7 June 2007 - The Tribune

Reproduced with permission from The Tribune.

Writing 50,000 words in 30 days

Palmerston North scientist Lesley Collins will be socking it to her keyboard this month as she attempts to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days.

She's taking part in the inaugural Southern Cross Novel Challenge (SoCNoC, pronounced sock-nock), and of the 35 entrants at press time was the only one from Palmerston North.

SoCNoC is based on National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a challenge that started in the United States and is held each November. Dr Collins was one of 11 Manawatu writers who took part in NaNo last year and SoCNoC is the Kiwi equivalent designed to make the most of the Queen's Birthday holiday and the onset of winter.

Last year was Dr Collins' first NaNo and, as she'd just finished a few months' heavy scientific work, she thought writing a 175-page novel is 30 days would be fun. Her resulting work, Crossed Daggers, is a science fiction thriller based around her workplace, Massey University, and uses her knowledge of science, especially genetics.

"I change the names to protect the innocent and the not so innocent," she says.

A reader described Crossed Daggers as a "science fiction, horror, supernatural, splatter novel".

Dr Collins is in a similar work situation now having just finished a scientific manuscript, so the competition's come at a good time to "relax".

At this stage her June novel will be a genetics thriller and she's aiming for 2000 words a night.

"Because I'm a fast typist I can do that if I get an idea."

SoCNoC is run by Kiwi Writers, which grew out of NaNo and was founded by aspiring Wellingtonian novelist Kerryn Angell in February.

Dr Collins has already taken part in Kiwi Writers' short story challenges the Waitangi Weekend Word Wace (7500 words over four days) and the 6000 Word Easter Challenge. The idea of each challenge is to turn off one's internal editor that says 'this isn't very good' and 'I can't do this', she says. Instead the aim is to pump out the words.

"The trick is it doesn't have to be good - it can be complete rubbish but you can have a lot of fun."

She says she has no ambition to be a novelist and thinks anyone who reads her work would agree.

"You are not writing to get published, you are writing to write, to enjoy the writing."

SoCNoC's rules are the same as for NaNo - the piece has to be a new work of fiction and, while planning can be done beforehand, writing can't start until June 1.

Dr Collins says even though June is underway it's not too late to enter SoCNoC she started NaNo three days late and finished five days early. Kiwi Writers has an online forum where the novelists can share ideas, progress and encouragement - even complain about how much chocolate they've gone through. Dr Collins says it's also a good place to find answers to questions like how long it takes for a poison to work or ask questions like how long does it take for a poison to work or what's the best way to kill a character.

For more information on the challenge and Kiwi Writers, visit http://www.kiwiwriters.org

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