NaNoWriMo '08!

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is a yearly event that takes place every November. The very first NaNoWriMo was started with 21 participants. The trick was to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Crazy, right? It seems like it, but it's possible. 9 years later, NaNoWriMo is a hugely poplar program and is much anticipated every year.

I will be participating in this event this November. Truth be told, I can't stop hopping up and down thinking about it. I know it's going to be difficult with my newborn nephew to take care of, school and piles of homework to do, and Thanksgiving dinner to eat, but I'm more than excited. I wish I could start writing right now, but seeing as I can't, I'll be doing a lot of plot and character outlining.

Here's a short (ahem...) synopsis of the novel I will attempt to write in 30 days. I'm really hoping for it to be a good combination of comedy, romance, and a bit of horror. The summary sounds like a trashy romance novel, but it does my story no justice:

Emma moves to a remote but upscale Virginia neighborhood in a large Victorian-styled home. She thinks it's creepy to begin with, but it gets worse when her mother claims to have seen a ghost. Emma wants to be skeptical, but she finds it almost too easy to believe, having had a few odd things happen herself. Emma doesn't know what to think until one day she runs into Liam the ghost. Or, more like, runs through Liam. This sends Liam into a panic, for Emma too is quick to realize that there really are ghosts in her home. But Emma's mom is probably quicker, calling for the Ghost Hunters TAPS team the moment after she sights another ghost soon after Emma's encounter. This horrifies Emma, for she's already come to like all the ghosts who dwell in her home; especially Liam. But the ghosts seem to think that the TAPS people's coming will be no problem. They are prepared to mess with the Ghost Hunters more than has ever been done. They study up on crappy horror movies from way back when, watch numerous episodes of Ghost Hunters create a hilarious chaos the night the TAPS investigate.

But the evidence that the TAPS team gets is enough that Emma's parents decide to move. Emma, who has grown far closer to Liam than she thought possible, tries to persuade her parents to stay. But they've made their decision. And Emma's never going to see Liam again.