5 Things I Learned Writing NaNoWrimo

The month has wrapped up. Some of us have written down the infamous 50,000 words, others of us have fallen woefully short. It has been a long month for us all. Many of us faced the daily task of trying to make word count. Others has skitted in and out as both our schedules and creativity have allowed. One thing is certain we all learned something about writing and ourselves during NaNoWrimo. Here is what I learned.

1. What is in your head will not end up on paper.

I thought that not having my main character have a name would make her so she could be everyone, like the narrator in Fight Club. Turns out is just really confusing to read. So suddenly how I built emotion to the audience had to shift entirely.

2. You cannot write a novel just because you want to write, but because you have a reason to write.

This is probably my third attempted novel, while my first shot at NaNoWrimo. I made it to the 20,000 mark and that's as far as I have ever gotten. For me writing something political, that I was interested in is what made it possible. But if I had just wanted to write one to say I wrote one I would have not even made it to 20,000.

3. I do not have time to write a novel.

Anyone thinking they can write during their spare time, as a way to relax, or just for fun I am here to tell you it will probably not happen, or at least not in a sane amount of time. Novel writing takes a lot of work. It means you have to be consistent. Every minute detail has to be combed over. It is meticulous, boring, time consuming work that as a working college student with a social life I do not have.

4. Just reading great writers will not make you a great writer.

I will admit even though I read a ton of Virginia Woolf, I am no Virginia Woolf.

5. Writing takes emotional energy.

You will care for your characters. Sometimes you have to make them get hurt for the sake of the story. One day you'll realize they all have just a little bit of you in them which will just give you all the feels.