Writers everywhere are in the final push of National Novel Writing Month. Some have devoted hours and days at a time, pouring their creative geniuses into their keyboards and up onto a screen.
Others have stolen moments between jobs and families, and pulled words seemingly out of thin air as their stories emerge.
Not me. Nope. No thanks.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for NANOWRIMO. I even tried it myself a couple of times. There are so many benefits. It encourages writing and the creative process. It provides and fosters a huge support system, whether it be via their website or amongst smaller groups of critique parters and writing buddies.
I love how having to pound out 50,000 words in 30 days hones the skill of writing a first draft. And it is a skill! For me, it’s hard to get the words down without throwing mountains of self-editing and self-doubt in my path. NANOWRIMO teaches you to blast through those blocks and just write.
Despite all that and more, it’s not for me. For starters, it’s at just about the wrong time of year. I’m not the first person who thinks January or February are better months, after the holiday bustle. And what better time to start a project than at the beginning of the new year?
NANOWRIMO also sets me up for failure. I’ve never won it. Not even close. The last thing my fragile writer’s psyche needs is yet another goal tossed into the loser pile. Although I’m getting better at the first draft “word vomit” stage of a novel, it’s still the worst and most difficult phase for me. I’m definitely a fan of the editing/revising camp. Gotta be real. The writing life is hard enough and fraught with rejection and failure. Why invite more into mine?
Don’t take my negativity the wrong way. I truly admire all those who commit themselves to those 50K words every November. One of my critique partners does and wins it each year (and she concurrently does a mini one with her elementary school students…now that’s heroine status). I’ve read a couple of her NANO manuscripts and they are GOOD! I’m looking forward to seeing them on the shelves someday.
So here’s to you NANOWRIMOers (is that even a word?). Whether or not you reach your goals, I salute you.
Now excuse me as go back to slowly tapping away on my keyboard.