November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) where would-be novelists around the world commit to writing 50,000 words during the thirty days of November. A 501(c)(3) non-profit that has become an international phenomenon, NaNoWriMo values “enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline…for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.”
At www.nanowrimo.org, users create accounts where they can plan their novel, receive online encouragement, and be part of a worldwide community of writers all trying to crank out 50K words in a month.
For more information about NaNoWriMo, click here.
Haven’t started yet? It’s not too late! There’s plenty of time to reach 50K words, in fact, you have 24 days…or 576 hours….or 34,560 minutes, depending how you like to schedule.
Need support? Check our events calendar for NaNoWriMo write-ins near you or find something throrugh the NaNoWriMo site.
If this sounds like utter nonsense to you (after all, there isn’t a “National Brain Surgery Month,” where everyone commits to learning how to operate on a brain in 30 days…) consider the value of writing a quick and “s***ty” first draft!
Then consider that bestselling books such as The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern; Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen; and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell were all initially drafted during National Novel Writing Month!
NCWN member Russ Hatler has penned a poem we felt was appropriate for the task ahead; he was kind enough to let us share it:
Integrity
by Russell Hatler
For the novice novel writer
Here’s a thought that you can use
You can listen to your public
Or you can listen to your Muse
You can let your public pay you
Or you can pay your Creative Dues
And here’s the really lovely part:
You get to choose!
***
Now, start your timers and get crankin’!