WIYM: Writers: Crank Out Novel for February

Your mission, should you choose to accept it -- take the month of February [yes that's THIS February] and write a novel of your own -- see how far you can take it! Choose any subject matter and genre you want.

This is a take-off on the project that happens every NOVEMBER. During THAT project, people sign up, write all month long, and crank out a novel. That's a 30-day deal, and requires 50,000 words, or about 175 pages. We'll "pro-rate" our project and aim for just 46,600 words, since we'll be doing this is a mere 28 days. There's lots of info out there on the National Novel Writing Project (called NaNoWriMo) that goes on every November, in case you want tips, ideas, etc.

So, for those of us who want to try this out, here's even more pressure -- as February this year is just 28 days, it's an even shorter time-frame than those pikers that take a whole 30-day long month, lol

Sign up by end of January, partners assigned right away.

Throughout the month of February, you'll send at least two (2) short progress notes to your partner, updating and detailing how your novel is progressing. These can even be sent in the form of a very brief postcard (during one of your writing breaks). After the month of February is over, send your partner a longer note, with more details about how the project worked out for you.

If all goes well, by the end of February, you'll have at least a rough draft of a novel that's completed.

Even if your partner doesn't get the novel completed, for this swap, give a 5 if you get three notes from your partner -- two brief notes that are mailed during the month of February and one detailed note that's mailed by March 11.

This is an international swap, so please be sure to allow enough time for the mail to arrive before rating.

Yes, we're serious ...