As a writer, I can definitely attest to the fact that sitting down and composing anything isn’t easy. Some days you’d have to put a gun to my head just to get a haiku out of me. In fact, sitting down is the hardest part of the process, and when you write for a living like I do, it’s usually the last thing you want to do when the work day is over. But the folks behind National Writing Month are fully aware of these trials and tribulations experienced by authors, which is why they’ve created a program that unifies, motivates and inspires those of us who can’t quite seem to put pen to paper.
If you’re interested in writing your own novel, head on over to the National Writing Month web site and poke around! (However, as I’m writing this the site is down, so you may just have to poke around Google instead.) Essentially, the goal of NaNoWriMo is to write an entire 50,000-word novel by the end of November. Yep, a whole book. Sound intimidating? Well, you’ll have a support system from all over the world of people taking on the exact same project as you. Plus, the movement’s site has a number of tips, tricks and motivational activities to help you meet your goal.
I tried participating in NaNWriMo last year, but failed miserably. So miserably, in fact, that I just kind of assumed I wouldn’t do it again this year. But now I’m seeing loads of Facebook friends posting about how excited they are to get started on their masterpieces, and it’s making me eye the unfinished projects I have on my desktop. Maybe I’ll resurrect one of them and this will finally be my big year!
Are you participating in NaNoWriMo?
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Heh, are you kidding? I’m not long-winded enough to do something like that. My writing style is short, abrupt, and to the point. It’s been said that books are 10% content, 90% fluff, and that’s the truth (and, lo and behold, that’s also why I don’t enjoy reading and haven’t read a novel since my senior year of high school and have no intentions of doing so ever again). When I write, it’s 100% content, 0% fluff. The longest thing I’ve ever written is on the order of 9,000 words, and that’s unusually long winded for me. I don’t care about fluff, just cut to the damn chase!
Alas, good luck to those participating. It’s no small feat to write that long of a piece, let alone in a month.
hydrangea / 76 posts
I’ve been watching it from afar for 3 years, and have finally decided to participate. But I’m having troubles logging into the site!
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Just signed up.
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I’ve always wanted to do this! Every year I feel like too much is going on where I know I won’t be able to write 50,000 words. I guess I don’t want to have to stomach the heartache of failing miserably. Also, my inspiration and ability to throw words on paper and have them make semi-sense and be semi-interesting has strongly diminished since my high school days. haha
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I participated last year and came out a winner with over 75,000 words in 3 weeks. I had 50k within the first week and a half!It gave me such a sense of pride and accomplishment, it was so great! I’m not sure I would be able to do it again, though.
I would LOVE to participate again, but unfortunately, with school and work, I won’t have time.
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Yes!!! I do it every year!! I love it!!!!
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As much as I try to encourage writing in any shape or form, I haven’t seen this particular contest yield much besides frustration. The problem with novel writing is that successful novels craft chapters like small stories, and weave them together into larger conflicts while simultaneously advancing character growth and change. If I can get a beginning author to do any SINGLE one of those things in a short story, it will be a valuable learning experience. A successful novel does all of these simultaneously, and I think a lot of people try to write a novel, and then read what they’ve written, and don’t understand why it doesn’t live up to their expectations. Worse, they are frustrated, because the atmosphere of this contest is very encouraging, but does very little to help with constructive critique. Creating something that does not live up to your standards, but not having any way to figure out how to better it can be, at the least, rather upsetting. Anyway… if you are going to try it, best of luck! I’ll offer to read anything and give advice, if you are interested in frank critique =P.
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I’ve done it before and I’m doing it again. I’m super excited. =D
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I wish I could write my thesis in a month, sigh.
orchid / 120 posts
Yes, I’m in!
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It’s clearly stated in the rules that it has to be a brand new piece. You better start brainstorming.
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@Rebekka Wilkinson@facebook - Sure is. Too bad the stuff in the rebel section can’t be officially counted, either.
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@Rebekka Wilkinson@facebook – whatever helps you sleep at night. Why enter a contest if you’re just gonna do it half-assed? “Yeah, I wrote a novel in 30 days, but it’s not that impressive because I actually started it eons ago.” Please.
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I tried it last year, but never really finished any of the writings. I may try to finish/ revamp some of the old ones… maybe.
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@Rebekka Wilkinson@facebook - That’s what the rest of the year is for.
That’s also stated in the forums. I love that you keep trying, though. Your panties must really be in a wad by now.
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@Rebekka Wilkinson@facebook - Still at it? Lol. You’re cute.
sunflower / 405 posts
whoa I just read about this today. sounds really cool.
the problem with me I guess are time and mood. In the summer I had a lot of time and looking back I wonder what the heck I did with them. Now that I’m in school, I have all these great ideas and I just can’t write because of the homework and essays I have to do. And then I take a break and I realized that I spent 5 hours on the computer aimlessly surfing. Which could have been for reading, watching a movie, or writing.
I think I’m going to try and participate