Introducing Friends to NaNoWriMo

Writing is fun, creative, and enriches our lives in ways we never see coming. But you know what is even more fun, and more creative, and more enriching in ways that we never see coming? Writing with friends! In this post, NaNoWriMo participant Chelsea Brickner encourages people to join the NaNoWriMo community.

If you want to convince your friends to join you in our little corner of the wacky writing world, send this their way:

Hello WriMos! 

Are you ready to take the plunge but have some acquaintances who are still on the fence? I think the best way to convince them is to let them know that we are all connected in this literary abandon. Writing is known to be a mostly solo venture, but one of the greatest things about NaNoWriMo is the community! I want our network to keep growing and maybe one day writers will take over the world. It doesn’t hurt that there are several published authors who started their novels during November. 

Despite our phenomenal community, I feel that so many people are daunted by the challenge of taking on 50,000 words alone. Rightly so, I might add. It’s no picnic to get inside your own head for a month straight. Let’s help those who are still deciding by showing them all the support we get during the month of November. 

Headquarters for NaNo is an amazing source of inspiration, advice, and much laughter. From encouraging writing sprints, to books on writing, to video tips, they are such an awesome fountain of resources. They are all writers themselves and they make a point to connect with us every day! To me, no other network has an easier flow of communication. I cannot stress enough how helpful they are because they want you to succeed!

On the NaNo website you can join a Region based on where you live to meet fellow WriMos! This is such a huge bonus because you can arrange to meet in awesome coffee shops to confer and chat and just be writing nerds together. These are typically organized by MLs (Municipal Liaisons) who are outstanding people and sometimes award you with stickers and other goodies. Who doesn’t like more stickers? This is perhaps the best way to understand that all of us are facing this struggle. You. Are. Not. Alone.

Seeing these other writers in action can spark your own motivation, can show you new writing techniques, can put you at ease that your own word count is fantastic no matter the number! My last tidbit is to connect with writing buddies online so that you can keep each other accountable while you tackle the word monster. They can be friends you already know or someone across the country! The beauty of the internet!

Perhaps the best motivator is you. Encourage your sister, friend, neighbor, postman to try NaNoWriMo for themselves and for all the people they can meet along the way. Let’s start writing together.

This is the third year that Chelsea Brickner has participated in NaNoWriMo. She’s an avid reader, movie watcher, and has been writing since she was about 12. She enjoys writing fantasy but is trying to branch out more as she get older. She is the mother of 2 cats. Find her on Instagram @off.the.pages.90!

Top image licensed under creative commons from Alisdare Hickson on Flickr.