Do you have a story lingering in the back recesses of your mind, taking up precious gray matter, clanking around like an angry ghost? It’s that time of year to exercise those writing ghosts, let them lose to limbo across the page (or computer screen if you prefer to type), leaving piles of steaming ghost droppings (the droppings are very important, more on this later).
What am I talking about? Why NaNoWriMo of course. Still clueless, dear reader? NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is a movement where many aspiring novelists attempt to word-barf 50,000 words of story in thirty frantic, sleep-deprived days all for the sake of glory and a sense of accomplishment. Read the long and entertaining history (plus learn how to sign up and more) at www.nanowrimo.org.
NaNoWriMo holds a special place in my cholesterol-clogged heart. Two years ago, desperate to get my own floundering tale on paper, I started typing Cooler Near the Lake. On November 1, I typed 2,000 words – a great start. On November 2, I made 1,500 words. November 3 was a bad day, only 500 words. My progress declined from there and I finished the month with a pathetic 12,000 words of drivel. I missed the 50,000 word mark so spectacularly, I could only deem my attempt a failure.
But that didn’t matter and wasn’t the point. I had started it. It took a while to pick up momentum again, but the seed was planted, the eggs laid, the idea hatched, the cliché written, the steaming dung had dropped. And that, dear reader, is a core principle of NaNoWriMo. For once, it’s about quantity, not quality. If you happen to spew John Green quality prose on a first draft – yippy for you (John Green would be jealous too. What? You don’t know who he is – check him out here). But that isn’t the point. During NaNoWriMo (this is really a pain to type), you should revel in the craptastic first draft; get it out using a crow bar, petroleum jelly, and professional grade explosives (or just type – you know – whatever works for you). The point is to get it out.
By giving yourself the freedom to use clichés, split infinitives, and leave plot holes the size of the Mariana Trench, you get to focus on the joyful act of creation and giddy insanity of making up stuff. All those problems can be fixed in revision (or never, that’s what desk drawers are for). To add to the fun, many authors participate in NaNoWriMo by blogging helpful writing tips, creating motivational vlogs, and tweeting their own stories (most don’t participate as they’ve found a way to earn money making stuff up already – they have work to do).
Are you ready yet? There are six days left before November 1; plenty of time to scribble down some ideas, clear your calendar, and download a trial version of Scrivener (seriously – the best software for writing).
So, dear reader, what will your novel be about?
Get more of me on Twitter @aereichert.
Helpful links on NaNoWriMo:
How to Prepare for NaNoWriMo
InkyGirl’s Guide to a more realistic NaNoWriMo
Chuck Wendig’s 25 Reasons You Won’t Finish Your Novel (trust me – good stuff)
Free Trial Version of Scrivener
