NaNo Approaches
It's the time of year again... NaNoWriMo approaches! It's NaNo Prep season and for once I am actually prepping! Makes a change, as usually I am a total 'pantser!' Not this year. I am determined to be prepared, and I am resisting the temptation to start actually writing.
For those of you who don't know NaNoWriMo or National Novel Writing Month is a worldwide online event where every November NaNoers from around the world try to write 50,000 words in a month! The closest I've ever got is 40,000 for Camp NaNo (in April). So it is rather a challenge, but also a lot of fun and a great community- and it's free (donations rightly encouraged!). I'm hoping to meet some local NaNoers this year for the first time, at some of the write-ins.
So after getting my first novel under my belt (still cannot believe it's going to be published... eek! But I think we've all heard enough about that - for now!) I find it isn't any easier to return to the blank page. As Stephen King says 'You must not come lightly to the blank page.' And it is very true! After a while of editing, or resting you start to forget how difficult those words were to get down, how hard it was to make everything fit, and how you ever found enough time. You start to take those 75,000 words for granted. But... when you start writing again you realise what you have achieved. It was hard! Those words were hard won and shouldn't be taken for granted. You can't click your fingers and get another 75,000 (much to many writer's - including this one's - dismay!).
So this is why NaNo is such a great thing. It's all about the writiting, jsut getting those words down. And yes they may not all be good, and yes it will need editing, and there will be massive gaps (especially if you're not much of a planner). But you will have them. You can't edit nothing after all. And 50,000 is a good chunk of a first draft. And a huge achievement. Even if you managed 10,000 or 1,000... NaNo is all about taking some time for your writing, meeting other writers and having fun.
I have a lot on with work at the moment, so I'm not sure whether this year will be my year. But I hope so. And I'm going to try. Even if I don't make 50,000, I'll be glad I took part. And there's always next year. But my advice is to start this year. As with so many things start now. (Yes NOW). There is always a reason not to... and it's not until you stop making excuses and actually start doing what you really need or want to do that you realise what you're truly capable of. It took me over ten years to finish a novel (two to actualy write it) and soon I'm going to hold it in my hands... none of that would have been possible if I hadn't started taking my writing seriously and making time for it. NaNo is a great way to start doing that with your writing, or to do it all over again, as I am.
50,000 words might just be closer than you think!
Happy NaNo Prep everyone!
