What is NaNoWriMo?

Image: NaNoWriMo.org

NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, located at http://www.nanowrimo.org) has been around for a while. It’s a movement to challenge writing newcomers and old hats alike to get serious work done on a new project in one month (November). Here’s a quote from their rules:

•Write a 50,000-word (or longer!) novel, between November 1 and November 30.
•Start from scratch. None of your own previously written prose can be included in your NaNoWriMo draft (though outlines, character sketches, and research are all fine, as are citations from other people’s works).
•Write a novel. We define a novel as a lengthy work of fiction. If you consider the book you’re writing a novel, we consider it a novel too!

I am a wimp. (Hey, at least I can admit it, right?) I am not participating this November, nor have I ever participated. I think it is super-cool and I admire people who participate. A friend of mine discovered writing by participating one year, and she is well on her way to publishing the novel that started out with NaNoWriMo. And she’s certainly not alone. The movement is powerful AND empowering.

So if it’s so great, why am I not participating?

I could offer all the lame excuses. My full-time day job, long commute, and busy home life prevent me from having the time to crank out that many words in a month. Or I’m scared of failure. But really? I suffer from an affliction that many writers struggle with: lack of self-confidence. Could I take a few days off work and focus on writing to get in the hours? Probably. Could I cancel all my other engagements? Yep. But could I convince myself that I have it in me to churn out 50,000 words in a month? Heck no.

I throw to the wind the advice I have often heard: don’t edit while writing. Just get the words down, get the scenes in place, and go back and fix everything later, they say. That makes my perfectionist’s brain fizzle and pop like a bowl of Rice Krispies with Alka Seltzer added into the milk. So it takes me a little longer to write than many writing superstars.

My book is now beginning the arduous submission process. I am so close. But it took me a while to get here. Granted, I have not been working on it steadily, and indeed I put my manuscript on a shelf for a couple years, but you know when I wrote the first chapter? I was nineteen years old. I’m now on the high side of twenty-eight. We’re looking at a decade-long process. I’m not ashamed of that. It took perseverance to get to where I am, and I am confident.

As organized as I am in many other facets of life, I am a mess when it comes to writing. I am essentially a “pantser” (somebody who writes by the seat of his or her pants, writing organically with little pre-planning). That means I could write 300 words one day and 4,000 the next. It just depends on where the story takes me. Accomplishing 50,000 words in a month requires a lot of planning. I don’t think this means that, once I get published, I will struggle with meeting deadlines and getting my pages turned in on time. I’m good under pressure. Just not self-imposed pressure.

I keep telling myself that I will write book two in less than a year. That’s my personal goal. Based on past performance, it’s a lofty one. If I accomplish that, maybe the next book can be drafted in a month. Maybe.

BEST WISHES AND HAPPY WRITING to all the NaNo’ers out there. I hope you find inspiration and energy and success in your new projects. Kudos to you for being braver than I!