Peer Pressure and the Peerless Novel

Peer pressure can be good or bad -- depending on what it guides you to do. In this case, after talking about it for a few years, two colleagues signed up for NaNoWriMo. Which "forced" me to do the same.

The National Novel Writing Month is November, and the goal is to do just that. Start and finish a novel of at least 50,000 words in the space of a month. Great art? No, but it can be great fun. And a great way to get the creative juices flowing.

I was ambivalent about signing up because my time's already at a premium. On the other hand, doing what I really want to do -- write, compose, play music, draw -- seems to be continually pushed to the bottom of the list in favor of more practical things, like meeting deadlines, running a business, and maintaining some kind of normal family life.

So I've taken the plunge. My friends quit talking about it and acted; I felt I could do no less. So tomorrow morning, I start in on my new novel. The outline's ready (that much prep is allowed). All I have to do is fill in the words.

Is peer pressure a bad thing? I'll let you know at the end of the month.

- Ralph

Day 136 of the WJMA Web Watch.