More NaNoWriMo Preparation

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I have read some concerns whether participation in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is beneficial when the goal is to write at least 50,000 words ~ many of which will most definitely be utter crapola. And, much like anything else, that is a personal decision ~ as to the benefits, the crapola is most certain to happen.

Here are my thoughts on the subject:

• Most of what I write is crap anyway, but maybe, just maybe if I write a bunch of stuff and let my stream of consciousness flow I will find something so amazing, so wondrous that it will be usable in an actual novel, short story, book of something or other. In other words, diamonds were not always pretty and shiny.
• I ~ Me ~ personally need the added motivation. Maybe you do too. I wrote my first story when I was 4 or 5 [not sure it was even legible] yet I have barely written anything in the 30+ years since. It is time I stopped saying and starting doing, er, writing.
• The goal isn’t 50,000 words and an award, but the satisfaction of knowing I have it in me. Because, if I do not, then I need to buckle down and find that dreaded accounting position and work my degree to its fullest and give up this pipe dream of mine.

NaNoWriMo is an organization formed to encourage writers and writing. They are not-for-profit and even offer a similar program for young writers [age 12 and younger] YWPNaNoWriMo.

You write your novel on your computer using your choice of word processing programs. You manually keep track of your progress by editing your Novel Info. Between November 25 – 30 you can upload your writing for word count verification. If you are concerned about the security of your hard work, then feel free to scramble your writing. Your work is kept long enough to verify its word count, then it is permanently deleted from the system.

Does this really work?

NaNoWriMo has grown quite a bit since 1999 when it had all of 21 participants. Last year 119,301 participated and 21,683 attained their goal of a minimum of 50,000 words. Oh, and quite a few novels have come from this process. So, yes, it can work.

This is an international program and you may write in the language of your choice [see above reference to scrambling your work]. Those who copy and paste from other sources just to meet the 50,000 word count are cheating themselves and no one else and have way too much free time on their hands.

Outlines and plot notes are very much encouraged, and can be started months ahead of the actual novel-writing adventure. Previously written prose, though, is punishable by death.

~NaNoWriMo FAQs

Partnering up to write your novel is not in keeping with the rules, but there is something for you. In April there is a Script Frenzy event encouraging you to write a 100-page stage or screenplay. Yes, this is all done in 30-days, too!

Have any other questions? Check out the NaNo FAQ page.

I will be updating my progress over on my writing blog. This keeps me accountable! And if you want to be my writing buddy that would be *awesomely-wonderful-terrific*!

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