So, every November, writers and bloggers the world over are peer pressured invited to take part in literary self-flagellation of epic proportions. Today kicks off National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and National Blog Post Month (NaBloPoMo).
NaNoWriMo – commonly referenced as National Sh*%$y First Draft Month – puts writers up to the challenge of
pumping out 50,000 decent words in one month. Approximately one novelist will succeed, and his name is probably Stephen King.
NaBloPoMo is the blogging equivalent. WE CAN HAS GOOD WORDS TOO!, said the bloggers who got jealous of the uppitiness of NaNoWriMo’ers. (Them and their dang tea.) Responding to NaNoWriMo, bloggers post pictures of Lolcats everyday in November and pat themselves on the back for being prolific and wise.
Those of us who have been off our meds the longest take part in both by pumping out a novel, blogging everyday of November, and not sleeping/giving an eff about our mental health.
The most notable example of a NaBlo participant is Renfield from Bram Stoker’s horror masterpiece Dracula. How does a Thanksgiving spider casserole sound, guys?
Evidently, I have lost my marbles as well because I am throwing my hat in the ring for the NaBloPoMo festivities. Logically, if one has barely blogged at all for the last five months not because of a lack of motivation but because one barely has time/mental wherewithal to brush her teeth much less have a hobby, one should commit to posting everyday for an entire month.
Obviously.
So here we are.
The truth is, there is no way I can *actually* post everyday. Just by sitting here right now and writing this post, I am taking time away from my daily potty break. (I know I haven’t blogged in awhile, so I just wanted to make sure you all know that I still have few, if any, boundaries. Get ready for more poop-filled posts. C is potty training now.) So, I have invented a little something I like to call National Emily Posts Month, or NaEmPoMo for those of you who break out in a sweat if a campaign does not have a awkward-to-pronounce acronym.
What is National Emily Posts Month? So glad you asked. It is a time when I make an effort to resurrect my tumbleweed-swept blog by bringing you the minutiae of my days and branding it with the image of Emily Post, who explained to Victorians why eating chipped beef with a fork instead of a garden hoe was a good idea.
Unlike NaBloPoMo, I will not be posting on the weekends because I am not a (totally) crazy person. However, I will be putting something up every weekday during the month of November (Lolcats, anyone?). I also will not be eating spiders. Hopefully.
I’ll bring back the Remember the Time Blog Hop, dip my toe into the Wordless Wednesday waters, and also continue to share great healthy recipes from the food blog I’m working on, Taste of Wellness.
Also, I’ll be talking a lot about C. A LOT. You guys, she talks now. I’ve been holding out on you.
It’s going to be a crazy month, but we’ll get through it together. And at least the world will be without one more crappy first draft.
The Waiting 
Yay! It’ll be awesome to read you again. Though…my bathroom breaks will be spent with post daily NaNoWriMo hallucinations and tea. What’s wrong with us anyway?
I’m eager to hear more about C…poop and all. So great to see you again, Emily!!
Thank you! It’s great to see your face too! And to answer yoyr question, i dont know what’s wrong with us, but I suspect processed foods have something to do with it.
So excited to see you back in the saddle again, Emily. Hoo boy, though–now the crazy idea is poking the irrational part of my brain and making me thing about participating, too. The crickets have been chirping loudly over at my blog since last spring. Should I dust it out? Probably, now that the sequel to my first novel will be trotting off to publication in a week or so. And yet, and yet…I’m just so lazy. Maybe I’ll just live vicariously through you. I adore your writing–can’t wait for more!
Hi Willow! It’s great to see your face! Our poor blogs- 2014 has been good for life but maybe not so great for blogging. Congrats on the sequel! That’s so exciting!
Bwahaha. This is awesome! So glad I stumbled on your blog by stalking…er, checking out the hashtag on the Twitter.
Good luck to you this month!
Thank you! I’m always amazed when anyone actually finds me amidst all the noise of Twitter. We’re in this together!
First of all, hurray for poo! We made it a potty party in our house when it came time to ditch the diapers. I’m excited to announce that we haven’t purchased diapers in over a month and are staying dry through the night. Secondly, I guess I’ll be one of those crazy bloggers this month posting every day. Not just this month though, On my 75th blog post, I challenged myself to post 75 blogs in the next 75 days. I like this wordless Wednesdays thing. I think I’ll have to try that. Good luck on your November!
I will take any advice you have on the potty training front because I am fully resigned to the fact that she may go to high school in diapers. Seriously. It’s bad.
I want a cafateria-fare RtT.
Good luck with your goal! I’m NaNoing again. Because, like you, I am busy but insane.
Yay for busy and insane. May just get pregnant again to fill out the bill.
I do hope you’re speaking for yourself there!
Yay! I’ve missed you.
I’ve missed you too! How’s your little pumpakin?
He’s good! We’re slowly getting the hang of things. It helps that he’s so friggin cute.
I am so glad someone else called out how freaking difficult it is to pronounce NaBloPoMo. I mean… really? As a fellow blogger in this crazy month I am cheering you on!
I didn’t notice it until I was actually speaking to a friend about it and realized I had just been calling it “napalm” in my brain.
Probably the only good thing to say about NaNoWriMo is that by month’s end, you realize you can find time to write. It is the one month out of the year that I truly prove that to myself. And, I guess the second perk, is that you get super playful with words and ideas. I love that too!
Yes! Exactly. I’m tired of using “I don’t have time” as an excuse for not working on my own blog. (I manage several blogs professionally so it’s easy to give my own short shrift.)
It’s good to see you back!!
Thank you! I have missed it like crazy.
Cool, Emily! Best of luck. I can’t wait to hear what little C is saying. I’m sure she is talking your head off!
Alls I have to say is WOOOOOOO HOOOOOO! You know I have missed you. Also, does this mean I have to sharing the blogging Pop Tarts again?
Um…have to sharing? Case in point as to why it’s good I am not doing NaBoBlaBlooBlo…or whatever.
NaBloPoMo! I can do it! I can do it! Well, I PROBABLY can do it…if I can resort to filling the space with a simple recipe once in a while. Okay, to be honest, MAYBE I can do it…if I get to count the posts of unfinished prompt writing I keep sticking in the second blog. Oh, damn, who needs this much stress, anyway?
Well, since C is talking – let’s hear what she has to say to the world! Glad you’re back :) Always a treat to read your blog.
Poop stories! That’s what we want – more poop stories. You can’t go wrong.
So great to have you back; I’ve missed you, in person and on the blog! Whatever you write will suit me just fine!
Wowza, I love your NaEmPoMo! Seeing as I am new to the whole NaBloPoMo, I will conform to the program but next year I’m turning up and showing out! Thanks for permission add a personal brand on this writing experience. Your writing is great and I look forward to all of the lolcats lol!
Wowza, I love your NaEmPoMo! Seeing as I am new to the whole NaBloPoMo, I will conform to the program but next year I’m turning up and showing out! Thanks for permission add a personal brand on this writing experience. Your writing is great and I look forward to all of the lolcats lol!
Just thankful to see you blogging, Emily. Hope you are enjoying your new digs!
I really am, thanks! It’s great to be back home in Tennessee ;D
Hey! Heidi, mom of three girls here…just started here on wordpress, clicked on your blog (from a recommendation list under family) and love what you write, too funny. ..also can’t wait to try an orzo spinach chick pea salad you posted, my husband keeps bothering me to make something with feta. Anyways, hope to talk to other moms like you and all these ladies commenting on here, socialize and regain some sanity!😝
I have virtually stopped blogging too. I also work now doing bloggy stuff and don’t have time for my personal blog. Like none. And I don’t read as many either, but you’re one of my favorites, so I’ll try to keep up!! :)
Wait, no, wait! I can’t possibly keep up with this. I’m very old!
Last year I participated in NaNoWriMo & cranked out about 35,000 words. It’s still sitting in draft form on my computer. Every once in a while I pull it out & edit it a bit, add a little bit or re-write certain parts but basically it’s pretty much the same. This year I didn’t even try due to a death in our family on Nov. 1 & my participation in online university courses this year. I may try again in April for Camp NaNoWriMo but who knows at this point?