Halloween is right around the corner, and for most of you, that means getting ready to celebrate the holiday with candy, cookies, parties, and costumes. Let’s not forget trick-or-treating. For some, October is also the National Breast Cancer Awareness month. While both of these things are important for different reasons, it’s not what Halloween is about to writers.
For writers, especially fiction writers, over 100,000 of us are preparing not for All Hallow’s Eve on October 31st, but rather, we’re sitting bleary-eyed staring at our computer keyboards, glancing occasionally at the clock, waiting for it to read: 12:00am. November 1st.
Why?
National Novel Writing Month starts at midnight when we move from October into November. What’s National Novel Writing Month, you might ask? NaNoWriMo is an eleven year old challenge to fiction writers everywhere, in which participants attempt to write at least a 50,000 word novel in less than 30 days.
“Wha-?” you ask. Yeah. Can you imagine? A 50k word novel in just thirty days. “Impossible!” you cry.
Nope. Not only is it not impossible, but last year, over 10,000 people succeeded.
Yes, it’s crazy. No, there’s not any ‘prizes’ for doing it, other than the satisfaction of finally completing a novel. But it’s fun! It’s wild! It’s intense!
It also helps writers learn to do two very important things: 1) turn off the inner editor and let the writing flow and 2) write consistently, every day, and get into the habit of writing.
NaNoWriMo has relaunched their website this October, and now is the time to sign up or return and update your profile BEFORE the crowd hits it on November 1 and lags their servers for a few days.
Then, it’s time to hit the ground running… er, typing.
There are a lot of things you can do to prepare for NaNoWriMo, and this article will tell you a little bit more about that, in a humorous sort of way. In the meantime, you can start developing your characters now, doing character sketches and you can do an outline of your novel before you start writing.
Then, you’re ready to WIN NaNoWriMo, to take the challenge head on and blast past 50,000 words before the last day in November.
If you need some advice on how to win NaNoWriMo or if you just want to learn more about what exactly NaNoWriMo is, check out this Mahalo page about it:
So are you up for it?
If so, check out this question on Mahalo Answers, and then register for NaNoWriMo and come back and post your NaNo name and we’ll all be writing buddies together, urging each other on to success.
Happy Haunting & Writing!
Mahalo!
8 users commented in " October Isn’t Just for Halloween "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackNaNoWriMo is going to be fun this year! Everyone should join and we’ll all be gluttons for punishment together!
Last year, I started NaNoWriMo, for the first time, a NanoWriMo virgin, if you will. With much enthusiasm, a host of characters, and very little plot line, I started my first novel.
Hmmm…. let’s just say that your “first” time, losing your virginity to the gods of creative writing, is painful – especially without adequate foreplay (in the form of a story outline! c’mon… you were all thinking something quite different!)
So, after about 5,000 words, my internal editor kicked in and asked “Is there a point to this story? Are you trying to teach, entertain, break hearts, win hearts, what?” About that time, I began re-writing and re-structuring. Sigh.
Despite a fantastic mentor and a group of dedicated comrades in arms, I lost my drive, feeling overwhelmed and under-prepared.
But this year? Well, let’s just say despite my first experience, I’m willing to try this out again. Because despite the pain and insecurity, it was pleasurable.
Maybe some champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries will get me in the mood…
Wish me luck!
Lynn / WindowShopping
The man and I are debating. The market season will be ending and it would be a great time to let our eyes permanently cross as we undertake NaNoWriMo.
I appreciate the nudges, Michy!
Been curious about this, but not yet brave enough to give it a try. Just venturing in to fiction, I’ll stick with the short stories on AWF for awhile!
Wow! That sounds intense! Are you going to do it?
Well, I signed up for NaNoWriMo last year as a newbie, too. As life would have it, we had a family emergency that took me away from the end of the challenge. Still, I was able to complete over 48,000 words on a novel. That’s far more than I’d ever done.
I’d encourage anyone who’s serious about writing to just go for it. What do you have to lose?
I’ll be there again this year and I plan to win it!
Michelle,
Hi! Yes, I’m all signed up! This is my third time for NaNoWriMo. The first year I believe I wrote 12,000+ and a lot wasn’t the best. Last year, barely wrote at all. This year, I’m shooting for the 50,000!
One thing I like best, though, is that it doesn’t have to be your best work. You’re not supposed to edit and rewrite during the month of November. Just write 50,000 words. Period. That’s probably the hardest thing for a writer to do. We always want to go back and “perfect” a scene or dialog or plot line. This pushes us to just sit down and write. Anything. You can edit, re-organize, re-structure and proofread in December or early next year.
Now, for ideas…
I’m so glad to see so many doing it this year! I can’t wait to get started. Thanks for the comments everyone!
Leave A Reply