Worldwide NaNoWriMo writers produce finished first drafts
Are you ready for the biggest writing competition ever? Blast through your fear and produce that needed first draft that is boiling and roiling inside you. Tease out that coy, bashful story that’s tickled and teased you for years. Throw caution to the wind. Sit down and let the good words roll without any thought to where it might lead. This year’s National Novel Writing Month event makes it all possible.
All the above are simply different ways to approach the opportunity presented by the annual free NaNoWriMo writing competition. Kick-off date is November 1st. This is a singular opportunity to incorporate a social aspect to what is usually a very solitary act when it comes to writing a book. The cool thing is that your social participation is solely up to you. You can sit and home, write, and be secure in the knowledge that thousands—no, hundreds of thousands—of your fellow writers are doing the same thing. Or, you can join in the fun and make a more public commitment. That is what I do and have been doing for many years.
Exactly what is NaNoWriMo?
Okay, NaNoWriMo is the abbreviated word for National Novel Writing Month. Every November thousands of writers around the world join forces to produce the first draft of a 50,000-word novel. Don’t worry! If you find that daunting, today’s writers may also combine shorter works to achieve the goal.
Take advantage of the various tools provided
When you sign up, you are able to track your word count progress and even set various milestones along the way. You can also find other writing buddies in your local area or all over the world to accompany you on the journey. This year there will also be a variety of online events, too. Check out my previous post, too.
I’ll be writing more about NaNoWriMo as we go along but go ahead and sign up.
I hope you’ll join me. The wonderful thing about NaNoWriMo is that even if you find the 50,000-word goal overwhelming, at the end of the month you will be further along than you were at the beginning. That is not a bad thing.
Several years ago my NaNo experience inspired me to create a journal for fiction writers. It was a fun project and resulted in a journal that I use myself. I called it the Coffee Break Journal for Fiction Writers and included journal prompts, quotes, and quote pages where you can capture your own favorites. You’ll even find a personal index at the back. One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that you never know where a single action you take will lead.
I was surprised to discover that Amazon is giving a 54% discount on the journal, so it’s a great buy right now and perfect for NaNoWriMo prep. Click on the book or here to learn more.
