NESSIE?

Today is November 1st, the first day of National Novel Writing Month, and I am all gung-ho to take part. Except, of course, I'm not working on a novel, I'm working on a collection of essays. I am calling my experience the National Essay Writing Initiative, or NESSIE. I've got that thing going, and I've got masses of reading to do. I'm very excited for this intense month of work.

So today I went walking. Did four a half miles in a state park with about a dozen other walkers.

Yes! I'm off to a great start!

Actually, I am feeling pretty good. When I got home around one, I figured out my word count from last November's efforts (and the work I've done on these essays over the past year). Twenty-one thousand, five hundred and thirty-three words or so. That's not terrific because that means that last November I didn't come anywhere near the goal of fifty thousand words. Though do you necessarily want fifty thousand words in essay format? I also have what I'd say are three completed essays. I have lots of files with just a few paragraphs. So now we'll see how many words and completed essays I have by the end of the month.

I also decided this afternoon to do an essay on locker rooms. I'm feeling very creative.