What Is NaNoWriMo?
For those who haven’t heard, November is National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short. Well-known novels (and even some that have gone on to become movies) have formed under this challenge. NaNoWriMo began in 1999 among friends, and has since steadily grown to garner hundreds of thousands of participants. It’s become so popular that there are programs and apps you can download to help you keep track of your goal and ensure you stay on target to finish in time (the Reedsy Book Editor is just one such program that has a target tab to help you track your progress).
The Rules
NaNoWriMo welcomes any theme, genre, or language and there is no fee to join. You will need to register with the NaNoWriMo organization solely for the purpose of having novel verification. You may brainstorm your characters and plot, make notes, and even draw up an outline or a mind map, but no actual writing can take place until November 1st, and you must conclude by November 30th.
The Goal
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to write 50,000 words in thirty days. Sound impossible? If you can find the time to write about 1,700 words per day, you will surpass the 50,000 mark by the end of that timeframe. If you can type 40 words per minute, you could theoretically complete your daily goal in about 45 minutes. Of course, this doesn’t account for the creative side of coming up with content, so add a bit more time in for that or prepare ahead of time with notes or an outline. In the end, you’re looking at a short-term commitment of an hour or two a day to achieve a long-term accomplishment.
While challenging, the purpose of NaNoWriMo is to push you to not only start that novel you’ve been thinking about writing for years, but also to see it through and get it completed! As an editor, I believe this is a wonderful concept. So many authors stall out because they feel like their writing is not what they hoped or expected. They spend too much time stressing over perfecting their first draft, and often shove it aside and forget all about it as a result. But that’s not what first drafts are for! During your first draft, your only goal is to write. That’s it! Just get it down on paper. Don’t worry about editing to perfection at this point in the writing process. That step will come, but for now, you just need to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
The Benefits
While there are no official prizes awarded, everyone who hits 50,000 words by the end of November is declared a winner and officially earns their bragging rights. You can also gain some nice benefits, such as discounts and a free proof copy of your book. In addition, well-known authors will often write pep-talks to the participants for encouragement, and the other participants will be trying to hit that same goal as you.
Another lovely benefit to joining the NaNoWriMo challenge is that you will be surrounded by others who are doing exactly what you are doing, sharing similar experiences and struggles, and who can offer mutual support. To understand you are not alone is a wonderful asset to have in your tool belt. Every participant will struggle to resist the urge to edit too soon or toss their unfinished manuscript in the trash out of frustration, and every participant will celebrate their accomplishments alongside you. You will have an automatic community of like-minded aspiring authors, all supporting each other to reach their goal and complete their mission. Who knows? You may gain a new lifelong friend out of this experience!
Learn More
Want to read more about NaNoWriMo? Check out the Reedsy blog post on it or go directly to the source at the NaNoWriMo nonprofit organization’s website. Consider joining the next NaNoWriMo challenge and don’t forget to reach out to me when you are ready for professional editing. Best of luck and happy writing!
Red Quill Co LLC
Think you might be ready for an editor? If you’re unsure what type of editing you need, want to know how much it might cost, or simply have a question for me, Contact Me today. I am happy to discuss your manuscript with you!
Return to the Tips for Writers index
