Or I am, at least.

That’s right: come tomorrow, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) begins anew. The annual 50,000-words-in-30-days challenge that is as simple as it is maddening once again takes over the writing world, and I firmly believe this is the most wonderful time of the year (no matter what the stores already putting out their Christmas trees tell you).

Four of my six novels — Bounty, Behind the Badge, Betrayal, and Notna — began as NaNoWriMo projects, and the annual event — of which I’ve taken part since 2008 — has also resulted in several other works-in-progress. The reckless creative abandon NaNoWriMo allows gives me the bravery to try things I might otherwise be too in my own head to tackle, and I’m a firm believer that NaNoWriMo has made me a better writer.

This year, I’m using NaNoWriMo to tackle Land of the Free, the first novel in the forthcoming Hellion series (think The West Wing meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The story is already outlined, and I can’t wait for the calendar to flip from October 31 to November 1 so I can start writing it.

I’ll be updating my progress on this page throughout November, and if you’re taking part as well, add me as a writing buddy over on NaNo’s site! My profile is here.

(And if you can, please consider leaving NaNoWriMo a donation.)

About J.D. Cunegan
J.D. Cunegan is known for his unique writing style, a mixture of murder mystery and superhero epic that introduces the reader to his comic book-inspired storytelling and fast-paced prose. A 2006 graduate of Old Dominion University, Cunegan has an extensive background in journalism, a lengthy career in media relations, and a lifelong love for writing. Cunegan lives in Hampton, Virginia, and next to books and art, his big passion in life in auto racing. When not hunched in front of a keyboard or with his nose stuck in a book, Cunegan can probably be found at a race track or watching a race on TV.

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