I made a big decision a couple of weeks ago, and I’m super excited about it. I’m going to be a NaNoWriMo participant this year. YAY!
Who’s with me?
Seriously, please let me know if you’re participating. I’ll add you to my writing buddies. I’d love to share that experience with you all.
As a first-time participant, I have to say the timing is perfect. I’m still in the process of editing book one, but my beta readers will very soon be involved, and while I write book two, book one will be in good and capable hands.
I’ll be attending the Writer’s Digest Novel Writing conference in Pasadena, CA, the last weekend of October. I’m very excited to attend the classes and hone my writing skills, along with my understanding of the industry. These conferences are a wonderful way to improve yourself at whichever stage you are in your writing. So, while I wait for my editor to work on it, I’ll have time to write the first draft of book two – or at least that’s the plan.
What’s NaNoWriMo?
Why should You consider it?
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. The web-based event starts on November 1st and ends on November 30th. In other words, you have 30 days to write 50,000 words, which is an average of 1,677 words a day.
The goal is to either complete the first draft of a novel, a novella, or whatever you’re working on or at least get it to a decent size. You can either write in the comfort of your home or join other participants in a local event/store.
What you need to do is to sign up online (it’s free) and prepare for it. You have to abide by the rules to have a chance to be a winner. So, you cannot start early, and throughout November, you’ll have to update your word count to keep you accountable.
In the end, you copy paste your book in their tool, and you are considered a winner when their server can validate that you wrote 50,000+ words. Note that no copies will be kept, so there should be no worries of getting your work duplicated somewhere.
What’s the reward?
Your work, and how proud you can be of such accomplishment. This event helps your writing move forward and keeps you motivated and on track with your goals.
Why would anyone do this?
First of all, I would not want to miss an opportunity to join my fellow writers to accomplish something important to me. Writing should be fun in the end. Goals and deadlines help me make sure that my WIP sees the light, and writing the first draft can be daunting.
NaNoWriMo is a fantastic opportunity to get the motivation to bring your work forward and commit to your writing. There is something empowering in writing with like-minded people around you pushing themselves. It is an inspiration to keep you on track and accountable.
Now, I need to be honest with myself. I won’t write while my family is home over Thanksgiving, so I need to consider this. Technically, I can write 20 full days, and the rest would be a bonus. To succeed, I need to put in 2,500 words a day, and if I want to finish the manuscript, I’ll need to double this a day.
Is that realistic?
2,500 is realistic – 5,000 is a little more ambitious, but still possible. I can write much more when I know what to write, but this is the first draft. So, I’m bound to stop here and there and wonder if my choices for the plot is right.
The key to success will rest on my ability to outline and develop the world well enough in advance to know what I’m supposed to be writing about, a tether that will guide me through the story and to the end of book two.
Can I guarantee that I’ll write at least 50,000 words? Yes – with proper preparation. I need to be motivated (and I am), but more importantly, I need to be prepared.
How will I prepare for it?
I already created a new project in Scrivener, which is the writing software that I use. I’m building the world for the next couple of weeks (at least what is not yet developed in book 1), and then, I will outline. I already have an idea of what I want to accomplish in this book, which is always great. In the meantime, I’m getting my hands on any resources I can to make this a successful endeavor.
My best ideas usually happen at completely random moments, so I keep a notebook close by in case. Even my notebook is trying to inspire me. It says, “Follow your dreams.”
Aye, notebook! That’s exactly what I shall do.
If I get to accomplish this part, I should be in good shape to be close to finish or to complete the first draft in November. Now, let’s cross fingers.
Have you participated in a NaNoWriMo before? What has been your biggest challenge? What would you recommend?
Thanks for reading! I’m a Fantasy writer who loves books beyond words. I’d love to hear about you. Connect with me on Instagram,Twitter, and Facebook.
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