Road Trip to NaNo: A Year of Moving Forward

Last year, Puerto Rico was struck by a devastating hurricane, and we shared a Road Trip to NaNo post from  Amanda Rosa, our Municipal Liaison in the USA :: Puerto Rico region. Today, she returns to share how writing has helped her region and community has persevered in the year since:

Perseverance.

That’s the one word I can use to describe our region of Puerto Rico. Last year was a bad one for us; our island got hit with hurricane Maria a few months before NaNo. For a moment the attention of the whole world was on us as we faced one of our biggest tragedies, one we are still facing. I won’t deny that our activity last year in the event was at an all-time low. Some members had decided to move away from the island, others didn’t have electricity or access to internet or simply other priorities took precedence to NaNo, and that is understandable.

However, that doesn’t mean we stop writing. Our member maitetxu, who didn’t have electricity, started to edit a novel and several short stories she had already started during a previous NaNo. Now, she is a published author! Those same stories got published in the book Ojos Llenos de Arena by Maite Ramos Ortiz. Another participant took the time to start publishing her novel, chapter by chapter, on a popular website. Other Wrimos decided to participate in the various Camp NaNos to make up for the missed event in November.

There is no doubt that it was a hard time for our region—but we kept going. We have persevered. This whole experience has taught me that there are no excuses not to write. Even if you are going through a hard time, writing can be the escape that you need. By building a whole new world with your tears, smiles, laughter, fears, worries, your story can make your life better! That story can even inspire others, from the people close to you to people across the world.

Take this as a challenge to feel inspired and to persevere despite adversity. When the world is telling you no to your dreams, you scream yes! You can make time to write at least 10 minutes every day; or, maybe, you have more time and can write for an hour or more. Every word counts. Not feeling inspired to write? Take last year’s NaNo project and rewrite it or take the time to finally edit it. Be a rebel!

So let’s get that countdown to November started and think of all the people that have persevered. They kept trying, even if it was little by little, until they succeeded. And so can you—so finish that novel you always wanted to write!

Amanda Rosa is a Municipal Liaison for the Puerto Rico region and participant of Nanowrimo since 2010. She enjoys writing fantasy, romance and Contemporary NA.  She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a geography major. She is currently working as a Sales Manager and trying to open up an Etsy store. You can follow her on Twitter @mandylola.

Top image licensed under Creative Commons from Diablo_blanco on Flickr, with added text.