NaNoWriMo: Just Do It
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 Question of the day: I'm an aspiring novelist- have been for two years- and am thinking about trying the NaNoWriMo challenge. NaNoWriMo seems like a cool way to kickstart my creative energy and write a book. So, do you think that writing a novel in only 30 days is a good exercise, or will it instill bad habits? For that matter, would a manuscript written on such short notice even be reparable?
YES! 100%, do it. Will you be able to sell your manuscript after 30 days? Heck no. But will you be a better writer for it? Heck yes.
Why?
For a few reasons: one, you'll get in the habit of writing every day. I think one of the biggest obstacles that writers face is actually writing. It can be so, so, so difficult to force yourself to open up that document every day and put words on the page, and NaNo will get you in that groove. Seriously. I think that's invaluable.
Two, you'll write in an unedited, free-flowing way. Would I recommend this if you're writing a contracted book? Not really. But too often, aspiring writers agonize over what to say, what to put down, what will work. This will show you that you can put anything down and sometimes, what you think will work actually really sucks and what you think will suck can really work.
Three, you'll be forced to think of ways to propel the story forward. Again, too often writers start books and don't finish them. If you're committed to NaNo, you'll write every day and you'll HAVE to find a story to tell. Maybe that story will be ridiculous and totally something you'd never publish, but by throwing something at your characters every day, you may be able to sift through the absurd and find something that really does work when you're NOT writing at such a frantic pace (i.e. making your characters break-up or lose a loved one or whatever).
Four, there is NO downside. Writers get better by writing. NaNo gives you that chance. Go for it!
Anyone out there participate? What are your thoughts?
Reader Comments (5)
I'm doing it again! This will be attempt number 4. Completed it successfully 2x. Last year was just too hectic and a poor choice of years to try to tackle fiction for the first time. Hoping for better results this year! At least it'll keep me from staring blankly at a screen. Goal to reach!
I don't participate anymore because it always puts me in a negative frame of mind. (Because I focus on word counts instead and get down on myself when I can't meet them. Whereas when I focus on TIME or SCENES instead, I can meet the word counts easily. Such a mental thing!)
BUT I know lots of people who do it and love it and get a lot out of it! The discipline, the camaraderie. My good friend Erin even got an agent from NaNo, sort of. (Revised her manuscript a lot and queried it over 6 months later.)
Good luck to everyone participating!
Natalie Goldberg's book "Writing Down the Bones" is a great inspiration to get a new writer writing. No matter what you write, it is important to write everyday. Something will eventually come of it. And as Allison says, you can only become a better writer by writing. The reward of finally completing your first book is like no other. After all, how many people do you know who have written a book? Less than 1% of people who start to write a novel ever complete it. Don't be part of that statistic. Write everyday and eventually you will experience the ultimate pleasure and unexpected mixture of relief and excitement the moment you realize you have just written the final sentence of your novel.
Day 2 of NaNoWriMo. It's just as grueling as Day 1. Didn't hit the word count yesterday, outline's too general, running out of ideas, characters are flat, sped-up writing takes the joy out of all of it... Yup, my first NaNoWriMo attempt is off to a great start!
This is my first year and so far I'm loving it! It's great to just turn off the inner critic and let the words flow like water!! What a great exercise, I don't if it will be usable when I'm done but I'm really enjoying writing it. I just hope I can keep it up all month!