NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. Every November writers across the world set a goal- to write a novel of 50,000 words during the month of November.
NaNoWriMo started in 1999 with 21 people who set a goal to write a novel in a month. Since then, NaNoWriMo has grown by leaps and bounds, but its goal remains the same- to encourage amateur writers to start writing. The concept is to write everyday during the month without worrying about structure, edits, or revisions. Just get the words down. When you hit a stumbling block or tough day of writing, you are encouraged by thousands of experienced and amateur writers who are on the same novel writing journey.
I love the idea of NaNoWriMo. It's a great motivator to know you are not alone in your quest to write a novel. I love that NanoWriMo forces you to put time in your schedule to write. I love the point is to simply write.
But, I do not love the timing of NaNoWriMo. November is a terrible month for me personally. Basketball season starts the first week of November. My normal writing time in the afternoon is taken up by basketball practice. Plus, I'm away from home for several days with family for the Thanksgiving Holiday. There are a bunch of children (and adults acting like children) running around. It's a blast, but not the best writing atmosphere. With that said, I know many other writers completed the 50,000 word challenge with tougher distractions.
Last November, I signed up for NaNoWriMo and had a great first week. I wrote over 10,000 words. But, I couldn't keep up after the first week and I finished the month of November somewhere around 20,000 words. This year, I'm not going to attempt NaNoWriMo, mostly because my short-term goals revolve around more revisions of my novel, writing short stories, and building my platform. In November, my goal is to write a short story each week.
I'd love to have a successful NaNoWriMo sometime in the future. Maybe I'll start a petition to move it to February. Or maybe I'll get over my excuses and just get it done next November.
What are your thoughts on NaNoWriMo?
Have you participated in NaNoWriMo? How did it go?
The Giveaway
Thanks to all who entered my book giveaway. This month's winner was Gretchen Streiff. Here's her entry : My book entry is Half the Sky. I haven't read it yet, but have it on my shelf. I'm excited to read it because it talks about the ways in which women work in community to overcome issues of oppression in all areas of the world.
We will have another giveaway towards the end of this month so you'll have another chance to win something fun! Until then, happy reading and writing!