline has really been struggling this month, however, and I’m hoping I have at least a decent road map laid out by November 1^st. I learned a few years back that I just can’t write a novel in 30 days without an outline – or should I say lifeline?

At the time of writing this, I have about a week left to finish my outline and get ready for NaNo. By the time you’re reading this, it will be October 31^st. Let’s just all keep our fingers crossed that by then, I will be armed and ready – otherwise it could be a very long November!