To NaNo or Not NaNo, That is the Question
That time is fast approaching, when thousands of people all over the nation... world?... sit down and attempt to tap out 50K words in 30 days. Yes, I'm talking about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
Yes, yes, I know, I know. Fifty thousand words does not a novel make. But it's a damn good start. Or it's a first draft that will be fleshed into a novel-sized book eventually. The point isn't to have a completed book in month. Not to me, anyway.
For me, the point of NaNoWriMo (NaNo for short) was to see if I could do it. Could I train myself to write 1666 words a day for 30 days straight? Could I write to a deadline, even if it was self-imposed? Was this writing thing more than just a lark?
My first NaNo wasn't 'official'. I didn't sign up for the site. I wasn't accountable to anyone but myself - which was kind of the point for me. But I did it. I sat down and banged out a book. The next year, I signed up and did it for reals. And the next year. Somewhere along the way, I was too busy to do it in November, so I did it December and called it HoHoWriMo. I've done it in other months, too. Because there are times when I needed to sit my ass down and write a damn book, so I took the skills I'd taught myself during November and applied them.
Now, with the way my writing has gone this year, I'm wondering if I don't need to relearn that old discipline. Commit myself to writing a book in November, whether I feel like it or not. Just do it already and quit my bitchin'.
I have two weeks from today to decide. Two weeks from today will be November 1st. Gah, where did the year go?? :shudder:
Other people have already decided to take it on. They've already got a book in mind. They're already plotting, so that when the starter pistol is fired, they'll be banging out words. Umm, yeah, that never worked for me. So, sometime between now and Halloween, I'll decide whether to do this and when All Saints Day arrives, I will or I won't be sitting down and seeing what falls out of my head.
I'll let you know. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, are you thinking about doing NaNo this year? Have you done it in the past? How'd it go for you? Do you plan ahead or do you just let it fly when 11/1 arrives?
Yes, yes, I know, I know. Fifty thousand words does not a novel make. But it's a damn good start. Or it's a first draft that will be fleshed into a novel-sized book eventually. The point isn't to have a completed book in month. Not to me, anyway.
For me, the point of NaNoWriMo (NaNo for short) was to see if I could do it. Could I train myself to write 1666 words a day for 30 days straight? Could I write to a deadline, even if it was self-imposed? Was this writing thing more than just a lark?
My first NaNo wasn't 'official'. I didn't sign up for the site. I wasn't accountable to anyone but myself - which was kind of the point for me. But I did it. I sat down and banged out a book. The next year, I signed up and did it for reals. And the next year. Somewhere along the way, I was too busy to do it in November, so I did it December and called it HoHoWriMo. I've done it in other months, too. Because there are times when I needed to sit my ass down and write a damn book, so I took the skills I'd taught myself during November and applied them.
Now, with the way my writing has gone this year, I'm wondering if I don't need to relearn that old discipline. Commit myself to writing a book in November, whether I feel like it or not. Just do it already and quit my bitchin'.
I have two weeks from today to decide. Two weeks from today will be November 1st. Gah, where did the year go?? :shudder:
Other people have already decided to take it on. They've already got a book in mind. They're already plotting, so that when the starter pistol is fired, they'll be banging out words. Umm, yeah, that never worked for me. So, sometime between now and Halloween, I'll decide whether to do this and when All Saints Day arrives, I will or I won't be sitting down and seeing what falls out of my head.
I'll let you know. Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, are you thinking about doing NaNo this year? Have you done it in the past? How'd it go for you? Do you plan ahead or do you just let it fly when 11/1 arrives?
No comments have been added yet.
