NaNoWriMo: The Challenge

Yesterday in a moment of madness I signed up for NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month.

NaNoWriMo is in its 13^th year. It is an international project where would be-novel writers from all over the world sign up to write a novel, 50,000 words, in one month, starting on 1 November and finishing midnight on the 30^th.

 

I am not a writer.

I am not pretending to be a writer. I am not pretending that I am about to write the next literary sensation. I’m not even pretending that my words are even any good. However, I have for a long time wanted to sit down and write a book. A short book. Even if it never left the top drawer of my desk, I don’t care! It’s something I have wanted to do for years and I hope that by signing up to NaNoWriMo and committing to at least try, then I will get further than I have managed so far.

Participation in NaNoWriMo is free. It is a mostly online community of fellow writers – some professional, many amateur – who all share the same 50k word goal. Online you can read success stories and writing tips, make writing buddies to share your progress and ideas with; just generally be part of a writing community who support you towards this very tough goal.

Depending on where you live, there may be a municipal liaison officer in your area who may arrange get-togethers at book stores where you can meet fellow novelists and discuss your progress.

NaNoWriMo is run as a small not for profit organisation The Office of Letters and Light, servicing not only the hundreds of thousands of people who participate in the program every year but also establishing programs for  children, teenagers and adults to help them discovery their written potential. You can find out all about them on their website or through NaNoWriMo and you can donate to this worthy cause.

In the meantime, I need to get properly started on the outline for my novel, so that when November 1 rolls around, I am prepared to give it my best shot.

If anyone else signs up to NaNoWriMo for 2012, let me know, I'm love to exchange writing related stress stories. For anyone else, donations of wine to help the writing process will be much appreciated.

Or if you're doing NaNoWriMo yourself - be my writing buddy!