Mo's Manic Monday - Nuts

Posted: Monday, September 29, 2008 by Travis Cody in
29



Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Don't forget to cruise by the new MM HQ at Manic Monday the Blog. Today's theme is Nuts.

General Anthony McAuliffe, when faced with the German demand that he surrender his forces at Bastogne in December 1944, famously replied "Nuts!"

The comment became a rallying cry, and the 101st Airborne was able to hold off the German advance until the weather cleared and supplies could once again be dropped to the beleaguered troops.



Look what I've gone and done now. It's a bit of a nutty idea. I don't know that I really have the time to do this. I may just be setting myself up for failure.

Aw nuts.

I have a story idea and a basic outline. The hardest thing for me will be to turn off my internal editor for 30 days and just write. But I need to learn how to do that, because I need to write.

I can remember the early days of my stalled novel project, when I couldn't type fast enough because the words and ideas were so alive and fresh and demanding to be recorded. I want to feel that again.

And I want to be able to just put the words down and keep moving. I want to prove to myself that I can finish, and not get bogged down in perfecting bits and pieces as I go. I want to overcome the inner perfectionist that loses momentum because he gets hung up on the perfect word or sentence structure, or plot detail or timeline that doesn't quite make sense.

I just want to finish something.

I'm excited about this. So I'm going to try it. Fifty thousand words in 30 days.

Nuts.


29 comments:

  1. bv says:
    29 September, 2008 02:25

    Death to the inner perfectionist!!

    Happy MM ;)

  1. bv says:
    29 September, 2008 02:25

    oh and I love the historical association!

  1. Anonymous says:
    29 September, 2008 03:30

    101st Airborne! That's Ft. Campbell - right near me! They rock!

    Happy Mannic Monday, Trav!

  1. Barb says:
    29 September, 2008 03:40

    You can do it, Trav! Don't think so much, just do! You shouldn't even try to edit before it's written, silly!

  1. Kimmie says:
    29 September, 2008 05:47

    Oh My, Nuts is right! Good Luck Travis. You can do it, I have complete "faith" in your writing abilities! Now get going...Ack!
    Hugs,
    Kimmie

  1. Kimmie says:
    29 September, 2008 06:02

    Oh, I forgot...WERE DANCING TONIGHT! (Kimmie Rumba's back to her blog) ;-)

  1. Durward Discussion says:
    29 September, 2008 08:32

    Good luck with the project. Just keep writing. Don't stop. You can invite the editor in after the first draft is done.

    Did I misspell anything? Are the commas in the right place? Are the verb tenses in agreement? NUTS!!! :-)

    KEEP GOING

  1. Charles Gramlich says:
    29 September, 2008 08:35

    Good luck. I doubt I could do it.

  1. Terra Shield says:
    29 September, 2008 08:37

    Good luck!

  1. Vinny "Bond" Marini says:
    29 September, 2008 08:56

    You are braver than I am Travis...I just know I would fail

  1. Empress Bee (of the high sea) says:
    29 September, 2008 10:08

    trav all you have to do honey is have some cake after you get to so many words each day and you can't have cake before! easy peasy! ha ha ha

    smiles, bee
    xoxoxoxoxoxxoxo

  1. Anndi says:
    29 September, 2008 10:29

    My Papou (grandfather in Greek) always used to ask my father if he had a lottery ticket. He said: "You can't win without one". My Papou was a smart man.

    People who don't try, never get anywhere.

    Good luck Travis.

  1. Ivanhoe says:
    29 September, 2008 10:41

    Om my Lord, that's a lot of words, Trav. But if anyone can do it, you can :o) Just write write write. Only a little bit of dancing and football and write write write :o)

  1. Akelamalu says:
    29 September, 2008 11:16

    Good luck with the writing Trav. :)

  1. Meribah says:
    29 September, 2008 14:59

    Whoa! 50,000 words in 30 days? Good on yuh, if you can do that! It's tough when the inner perfectionist won't let you do something. Don't let that get you down, though. Say "nuts" to the perfectionist and just keep going! :)

  1. Maggie Moo says:
    29 September, 2008 15:21

    NaNo again!! Yay! Good luck Trav, let us know how you're doing. :)

  1. Linda says:
    29 September, 2008 15:44

    Well, nuts, Travis - I think you'll do more than great with that project and I applaud you for taking it on!

    Can't wait to read it!

  1. Travis Cody says:
    29 September, 2008 16:25

    BV: Or at least a nice long nap!

    Lois: Gotta love those Screamin' Eagles!

    WT4W: Sometimes I just can't help myself!

    Kimmie: Ooooooh...rumba!

    Jamie: It's not going to be easy. I've always edited as I go.

    Charles: I may not be able to do it.

    Terra: Thanks!

    V: Well, starting isn't finishing so we'll have to wait and see.

    Bee: That's all? I'll have to keep that in mind.

    Ann: There's more to it than just trying.

    Ivanhoe: Dancing, football, studying, and writing? Yikes!

    Akelamalu: Thanks...I'm going to need it.

    Meri: Sometimes it seems like a lot, but sometimes it doesn't. If the idea is good, the words should come with it. I hope.

    Mags: I know! Gonna try it this time?

    Linda: Cross your fingers for me!

  1. ClancyPants says:
    29 September, 2008 16:47

    You've inspired me! I want to write too... but I've been to chicken to even start! Maybe I'll join you in your 50,000 words in 30 days! :)

    You rock.

  1. j says:
    29 September, 2008 19:41

    I am behind you 100%. I come by your site all the bloomin' time because I think the dancing Meeze is sexy..er, I MEAN because you are a FABULOUS writer.

    BEST OF LUCK TO YOU TRAV!!

  1. Jeni says:
    29 September, 2008 19:43

    Hmmm. That breaks down to 1,666 and 2/3 words per day. Now, if you put that in perspective to some of your posts you write about Dancing With The Stars or your sports profile pieces, that amount of verbage should be a piece of cake for you to chew up and type out! And as someone else said -referencing the lottery thing -Penna. used to have an ad for lottery tickets that I always loved -"No tickee, no laundry."(Yes, it was dropped as being to politically incorrect but still, it is true, isn't it?) Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
    Now get busy and go for it!

  1. Schmoop says:
    29 September, 2008 20:47

    If you finish something, let me know how you did it, because I am not good in that arena either. Cheers Trav!!

  1. Cinnamon Girl says:
    29 September, 2008 21:00

    Oh my the inner editor. Blech.

    Oh and LEN IS A DORK.

  1. anthonynorth says:
    30 September, 2008 03:29

    It's been several years since I finished a novel, but there is nothing more satisfying in the writing world.

  1. Lana Gramlich says:
    30 September, 2008 09:24

    Oooh, wow...Quite an ambitious project! Best of luck. :)

  1. Travis Cody says:
    30 September, 2008 17:19

    Clancy: If you have an idea and a desire, then you should do it!

    Jennifer: LOL! Thanks!

    Jeni: I figure to try for a flat 1700 words a day. And you're right about the verbosity of some of my sports or dancing posts. But it's a bit different when describing something I'm watching like that.

    Matt: If I finish, I suspect it will be because the ideas keep going. That seems to be my fundamental problem.

    Starr: You know what? I think my internal editor wears the same cranky pants that Len does. LOL!

    Lana: Thank you dear!

  1. John Holland says:
    30 September, 2008 17:59

    Good luck.

  1. Amazing Gracie says:
    30 September, 2008 20:58

    Der nutz! That's a great line. Thanks for the factoid...
    So, you have an inner perfectionist, too, huh? I paint and I do understand the problem. The first oil class I took I was so disgusted because my painting wasn't worthy of the Louvre.
    Go for it! Now this is the pot calling the kettle black, so I really wish you well!
    ~~~Blessings~~~

  1. Janna says:
    05 October, 2008 20:26

    Ooooh, good luck with NaNoWriMo!
    I've never even attempted it.
    My ideas all tend to be a lot shorter than 50,000 words. (!)

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