WRITING/PODCASTING A NOVEL IN 30 DAYS NOV 17

National Novel Writing and Podcast Posting Month 2021

Welcome friend to Create Art Podcast where I help you tame your inner critic and create more than we consume. I am Timothy Kimo Brien your thankful head instigator with over 20 years in arts and education. How I accomplish this is by providing you with commentary, interviews, discussions, and projects that will inspire you to create art. This month I will be podcasting daily and writing a novel in 30 days. I am participating in NaPodPoMo and NaNoWriMo again this year as I did last year and you can hear those episodes here. You will be able to listen and read along to what I wrote for the day. I like to practice what I preach when it comes to art so I am challenging myself to write and having you come along for the ride. It is my hope this inspires you to accomplish your goals with your art and if you would like to share what you are doing email me at timothy@createartpodcast.com

History of NaNoWriMo and NaPodPoMo

NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 as a daunting but straightforward challenge: to write 50,000 words of a novel in thirty days. Now, each year on November 1, hundreds of thousands of people around the world begin to write, determined to end the month with 50,000 words of a brand new novel. They enter the month as elementary school teachers, mechanics, or stay-at-home parents. They leave novelists.

NaPodPoMo: NaPodPoMo* is a month-long event along the same vein as National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. The difference? Well, instead of writing a 50,000-word novel, you podcast every day for 30 days from November 1st-30th. Use any platform you desire. From full production studio to iPhone app and just about anything in between. The goal is to use the challenge of podcasting daily as a form of podcasting boot camp.

The Writing So Far

17 Nov 2021 daily count 1152 cumulative count 25850

Carl looked at the message from Cheryl and wrote down the instructions for the meal. Myra and Carl chopped the vegetables and Myra started to make her rice. Once they finished the prep work Carl went to turn on the television and to play something soothing from the music channel. He passed over the jazz station for fear of hearing another Grover Brecht song and chose some classical music. A piece by William Byrd came on and Myra took her book and sat on the couch.

“I am going to change out of these work clothes and into something more casual. I’ll leave the music on for you if that’s okay,” said Carl as he made his way to his bedroom. Myra didn’t respond and Carl thought it may have been that she didn’t hear him. Before he entered his bedroom, he went to the office to retrieve the diary. He wanted to check the names of the people who had signed the book before Cheryl and himself. He thought there could be some connection with the names and when Myra went into an episode. When he opened the diary, he saw the first name listed was John Dee. He has never heard of this person in his history classes and thought it was odd that the NPR station would be doing a piece on him at just that time when he turned on the radio. The next name looked like Thomas Digges. Carl saw that Grover Brecht’s name was listed as well as John Esten Cooke. He quickly messaged Nate and Vince about this information. As he hit send, he felt worried that he may have violated the terms of the diary, so he closed the book and locked it away in his deck. He then went to his bedroom and still heard the music playing from the television but nothing else. He peeked in the living room to see that Myra was still just sitting on the couch, not moving. He reasoned that she is probably just reading her book, so he went back to his bedroom and began to change into jeans and a t-shirt. When he was done changing, he went out into the living room and the same music was still playing. It had been about ten minutes he thought, but since it was classical, he reasoned that the music playing was part of a symphony. When he sat down on the love seat across from Myra, he saw that she was staring right into the television and slightly waving her arms like a conductor. She was in time with the music and seemed to be engrossed. He checked the information about the music, and it was still William Byrd. He forgot what song it had started on, but it sounded like what had been playing earlier. He waved his hand in front of Myra’s eyes and there was no response, so he turned off the television.

“Daddy John daddy John, I love this music, can they start it again,” asked Myra?

“Myra, it’s me Carl,” said Carl worriedly. He reached over and held Myra closely and started humming “My Favorite things” to her to help her come back. It took a few minutes for Myra to come back, but when she did, she closed her eyes slightly and then opened them wide.

“Did I have another episode,” asked Myra?

“Yeah, it was when I turned on the music. Have you heard of William Byrd,” asked Carl?

“I have no idea who that is,” replied Myra annoyedly.

“You were conducting the music and you were keeping time with the music perfectly. Did Harold ever play classical music for you, or have you gone to a concert with classical music,” asked Carl?

“I have no idea who this person is, I have gone to a concert before with a conductor but that was years ago. He didn’t play much music at all, not as much as you play,” said Myra.

“It's okay it's okay, I know this all must be confusing to you right now. I know it is confusing to me. Let's just watch some cartoons, can I get you a drink of water or chocolate milk,” replied Carl?

“That would be great," said Myra.

Carl turned on the television and put on a cartoon channel. He then went to the kitchen and grabbed a glass and poured some chocolate milk for Myra. He placed the glass in front of her on the coffee table and sat down next to her. She was softly sobbing when he put his arm around her.

“Shhhh, it’s going to be okay,” said Carl trying to comfort Myra.

“I have always had these episodes where I blank out and wake up and someone is holding me. I just want it to stop,” cried Myra.

“I want it to stop for you as well. I have them too and I know how frustrating it can be especially when you don’t know when they will happen. Just drink some milk and let’s just try to relax and have a good time,” said Carl.

The sun was going down when Cheryl got home at seven thirty. Both Carl and Myra were on the couch watching cartoons and laughing a little bit when she walked in. Cheryl looked in the kitchen where all the vegetables were chopped, and the rice was already cooked and ready to go. She went to the bedroom and changed from her work clothes to sweats and a t-shirt. When she came out both Carl and Myra were still watching cartoons.

“Hey, you two, having some bonding time I see. Let’s get dinner started up. Myra, did you need anything to make the desert,” asked Cheryl?

“I got the recipe here,” Myra said as she grabbed her book. She went into the kitchen and gathered the ingredients.

“Do you need the oven for anything,” asked Cheryl?

“Nope, I can make it without an oven, do you need a hand with dinner,” asked Myra?

“I got it. You guys did very good getting everything prepped for me. How was your afternoon,” asked Cheryl?

Myra looked at her meekly. “I had another episode,” she said the words softly.

“Are you okay, how long did it last, what triggered it,” asked Cheryl?

“We had on some classical music when we got back and after we prepped the veggies. It was music by William Byrd, does that name ring a bell for you, “asked Carl?

“No how about you Myra,” replied Cheryl?

“Carl already asked me that and I have no idea who that guy was,” replied Myra.

“She was conducting and when I turned off the music, she was asking for daddy John again. She doesn’t know who daddy John is. I put in a message to Nate and Vince about who those guys might be and if there is any connection,” said Carl.

Reaching Out

To reach out to me, email timothy@createartpodcast.com I would love to hear about your journey and what you are working on. If you would like to be on the show or have me discuss a topic that is giving you trouble write in and lets start that conversation.