I'm back . . . with NaMuWriMo

It has been many months since I last posted, and mostly because I didn't have a vision for the blog after I'd finished my first personal challenge. I'd more or less run out of music I wanted to share with my followers. I did manage to write two new songs this year--one of which may make an appearance on the blog at some point, AND I have a lot more chamber music I've written I'd like to feature at some point, too, BUT . . .

The purpose of this blog post is to JUMPSTART my MUSICAL CREATIVITY. After reconnecting with my lovely and inspiring Aunt Lynn and then having another meaningful conversation with my friend Jenifer, I decided I need to TAKE ACTION. Luckily, the month of November is just right around the corner. Now what, you ask, does November have anything to do with jumpstarting one's creativity? Well, everything.

My aunt has participated in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) for several years now and she has written several novels through it (and she has written many other awesome things, short stories and more!). The general idea is you set a goal and work toward it each day to get closer to your goal of writing a novel.

I'm no novelist, but I like the idea of setting a goal and working toward it every day. I have done the same thing for my professional life (I am an academic, and the only way I have found to get stuff published and research done is to write a little and engage the project EVERY day). The problem for me is that I have let my musical creativity go. Not cool. I am a songwriter and composer, yet for a variety of reasons, I have not been honoring my musical creativity. And I am unhappy with my lack of engagement in what actually matters to me a great deal.

Enter my idea for November: NaMuWriMo, National Music Writing Month.

Here's the plan: Write music for at least 30 minutes each day, with the goal of writing at least five measures a day. Post weekly blog updates to STAY ACCOUNTABLE.

I'd love to continue work on a particular project I just can't seem to finish--a song cycle, setting of five poems by E. E. Cummings, for soprano, clarinet, and piano. I promised soprano Emma Rose Lynn I'd write this piece for her a year and half ago, but crippling self doubt and laziness have prevented me from completing the project. I may not finish the entire piece over the course of November, but I am certain if I stick to the plan, I'll be a lot closer to seeing it through than if I don't try.

So starting November 1, I'm getting back to my staff paper, my pencils, and my piano. Expect weekly posts.