National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo for short, is a month-long effort for aspiring and experienced writers alike. To put it succinctly, the goal is to write 50,000 words (about 250 double spaced pages) in exactly thirty days. From November 1st to 30th, participants sit down at their laptops (or notebooks, if you’re old-fashioned like me) and scribble endlessly, armed only with rough outlines and a dream. At the end, you have the first draft of a sloppy novel full of broken plot threads and feeble characterizations. To those not acquainted with NaNoWriMo, it may seem like torture. Indeed, giving up your social life and a piece of your sanity for the sake of a novel that will suck–it’s a wonder anyone participates at all. Yet, there are thousands of members on the NaNo website, members from all over the world. Including me.
Now for some FAQs. These come from my friends, relatives, and disbelieving onlookers.
Have you done NaNoWriMo before?
I’ve started before, yes, but I’ve never finished. No matter how much you plan your story, how many hours you carve out in your schedule, life gets in the way. I tried in 2011 and again in 2013 but wrote very little, abandoning the challenge within the first week. No more! This year I’m more determined than ever to emerge at the end of the month with at least 50,000 words.
What’s your novel about?
I used to make the mistake of telling anyone and everyone about my novel ideas, only to never finish them and face embarrassment when people asked about my stories. So this year I’m keeping the story a secret. At the end of the month, hopefully I’ll have a complete story that I can stand behind and be proud of.
How are you going to have time to write?
First, a bit about my schedule. I’m an English major with a pre-med supplement. I work a part time job, and I’m an active member of a couple clubs. I drown in homework most days of the week. But I’m making time for this. Since the challenge involves writing almost 2,000 words a day to stay on track, I’ll be writing during every spare moment. I might stay up late at night and compromise my already sparse sleeping hours. I may wake early each morning. I might write through lunch and pass up weekend social events. In short, I’m going to be a hermit for the month of November. You may never hear from me again.
What do you win if you finish NaNoWriMo?
This is an FAQ from the website, so I’ll parrot sections of their answer. Absolutely nothing. Sure, if you upload your completed story to the website, you’ll get a nifty certificate. But that’s about it. No cash reward, no promise of publication. But you see, NaNo isn’t about prizes or notoriety. Which brings me to the last question:
Why are you doing this?
Because in my heart I’m a writer. Because it breaks my heart to have no finished works to my name–other than a few short stories. Because I thrive on discipline and hard work, and any deadline is a good deadline. Because I have friends here on campus and all over the world that are taking part in this challenge with me. In short, NaNo is about personal growth. You may end up with carpal tunnel at the end, but I’ve heard from finishers that the pain is well, well worth it. And I intend to find out for myself.
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