Life can get busy. Especially around the holidays. The end of the year. There is always something to do. Meetings to attend. Emails. Leaves to clear off the driveway. Events to support. Sometimes it seems impossible to make time for anything else, even if it is the thing that motivates me most in the world.
I work in the arts. For much of my career, I have worked in spaces that support creatives, whether the work is on a stage, in a gallery, or a bound set of pages. There is a lot of administration that goes into making those spaces happen, a lot of emails and events and fundraising that uses up the time and my own sense of creative energy. So days, weeks… sometimes even months pass without giving attention to my own art that drew me to this profession.
But there are always opportunities to make the time to create my own art. Even in the frenzy of a holiday season.
November is National Novel Writing Month – or NaNoWriMo, for something to roll more easily off the tongue. If you are not familiar with NaNoWriMo, it is a writing challenge that started 25 years ago. From November 1 to November 30, one is challenged to write a 50 thousand word draft of a novel.
That does sound a little overwhelming. It breaks down to about 1667 words a day. The key word is draft. First draft. The idea is to motivate one to write and work towards a specific goal. To not get hung up on perfectionism or doubt. To just sit down and write.
I’ve participated in this challenge on and off since 2009. I’ve only completed a draft two of those years, but in others I use the structure to sit at the computer and edit or do rewrites. Something that helps with getting in that seat is joining other writers in that challenge. Writeins are a great opportunity to meet other writers and learn about their work as well as tricks of the trade that work for them. These gatherings are also helpful in giving a little nudge – or gentle peer pressure – to focus on the work. It can be less tempting to pick up a phone to scroll or swap screens when in a room of others busy typing or scribbling.
So in that spirit, Main Street Studios will be hosting a writein each week in November. Much like our Make Art Nights last year, it is a free form gathering when anyone can come and spend an hour or two to work towards that word count. Anyone is welcome, whether you are challenging yourself to write a 50,000 word manuscript or just want to give yourself time to write and meet other creative people.
I encourage you to join us and think about the challenge. Maybe 50,000 words is overwhelming. Perhaps you could measure it in a block of time – an hour or a half hour. In a season of giving, there is a lot of value in giving ourselves the time to do the things that make us love and care about the arts. That way when the clock strikes midnight as the calendar turns, we won’t be wondering where all the time went.
If writing isn’t your art form, you are still welcome to come pull up a chair and work on your project. There are also several opportunities this month to learn and build connections with the community through the events hosted by FCA members. Go on a tour with the FAM curator, hear the experience of WWII soldiers through their letters at the Historical Society, or laugh along with the cast at the Cannon Theatre. In this season of giving thanks and giving presents, give yourself the time for art and connecting with those who make art.
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