What’s in the artist’s name?

I have a dearly departed friend, also my first editor, who wrote a book called “The Real Shakespeare” several years ago. She joined a large debate of those who believe the man named William Shakespeare did not actually write all of those gorgeous plays. I give all respect to Marilyn Savage Gray for her views and incredible research for the book. Maybe she’s right. And maybe those who say it was actually a woman who wrote them, using his name since women were not accepted as writers back then are right. How do we know?

More importantly, how much does it matter?

Today on art.com’s Facebook page, they bring up a painting called “Girl With A Broom” from 1640, signed by Rembrandt. We all know who Rembrandt is, whether or not we could pick out his work. His name is up there with the masters of art, and well-deserved. They ask, though, was that painting done by Rembrandt? Or was it done by one of his students: Carel Fabritius?

I daresay most of us haven’t heard of Fabritius. I hadn’t. And yet, if you look at his self-portrait posted here (from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carel_Fabritius ), you see quality work and a departure from Rembrandt in that his background is lighter and the painting in general is less dark.

Did you know that many of the masters had students helping to create their art? They were able to complete more work that way, and in doing so, earn more money. I have personal issues against the practice. Once another’s hands are in a work of art, it is no longer as truly pure. How do you know which comes from the named artist and which from students (or editors, for that matter).

Maybe that’s all besides the point. Maybe it’s what’s left behind that matters and not who produced it. I do feel that way about Shakespeare’s works, although if someone else did do the writing, I would like to know that and give that artist credit. (I don’t believe much in ghostwriting, either, although many writers make a good living with the practice and seem fine with not having the recognition.)

Personally, I feel Shakespeare wrote his own work, possibly with editing help or even with “student” assistance such as the fine art masters had. One of the big objections that critics use against him writing his own is that he was “common” and not school educated. Ah well, so was Abraham Lincoln. That point doesn’t hold an ounce of water with me.

I put much more value in self-education, anyway. School education follows a model, attempting to mold all kids to learn the same way and the same things. It’s like Fabritius studying under Rembrandt’s style so much that we can’t tell for sure which work is from which artist. Rembrandt’s name is the better known because he created his own style after learning bits and pieces from others and changing and manipulating the lessons into something different. That’s self-education at its best.

So does the artist’s name matter? Apparently it does if the artist stands out from the crowd instead of following the beaten path.

Shakespeare was not only a principal actor at the time, but he also was in large part an owner of the Globe theater. In this way, he could be considered one of the leaders of self-publishing.  Did he write his own work? I would say yes, at least enough of it to establish his name. If others did no more than follow his style to add to the body of work, does it matter if we know their names? I’m not so sure. At that point, it’s the work itself that matters.

I had the opportunity to go into the Globe Theater a couple of years ago when we visited England. Of course, it’s not THE Globe, since the original burned to the ground, but still, it was a memorable event and I could almost feel myself sitting amongst the crowd watching an original Shakespeare performance on its premiere showing. It’s a powerful thing to surround yourself with largeness and originality and the work of the masters, and take pieces of that away with you to create your own masterpieces.





 
--

Find Rembrandt’s work on Art.com
Find Fabritius’s work on Art.com

Find Marilyn Savage Gray’s books Here or at BN.com.

Artistic Eye: in photos

Art is a way of seeing.

That’s far from a new thought, but yesterday I posted a few photos of a local park in the blog I set up for my county to show the area in all its glory. I posted the link in my Facebook and received a comment about my “artistic eye.” That’s what art is all about: seeing things in a different viewpoint, looking more deeply and at different angles to find details. I’m not sure if it can be taught fully, but there are techniques anyone can use to see things more artistically.

I’m not a good teacher. I never have been. I found this back when trying to help my kids with their homework. Understanding and teaching are different. However, I’m always willing to share what I’ve learned and thought I’d try today, using other photos from the park that are more artsy than descriptive, if that makes sense.

 
I have a thing for docks. There’s something romantic about an old wooden structure reaching out into the water, a path that leads seemingly nowhere, unless you have an alternate mode of transportation. I don’t see only the dock here. I see the possibility of a small boat coming to its open end, ready for passengers. I see a couple walking out hand-in-hand to the edge and sitting together enjoying the water (or slushy snow in this case) and serenity of nature, wordless, since quiet is a powerful means of communication. I see footsteps in the snow beside it that were there before the weather warmed and made treading out on the pond on foot impossible. I see the shelters in the background amidst the trees that hold the possibility of get-togethers and laughter. I wonder who made the footprints. I wonder if the water is seen as a barrier between the dock and the shelters or a connection. I see the changing season: grass beginning to show on the land while snow and ice still control the water. I see possibility of metaphor.


Angle matters. If I had centered my son in the photo, I wouldn’t see the little pavilion in the background and I wouldn’t get the path of water leading to it. I wouldn’t have the edge of grass that echoes the melting of the ice that echoes the short sleeves. I wouldn’t get the same angle of his head echoing the curve of the pond. There’s always more to a photo than the main subject. Background matters.


Catch the sun in the right place and it will assist your eye and transform your scene. Also, try looking up instead of always out. It’s amazing the beauty you can find just by raising your chin.



Catch the reflections.


And the tracks left by someone else. 

If you’ll return (and you can know I’ve left a new post by subscribing to your right), you’ll soon find more artistic eye entries: in fine art, in writing, in design, and maybe in social issues.

By the way, all photos online are copyright protected by their creators. If you would like to use my photos, please contact me and let me know where and for what. I don’t mind sharing with permission and credit. I have the better, larger versions if there is a good purpose for the larger versions.

Plugging the Hydrant

“Talking is a hydrant in the yard and writing is a faucet upstairs in the house. Opening the first takes the pressure off the second.”
Robert Frost

Robert Frost is somewhat featured in Off The Moon. Of course we all know he was an exceptional poet, but if you read through some of his quotes, you see that he was also a man of much common sense and intelligence with wonderful advice for living as well as writing.

My luster and drive for throwing myself into my stories and essays has been waning. At the same time, I’ve been throwing myself into reconnecting with old friends and talking with new and trying to keep up with everyone’s goings on. I enjoy it. Honestly. However, it has become that hydrant that’s such a danger to writing.

I’ve realized that for some time but expected I could find a way to balance it. So far, that hasn’t happened. My writing isn’t going where I want it to go. My chatting (partly with promo as an excuse) is becoming more predominant than my work. And a recent event has made me step back and realize I need to reconfigure.

I started writing back when I didn’t have enough communication. It was a constantly running faucet that relieved the emotional valve. It made for full, vivid stories packed with meaning and sub-meaning because all of my repressed thoughts came out in my work. Now, too often, they come out during chats and ramblings and it releases too much of that pressure I want in my work.

So, if I’m not around the lists or social networks much for a while, you can find me here – hopefully with better and deeper entries – and in my books. I have two I want out this year. They need my attention and my intensity. I also have a couple of other projects that have been on the back burner: projects that I believe will touch more people than I can with my little here-and-there ramblings.

I’m spread too thin. I need a narrower base of operations. This blog will be the main source. There’s also my quarterly newsletter (sign up is on my website). If you comment here or in my guest book, I’ll be around to answer. I can’t guarantee that elsewhere. Some of my miscellaneous projects will either be closing or transferred to others. The holes leading to water leaks need to be welded and the most important things I need to say are in my work.

There is a sign up to be notified of new blog entries to the right. It is only used for that – your email will not be shared. Please subscribe to my updates if you want to know of new entries, or become a fan at Facebook where these entries will filter automatically. Click Here or search LK Hunsaker.

~~
As for actual news:

Today is the release date for Classic Romance Revival’s “Cupid Diaries” anthology for romance lovers. My story “Toward The Sky” is included for their premiere issue. As it relates to Off The Moon, I’ve sent it about as promo for the novel and have received some very nice comments. Find the anthology here: Cupid Diaries: Moments in Time

“Fiction is to the grown man what play is to the child; it is there that he changes the atmosphere and tenor of his life.”
Robert Louis Stevenson
--

Happy Birthday, Grandpa. May I be able to leave as beautiful a legacy as you did.

Artsy gift ideas with a family theme

Today’s ideas focus on the family. To start off, I’m suggesting one of my favorite mainstream authors, Marilynne Robinson. I first started reading Robinson’s work as a “have to” for a college class. The book was titled Housekeeping which I have to say made me roll my eyes. The title, however, is so completely understated. It’s an incredible book, full of cultural and psychological issues and maybe the best prose I’ve read.

The one I’m suggesting today, though, is Robinson’s newest: Home. Also simply titled, this book is an incredible deep look at the inner workings of an old minister’s family and the black sheep son and unassuming daughter who seems to be fine and well-adjusted but holds things within she can barely deal with. Again, the writing is beautiful and the story more so. I’m in awe of this author if you can’t tell yet. Gilead, her second novel, is slower and more inward, also an incredible read. It’s now in paperback and Borders has it for less than $13.00.

If you’re buying for a non-fiction lover, look for her The Death of Adam: Essays on Modern Thought. I’m only partway through this  one. It’s not a quick, easy read, but it’s incredibly thought-provoking and very much on-target.

How about that hard to buy for (other than electronics) group: young teen and pre-teen boys? Personally, I recommend the Hardy Boys series (not only for boys! I loved them as a kid!)

My son would highly recommend Rick Riordan’s Percy series for those who love action-adventure mixed with mythology.

~~~
Different artsy ideas:

Blank Journals for any age! You can usually find these on clearance at a bookstore. Add colored pencils, colored pens, or drawing pencils to spark creativity.

Find an art store and see what they have on clearance for a hodge-podge bag full of creative stuff for kids (or artsy adults). Add a low cost sketch pad or a calligraphy set. (Learning calligraphy is very good for young kids!)

~~
Have your own family theme ideas? Leave them in the comments. :-)

--

Book Tour Day Two

I’m talking about Artistic Vision and Creative Doubt, mixed with a touch of pop culture, on Jane Richardson’s blog today!

Come chat for a chance to win a printed, signed short story that’s so far unpublished and a bit of a prequel to Off The Moon.

Jane Richardson: Home Thoughts From A Broad

I love the title of her blog, as much as I loved her “A Different Kind of Honesty” – a lively and lovely contemporary romance that bounces between England and New York City. Funny … so does Off The Moon to a different extent.

Anyone who comments on at least 8 of my blogs during tour has a chance to win a signed copy of Off The Moon when it’s released!

Thank you again to all the tour hosts. You all rock!

Author Interview: Francesca Prescott

The other day I reviewed Francesca Prescott's debut romantic comedy, Mucho Caliente!, for my new role as an official reviewer for Classic Romance Revival. You can find the review here:

http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?p=428

You may want to pop over and read that first and then return for Prescott's lovely words of wisdom and insight in the interview she kindly granted:

 

Hi Francesca! Thank you for being here.

First things first, is there anything about my review of Mucho Caliente! you'd like to discuss, argue, etc?

Hi Loraine,

I was impressed by your review, as you mentioned things about my book that other reviewers never had. You talked about the issue of self-acceptance brought on by being an artsy type in a business world, which, in my opinion, is an important one in “Mucho Caliente!”. Personally, I often feel somewhat “out-of-sync” during social gatherings grounded in business, as it’s as if my mind doesn’t quite connect on the same wave-length as those of the people carrying on conversations around me. It can be rather unsettling, as I’ll immediately start worrying whether the other people are wondering if I’m altogether there! Truthfully, chances are I’m not, because my mind will be busy with random, visual details, or drifting off somewhere else entirely, simply because I’m shy, I’m out of my element and - oh dear! - fundamentally, not that interested! But if I am interested, I’m there two hundred percent, and will remember even the tiniest, most insignificant details forever.

You also mentioned in your review that you never quite connected with Emilio Caliente as a real person, and were not convinced that Gemma moves from seeing him as a pop star to seeing him as simply Emilio. It’s true that we don’t learn much about Emilio’s psyche in “Mucho Caliente!”. In my defense, I’ll say that this probably stems from the fact that the book is written in the first person, present tense, and focuses intensely on Gemma’s thoughts and actions. I “became” Gemma while writing the book, and therefore felt her strong connection with Emilio. I can honestly say that felt I “knew” Emilio so well by the end of the story that I was as much in love with him as Gemma was. In real life, I’m still in awe of my husband’s capacities, be they intellectual, creative, humoristic, etc. Somewhere in my mind, he’s still that gorgeous, perfect individual that I so desperately needed to impress. Relationships are an endless, fascinating, learning curve, don’t you think?

Ah, yes, and that's good for us all to remember, that relationships are on a constant move! I agree about the first person POV and I missed mentioning it in my review, but although I rarely like first person fiction, I thought this was the perfect way to tell Gemma's story and it came across well, was well done. And it is true that in real life we rarely connect with another as intensely as novels generally show, since we are only seeing from our own perspective, so it came off as very real!

In staying with the "real" theme, I love the premise of Gemma being embarrassed by her infatuation with Emilio Caliente, pop star, because pop is often looked down on much the way romance novels are. I've never heard of anyone being embarrassed to be a fan of, say Chicago or Journey or of mainstream writers such as Joyce Carol Oates, but that does seem untrue of boy bands and romance books. Was there a correlation between the two in mind while planning the book? Any insights as to why this would be?

I’ve always loved mainstream pop-music. I love catchy tunes and lyrics that I can sing-along to. There’s something deeply satisfying, not to mention uplifting, about going to a concert and being able belt out every single song along with the performer. As far as I’m concerned, I become euphoric, get goose-bumps and even cry tears of joy! Were I a performer, this is the kind of response I’d strive to receive from my audience. However, in my experience, this rarely happens as it calls for a very special connection, an extreme generosity, and an honest, mutual love and acceptance. I’ve been to many very good concerts, where I’ve come away impressed on an intellectual level, but few have taken me to a state of euphoric, blissed-out, shiny-eyed, extreme happiness. Come to think of it, the only performers that have taken me to that level are “lowly” pop artists! You want names?! One that springs to mind is Ricky Martin, particularly during his concert two years ago in Barcelona, and the other is British boy-band Take That in Zurich, a few months later. The atmosphere during both concerts was fabulously festive; both arenas were literally heaving with joy from the very first note. And yes, I’ve often been on the receiving end of little smiles of disdain when asked about my musical tastes. I’ve taken snide comments about the bubble-gum, commercial rubbish I like to listen to. The thing is, such comments are often so petty and cliché! Besides, it’s extremely hard to write a perfect, classic pop-song that will sound as good today as it will in twenty, thirty, forty years. Look at Abba! Who wanted to admit loving Abba when they appeared out of nowhere and won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974! Yet their songs sound just as fresh today as they did back then.

Not that I’m knocking other types of music, nor am I saying that people who aren’t particularly swayed by pop music are pseudo-intellectual snoots who should get a grip. The music I enjoy listening to extends way beyond pop; what I play depends on my moods. However, I’ve never been able to enjoy jazz, probably because I’m always trying to find a tune, and chances are there isn’t one!

In regard to the literary snobbism often extended towards romance books, yes, I do find it irritating. I went to a literary conference a few years ago where I felt utterly out of place after announcing I was writing a romantic comedy. Cue disdainful, condescending little smiles, pained expressions, and pinched nostrils; everyone else was writing “serious fiction”. Talk about social suicide! But somewhere deep inside, despite my shyness, I must be a bit of a rebel: Mucho Caliente! is a romantic comedy involving a lowly pop star, and it’s written in the first person, present tense! Three major no-nos; ooh-la-la! But from what I’ve gathered, my book makes people smile. It makes people happy. It’s sheer entertainment. It’s literary pop music!

Wonderful insights! I completely agree. I've often wondered why anyone should look down on something that truly makes so many other people happy! Whether it's pop or romance, both of which are truly very connecting mediums, maybe more so than other genres, if it's touching peoples hearts and souls, it's worth its weight in gold, regardless of critics. And I have to say that's one thing I really liked about your book, that it ventures outside the commonalities of the romance genre and reaches more toward literary romance, unconventional, unusual, and delightfully rebellious. Of course, we should also stop and realize that both pop music and romance novels, both while being so "disdained" are the biggest selling genres. ;-)

Francesca, are there any of Gemma's qualities you particularly relate to?

Like Gemma, I tend to over-analyze situations, I worry about the most ridiculous things, I often lack self-confidence. But as my thirteen year old niece once said when she was much younger, “if you don’t go to the party, you don’t get a balloon.” Some parties are worth going to (lots of balloons!), others less so. Basically, I’ve learned to push myself towards new challenges if I sense the outcome will be beneficial, if I think that I’ll learn from it, that I might grow. Gemma grows by daring to make changes in her life and by trusting her instincts, even if she’s a big chicken at heart. I’m a big chicken, but I’ll blow the coop if I feel there’s something worthwhile on the other side.

Incredible lesson, there! So tell us about your feature in Ibiza Style! How does one who describes herself as shy deal with an article interview and photoshoot? Where can we find it?

Being interviewed by Ibiza Style magazine was a chance opportunity that I cemented by simply daring to believe that it might be possible, that there was no harm in trying, that the worst they could say was “no.” As a writer, I’ve grown accustomed to being told “no,” so one more wasn’t going to reduce me to tears. I simply emailed the editor of the magazine, explaining who I was, what I’d accomplished and what the book was about. Of course, the fact that “Mucho Caliente!” is set in Ibiza made it more alluring to him. To my knowledge, there is very little fiction written about the island. I sent the book over, he read it, enjoyed it, so I flew over for the interview, never expecting there’d be a photoshoot involved!

What I did expect, however, was to be extremely nervous before meeting Jurgen, the editor of Ibiza Style, for the interview. Strangely enough, I wasn’t. I suppose I was confident enough about my book to know that I’d be fine discussing it with him. I’m passionate about writing, about Ibiza, about the themes in my book, as well as about all sorts of other things, so I figured it couldn’t be so terrible. I mean, if he wanted to write about me, he wasn’t going to bash me, was he?! Sure, we might not have connected at all, but as it happened, we got along extremely well and had plenty of things to talk about. The tape recorder was a little intimidating initially, but I soon forgot about it; after a few minutes, it was just like talking to a friend about things that make me tick. I enjoyed myself, and really liked him. On the other hand, had he shown up with a team of people to listen in on the conversation, I’d probably have clammed up. I’m not good in big groups!

As for the photoshoot, we did that the following day. Jurgen is also a photographer, so he came to the house where I was staying, and we just carried on from where we’d left off. As I said, I was comfortable with him, so all I had to do was listen to his directions, and try to look as relaxed and as pretty as possible! And frankly, I was delighted with the photographs. I was even more delighted when I saw the article in the magazine: I never expected four pages!

Ibiza Style is available from the German Amazon, www.amazon.de . It is a trilingual magazine, all the articles are in English, German and Spanish. It was particularly fun for me to see the first few paragraphs of my book translated into German and Spanish, as I do hope that, one day, the book will be available in other languages. It is a very multicultural book, so I’m convinced it could be appreciated by a wider audience. You can also download the magazine on-line from : http://www.pressekatalog.de/IBIZA+%26+FORMENTERA+STYLE-ebinr_2079263.html?PT=&CSS=995&fachstichwort=ibiza&gattung=PUP%2CFAP%2CINP&angebotsform=ABO%2CEZH%2CATK&backlist=True&Catalogswitch=3 . However, the instructions on the link are in German, which might be a little daunting if, like me, you don’t speak Deutsch! Otherwise, you can read the article and view the photos on my website: www.francescaprescott.com.

What do you do in your down-time for relaxation, other than reading?

When I’m not writing, or reading, I’m usually running around taking care of my family’s needs, so have little down-time. My other big passion is horses; my daughter and I share a dressage horse, so I spend a lot of time at the stables. I go to Pilates classes twice a week to keep myself in supermodel shape (ha ha!), and take care of my garden, which, right now, is simply stunning.

I see on your website you're considering a sequel to Mucho Caliente!. I, for one, would love to read their story farther down their relationship line. Do you have a plot idea in mind for it, or is it still in the maybe stage?

I am considering writing a sequel to Mucho Caliente!, but only once I’ve finished working on my dramedy, Turn Left at the Ocean, which I’m currently in the process of re-writing. This is a much more complicated book than Mucho Caliente!, the story is a lot bigger; it’s practically a saga in its sheer scope. It is set between California, England, Sicily and the Greek island of Ithaca. I hope to be finished by the end of the year. After that, I’ll start thinking about a potential sequel to Mucho Caliente!. I have a few ideas, but I don’t like working on more than one book at a time. I get so involved with my characters lives that I can’t just put them on hold while I attend to the intense demands of new ones!

Oh, I do truly look forward to your dramedy, as I see the potential for even more literary style there, and such gorgeous settings. Francesca, thank you for taking time out of your schedule to be here. Best of luck with Mucho and your future work!

Thank you, Loraine, for your great review of Mucho Caliente! and for your extremely interesting questions that I’ve really enjoyed answering. I wish you all the best with your writing, too!

xx Francesca

Mucho Caliente
Francesca Prescott
Bookstrand, Romantic Comedy
ISBN: 978-1-60601-170-6
340 pgs, sensual
http://www.francescaprescott.com

 
--

A small matter of quality

"I think all of us like to do things to the best of our ability and it has nothing to do with the competition factor, it has to do with quality."
Jerry Bruckheimer

 

I think too many of us have forgotten the definition of quality, or we've stopped caring.

In the quest for more and more and faster and faster, we've lost this important attribute. We all know we have. We all complain about the lack of quality in items we purchase. We fuss if our 'fast food' meals takes more than 15 seconds to receive and then fuss when the quality isn't there. How much quality should we expect to get in food prepared in 15 seconds?

As much as I would like to believe Jerry Bruckheimer's quote, I have a hard time doing so. I believe most of us just want more and faster, and cheaper. The cheaper things are, the more things we can buy. Never mind if they fall apart quickly or are less than truly satisfying; we have more of it.

*sigh*

I see it in my own profession, as well. I've read excerpt after excerpt of new books coming out. I browse bookstores and read the first two paragraphs from new authors, or at least new to me. It becomes rather disparaging as I continually find weak openings, incomplete sentences not used purposely or for effect, repetition to the point where I want to scream, "Enough already! I get that's she's busty and he's well built! Okay!"

I see a flux of adverbs used instead of strong verbs. I see sentence structures and paragraphs that fourth graders could write (no offense to fourth graders).

I've read the first 25 pages of a book where nearly nothing happens and what does happen is cliche and ... repetitive.

I see authors bragging about having four or more books published in a year and I have to wonder how they have time to rewrite and edit and rewrite again when they're producing so quickly.  And ... when do they find time to study the craft in between selling it? I see them say they don't have time to read. Then, how are they learning and improving?

Maybe I don't have room to talk about producing since my most recent book was supposed to be out last fall and still isn't, and since I have only two books out since 2003. One of them is 3-4 times as long as most of the 4-book-a-year novels and I have been working other jobs in between, so I'm sure those are both factors in the difference. I'm sure some writers see my producing stats and roll their eyes. Still, much of the time in between, I've been continuing to study the craft: reading, reviewing, perusing how-to articles and books, and going back to rewrite and edit several times.

I do believe it should be about the quality, not the competition. How many matters less to me than actual content. I prefer a nice sit down dinner even if I have to do it less often than numerous 15 second meals.

Although I've been trying to stretch into the many contemporary writers, I find myself falling back into my beloved classics when quality still mattered. They tend to take longer to read, but oh, how much more I get out of them!

"You can't fake quality any more than you can fake a good meal."
William S. Burroughs

The Race For Words

Just before midnight last night, I was rushing to finish up an October newsletter so it would indeed be an October newsletter. My mind, however, kept drifting to the bottom corner of my monitor that told me Nanowrimo would be officially beginning in my time zone in a matter of minutes.

Why are some of us so excited about the month of writing 50,000 words when we know many times during the month that quest will become torture? Is it the adrenaline? The competition? Or the drive to be able to put up that "Nanowrimo Winner" logo at the end that makes us feel accomplished?

By the start of my fourth year of being a Wrimo, I believe it's not any of the above. Okay, maybe it's a bit of all of the above, but more than that, it's that we are very driven beings who appreciate the sacrifices that must be made for art and who know that art is worth the sacrifice, as is anything worth truly having. Without the sacrifice, without the personal effort to -- in the Army's words -- be all you can be, there isn't much meaning in anything that we have. It's the proving to ourselves that we can do it, that we care enough about our words to force them out when they don't want to come.

Our words are powerful, indeed. They are powerful to us and, as writers, we appreciate how powerful they can be to others. If you need to truly understand the power, take November to give it a try. You don't have to be a writer or want to be a writer, but to learn something you may not learn in any other way, join Nanowrimo and vow to write a story ... a 50,000 word story, in 30 days.

Don't worry about sentence structure or grammar or spelling. Don't be concerned if you don't know what to write. Take the plunge. Name a character. Put him, her, or it in a place. And see where that character takes you.

Writing an average of 1,667 words a day is much like walking a straight line after two days of not sleeping. You'll likely step off course now and then. You likely won't always be sure what you're writing or even how close you are to the line you're aiming to tread. But when you get to the end, you have more than 50,000 words. You have a lesson in passion, in determination, in mindset, and in sacrifice. You have a curious blend of art and power and creativity and control and lack of control. And you have something concrete to show for it. It may not be worth showing to anyone else in the world, and you don't need to. You don't even need to tell anyone you're doing it. But whatever you have, it's truly yours.

The race is on. Join as at Nanowrimo.org