Paperback Writer

When I was watching my son's soccer game this weekend (where our team actually scored two goals and should have tied, except they let the game go a little long and the other team scored a last second - technically past last second - goal to beat us), I spoke with a fellow mom about how I've signed up to write a novel this month. She commented that it would probably would get in the way of my writing my blog, to which I responded that I haven't exactly been particularly regular at writing in my blog anyhow. But it's true. If I'm devoting countless hours to writing, and I have people actually reading, then is it fair to withhold my writing from these people (I wouldn't go as far as saying "fans"; more like "friends" and "relatives" - anyone who doesn't know me personally, let me know - I'm curious how many of you there are out there).

Does anyone remember the song Paperback Writer by the Beatles? The sound is kind of messed up, but maybe it'll remind you that you've heard it before. It's kind of my theme song these days.

Anyhow, so I'm writing a novel this month, and it's called "The Jamal Road Manor Mystery". I'm writing it in a wiki, which means I'm writing it online, and my sister and brother both have access to the pages and can comment on the writing as it happens.

It kind of reminds me a Monty Python skit (that I've only heard but never seen; which movie is this from, anybody?) called Novel Writing where people are watching Thomas Hardy write his novel, The Return of the Native, at a stadium, cheering him on as he produces word after word, with commentators spewing statistics about the words he has written.

Yesterday, as I was writing, I noticed that my sister was reading the page that I was still writing, and it was strange. Very strange. A little like stalking, I suppose, except that I invited it. But here's the thing. I don't believe that writers need to live in isolation. And if I am writing a first draft, and I release myself from the stress of having to write perfectly - since it is, after all, a first draft - then why should I not share the novel as it happens. Who knows where it might end up.

So, for the month of November, that's my experiment. I am going to try to write 50,000 words this month - all as part of this story called 'The Jamal Road Manor Mystery' - and I'm going to share it with you all as I write it (although with a day or two delay).

Or, perhaps, I will have deep thoughts completely unrelated to the lives of Rashmi, Ritu, and Rahul as they visit their relatives in India, and I'll write about that instead (or if enough people write to me saying that they're tired of the story, then I'll stop copying it here).

So, enjoy. Next time, the Preface.