NaNoWriMo

What on earth is that?? 

NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.  It’s a crazy way to write a novel. 

The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel in just 30 days during the month of November.  It’s for people who always wanted to write a book, but are scared by the time and effort involved. 

The very first NaNoWriMo took place in July of 1999.  Twenty-one young adults thought it would be fun to work for quantity in the writing process.  They met in groups and spent their time writing. The next year the founders changed the month to November, and the group has been growing like mad ever since.

NaNoWriMo is kind of like running a marathon.  If you go the distance in the time allotted, you win.  I haven’t found the results for 2009 on the website, but in 2008 there were 119,301 adult participants and 21,683 of them completed 50,000 words which is an 18.2% win rate. 

I’ve signed up to do NaNoWriMo this year.  If I can write 2,000 words a day, I can write a novel.  I’m excited and scared at the same time. 

Why on earth am I putting myself through this? 

Well, it has to do with my search for happiness.  I’m exploring my inner self and what I like to do.  I’m trying some of the things that I always wanted to do and have never tried. 

I may end the month of November in abject failure, but I don’t think I will.  Starting this blog has forced me to write every single day.  I’ve been warming up for the big event, just like someone who has been training for a marathon. 

The most painful part of NaNoWriMo for me, will be the lack of time to edit.  When I write, I edit and re-edit and then do it again.  The only possible way to write a novel in a single month is to get it out on (virtual) paper without making changes.  So, I will be tap, tap, tapping my way through November. 

Friends, I will not abandon you for a month.  I will still be blogging, but my entries will be relatively short and to the point. 

And. . . . . we’re off!!