So the crazy NaNoWrimo2017 race in just a few days! I often wonder on December 1st what the heck I was thinking!?
For those who are unfamiliar, NaNoWriMo as it is affectionately called, stands for National Novel Writing Month and is a 30 day writing sprint with the goal of getting 50K words written for a novel you are working on.
Now this sounds insane. It IS insane. That's 1,666 words a day. EVERY DAY for 30 days. And mind you, your end result is going to be soooo crappy.
Why bother, you ask?
Well, you have to think of it as shoveling sand into a sandbox--knowing you will go back later to build castles.
One of the major complaints I get at workshops or classes I give is that although people have great ideas or have been mulling a story idea over for weeks, months, even years...they haven't actually started writing it.
Well, you can't edit a blank page...so getting out is really a big step.
Secondly...people get stuck in the first few chapters because they THINK TOO MUCH and never move on. NaNoWriMo is such a sprint that you just have to keep going. Which is extremely freeing!
You can't go back and rework things, or obsess about a dialogue exchange, or tinker with the wording of a narrative...There's no time. And that is very effective for helping you just get the story out.
There are a lot of fun and encouraging things going on for those participating though...
- Awesome Forums - everything from subgenre discussions to business tips
- Regional Groups - you can join a Write-In and meet other NaNo writers at a coffee shop for a group write. Lots of fun.
- Online Groups - there are online groups to connect with either by location or genre.
- You can earn badges, buy swag, contribute to the program, etc.
- Buddy Lists - I've made friends here that extend beyond NaNo that have led to guest posts, ect.
- Help Desk - need info or research help? These guys are super helpful!
- Writing Coaches - there are twitter chats, videos, camps to join. You need help and commraderie...they've got it.
I hope to see you guys on the forums and on my buddy list. I am under Raquel Byrnes if you'd like to add me. :)