November 1st through 30th is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo.
If you’re not familiar with it, the goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a novel in a month. You can log your progress online, participate in forums for different genres, and receive motivation, support, and encouragement from other writers.
Unfortunately, I never seem able to participate because I’m in the middle of a manuscript (to technically follow the rules, you’re supposed to start a new project), but I feed off of the creativity and excitement of the participants and lurk in the forums pretty frequently, too.
I thought I’d run this post a little earlier than I ordinarily would, because I think that sometimes to write a novel quickly, we need a little prep-work beforehand.
Interested in participating in NaNoWriMo next month? Here are some posts to help you get prepared (some posts from last year and some more recent ones):
Wondering whether you should participate?
5 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month: http://dld.bz/zHnH
The Pros and Cons of NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/3UfK
Recent series on NaNoWriMo:
Larry Brooks on StoryFix is currently running a series, “Nail Your NaNoWriMo.” Here are his first posts– http://bit.ly/pvLOP0 , 2: http://bit.ly/pLADA8, 3: http://bit.ly/nrOeUD
Alexandra Sokoloff is also doing a series of posts on preparing for NaNoWriMo: http://bit.ly/qHH62A and http://bit.ly/mRWaNq are her first two.
Some help from last year:
6 Golden Rules of NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/3XH7
NaNoWriMo Workshop – Plot: http://dld.bz/3XHt
NaNoWriMo Boot Camp: Choosing the Right Idea: http://dld.bz/3876
Getting your NaNo on: http://dld.bz/386A
NaNoWriMo – Make a list: http://dld.bz/3cF3
Make Your NaNoWriMo Experience Count: http://dld.bz/2vp3
Countdown to NaNoWriMo: Outlining A Novel Worth Reading: http://dld.bz/2rkR
5 Resources To Help You Plan Your NaNoWriMo Novel: http://dld.bz/zyZQ
Anybody planning on participating in the challenge?
I’m on again this year. It’ll be my 6th year in a row, and I can’t wait. I’ve learned so much from the process, as well as had the most fun writing ever doing this crazy challenge.
Like you, I’m thinking about NaNo earlier than usual. Ordinarily, I don’t start playing with ideas until the last week of October, and my idea usually hits sometime on Oct 31st, leaving me little prep time. This year, I’ve started digging through my files and notes, looking for a wayward idea to use, and I already have a list half a page long to contemplate.
Last year, I actually blogged about the process as I participated, and I may do that again because it helped me to understand my creative cycle better.
NaNoWriMo, here I come!
Elizabeth – Thanks so much for the input and links for NaNoWriMo. I think it’s a great way to focus oneself to get that novel written. I would participate, but the “day job” and some freelance stuff I’m doing just simply won’t permit this time. Maybe next year…
I’m actually contemplating it this year. Thanks for the tips/links.
Thanks for the heads up. I’ll remind my brother about this one. He’s a writer and I’m an artist. :)
LD–You’re so welcome!
Kit–6 years…that’s great! Yeah, I think NaNo has a way of sneaking up on lots of us, so I tried to think of it early. I’m just now seeing blogs mention NaNo in the last few days or so.
Maurice–Sounds like a talented family!
I’m interested, and would like to participate. On the other hand, I know that I will not be able to keep up to speed on the writing, so probably i won’t
Cold As Heaven
I love NaNo – I’ve done it the last 3 years. I don’t know if I’m going to this year though. I really want to finish a story I’m editing. We’ll see.
I feel slightly more organised than usual this year (also my 6th of NaNoWriMo) because I’ve actually done some ‘research’- which for this particular novel consisted of finding out what sort of activities our local singles clubs and dating services run for their clients! If the IT department at work have been monitoring our lunchtime internet usage, I think they are going to get quite curious about what I’m up to – actually I don’t think they have time to do that kind of monitoring, but it was only after I’d done the search I thought of that at all.
I participated last year – really motivated me to write my second book. I don’t think I’ll be doing it this year though.
NaNo never fits my schedule either. Which is why I just went for doing my own “novel dare” on my blog. (It’s why it’s called “The Daring Novelist.”)
I’m doing A Round of Words in 80 Days this fall. It actually encompasses all of NaNo — so people could do both (and include the prep and clean up by making them a part of the ROW80 goals).
I have too many partial projects to start a new one this year, but many of my fellow ROW80-ers are planning to go for it. I may check out some of those links anyway in case I decide to participate in the spirit of NaNo with one of my existing projects.
Where do you go for help and encouragement with other writers?