We are once again in November…that month that has all those sayings, you know…”No nut November”. “No shave November” and lastly “Write a novel November”. Can you guess what I’m here talking about today?
Every year I try my hand at “write a novel in November”, better known as NaNoWriMo, and every year I don’t…I mean I do start the project and I write, but then I fall behind. I haven’t always been the best at daily deadlines (ask all my English teachers, though I made it by the skin of my teeth to turn in projects), and getting that high word count of 50,000 is hard. It really has always been my dream to write books, or at least have a few under my belt in different genres because of my love for reading. I can never hit that goal in a month, I just get too caught up on the plot.
NaNoWriMo is just about finishing something, as every writer says. No matter how bad your story feels like it is, or really is, just finish it. Prove to yourself that you can get it done, no matter what. November is another tool for all types of seasoned and new writers to work through writer’s block and flesh out an idea.
Last year I was crazy enough to start two books, TWO! I am absolutely bonkers. It was still the greatest idea that I have had, because it was the first time I have ever gotten so far in my word count. I did a story I would love to read (and am still desperate to, ’cause swoon), and the other book that ended up overtaking everything I was doing was just something cathartic for my soul at the time. That’s the one that ended up having the highest word count and the thing I keep writing when I need to, almost as if I’m unloading the extra things in my brain (that are trying to bust out). It was a project I loved and hated, but can’t really see the end.
This year I am once again throwing my hat into the ring with no expectations, and am doing something fun. An idea was born while with one of my besties, a joke I had made about them that is now spiraling into a book. Whenever I have been frustrated with work, in a rut, or needing to escape I just keep thinking of this idea. Every time I come back to it in my mind, it has grown more and more. At this point, it needs to be some type of book and I can have the space in my brain back.
NaNoWriMo is no pressure at all, but finishing a writing project feels great. But, pushing yourself to higher limits to see how much you can write in a month and for those daily word counts. It also helps you to build up your tools and skills in thought process and details for your characters and plot. Every year I learn something new, build my skills, and the next one that follows I can go farther than before. It’s also the best way to figure out if you can build off your story plot idea and make it into something truly great and you know the basic length for a book. So, if you haven’t started yet…it’s never too late to start NaNoWriMo now!
Are you participating in NaNoWriMo? If so, how’s it going?
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