Remember, remember!

I woke up this morning to bizarre dreams and a headache at what I thought was 10 ish... only for my phone to inform me that it was 8:55 am. Oh, right. Daylight Savings Time. That's today, isn't it? This is far too early to be awake on a Sunday in the middle of a pandemic...

Not only is it Daylight Savings Time - the universal sign that Winter Is Coming - it's also the first of November. Everyone knows what that means, right? "That election day is on November 3rd, and all the political ads and mail and texts and calls will stop soon?" Well... yes. (I hope.) But no!

It's National Novel Writing Month! NaNoWriMo, for short. I've heard friends talk about it for years. So, what is it?

National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists. (https://nanowrimo.org/about-nano)

In short, it's a goal and accountability. Write (every day) for a month - write a certain number of words by the end - and do it alongside a bunch of other writers trying to do the same thing.

"So you're participating in this 'NaNoWriMo'... is that what you're saying? You're writing a novel?"

Oh, no. I don't think so. But if you're a writer, let me tell you why you should consider putting yourself up to the challenge - or at least a challenge, if you don't follow this one exactly.

When I was in high school, I played the flute and took lessons each week. I practiced regularly. I got to be pretty good! And so, I was strongly encouraged by my teachers to try out for All-State: a rigorous audition process to be selected as one of Iowa's finest high school musicians. 𝅘𝅥𝅮 I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was... 𝅘𝅥𝅮

My Wind Ensemble teacher at the time had this challenge, for those of us trying out for All-State: to practice every day for the 100 days leading up to the audition. Every. Day.

Did I practice every day, normally? No. More often than not, but not every day. But it didn't sound too bad. Wouldn't it be cool and prestigious, to be part of the "100 days" club? I'm nothing, if not stubborn. So I made myself a paper chain with 100 links, wrapped it around my staircase at home, and we were off to the races.

On paper, every day for 100 days doesn't sound too bad. In reality, it means practicing today even though I had school all day and there's a football game this evening and I won't get home til late. It means practicing today even though I have a cold and am not feeling great. It means practicing today even though I really don't want to and my heart isn't in it. It means practicing through all of the "even thoughs."

But that first year I auditioned for All-State, I did it. I practiced every day for 100 days. Some days were better than others, but I never skipped. And when it finally came time to audition? I got called back for a second audition! I didn't progress any further from there - so you are not looking at one of Iowa's finest flutists - but I came close!

And you know what? That was the only year I successfully practiced every day for the 100 days leading up to All-State auditions, and it was the only year I auditioned well enough to even get called back.

When you commit to doing something come hell or high water, you learn discipline, and you build the skill of practice. Some people definitely have more natural talent than others, but you will struggle to improve at anything if you never practice it. Discipline, on the other hand, is just a useful kind of endurance to have for all circumstances. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Life is chock-full of situations when we're "not really feeling it." Don't really want to go to work today? Do it anyway. Don't want to mow the lawn/do laundry/vacuum? Do it anyway. Don't want to take that phone call or send that email or schedule that appointment? Do it anyway. Discipline builds strength of character.

So, do I see myself writing a novel? I doubt it. Do I think it would be a good idea to challenge myself to write every day for 30 days? Yes, I think that would strengthen my discipline and be good practice for me. I'm not sure I have enough interesting things to say for 30 days, but it's worth it to try... write? 😉