May is here once again, and at this time last year I issued what I called the Drabble-A-Day Challenge. Well, we had so much fun with it in 2007, we decided to enter the idea into permanent rotation, and now it's back for all to enjoy!

A drabble is a short piece of writing, typically 1000 words or less, that can usually stand on its own. It may or may not be connected to a large story, or even a series of drabbles making up a whole. It can be a snippet of conversation, or an entire scene. It can be backstory on a character, or something completely random that you just need to get out of your head. It might be that new genre or style you've been wanting to try, but are doubtful you can pull off. It can be more poetry, if you're still feeling the April poetry groove. It doesn't matter. Drabbles are your free ticket to write anything you want.

The point of drabbling is not to build your word count -- it's to get into the habit of writing. It also happens to be a fabulous way to spur your creativity. Stuck on an important plot point? Drabble out a few different scenarios and see which ones works best. Have a few scenes in your head but don't feel like turning them into a novel? Drabble away!

Again I say, it doesn't matter what you're writing or how long it is. Just write. And then do it again tomorrow.

So it might come as a surprise to you all that I, an English literature nut, can’t stand poetry. Yes, tis true. I dreaded those days in class where I had to come prepared to either read poetry or have a had read 50 pages of it before class. I hated even more having to write my own *shudders at the thought of her sonnets* and I have decided to try to have it written out of the high school curriculum so I don’t have to teach it.  Yes, my dislike of poetry knows no bounds.

I wish I could tell you why I don’t like it. Why during National Poetry Month I turn a blind eye and try not to think about the pain poetry has inflicted on me in the past. But I don’t know.

There are a few poets I can stomach- Whitman, Dickinson, Tennyson, Shakespeare’s sonnets and Eliot. And I do adore Frost, in fact Frost has gotten me through many a gym work out and quite a few essays on my life. But the rest I just don’t get.  Maybe it is that I would rather simply read a story about their theme, or maybe it is I’d rather here poetry set to music (yes, I do understand that a song lyric is basically a poem) but I just struggle.

So while the rest of you happily celebrate and cherish writing poetry this month. I am going to be sitting back and working on ‘Confessions’, grading papers, and enjoying spring because in many ways April is not always the cruelest month.

(Oh I didn’t include this above but I do like the poem about the toad and the lawn mower. It was on my AP Literature test, oh so many years ago and I feel in love with it.)

As you may know, 

nattieb

miss_elisha

To desist with the third person, we decided on a few changes to be made around here (among other things). The major change you're going to see is that you're actually going to see us posting! Yes, exciting, I know!

Another big change we've got for you is the introduction of monthly THEMES. We've come up with a theme for each month (see below), and we've tried to incorporate writer-y things you may already be participating in, including, of course, NaNoWriMo. Prompts you see will relate in some way to the monthly theme.

Of course, you don't have to go along with our little theme if you don't want to. You're always welcome to keep aiming for 50,000 words in 30 days (or however many you want!). And please don't feel that you have to write a poem every day in April (National Poetry Month, dontcha know?)--I might post my prompt in the form of haiku, but you can write whatever you want! We're just trying to encourage you to stretch your limits and try new things, and to add a little spice to the site. Who knows, you might like it!

So, the monthly themes are as follows:

January - Big, Fat, Scary Challenge Month
As long as we're setting New Years Resolutions, we might as well make it a challenge!

February - National Fan Fic Month
We know a lot of TBNers are fanficcers as well--as are Nat and E--so we might as well make a month of it!

March - National Novel Editing Month
We've had a break from our NaNoWriMo stories, now's the time to revise!

April - National Poetry Month
Anything and everything poetry

May - Drabble a Day in the Month of May
Drabbles are short (1000 words max), one-shot pieces that don't even have to be connected. That random stuff in your head? Write it out! The trick is to do it every day for a full month.

June - Script-Writing Month
(Yes, we know Script Frenzy is in April, but we're pretty sure National Poetry Month came first. Still, if you'd rather do scripting in April and Poetry in June, go right ahead!) The challenge is 100 pages of a script written in 30 days. You can do it!

July - Jotting in July
And now we're seriously starting to gear ourselves up for NaNoWriMo. In July, work on one story every single day. It doesn't matter how much you write, just that you get into the habit of doing it every day.

August - Word Count Month
Continuing our preparation trend, August is Word Count Month. Set a word count goal to reach by the end of the month--it doesn't have to be 50K--and then reach it.

September - Scribbling in September
In September we combine the concepts of July and August--write every single day on one story, and set a word count. Doesn't matter how many words, just set a goal, and get it written.

October -  NaNoWriMo Prep Month
During October, we'll give you prompts related to plotting, character profiling, and world-building to help you build your NaNoWriMo story.

November - NaNoWriMo
The original 50,000 Words in 30 Days Challenge!

December - Happy Days Are Here Again
NaNoWriMo is over, the word counts are in, and December is all about having fun!

So that's it (for now)! Stay tuned for National Poetry Month, starting tomorrow, and happy writing!

No, not Peanut Butter Jelly Time! It's time to gear up for NaNoWriMo! And, this being a NaNo community, we're here to help.

As was voted in our poll, we'll be posting weekly prompts for the month of October, starting tomorrow. Also, we're going to be posting NaNoing and writing tips, strategies, and best practices, and we hope to get a few discussions going. There might even be something new pop up from time to time. 

If there's something you'd like to post--a question or topic for discussion, or perhaps a piece of your own writing you'd like to share--posting is open to community members, so feel free. Our prompt posts, where your writing may be posted, are locked for your privacy, but discussions and tips will be open. Any posts you make can be locked at your discretion.

For those of us participating in NaNoWriMo, this is a crucial time to be ramping up. For everyone else, it's still fun to think and talk about. But if you'd rather not have your f'list inundated with all of our comm stuff, this is your warning to de-friend. We promise not to take it personally, and if you want to come back later, you're perfectly welcome. :)

Those of you who are sticking with us, coming back, or joining us for the first time, please go out and pimp the comm. We love having new members--it makes for more interesting discussions, more well-rounded critique, more good material to read, and more fun all around. 

Besides, 

nattieb

nattieb

We know it's been quiet around here for a while, but Nat and I are still going strong on our own and at TBN.com, and we're here to help you gear up and soar through NaNoWriMo again this year . . . if you want us to.

We want to provide you with a community to meet all your NaNo needs, from writing prompts to tips on improving your word count to inner editor silencing services, but if you need us to just go away and stop bugging you, please let us know. Take our little poll to let us know what YOU want from TBN, and please, be brutally honest. We don't bite.

nattieb

miss_elisha

Words: 1345

Total: 51,633

Words: 581

Total: 50,288

Words: 2058

Total: 49,009

Words: 709

Total: 46,951

Words: 868

Total: 44,917

Under the cut you will eventually find what is quite possibly the single dumbest line I have ever written, and hopefully ever will. See if you can spot it!

Words: 1,040

Total: 42,834

Words: 1,006

Total: 40,705

Words: 827

Total: 38,898