Random NaNoWriMo "What if?" Thought

Illness sidelined my plans to write a novel in January, so I have put that adventure off until at least February, although I may continue to procrastinate until March because February only has twenty-eight days instead of thirty or thirty-one.

One of the blogs I check on a regular basis is that of William Gibson. In September he noted that he found it difficult, if not impossible, to blog while writing a novel. While part of me was sad to hear that the blog would not be updated as frequently, I did a little anticipatory happy dance at the prospect of a new William Gibson novel.

But it got me to thinking, "What if famous authors decided to participate in National Novel Writing Month?" Especially those famous authors who do not manufacture an annual offering. What if Thomas Pynchon only had thirty days to write a novel? or Robert Jordan? or Jean Auel? or Margaret Atwood? or Joyce Carol Oates? And what if you limited Stephen King or Tom Clancy to fifty thousand words?

Would they have fun with it? Would the project drive them mad? Would they worry too much about damaging their established reputations?

Just wondering.