No Novel November

Every November, my husband partakes in one of my least favorite national celebrations: No Shave November. For thirty days, a hairy caterpillar takes up residence on his top lip as he revels in sticking it to the man (or something like that). Well, this year, I decided to do my own No for November.

Unfortunately, it’s not as much fun as not shaving: it’s No Novel November.

Yep, for the next thirty days, I will be reading only nonfiction as a way to detox myself (and hopefully get a few other things done, like maybe work on my own novel). I’m not joining the hordes of writers plowing through National Novel Writing Month together in solidarity, but I am hoping to keep scooching along, making tiny bits of progress when I can. And in my very hopeful mind, not reading novels will make the hours in a day magically multiply.

But you should know: I’m already in withdrawal. This happens every time I do this. And it shows me that it really is time for me to take a break from fictional escapism.

Naturally, taking a break from novels is making me think about other things I need to take a break from…or maybe just a few things that I want to take a break from.

Like Negativity. Yep, No Negativity November. It has a great ring to it. Why automatically expect things are going to go wrong? Why assume the worst of people? Why keep taking the opportunity to complain instead of celebrate? Negativity can take a knee for the next four weeks. …It could happen, right?

Birthday parties. It’s not you (or your child); it’s me. Why do I have so many children who all have so many friends? Why do these friends have birthdays? Why do their over achieving parents all throw awesome parties for them? It’s not that I don’t enjoy them while we’re there (after all, there’s cake), but do you know how much I want to stay home, curled up on my comfy couch with a book and a very large mug of tea (even if the book isn’t a novel)? Let’s all pretend we’re still social distancing, okay? But seriously, I’ll come to whatever parties you want me to come to because I love you. Just not in November. Give me a reprieve month. Reschedule all your parties for another month.

Expectations. Yes, I realize that No Expectations November doesn’t sound great (although neither does No Birthday Parties November, for that matter), but hear me out. I want to do All the Things (including attending all those events you keep inviting me to), and it’s just not physically possible. In the space-time continuum, I’ve run out of (brain)space AND time…and also energy. But when I don’t do all the things, I feel guilt. And it messes with my mind. Because I keep reconfiguring All the Things to try to get them to fit into a space where they just. can’t. fit.

But here’s the deal (and yes, that was a short list—I’m tired, sue me), no matter how much I want or need a break from certain things, life goes on. My military husband may not shave his upper lip, but he’s still got to shave the rest of his face. I may need to take a break from novel reading, but I’m still reading one out loud to my kids for school (and still working on my own…hopefully).

There’s no real escaping from negativity (my own or other people’s), birthday parties, or expectations. And those things aren’t intrinsically bad (except for negativity—I can’t find a silver lining for that one). But sometimes setting aside a month to assess the habits I’ve developed helps me to be more purposeful in the choices I’m making.

So here’s my question for you: is there something you need to consider taking a break from during November?