We Shall Entice You with Contesty Goodness

I dropped a hint recently that a contest is in the works.  This one is going to be a joint endeavor with one of my mostest favoritist writerly bloggers (who I met through another contest - win!) and possibly a third writerly blogger....ly as well!  We are plotting and planning and rubbing our hands together and planning our little graphic to roll things out as we speak.  We are celebrating some exciting Follower milestones (you there!  The 300.... almost!  Ok, it will not be into the valley of death with you.  I promise something a smidge more appealing).  We were going to try to get it in before Halloween (read: before everyone's life goes into NaNo blackout) but we're writing for Hannah's contest and people are already NaNoPlotting, so we decided to wait until early December when you are so exhausted that you're easy to push around ready for something a little more lighthearted and a whole lot less stressful.  And there will be PRIZES!  We are hoping to roll out the announcement next week and then really light the fire after NaNo.

Speaking of NaNo... good luck to all of you crazy brilliant awesome hermits-to-be! (For anyone who has happened upon The Dange and isn't familiar, NaNoWriMo is the totally tonguetwisty nickname for National Novel Writing Month.  The goal is to write a 50,000 word novel.  In the month of November.  It takes place annually, anyone can sign up, join write-ins, get support, guzzle coffee, go on a social blackout, alienate all of your friends except fellow NaNoites, scream, pull out your hair, stay up all night, take days off from work, and WRITE YOUR BUTT OFF.  It's not supposed to be a good novel... it's supposed to kick you into high gear and get enough writing done that you can turn it into a good novel with some mega revision and editing once the month is over.  Or you could write "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" over and over until you hit 50,000 words.  You'd still win, but it wouldn't be nearly as fun as commisserating with fellow NaNoites about writer's block and characters that won't cooperate and the fact that your favorite coffee flavor doesn't come out until December when you really need it for NaNo.)

Hey, wow.  I allllmost convinced myself to do NaNo just then!  I have done it twice before and failed miserably.  I just don't have the time with teaching and the kids and parent conferences and hosting Thanksgiving.  Excuses, excuses, right?  If I had a decent story idea, I might. consider it.  a little bit.  maybe.  But I don't really, seeing as I just shelved my WiP and nothing is dying to come out at the moment.  So I'm planning to give myself a break this year and hope maybe next year.  But I will miss the chaos and fun with my writing buddies.  Have fun, you guys!! I will be cheering you on like the crazy goth cheerleader who totally doesn't belong but does it for just that reason!  LOVE you guys!  Break a pencil! :D