[neilmarr]

I always thought NoNoWriMo was valuable ... as an exercise. I was doubtful, though, about the quality of the results. Writing fiction against a tight deadline creates obvious difficulties that are usually overcome only through careful and sometimes time-consuming revision. And what I'd seen over past years wasn't too encouraging.

But, heck, was I surprised last year when I picked up on a manuscript submission to my own wee pulishing house from an author in the US. After contracts were exchanged and we got involved in the editing process (author-editor relationships can become very chummy), the author told me that the first draft -- the ms he had sent me -- was produced on the fly for the NaNoWriMo challenge with only a basic line edit before submission.

Kid you not, folks, it's one of the best novels I've ever read. Just goes to show that -- for some anyway -- writing against the clock can work well and that NaNoWriMo can be much more than merely a workout and a lesson in discipline. The book will be released soon in paperback and ebook, so please watch this space.

Cheers. Neil

PS: The author, who writes as Bosley Gravel, has a PRS-505. Must invite him to join in here. N