It is late Sunday evening as I type this, with one week to go before November 1st kicks in. For most people that is nothing special. A new month begins, and we’re ever closer to the holidays. But for me, and many others who are perfectly aware of what the acronym NaNoWriMo stands for it is the beginning of what could be a great adventure.
The founder of National Novel Writing Month Chris Baty talks about the 50,000 words in November project that has grown from its humble beginnings in San Francisco.
For those who do not know what that stands for I can say that it is short for “National Novel Writing Month”, a rather absurd idea that you’re challenging yourself to write a 50,000 word novel during the 30 days of November. Why do this? Well, it’s a challenge. That’s one good reason. Another is that November is usually very dark and dreary around here, far north on the globe and creating an adventure along with your characters may provide quite a bit of escapism from all that gray.
Of course I know the characters aren’t creating anything, it’s you the writer who do all that, but sometimes it feels like they are talking to you and creating it along with you. Those are the best moments and provide some interesting twists and turns to your stories!
This will be my 8th time participating and I must say that it is still fun. Not as exhilarating as it was the first few times, but now it’s become part of my life, a tradition if you will. I’ve also gotten some fantastic friends from all the write-ins I’ve attended through the years; friends I’d never come across otherwise.
Now what’s a write-in you may say? That is the social aspect of NaNoWriMo, where participants come together, often in a cafe or at a library, and write together. No, we’re not writing together, on the same story, but sitting with other like-minded people who enjoy doing what you do is a great boost to the writing process. I often do better when at write-ins than I do on my own, because I can see others reaching that “flow” state that is so beneficial to writing, and that often triggers my own “flow”.
My story this year? I am not sure yet, but I know I’ve got a main character. A lady detective, on the moon, who gets an assignment to find a missing young woman. That is what I know so far. And she knows how to get out of a fight, mostly unscathed, which is more than can be said about her opponents.
Oh, she’s got red hair too. Why? I just happen to like redheads. :-)