An Introduction to the Mass Hysteria: National Novel Writing Month.

Have you ever considering writing a book? Were you overwhelmed once you thought of sitting and facing a blank page that you must fill, or maybe that sensation didn't strike until you had the sudden realization that you had to fill another page and another. Well, never fear aspiring author! It just so happens that your time has come to shine and to do a long side thousands upon thousands of others just like yourself. Yes! It is the insanity dubbed NaNoWrimo.

You may be asking yourself: What is this NaNoWrimo that you speak of? I have never heard of NaNoWrimo, you say. You may be placing it with Pokemon or other Japanese anime, but you're wrong to think such a thought. Nothing against Japanese anime, because we all know that Japanese artists did the Real Ghostbusters cartoon animation. But! That's irrelevant. The point is that NaNoWriMo is a movement: a mass movement. NaNoWriMo means National Novel Writing Month.

That's right. There's a month solely devoted to writing a novel. Can you believe that? None can at first, until it takes hold that's it real and the possibility makes one ecstatic. The sheer idea that one can write a book in a month is madness. Oui-but aren't all authors a little mad? Was Poe not found raving in the streets before being taken to the hospital to die? Did or did not Hunter S. Thompson wish for his ashes to be shot from a cannon? Are you mad enough to attempt the near impossible? Are you willing to attempt to write a book in 30 days?

If so, then, NaNoWriMo is the place for you. It's an interactive community with forums, private messaging, PodCasts, merchandise and even a book to help light the way: No Plot? No Problem. By Chris Baty, who also happens to be the founder of NaNoWrimo. He must be batty. The mass writings have been held annually since November 2000, and have grown to include participants not only in America but internationally; so Japanese anime artists don't feel excluded.

The goal here is to write a novel (maybe more properly a novella) that numbers 50,000 words. It's not impossible. Nay! It's been done, however, only the greatest of crazies suffer through to the end to be locked away in an asylum until next November. Last year, in 2005, a little less than 60,000 people made the attempt and a little less than 10,000 finished their homegrown novels. Still have doubts? Keep in mind that Jack Kerouac, beat generation author, wrote his inspiring On the Road in three weeks, which is a lot longer than 50,000 words. 50,000 words can be compared to The Red Badge of Courage or The Great Gatsby.

Writers with dreams of prestige and recognition should know, too, a few NaNoers have had their little books published. Still doubting what fruits your mind's labor and finger's dexterity can produce over the month of November? You could go pick up a copy of some published NaNoNovels, like The Destructor (Pinnacle books) by Jon F. Merz or Time Off For Good Behavior (Warner books) by Lani Diane Rich.

So, why don't you do something else besides stuff a turkey and yourself this November and watch the Redskins against the Cowboys? Why not write a book? I mean, after all it's doable. You can brag to your friends, to your spouse, your family, or even to that cute thing in the club. Everyone loves the artsy type, so put that computer to use and give yourself an excuse to sit for an hour. Develop a cranky attitude and be rude, because after all you're a writer penning the next best American novel, or at least that's what you tell yourself, and you don't have to put up with the nonsense of those non-artsy types that don't understand you.

So, visit NaNoWriMo and register today (for free! of course, everything's free but the t-shirts and mugs) at http://www.nanowrimo.org, and tell 'em Pa sent ya!