It’s almost that time of the year. Nanowrimo (or National Novel Writing Month) is getting ready to kick off November 1.
What is it?
Nanowrimo is a time when people all across the country and all over the world gather together to try and churn out 50,000 words by 11:59pm on November 30 (about 1,666 words/day).
Why?
So what’s the point of Nanowrimo? Nanowrimo is meant for those who feel like they can’t write a book. The task can seem so daunting. So, it encourages those who participate to not only get into the habit of writing everyday, but also to see that writing a novel-length manuscript isn’t so crazy. Sure, as my husband pointed out, you can write complete gibberish to meet the word count. In the end, like anything we spend time on, we get out what we put in. Besides, during the course of the event, published authors send out emails of encouragement and advice, and people from all over offer their own support. If you sign up for a specific region, there are often writing events you can attend. Writing alone isn’t for everyone, and being surrounded by everyone participating in the same thing can be exhilarating.
So, why am I doing it? I write everyday already. I’ve already written novel-length manuscripts. And I’m pretty comfortable writing alone (again, I do it everyday). I’m using Nanowrimo as impetus for me to force through the novel I’m working on. It’ll be good motivation. I’ve already tried Nanowrimo multiple times over the years, but I’ve never completed the requisite 50,000 words (the week of Thanksgiving always derails me). But, I’m determined to try one more time. I’ll be using a new profile this year, one that’s more in-line with my brand. If you’re planning on signing up for Nanowrimo, come check out my profile, CTBIdeas, and be my writing buddy. It’ll be a fun way to encourage each other’s writing dreams. See you there!