Why I Do NaNoWriMo

I do NaNoWriMo for many reasons and they tend to change year to year. However, there is a main reason that remains:

It has shown me what I am capable of.

I took June off to work on my second draft of the novel I crafted in November 2018. I set word counts and wrote every day. While I didn’t finish the draft that month, I did mold a better, clearer story and when I head back to it to wrap it up, I have more confidence of where it is going.

I wondered why I didn’t finish it when I was able to churn out 72,000 words on November. Why didn’t I in June? I realized a few things. The word counts I set for myself were a bit more loose. I wasn’t planning to write over 50k words. I wanted to work on the novel as a whole and achieve those daily goals but also, if I needed to take time to write a magic system (I did need to), then I took it. I got a lot of great work done and though I was frustrated the entire draft wasn’t finished, I knew I had to forgive myself for that because I was proud of where I was going with the story of Clara Marlowe and the prophecy that attached itself to her the day she was born.

This November, I have a new idea I am working on. I chose to wait for NaNoWriMo because I knew I could work within the structure and spill it all into my computer. Having a set goal of words and a community to work within helps immensely for working out new ideas. Or old ones. It doesn’t matter what project you head into November with; all that matters is what comes out with you at the other end of it.

It’s like doing a diet or exercise routine. Once you start seeing results, it not only is a relief but an inspiration. All your hard work is paying off and it is so unbelievably satisfying. Last year when I finished NaNoWriMo, I sat and cried at the badge. I had actually done it. I had written a hot mess of a novel but it was a complete story. Well, a confusing jumble of a story but it was all there. My characters, my world, my imagination written with 72k words. There were days I didn’t think I could catch up and days I wanted to give up. But I didn’t.

I had quit the first year because I was forcing myself to write an idea I wasn’t passionate about. Not only that, but I lost my job in a devastating fashion when I was at 42k words and I was too broken to find any solace in writing. Not yet anyway. What this blog is now came from that deep, terrible time and I found comfort in writing again. But at the time, I had given up on a goal I really wanted to achieve. Even if I didn’t like my story, I wanted to finish it to know that I could do it.

And last year I did it.

I do NaNoWriMo because it’s a challenge. The goal I achieve at the end pushes me closer to getting something published and my dream of being an author of a story people love and carry with them. I have so many stories I carry with me. Characters in books I feel attached to, like I know them in real life. Stories that have taught me lessons about the world and about myself. I want to write books like that. This monthly challenge drives me in that direction.

I don’t think when I am writing. I mean, I think, obviously I think. What I mean is I just sit and write and it pours out of me until I get stuck. I don’t edit, I don’t judge my words. If I change where something is going, I keep writing and make a note to edit it later to bring it back together. That happened with my first draft of last year’s project and it worked out fine. Knowing I have to reach a certain point by November 30th makes me work efficiently and I don’t have the time to sit and worry about my choices. I let my imagination drive.

The community for NaNoWriMo is supportive and diverse. Reading and hearing what others are writing is so impressive. It’s a community of people who are from all walks of life. Some published, some not, some just wanting to try because they have a story they want to tell. Every idea is unique and fresh and I want to read so many of these books when they are done. Having that place to go and read comments in the forums or find a local write in (confession: I have not done these mostly because of timing and locations) is another constant reason I chose to write in November.

I’ve read it doesn’t work for everyone and I get that. There is an invisible pressure there that comes with signing up and a fear of failure. I know because I felt it that first year. You also may already have a great writing habit and have no need for this challenge. NaNoWriMo teaches me I can achieve what I set my mind to and that I have a lot more stories in me than I originally thought.

The work won’t end in November for these two projects of mine. I have so many more I’ve done outside of November. I’m just getting started.