Bird by Bird

Word count: Contrary to popular belief, I'm not done, but am sitting currently at 22,402.

Anne Lamott (the patron saint of NaNo) wrote a book, Bird by Bird, that's supposed to be one of the really good writing books out there. Even the discerning folks over at zendom think so. I'm reading it now concurrently with NaNoing, because, y'know, NaNo requires all possible support along with jemima's refrain, "Another fifty words! You can do it! Go go go!"

I came across this quote in the book, a true vindication for those of who us are not huge planners and tend to ramble on endlessly until we stumble on our plot or when our characters blow themselves out of an airlock in pure misery.

E. L. Doctorow wrote: "writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."

Lamott goes on to write: "You don't have to see where you're going, you don't have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way. You just have to see two or three feet in front of you."

Tomorrow, I shall present to you the very reason for Nanoing. But for now, I must NaNo.