Member-only story
It’s NaNoWriMo time! Let’s participate — on our own terms.
Yes, it’s that time of year again. For most of us in the Northern Hemisphere the days are getting shorter, darker, and colder. The perfect time to tuck indoors and get some writing done. And voila! Here comes National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Love it or hate it, NaNoWriMo has been inspiring (or aggravating, depending on your lens) writers since 1999 to write 50,000 words during the month of November. I fully stand behind their stated purpose: “NaNoWriMo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes in the transformational power of creativity. We provide the structure, community, and encouragement to help people use their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds — on and off the page.” If you’re looking for a supportive community or a way to connect with other writers in your region face-to-face, this is a wonderful conduit.
As for the writing piece of this experience, well, I’m generally not a fiction writer. But back in 2010 I had a 1-year-old, was four months pregnant with my second, and my husband was working 70–80 hours a week. My son went to bed by 7 and I had evenings to myself. Rather than veg out in front of the TV, I challenged myself to participate in NaNoWriMo, and vowed to write at least 50,000 words during November. And I did.
