Hello, dreamers. It’s that time of year again: the time of year when writers across the country gather together to write a novel in a month.

I’ve been doing NaNoWriMo for years now, and every time I’ve found it to be a deeply rewarding experience. 2019 was a difficult year for me, and amid the pandemic last year I found my heart just wasn’t in it. But this year I’m back, committed to recapturing my 2018 success. That said, I’m pleased to announce my project for NaNoWriMo 2021:

The Pioneer Era

Perhaps the most beguiling and frustrating discovery I’ve made over the course of my writing is that the writing process is seldom a straight line. It takes twists and turns, and sometimes a story takes on a life of its own. A story that doesn’t want to be written simply won’t happen, and when you try to force it, the results are unsatisfying.

In writing The Pioneers, I discovered how much fun, and how easy, writing can be. Writing its sequel has proven much more difficult. The difficulty was compounded by the knowledge that this is intended to be the second book in a long series. As such, it may in fact be far more important than The Pioneers; while The Pioneers set the stage and introduced the setting and characters, the sequel must introduce the over-arching plot. I find myself dealing with pacing on a far greater scale, spanning multiple novels. Amid such pressure, on my first attempt I buckled. I tried too hard to make the story something it wasn’t supposed to be. In attempting to write something equal to the moment, I strayed further and further from my original concept. And in doing so, I succeeded only in creating 60,000 odd words of canned drivel.

While I technically “won” NaNoWriMo 2019, the results didn’t feel like a victory. During my initial revisions, I was so appalled by what I’d written I didn’t even bother to write my customary post-NaNo reflection piece. The experience led to a slump that lasted nearly two years, in which I spun my wheels in short fiction while endlessly revising The Pioneers.

But a writer must always be moving forward. I have a story to tell, and it’s time to get back to it.

This year, I’ll be stepping back into the universe of The Pioneers. I’ll be returning to the original concept of my story, getting back to where it’s supposed to go. And I’m excited to see where it takes me.

I plan to begin principal writing tomorrow. Until then, as always, dare to dream. – MK