It begins!

Well, I've officially started writing a new novel about a character called Zack, 500 words and counting. As is usual for me, the genre is probably best described at YA fantasy, although it's quite different to the other 'successful' novels I've finished. The crucial difference is that it's set in our world, although Zack is quite an unusual human. It's been in my head for ... well, a few years, I think, although I still only have a vague sense of where it's going. My novels are often like that. I have a general sense of their direction, although nothing specific for what might happen along the way.

I wonder how long it'll take me to write? Will I complete it? I have far too many abandoned novels to be confident of myself in that respect. The last one I finished was for Nanowrimo, not last November, but the year before. Nanowrimo is a personal writing challenge. The aim is to write 50,000 words in a month, and for my mid-grade novel Between Time it was the perfect length.

I managed to complete Nanowrimo three years in a row between 2005-2007, with Between Time as the finishing success. However, since I've been at university, I just don't have time in November to take on the challenge. Last year, I attempted and managed to write about 4,000 words that were soon munched when my computer died (back up your work, people!) and this year, I know there's no point in attempting it. Not when I have dissertations and Middle English to wade through...

Anyway, I haven't told you much about Zack's story, although I'm never sure how much I should say on these blog pages. But if you feel like taking part in the Nanowrimo challenge (it's great for making you sit down and actually write), then the website is: www.nanowrimo.org.