Novel writing month

I have ventured on a new mission:

As per the tradition of the Failed Novelists, I enlisted myself for the novel-writing-marathon this November. The rules of the game dictate that I should have a minimum of 50k-word novel completed by the end of the month. And the suggested way forward is to finish a daily installment of around 1600 words.

Initially I was hesitant, but I did get on with it. I did start writing and the big plot is pretty clear in my mind. I intend to reflect on the lives of ordinary Nepalese people in the war-torn hills of Nepal. A war that is still largely unheard of to the world community, thanks to the biased western media. My story will also have elements of discrimination against the low caste, of course, but the main focus will be the difficulty of having to live with violence.

I believe ordinary lives in fact reveal extraordinary facts. Some of the incidents will be based on real stories from around my village, although the characters will be named differently.

I am conscious of one thing though - marketing in the west. The western readers do not find it interesting unless there is some connection to their lives and societies. I am pondering over how I could make such references or linkages between the Nepalese hills and Britain. Gurkha could be a possible linkage, but weaving it naturally will not be easy.

The other thing that worries me the most is that I may not be able to express as well as I do in Nepali. I have indeed published a few Nepali stories and some editors have appreciated it. It is certainly different to command a second language, but I hope that the publishers will polish it, if they see some scope with it.

As the organisers of the marathon claim, I need not worry now whether I will produce a marvellous piece like The Devil Wears Prada or a complete rubbish. Even if I indeed presented the latter, I will have learnt the lessons and will get an experience of writing. If it comes out to be an okay-product, I will be asked to revise in December. Or I could choose to revisit the piece after a few years, once my English has got better at Oxford. Anyway, I have taken the challenge and it is indeed a thrilling experience. The protagonists have already begun to speak to me about how they wish to be presented.

However, I should admit, I could not take the story forward that much today. I am short of nearly 900 words today. I hope I will recover on Tuesday.

Something to warm up for the fast approaching winter chills.

Novice writer