In 1999 a November tradition began. It’s called National Novel Writing Month or, NaNoWriMo. The goal is to write a first draft of a novel (about 50,000 words) in 30 days. Nearly half a million people participate each year. Was this writer one of them? Is that why no blog posts appeared in November?
No.
I wish I could say I was that ambitious! But, as I’ve said before, writing doesn’t only encompass putting words to paper (or computer screen). Life interferes and this past month included a planned trip to California amongst other things. Instead, I decided to read books I’ve missed over the years: award-winners; “shoulda, coulda, woulda” reading lists; books left out of various literature classes; books that just didn’t tempt me.
So, what’s the point? I had a lot of reasons. First, I felt there was a hole in my education. How could I not be familiar with books that are referenced in various conversations? Second, I felt as if I was finally ready to try some books that might not have appealed earlier in my life. (For example, I’m not a big fantasy reader. I prefer non-fiction these days). Third, I wanted to know what I could learn from these popular writers. What could they teach me? How does today’s writing compare to earlier styles?
My first choice was East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I chose it because I’m writing a novel that revolves around two brothers and I wanted something in a similar theme. While Steinbeck’s novel is much more complex than my young adult novel, it opened my eyes to the ways family relationships can be unimaginably tangled. It especially shows how two people can
experience the same event in different ways.
I next read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. And before you ask,
I’ve no idea whyI missed this one! I can’t believe it was never assigned in any literature class I took. I thought I knew its core concept. I did not. While the character Boo Radley gets brought
up a lot in discussions, he wasn’t, as I thought, the most prominent issue. Instead, the focus is on the relationship between Scout, her brother, and their father, Atticus.
Atticus is portrayed as an “old” father—unable to participate in things younger dads can do. But, like a dear grandfather, he has aged long enough to see what is and isn’t important in the way his children are raised. He calmly allows them to be children, but with expectations. I loved it.
I’m currently in the middle of all of the Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. Honestly, I’m forcing myself through them. The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe were okay. I enjoyed the humor and the off-beat characters
but the others just seem like more of the same to me: cutesy names, Aslan, fights, kings, queens. As a child I often re-read books or read every book in a series. I can see why writing extensions of The Lion, etc. was probably profitable for Lewis but I think my anti-fantasy gene is working overtime.
I will push through, however. After all, over 400,000 people spent their November trying to write one of these things. The least I can do is finish the novels someone else worked so hard to complete!
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