Big Crazy Idea (the two-th)

November: National Novel Writing Month, is just over a month away. Tonight and tomorrow and probably the next day as well will involve writing short stories based on photographs taken by one of my favorite photographer/Muses; they begin the reconnection with the stories of a larger/longer work (see below). Tonight and tomorrow, the next day and probably month will involve writing a long short story arc based on a little idea in my brain for my other Muse who will draw my voice in my absence.

I was thinking: wouldn't it be fun to write the 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo and then take the time to edit them together with the other 60,000 words I've already written of the same novel (really, I love this story. it is never going to not be in my brain. I hope.) and craft something like chapters? I do not mean that it will be fun to edit the thing, mind, I mean letters. I mean to send my writing out to people deliberately as shareable object, as art.

Now that I have quite the small stash of plantable and other sorts of gorgeous paper (paper that is not for the insides of journals, mind, but the outsides of insides that are meant to hold the ends of good decisions, or bad decisions well written), I have the means to create little books of small bits of fiction.

But what's the fun of just sending these things out into the world (of a very carefully chosen audience made entirely out of the people that I love (not a very small number, I know, but still))?

What I'm thinking is a reading. Something involving lots of tequila (for me and my ego) and friends and chapter indicators drawn out of a hat (or a mixing bowl)(or a frog) and chapters read aloud.

So.

Beginning November 22 and ending December 10 I will send chapters of my novelthing of fairytales-sort of through the US Postal Service to people whose addresses I have and who actually want to be involved in this. I do not care what state you are in - Skype is our friend. I do not care how long I have known you.

If you opt to get a chapter: 1) please be willing to share with other people, but only other people that you are going to be able to find later (readings don't work when there's nothing to read); 2) please be happy to read whatever chapter you have when it comes time to share.

I would like to wait until Spring to do something like a reading, though, as the plantable paper will need to be planted after the reading, and that is the kind of thing that spring is very good for.

Let me know if you are In. I am not interested in conscripting participants into my activity. I believe in consenting adults only.