I admit it: I get annoyed when people bash NaNoWriMo. Not because they are bashing it--I generally don't care what other people think anyway--but because 99% of the time they are spreading false information. Really, people, how hard is it to go to the website and do a little basic research before posting on the subject? Hmm? Is it too much to ask that you maybe get your facts straight instead of posting based on misunderstandings that you got from other people and didn't bother to check for yourself?
Anyway, I want to take a moment to address some of the more pervasive myths associated with the annual event that most non-writers think of as "November."
Myth 1: You are supposed to write a whole novel, but only 50,000 words, which is not long enough to be a novel.
Truth: Uh, no. You are supposed to write at least 50,000 words, which is the traditionally defined minimum threshold for a work of fiction to be considered a novel. You are not prohibited from going over that amount. You are not required to finish the novel within the 30 day period. I have one I started during NaNo that is now over 172,000 words, and the first draft isn't even done yet.
Most novels these days are in fact longer than 50,000 words, but that does not make shorter books un-novels somehow. The market does not change the definition. And some of the greatest works in the history of literature come in at around or even a bit below 50K.
Myth 2: NaNoWriMo is all about writing crap, it says so on the website!
Truth: Once again, no. Great use of selective quotation on this one, but no.
Anyway, I want to take a moment to address some of the more pervasive myths associated with the annual event that most non-writers think of as "November."
Myth 1: You are supposed to write a whole novel, but only 50,000 words, which is not long enough to be a novel.
Truth: Uh, no. You are supposed to write at least 50,000 words, which is the traditionally defined minimum threshold for a work of fiction to be considered a novel. You are not prohibited from going over that amount. You are not required to finish the novel within the 30 day period. I have one I started during NaNo that is now over 172,000 words, and the first draft isn't even done yet.
Most novels these days are in fact longer than 50,000 words, but that does not make shorter books un-novels somehow. The market does not change the definition. And some of the greatest works in the history of literature come in at around or even a bit below 50K.
Myth 2: NaNoWriMo is all about writing crap, it says so on the website!
Truth: Once again, no. Great use of selective quotation on this one, but no.
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