NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month in November

If you are interested in writing and have never heard of NaNoWriMo, then it is time you learned about it! Every November is National Novel Writing Month, and the goal is simple: write 50,000 words in 30 days. Of course, it isn't at all as simple as it sounds, as that is a lot of words to write in a single month. But it can be done. I completed the contest in both 2008 and 2010.

In 2008 I wrote the 50,000 words as one big story. It is, after all, National Novel Writing Month. I did not participate in 2009 for two reasons: I already knew I could do it, and I felt my 2008 novel was pretty much trash. So in 2010 I threw a spin on it and wrote 50,000 words worth of short stories. I felt that was a great route to take because I could get in and out of a story without adding a bunch of fluff just to up my word count. It worked out really well and, oddly enough, the last story I attempted is turning into a novel I'm really happy with.

Of course, someone could technically start copying the phone book or a Bible and reach the 50,000 words, but the point is to keep us writing, every day. Something like a novel or ten to fifteen short stories won't write themselves. We must write them. The 50,000 words for NaNoWriMo averages out to over 1,660 words every single day, so missing a day here or there can really hurt. Playing catch-up is no fun, trust me.

Ray Bradbury recommended that we write one short story each week. He said that even a bad writer cannot churn out fifty-two horrible stories a year. Can't be done. But if we do not keep writing, we'll never accomplish the great story that is within us all as writers. It will simply never exist. The key, of course, is to write every day. To learn more about this annual event please visit http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and have a look around. If you are a writer who has always desired to tackle a novel and never have, November is a great opportunity to get cracking. NaNoWriMo is a super cool idea and a wonderful way to kick-start our creativity. Also, if you are not part of a writing forum, check out http://accentuatewriters.com/ and come talk shop. Accentuate has a special sub-forum for NaNoWriMo each year where writers can share their progress, ask questions and cheer each other on. It's a great forum. If you sign up, tell 'em Skwerly sent ya.