Wednesday, November 23, 2016

the threat of failure.

Downtown Annapolis (March 2016)

I started out the month of November with high expectations. This was the month of NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month). A challenge that I have always wanted to participate in. This was finally the month where I would unleash all the stories I've thought of my entire life. Intricate sword fights, deep unconditional love, kingdoms that expand far and wide throughout continents. And when the month began, there was nothing. No story seemed to work. No characters became more than names and traits written on paper. Absolutely nothing. I began to think: "If I can't do this now, how will I ever be able to do this in the future? If I can't even write a story that has filled my mind for years how can I ever write one?" These are the thoughts that kept me from writing. The threat of failure is a dark and serious one; ones that I have been all too familiar with this month. But now it's almost the end, and I can proudly say with no shame that I have failed. I am not a winner of this year's NaNoWrimo and that's okay. I love to write. I love to read other people's accomplishments. I love to talk about literature and the impact it makes on the world and our thoughts everyday. I don't need to wait until next November to write my next great story. I don't need to wait until then to write what I want and to celebrate the written word. Everyday is a day for literature. Everyday is the perfect time to write.