My First NaNoWriMo Experience

I jumped into NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, on the third day of this November. I had no preempted ideas. I just began writing. I wrote about 2000 words, 1700 on the first attempt and about 300 on the second attempt. Surprised by how quickly I developed the eight main characters, each uniquely tied to each other; I was elated. It was nothing from previous experience in my own life but drawing on life experience, pure fiction.

It then dawned on me that even though I could likely write a book in 30 days, admittedly a bad book as most likely would be the case, I had not prepared myself. This November just has too many commitments that I cannot withdraw from lest others and I suffer the consequences.

That is when I decided it best to abandon the challenge. The idea to drop from NaNoWriMo until next year came as quickly as my idea to adopt it. This next year, I will clear the schedule for the month; I will make sure my finances are in good position. I will do my Christmas shopping earlier in the year, clear or rearrange on going appointments with one exception Thanksgiving Day. I will be unavailable that month, barring catastrophic events; I will be there next year.

I do not regret signing up for NaNoWriMo; I do not regret not following through. I am pleased with myself actually. I have learned more about it. I hope to make some friends this year through NaNoWriMo, so that next year a network of friends will be in place for me to laugh with, encourage and ,with hope, be encouraged.

I did not know that NaNoWriMo existed until it was over in 2009. Now I know it exists. I know how to sign up, start writing and I know what is waiting for me. I will start preparing now and even more so in the coming months as fast as they may whiz by so that in November 2011- I will say, NaNoWriMo, I am ready for you. Are you ready for me?

If you would like to learn more about National Novel Writing Month, I highly encourage you to start now and think about the cost, then if you decide it is right for you to write a fiction novel in one month, start preparing now, along with me.

NaNoWriMo describes the premise here," National Novel Writing Month is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing. Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, 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. Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly. Make no mistake: You will be writing a lot of crap. And that's a good thing. By forcing yourself to write so intensely, you are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To forgo the endless tweaking and editing and just create. To build without tearing down."

Until then-Write on my friends-write on!