November in the States is a time to bring out the woollies and anticipate the family holiday of Thanksgiving. For writers here and internationally it is thirty days of the biggest challenge of their lives. Whether it is a writer’s first stab at participation in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) or her dozenth, it is one intimidating mountain of words to climb.
What is NaNoWriMo?
National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing on November 1. The goal is to write a 50,000 word, (approximately 175 page) novel by 11:59:59, November 30.
Valuing enthusiasm and perseverance over painstaking craft, NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has thought fleetingly about writing a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.
It is also a challenge for we old battleaxes that know we can write a novel but wonder if the marathon achievement can be repeated. The beginning of EVERY new novel brings these doubts, perhaps even more keenly felt by those who know through experience the seemingly insurmountable self reflection and work involved. Whether an author’s word count has been healthy or anemic for the other eleven months, NaNo lights a Bunsen burner under the metaphorical behind of those around the globe who are insane enough to ‘believe’.
Come on…
-Believe they can create something of potential worth from nothing.
-Believe that the edits of December WILL unearth the diamond in the rough
-Believe they can find enough minutes in the day to pen what is essentially over six type written pages a day of one spanking new story.
-Believe their family and friends will not commit them to an asylum OR disown them for the oft-misperceived ‘indulgence’ of isolating themselves from the world in this Leap Of Faith (what a great name for a novel. Oh—it IS one written during 2008 NaNo AS a leap of faith—by one Christine London ;)
-Believe that they will be made a stronger and better human being through the process whether or not it ever produces a saleable novel.
-Believe in their internal fortitude, the value and power of the written word
-Believe in the legacy potential of such a product –that will remain long after they are gone to be read by unknown eyes and felt in as- of-yet unborn hearts.
If that isn’t a darn good reason to sit in front of a computer screen or pull out a composition book whilst in the dentist’s waiting room, I don’t know what is.
Wish me luck…no.
Believe.
10 comments:
This is my first year participating in NANO. I've been working on my outline and everytime I look it over I have the same thought..."Am I Insane?!?" I work, have four children and care for my aging parents. What am I thinking?
That it sounds like a whole lotta fun, that's what. :)
Good luck everyone!
Michelle
Author of Concilium, available July 2012
Concilium: The Departure, available November 2012
www.ConciliumBooks.com
www.Michelle-Pickett.com
You can do it Michelle! I have found NaNo to be challenging but so therapeutic. In the midst of everyday craziness, the gift of escape into our fictional world is beyond the words we use to explain. Your kids and your parents will be so proud of you and you will have such a sense of accomplishment, no matter your final words count.
Gooooo girl!
Good luck, Christine! I'm still toying with the idea myself :)
Anne- Any amount of words will be farther than without the impetus of NaNo I'm a'think'in. Put that 'toy' to good use and take the plunge!
And From author Paul McDermott (who blogger would not 'let in'):
"Christine, I tried to "add comment" on your blog post but got the message that your memory cache is full ... new one on me!
However: this is from an "eighth timer" as far as NaNo is concerned. I wanted to give some POSITIVE feedback!
My NaNo offering from 2006 has been 'picked up' by an American publisher and I've just signed the contract! It will be in the shops early next year if all goes to plan!
You can get a sneak preview from my website: www.baggysbooks.webs.com
where the first chapter can be found. It's called "The Chapel of Her Dreams"
If I can do it, I'm sure you can too!
Regards
Paul "
Goooooooooooo Paul!
Thanks for your comment, Paul. I have posted it over on Blogger. Who knows the whims of Blogspot. No one can seem to figure it out.
Thanks for your encouragement and good luck with NaNo. May we both walk away with a wonderful new novel in the rough...
Christine London
Author of Shadows Steal The Light
Visit my website at www.christinelondon .com for the latest!
GREAT Inspiring post, Christine! Ive never had the chance (time?) to participate in NANO but will decide before Nov 1 if I can this round....
Anyhoo! Wishing everyone GREAT luck and productive writing days for this year's challenge!
Hugs, Kari Thomas, www.authorkari.com
Good luck and have fun!
A fellow author just wrote a post on a couple loops about her unwillingness to sign up for NaNo because she did not view it as a social undertaking. "It is not solitaire by committee"
Here is my view on that:
I agree it is a lonely business and that solitaire is not a good match with committee. I can't imagine going to all the 'write-ins', social events and 'support' NaNo loops". I pretty much don't 'talk ' to anyone during NaNo. I just know (and 'feel') the vibe of all the thousands of others sitting in solitude before that glowing white screen. Somehow it spurs me on. Maybe I am just a competitive soul at heart. Whatever the reason, it gets the 50 K out of me and that in and of itself is worth clicking that little sign up button. Accountability. Kind of like at Weight Watchers--you are on your own all week between meetings or online check in's, but the scale doesn't lie when it come to weigh in. If you cheated it's gonna show.
Have a good 'shadow' experience, Pat. I'm a shadow too--just an official one.
:)
Christine London
www.christinelondon.com
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