Its NANOWRIMO time!!!
National Novel Writing Month is an online effort to increase creativity across the world by sponsoring a challenge to write a 50,000 book in a month. Yep. 50,000 words in 30 days.
That is roughly 1700 words a day.
Depending on your writing speed that is 2-4 hours a day working on a novel. Or 12,000 words a weekend.
Its a lot of writing, but it does something to my writer brain. I love the accountability of it all. I love that I can look at my region to see how we are doing in compared to the other states and countries. That I get pep talks from other NaNoWriMo authors. I get to contact other writers in my area. I get to see there are other crazy people out there like me who love the process of creating something new (though a bit slap-dashed- NaNo is not about perfection). I get excited about the creative side of writing versus the business side of publishing that can seem like a void that makes your eyes water if you try to look at it for too long.
I've been participating in NaNoWriMo for years now. Diaries of an Urban Panther was a NaNo book. But NaNoWriMo isn't for everyone. Its intense and you will forget to eat and YOU WILL LOOSE SLEEP!! And people will think that you are now a robot when you say "Have to go NaNo!"
It works for me. The challenge jump starts my brain and gets it going again. Gets my fingers on the keyboard and my brain into that creative sweet spot where perfection and self-doubt don't exist. Reminds me that I am not alone in the quest to understand my world through story.
If you haven't heard of it before, click on the link above. If you have heard of it and think that we are crazy, we are. If you've been itching to maybe try your hand at the creative life, please do! Your story is important.
Have to go now: NaNo-ing!
To the Writers Cave-- see you in 30 days!
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Amanda Arista
Author, Diaries of an Urban Panther Series
www.amandaarista.com
1 comment:
Hi Amanda,
I didn't realize that Diaries of an Urban Panther was a NaNo book. That's inspiring.
A deadline, and a collective full of encouragement, is a wonderful thing. I'm always more productive when there isn't quite enough time!
Thanks for your wonderful post!
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