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Like I don't do enough typing as it is...
Published: 11/1/2010 2:23 PM
Last Modified: 11/1/2010 2:23 PM

It's November 1, which means a few hundred people in the Tulsa area -- and thousands more around the world -- have begun the 30-day committment that is National Novel Writing Month.

Started in 1999 by Chris Baty, the idea is for people to write a certain number of words of a novel within a given time frame. Baty and friends decided the goal would be to reach the 50,000-word limit in the 30 days that November hath.

The first NaNoWriMo, as it's come to be called, attracted only a score of participants -- all of them Baty's friends. Last year's 10th anniversary NaNoWriMo attracted some 167,150 writers, 32,178 of whom officially achieved the goal of writing 50,000 words.

The key is simply that -- words. The purpose of NaNoWriMo isn't necessarily to produce great literature, or even a completed, halfway decent novel. It is to get people into the practice of spending some time every day writing, so that they realize either that writing is something they were meant to do, or make them understand that perhaps not everyone has a book in them.

And it's not simply fiction wannabees who take part in NaNoWriMo. Sara Gruen began what became the best-selling novel "Water for Elephants" as part of NaNoWrimo.

So, to all those taking part in this year's NaNoWriMo, happy typing.

As for me -- 1,128 and counting.

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ARTS

James D. Watts Jr. has lived in Oklahoma for most his life, even though he still has people saying to him, "Don't sound like you're from around these parts." A University of Oklahoma Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Watts has received the Governor Arts Award, Harwelden Award and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Beth Macklin Award for his writing. Before coming to the Tulsa World, Watts worked for the Tulsa Tribune.

Contact him at (918) 581-8478.

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Archive

Past Articles By James D. Watts Jr

2/15/2013		'Concept/OK' exhibit ends Saturday
2/14/2013		Symphony to host piano soloist
2/14/2013		Broadway tours bring 'Shrek,' improv musical to Tulsa area this weekend
2/14/2013		Arts roundup: Improv reigns at several upcoming theater events
2/14/2013		'Lion King' returns to Tulsa PAC June 4
2/12/2013		Review: Signature Symphony reprises '100 Years of Oklahoma Music'
2/11/2013		Tulsa Symphony's concert salutes diverse American music
2/10/2013		Cherokee artist weaves messages into baskets
2/10/2013		Tesla Quartet set for Tulsa residency next week with variety of activities
2/10/2013		Jim Murphy wins 2013 Anne Zarrow Award
2/10/2013		LBJ chronicler Robert Caro to speak at TU on Tuesday
2/9/2013		Theater review: Playhouse makes "Barefoot in the Park" believable

James D. Watts Jr's Blog Archive:

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