Do you NaNo?

Do you NaNo?

Well, it’s that time again for all of us crazy writers. It’s National Writing Month or also known as NaNo. It’s where writers from all over pledge to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Crazy, right? Of course for those of us in the USA it has to been in the same month as Thanksgiving, so that makes it even more of a challenge.

I think it’s a good thing as it helps to turn off your internal editor. I mean, really, you can’t write that much in a month and be going back to edit what you’re working on, or you’ll never get the book written. I’ve been doing this since ‘09, and it’s really helped me focus on what I’m working on at that time.

Some other good things about NaNo is you get to meet other writers from all over, and make connections, which in turn could help once you’re published to get spots on their blogs, and also readership. I’ve connected with some really neat people, who after it’s over with, we still stay in touch throughout the year.

This year, most of the members in my critique group are doing it as well. We’re there to encourage one another, and help plot out problems that arise. The whole point of doing this is to get your butt in a chair and write with no excuses. If you can write 1,667 words a day, then you can finish a 50,000 word book in a month. If you need to write more for a longer book, then do the math, but just do it. No whining or saying there’s no time to write because there is. Don’t worry about writing a good first draft give yourself permission to write crap, as that can be fixed, but blank pages can’t.

So, tell me are you joining in on NaNo this year?