NaNoWriMo: For All Writers?

I’ve seen/ read many people who are curious about NaNo and wonder if it’s for them. No one can answer that except you and only after you’ve participated. As stated in my last entry, NaNoWriMo: The Good, the Bad, and the Writing. I will not be participating ever again. It ruined writing for me. I almost deleted the manuscript because I hated it so much. A few fellow writers from Dakk’s Dungeon convinced me not to. That said, the manuscript went untouched for almost a year. 

I’ve seen some tweets wondering if they should give NaNo a shot. To this, I say, sure, go for it! You never know, it might be good for you. What doesn’t work for me may be great for others. One of my fellow writer from Dakk’s Dungeon says she loves NaNo because of the deadline and she works better under pressure. 

Again, for a quick recap, I don’t like NaNo because it is more worried about that daily word count instead of the journey of writing, the quality, or the therapeutic nature of crafting a story. When I hear people talking about how they used “do not” instead of “don’t” to get a bigger word count, that’s when you know you’re focusing on the wrong aspects. 

Still, there are great pros to the November event, mainly bringing all types of writers together, and that’s what really matters. And to all those detractors out there, saying that if you cannot write fifty thousand words in a month, “don’t try it cause you’re not a real writer,” it is their negativity that gives this social affair a bad reputation. I could go on a tangent about “the real writers vs. the posers” but that’s for another time.

In the end, if you have a system of writing that works for you, stick with it. As they often say, “write for you.” This is taken out of context, sure, but the sentiment remains. Or, push pause on your routine and give NaNo a shot. If it makes things worse, then drop it. There is no shame in realizing that something is not beneficial. People don’t condemn others for leaving a toxic relationship, so take that mindset when contemplating the value of NaNo. Last November (2017), I stuck with it out of stubbornness, and it killed my love for writing and my story. I don’t want the same to happen to you.

 

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