NANOWRIMO stands for National Novel Writing Month and November is it!! I have participated in NANOWRIMO for the past few years. Last year I produced the first rough draft of CAMPUS: A Novel That Wants to Be a Musical that I am now producing as a podcast. No, I haven’t forgotten. I hope to do another episode in the next few days. Before that I wrote 50,000 words on my still unfinished novel FLOOD, which I WILL finish one of these days. Think retirement, Katie.

This year, however, I’m not writing a novel. I’m working on a non-fiction book (it’s allowed) about how my travels have impacted my teaching. My mother said this summer, as I was telling her about some of my ideas for my classes this fall, that I should write a book about teaching. I was touched and flattered, I mean I don’t think she was being sarcastic, and I decided to do it. No time like National Novel (Book) Writing Month.

At first the book was going to be more about some of my thoughts on education and explanation of my teaching methods, but when I attended the North Carolina Writers’ Network Squire Summer Workshops this summer and received some positive comments about the travel essay I submitted for critique, I settled on my current focus.

I am excited to have an excuse to write everyday for the next 30 days. I hope you will follow me on this latest adventure as Mrs. Winkler writes a book!

TODAY’S TALLY–1,895 WORDS

To find out more about NANOWRIMO, go to nanowrimo.org