Many of you already know what this week's topic is all about. For those who are new to the idea, I shall explain.
Every November is dedicated as National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. During this event hundreds of thousands of people all over the world challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in just 30 days. Why 50,000 words? Because that is the minimum wordcount required for a work of fiction to be considered a novel. Why 30 days? Because you have to have some kind of deadline and there are 30 days in November, which leads us to... Why November?
The first ever NaNoWriMo event was actually held in July. The participants found that July is a difficult month in which to lock yourself to your computer because summer weather frequently uses its siren song to distract you from your novel writing goal. The weather isn't nearly as enjoyable in November. Depending on where you live it could be cold, snowing, rainy, certainly cloudy. Good month to stay indoors and write, right?
Now, you may be asking, "what does this have to do with me?" If you have always wanted to write, the answer to that question is: everything. Have you been waiting for the right time to start your writing? Why put it off any longer? In just one month you can write your very own novel. Don't write fiction? No problem. NaNo Rebels are writing non-fiction, memoirs, collections of poetry or short stories, cookbooks, graphic novels, and everything you can think of.
In anticipation of your next question I shall tell you why I'm recommending NaNoWriMo. Two years ago I was in a writing funk. I hadn't written anything in months. I'd sit down and stare at the screen and the words just would not come to me. After months of this some friends (who are also writers) suggested that I give NaNo a shot. I'd looked at it in the past and thought "there's no way I can write that much in a month" but I was getting desperate. Story upon story piled on my hard drive with no middles, let alone endings. So that year I decided to try. What could it hurt?
Now, having all those stories I'd started I was having a lot of trouble deciding what to write. Should I pick one of my starters and work to finish it, or try something new? I went back and forth until it was finally November 1st. The first day of NaNo. I sat down at the computer ready to start typing and just go with whatever came out. I started a new story that day. Twenty nine days later I had slightly more than 50,000 words, and a book that was only half done.
Fast forward 11 months. I've written about two paragraphs to continue my 2009 NaNo. It's getting close to November. It worked last time so I thought "why not?" I wasn't trying to win so much as trying to finish the novel. I ended up doing both. The result will be available for purchase next year. Bridging The Gaps is a NaNoWriMo novel.
If NaNo could help me with my crazy, complicated, chaotic life to get my writing done, what could it do for you? 1,667 words each day. Think it over.
National Novel Writing Month
Kate
Every November is dedicated as National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo. During this event hundreds of thousands of people all over the world challenge themselves to write 50,000 words in just 30 days. Why 50,000 words? Because that is the minimum wordcount required for a work of fiction to be considered a novel. Why 30 days? Because you have to have some kind of deadline and there are 30 days in November, which leads us to... Why November?
The first ever NaNoWriMo event was actually held in July. The participants found that July is a difficult month in which to lock yourself to your computer because summer weather frequently uses its siren song to distract you from your novel writing goal. The weather isn't nearly as enjoyable in November. Depending on where you live it could be cold, snowing, rainy, certainly cloudy. Good month to stay indoors and write, right?
Now, you may be asking, "what does this have to do with me?" If you have always wanted to write, the answer to that question is: everything. Have you been waiting for the right time to start your writing? Why put it off any longer? In just one month you can write your very own novel. Don't write fiction? No problem. NaNo Rebels are writing non-fiction, memoirs, collections of poetry or short stories, cookbooks, graphic novels, and everything you can think of.
In anticipation of your next question I shall tell you why I'm recommending NaNoWriMo. Two years ago I was in a writing funk. I hadn't written anything in months. I'd sit down and stare at the screen and the words just would not come to me. After months of this some friends (who are also writers) suggested that I give NaNo a shot. I'd looked at it in the past and thought "there's no way I can write that much in a month" but I was getting desperate. Story upon story piled on my hard drive with no middles, let alone endings. So that year I decided to try. What could it hurt?
Now, having all those stories I'd started I was having a lot of trouble deciding what to write. Should I pick one of my starters and work to finish it, or try something new? I went back and forth until it was finally November 1st. The first day of NaNo. I sat down at the computer ready to start typing and just go with whatever came out. I started a new story that day. Twenty nine days later I had slightly more than 50,000 words, and a book that was only half done.
Fast forward 11 months. I've written about two paragraphs to continue my 2009 NaNo. It's getting close to November. It worked last time so I thought "why not?" I wasn't trying to win so much as trying to finish the novel. I ended up doing both. The result will be available for purchase next year. Bridging The Gaps is a NaNoWriMo novel.
If NaNo could help me with my crazy, complicated, chaotic life to get my writing done, what could it do for you? 1,667 words each day. Think it over.
National Novel Writing Month
Kate
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