It’s November 1st and I’m writing a novel.

As I’ve done for the last two years, I’m taking on the challenge of writing a novel during November, which is one of the busiest months of the year for me. Still, even though NaNoWriMo is a challenge for me personally this time of year, the last two events produced rough drafts that I am particularly proud of (even if I haven’t finished them yet).

My story this year is tentatively called, Frankenstein’s Finches and it asks the question: What if Charles Darwin wasn’t the only Naturalist onboard during the famous voyage of the HMS Beagle? What if that other Naturalist was Victor Frankenstein?

It is generally assumed that the events in Frankenstein take place in the mid to late 1790s. This would put Victor Frankenstein somewhere shy of 30 at his death. However, if he had managed to survive his pneumonia in the arctic, he would have been in his early 60s by the time the HMS Beagle left Plymouth in 1832. This would be a considerable age for the time, but Victor Frankenstein is not an average man.

The story follows the style of Darwin’s narrative in Voyage of the Beagle, interwoven with journal entries and notes by other members of the trip, including Captain FitzRoy and Darwin’s assistant, Syms Covington. Together, these men learn of the past of Victor Frankenstein and why he has joined them on a journey that will take them to the other side of the world.

Yes, I suppose the pitch needs more work but I’ve got some real writing to do.

If you’re looking for more stuff to read about NaNoWrimo, I recommend checking out the archives. I’ve got close to 30 posts here on the site about NaNo’s of years past. Best of luck, Wrimos!

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