3-Day Novel countdown

I’ve come up with a title and general idea for my 3-Day Novel. I’m calling it Escape From Montreal, and it’ll be exactly like Escape From New York, except everything will be completely different.

Currently, I’m envisioning it as a sci-fi tale, set in the near future. The heroes of the story are artistic souls, trapped on an island that’s stuck in the 1960s and slowly crumbling. Kinda like real-life, 2009 Montreal. Call it a satire, if you will. (Juvenalian, not Horatian. See: A Modest Proposal)

I’m not big on outlines, but I should probably come up with one, to keep myself on track. In the meantime, check out my post at Gifted Travel on Post-apocalyptic Montreal, which explains a bit of what I’m thinking about doing.

I’m still pondering whether or not to pay the $50 entry fee and actually compete, versus doing this merely “for fun.” I mean, generally speaking, I’m against paying contest entry fees. They should be paying me for my work, not the other way around. However, if I were to win the contest, the prize is publication. Just playing devil’s advocate, though, I’m sure there are plenty of good writers out there who are gunning to win this thing, and since it’s my first time, I’m not even sure I will cross the finish line. I like to dream big, but sometimes there’s a limit to human endurance, y’know? Anyway, I guess my point is this: if my book is good enough, it will be published regardless, so entering a contest where the prize is publication is a bit moot.

I mean, if everyone at least got a t-shirt or a free book or something for their troubles, I wouldn’t mind paying the $50. But currently, I could use the $50 myself in plenty of other ways. Also, if something comes up work-wise, I will have to let the novel go by the wayside, and I certainly don’t want to spend fitty bones for nuthin’.

So that’s settled. Any other 3-Day Novelists out there? What’s your title? Got an outline? Talk to me! Also, you should follow me on Twitter here.