National Novel Writing Month

I have particiapted in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) since November of 2009. Each year I write (or attempt to write) a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. Yes that 30-day month that has Thanksgiving and Black Friday in it. I know. It sounds crazy. It is crazy. But it's also a lot of fun and a great way to get in the habit of writing every day. It's a challenge, it's challenging and it is seriously some of the most fun I have ever had writing. If you are a writer (read: aspring novelist or you write just for fun), it really is a great way to just get words on the page. It helps you blast through writer's block because for those 30 days it's just about writing. When you stop worrying about your writing being perfect and instead focus on just getting the words out of your head and onto the screen (or page if you're old school), it is really easy to break down the barriers and obstacles writing can present. There are prizes, challenges, word prompts and all-night write-a-thons. There are write-ins at local libraries and online communities filled with writers just like me. And just like you.

Winning NaNoWriMo is easy. You just have to complete your 50,000 words by midnight in your timezone on November 30. OK, maybe easy isn't the right word. What I mean is winning isn't contingent on how good your story is, if it gets published, if the story itself is finished or if it needs major cuts, edits and re-writes. Write 50,000 words (not the same word over and over) from November 1-November 30 and you get a nifty winner badge and all the winner goodies. I personally have won NaNoWriMo three times. This includes my 2015 win. I hit the 50,000 word mark halfway through the month and added an additonal 10,000 words on top of that. I'm not to the end of the story and I am pretty sure it's way too long.

Some of my stories were terrible.

Some of them were good, but not publishable for one reason or another.

Some were fanfiction and really fun.

Some are good ideas but I just didn't have the steam to get to 50,000 words.

The important part is I wrote them. I participated. I sat down at my computer or with my notebook or with napkins at restaurants and I put my thoughts into words.

You should too!