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Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Why November?

As many have heard, it's Write a Novel in a Month, month.  Throw the confetti.  Sound the horns.

I'm a newbie to NaNoWriMo (isn't it a cute abbreviation) this year but I can't help but ask, "Why November?"

And here's why I want to know.

November is the worst month for me and probably others as well.  November kicks off the holiday season.  My hub's bday is in November.  The launch of Honey Creek Books is in November.  November is one month prior to December and we all know what happens in December.  Why not February?  Or March?  Those months are open for me.

Except I'm sure when those months roll around, I'll be saying the same thing as I am now.

I'm busy.

Wake up Jen, we're all busy.  And that I believe is the hook for NaNoWriMo.
Let me explain.
Anyone can participate but to have a certified NaNoWriMo novel, you need to start with word one on November 1 and end with word 50,000 either on or prior to November 30.  So you have to make the time to write almost 2K words a day on average.  You have to push yourself and among the hustle and bustle of your busy life, crank out a novel.  Now, no one said it would be perfect.  The point is not to correct or rewrite.  Just write, write, write and fix later.

But I think the draw is the challenge of it.  It's like extreme sporting for writing.  Extreme writing.  And in the end, the survivor doesn't win money or a prize or ruler of the island.  The winner has a finished, an unperfected manuscript and the praise among their peers for the accomplishment.  Many have tried and failed.

So to my fellow NaNoers, I say write on and prosper.  Sure this month sucks but when it's all said and done, you will come out a better person.
 Happy Writing!  

1 comment:

  1. Yeah. November is a crazy month for this. But I can't really think of a month that isn't crazy in one way or another.

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