Hi friends!
If you're here, you are probably interested in doing NaNoWriMo. For those of you who are new to the NaNoWriMo scene, I'll first give you some brief insight into what the heck NaNoWriMo is.
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is an annual, Internet-based creative writing project that takes place during November. Participants attempt to write a 50,000-word manuscript between November 1 and November 30.
But NaNoWriMo doesn't just challenge you to write 50K in 30 days, they want you to succeed in hitting your goal so they provide you with the tools, structure, community, and encouragement to succeed. They send out weekly pep talk emails to keep you inspired, they host write-ins so you can meet up in person with fellow NaNoWriMo participants near you, and for those writer's in grades K-12 they have the Young Writers Program.
To find out more, check out their website: nanowrimo.org
I LOVE NaNoWriMo. I'm a 2x NaNoWriMo Winner. This year I'm going for my third win. NaNoWriMo will always hold a special place in my heart because when I did it for the first time in 2017, it was the first time I didn't just stop writing a project after a few chapters. I finished a draft of a book! NaNoWriMo showed me that I could actually write a book and take myself more seriously as a writer. Before then, I'd always called myself a writer, but I wasn't writing consistently. NaNoWriMo fixed that for me. So, if you're struggling to write consistently or feel like you lack the motivation or just can't seem to find the time to get the words out onto paper, I can't recommend doing NaNoWriMo enough. It's the best thing I've ever done for my writing career. I will say it's not for everyone. But, if you haven't tried it yet, there's no harm in giving it a try. You might just surprise yourself with what you can create with the NaNoWriMo community behind you!
That all being said, below are my 5 reasons why you should do NaNoWriMo this year.
1. You'll stop editing while you're writing.
One of the biggest reasons I couldn't finish a single draft before doing NaNoWriMo was because I was constantly tinkering with the first scenes of the book trying to get them perfect before moving on to the next scenes. When you're trying to write 50K words in 30 days you simply don't have time to do that. You will end up with a super messy first draft after NaNoWriMo and you know what? That's perfect. Most writers I know have to get that really bad first draft out of their system before going on to write more brilliant drafts after that. Editing is essential for all those published books on your bookshelves. I can guarantee none of those writers got their book right on their first try. But, you have to have words to edit and NaNoWriMo is the perfect time to produce that messy first draft.
2. You'll establish a writing routine.
When you're up against a thirty-day clock, you'll be forced to find time to write. Before doing NaNoWriMo I just wrote whenever inspiration struck me. Turns out inspiration didn't strike me all that often. But, when I forced myself to sit and write, I found the words to hit my word count whether I was feeling inspired or not because I was determined to reach the 50K word count goal by the end of November. And because of NaNoWriMo, I've been consistently writing for the past two years. My normal writing routine isn't as vigorous as it is during November, but it's been validating to know I can stick to my writing projects.
3. You'll make some writer friends.
Writing can be so darn lonely. But it doesn't have to be! NaNoWriMo has an ah-mazing supportive and welcoming community. And there are so many ways to be a part of the community. On the NaNoWriMo website, there are plenty of forums full of conversation and you can join. You can even choose to join your home region forum where you'll find a community of writers who you can chat with that live near you.
Some other ways to join in on the NaNoWriMo fun are to follow #nanowrimo on your social media accounts. The NaNoWriMo community comes out in full force on Instagram and Twitter during November.
And if you are feeling extra brave, you can go to a Come Write In event near you. Most regions have these events (usually at a local library, bookstore, or coffee shop) where you can show up to talk with and write alongside other NaNoWriMo writers. They're usually coordinated through your local home region forum.
Thanks for stopping by my blog! Hope to see you around here sometime soon!
Taylor
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