Something Completely Different

I am beginning a new book, the title of which has been kicking around in my head for a few years, while I have been working on novel # 2. The elements of the new book have come to me in bits, but only about a week ago the entire outline came flowing into my head, like a river of ideas. That happens sometimes. Our minds are truly amazing. Things are always simmering away in there, like a good stew, with lots of ingredients.
What I have been doing in the week past, since having my little novel epiphany, is outlining, researching, coming up with character names and traits. This is a new process for me, as I usually just start writing, without the preliminaries. But this time around, I have decided to attempt NaNoWriMo -- i.e., the National Novel Writing Month challenge -- where one commits to writing the entire draft of a novel (175 pages, 50,000 words) all during the month of November. All I can say in my defense is that timing is everything. If the concepts for a new novel hadn't popped into my head just at this time, and I wasn't scheduled to teach a writing workshop at the library in celebration and support of NaNoWriMo, I would never do something so ridiculous. I am more of a contemplative writer. It took me six years to complete my first novel. But I decided, why not?
Sometimes it's good to be shaken up. Sometimes it's really fun to embark upon a completely new project, in a completely new way. It's exciting. It's compelling. And it promotes happiness, even in the planning stages (maybe particularly in the planning stages, when one hasn't yet become jaded).
So, today I am advocating that you begin a Completely Different project. Maybe something you've never attempted before. Maybe something familiar, but in a completely new way. If you have knit a scarf or two, try a Fair Isle sweater. If you like the climbing wall at the gym, learn sky-diving. Always been fascinated by bagpipes? Join a bagpipe band (the members are usually very nice, and will teach you right from your first quavering note - I once checked it out). Whatever you decide to do, do it with joy. And don't forget to enhance the experience by writing, drawing!