For the past ten years, a group of writers on the web have been running the National Novel Writing Month challenge — NaNoWriMo. For a good eight of those years, about halfway through the designated month, which of late has been November, I smack my forehead and say, “Darn, I wish I’d remembered in time to participate!”
This year, my friend Lori, over at JaneBeNimble.com has mentioned, in plenty of time to forestall my usual excuses, that she’s signed up. So, for a week or so now, I’ve been waffling over the dilemma:
Do I want yet another commitment, or do I want to pretend I forgot about the event till it’s too late again?
Since I’ve got a new novel semi-planned, however, I thought it would be as good a year as any to take the plunge. Today, I signed up for NaNoWriMo for the first time.
I’m glad I did, as once the buttons were clicked and the forms filled out, I became quite excited about the challenge. I have been doing The Artist’s Way again in the hopes of rekindling my fire for writing fiction, and instead appear to have become bitten by the knitting bug. Giving myself a deadline like this, a 50,000 word rough draft in 30 days, will give me the kick in the pants I need to really trust the muse again. In addition, before I can launch into the novel length manuscript, I’ve got a short story that needs finishing. That’s even better. Now I have to finish that story before the 1st of November! One might think I’d see this as a major source of pressure. I guess I do, but it doesn’t feel scary or negative … it’s an excited kind of tension, like you feel when you’re about to climb aboard a roller coaster.
Zounds, I haven’t ridden a roller coaster in decades!
I haven’t finished a novel in almost as long!
If you’re a writer, or if you’ve always wanted to try your hand at a novel-length work, check out NaNoWriMo. There are very few rules, and the encouragement is to just sit down and write your little heart out … no editing on the fly allowed, so it’s okay if what you put into words is a bit unpolished. In fact it’s okay if it outright stinks, too, as long as you write it! You can use December to do the rewrites and polishing.
I’m excited about writing! The next two weeks are going to be spent cleaning up literary loose ends so I can dedicate myself to getting those 50,000 words banged out in November!
Links of Interest
- NaNoWriMo.org
- JaneBeNimble.com
- The Artist’s Way
- No Plot? No Problem (the NaNoWriMo book)
Hey there! I’m so glad you’ll be doing NaNoing this year! You’ve gotten yourself into something bizarre and wonderful! This will be my 5th year particpating. I have to admit that the highest word count I’ve ever gotten is around 32k, but it’s always fun and a great experience nonetheless. My participant name is nestromeda if you’d like to be my writing buddy.
Also, there will be another month (it might be March) where they’ll have National Novel Editing Month, so you can join people around the world in frantically editing the rough draft you did in November.
Valerie, hi! How cool, I’ll look for you on the NaNo site. 32k is still impressive!
I didn’t know about the editing month … now that will be fun, too.
Everyone’s favorite part of writing: rewrites!
Aaarrrgggg! I have a short story comp due at the end of this month, my draft is scattered~ so jealous!
You can do it, Char!
thanks for the reminder~ and the inspiration~ yes, I have signed up too this year!!!
Let’s be writing buddies…?
Hi, Char! I think I spotted you in the forums … and absolutely, I’d enjoy having you as a writing buddy!
I actually finished the first draft on the aforementioned short story today! Inspiration is a wonderful friend. LOL
Hey Gayze!!!
Whoop, whoop, whoop!
I am really excited to see you’ve decided to take the plunge! I really like your post here today, too. Now, I have a real (well, cyber-real anyway) buddy to conspire with. [dangling participle, ack, sorry, I'm in speed-writer mentality!]
Hey, thanks for the link love, too. This will be fun and we’re going to do this and have a blast in the process.
All aboard! Ship’s leaving soon!
P.S. I love the Artist’s Way, too. I’ve been through the complete book once now, and will probably start again in December.
Dangle all the participles you want, my friend, it’s NaNoWriMo! LOL
I’m excited about it! I discovered that an old writer’s critique group buddy of mine has played the last couple years and will be signing up again this year, too. The things you learn about people!
It’s gonna be fun!