For the umpteenth time, I am attempting National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. This November, I am endeavoring to write 50,000 words in the span of thirty days. That’s 1,667 words every day on average. Lately, my life has been quite hectic lately, so I thought, “Sure, why not trying writing a novel on top of all those other things?” Here are 5 reasons why I and others are crazy enough to try writing a novel in thirty days.
1. Challenge Accepted.
There is nothing worse than someone saying, “You know, I bet you couldn’t do that” and then you not accepting that challenge. It’s so tempting to take on NaNoWriMo just to prove a point-- if I set out to do something absolutely crazy, I can accomplish that crazy thing… ESPECIALLY just because you didn’t believe I could do it.
2. You’re A Glutton For Punishment.
I once read in the book No Plot? No Problem! that there really isn’t a perfect time to write a novel. The best time to try it would be to write while you’re already busy. That way when you do find even a few moments to write, that time is used efficiently. You don’t spend hours and hours staring at your computer wondering what to write next. That’s why I’ve decided to pursue this challenge while student teaching, going to school, and working.
3. You Want To Grow As A Writer.
One of my personal writing goals over the past couple of years has been to write fearlessly. I want to learn how to write without judging myself and without the fear of others judging me too. Organizations like The Wheel, my university’s newspaper, and the Odyssey have challenged me to share my writing on a variety of topics with other people. They have also taught me discipline when it comes to sticking to a deadline and writing something on a weekly basis. NaNoWriMo challenges me in a different way because the goals are daily, the overall length is longer, and I am learning to be accountable to myself. And really, I should be writing something that I would personally enjoy reading, not what I think other people would want to read.
4. Give Back To The Community.
Some writers donate money towards keeping NaNoWriMo going. Other writers will create a sponsorship situation where they will ask their friends and family to donate to NaNoWriMo based on if they finish their novel or if they write a certain number of words. It’s a good way to keep yourself on track because now you have others who are literally invested in yours and others stories. The money goes toward keeping the site itself running, but also goes toward programs in libraries, community centers, and schools to help others share stories of their own. That’s one of NaNoWriMo’s core beliefs: stories are important.
5. I Want To Write A Freaking Book.
Even just the prospect of starting and, more importantly, finishing a novel is attractive. Those who write novels for NaNoWriMo tend to be dedicated readers and want to know what it’s like to be on the other side of the book cover and create a story of their own. Sometimes simple curiosity can make us do crazy things.
Best of luck to all of you who have decided to take on this gargantuan task. I need to get back to writing my own novel now.
