NaNoWriMo – What is it?
NaNoWriMo is the acronym for National Novel Writing Month
NaNoWriMo, is a creative writing endeavor and social community that started way back in 1999. Over the years, it has become a global social networking sensation and artistic writing phenomenon.
For its many followers, NaNoWriMo is a motivational writing challenge that, each year, through social media, encourages writers to craft out a 50,000 word novel between November 1st and November 30th.
You can register to be an official participant here, but it’s not required. This really is a self-challenge, on-your-honor, type of contest.
With the help of the worldwide writing community, whose support and encouragement fuel the challenge, writers are often able to produce an entire novel in 30 short days.
They do this by pledging to write a certain number of words per day during the entire month of November. As an example, 50,000 words divided by 30 days is 1,667 words per day. If you challenge yourself to write 1,667 words per day during November, by the end of that month, you will have written 50,000 words, or the equivalent word count for a typical novel.
That’s pretty astounding.
I encourage my fellow writers to follow NaNoWriMo on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram. You’ll see, firsthand, the enthusiasm and excitement of its many followers. It’s contagious!
I have participated in NaNoWriMo for the past three years and the motivation to write every day actually works! NaNoWriMo is a motivational tool. It motivates me to sit down and write every day during the entire month of November.
Have I ever completed a 50,000-word novel? No, I have not. Not yet. But that’s okay, because I’m still working on my novel. I haven’t given up on it and NaNoWriMo is an excellent incentive for me to continue. Forward progress is what matters most.
NaNoWriMo’s true goal is to get you writing every day for thirty days. If you don’t complete a novel, don’t fret. There is no fee to participate and there are no prizes, other than your novel. Whether you finish or just get one started, that’s your prize.
But that is quite a prize, isn’t it?
I have been working on the same novel for the past ten-plus years. I will tell you, it’s been a beast to write (and re-write). However, for the past three years, I have kept my own personal NaNoWriMo pledge to write at least 500 words per day during the month of November. Sometimes, I write more than that, other times, less. But I sit down at my computer and write every single day in November, and it feels amazing! I feel productive and motivated to continue my writing long after the last days of November have waned.
We all know that life gets in the way and interferes with our creative juices, but I urge you to take the NaNoWriMo challenge this year.
Write. Every day.
NaNoWriMo is a wonderful way to focus, if only for 30 days, on your current writing project. Don’t stress yourself out thinking you have to finish it. Just write something each day in November.
You’ll be glad you did.
Are you up for the challenge? Can you write each day in November?
I’m ready. Let’s do this.
If you’d like to read more about NaNoWriMo click here.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Thank you for visiting!
Maureen Bartone
Writer. Creator. Designer. Lover of coffee and words and music.
