It’s November 28th, 2018. The last few days of NaNoWriMo are here. The authors are chirping their final word counts and verifying their wins with .doc’s that probably look more like word slop than stew. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is it kind of looks like nonsense letters and capitals strewn together to make your mouth confused, but it’s a thing. National Novel Writing Month. Though, it’s more international, so maybe it should be InNoWriMo, but that’s even harder to string together.
It’s a month-long personal challenge to write a novel, or at least 50,000 words of one.
Have I done tried it before?
Yes.
Have I finished before?
Oh yeah. Many times over.
How’d it go this month?
Well…
It’s a long story, one that might bore or sound dreadfully unoriginal because I’m not the only one. Shit got real. Life happened. My novel hit the 30k wall and I dropped like a limp fish. Not the novel, it’s fine.
Now, no matter how many or few words I wrote, I did try. I can’t stress this enough for writers both experienced and not, but just putting the effort and dedicating the time makes it feel like a win. The novel I “started” on November 1st (chapter 3 is close enough to the beginning, right?) isn’t one I’m looking to let go of. It’s a solid project, the writing came easily and the concept is one that I believe can resonate with readers. But the process in of itself is so rewarding.
This year, on a small Discord group, there were a few of us that were like running buddies. We’d update word counts, we’d encourage and gripe together. It was supportive and comforting to not be in it alone. There’s always that risk that as an author we’re so wrapped up in our own worlds that we grow closer with the character than other real people. Events like NaNoWriMo help to show us we sure as shit aren’t the only ones doing this crazy thing call writing.
Would I recommend anyone try a NaNo?
I mean, how much of your personal life and time do you want to sacrifice? Because it does take a measure of dedication and sacrifice to succeed in a goal like this. There were loads of laundry I forgot to do. Sunday mornings spent at the library for some peace from my cats. Evenings of television and video game playing that I put aside. Other books I didn’t read.
If it doesn’t take any sacrifice you’re a lucky shit and I’m envious, but for most of us, there are real-life responsibilities that need to wait a little in order to make room. My life and I think everyone’s, is already so full. It can get fuller and this kind of a challenge is one of those things that can bring about pride and satisfaction with a little effort.
I may not have finished this year. I may not next but I will be trying again and I am still proud of the 30k+ words I’ve muscled through on my project.
The novel I plan to pitch this December to agents was originally a NaNoWriMo. Since it’s the first inception I’ve revised, rewritten, chopped, hacked, slashed and stitched it into a really great novel(series). These type of incentive programs, though only a personal challenge with the reward of bragging rights, bring the writing community together. I like it. Can’t say that enough. I wish I’d had a chance to meet more local writers, sadly life and schedules didn’t allow for it, but there is that connection. The more connected writers are as a community the stronger we become and better we are in our craft.
LMG Wilson 