NaNoWriMo!

What is that you ask?

NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. For the month of November, thousands of writers sit before their laptop, or desktop or whatever and write write write. The goal is to reach 50,000 words starting on November 1st at 12 am and make it to the goal by Nov 30 by 11:59. To do this, they are supposed to write at least 1,667 words per day.

I got an email since I signed up for them through the NaNoWriMo website and this is some advice given.

1. Don't edit.
2. Do everything you absolutely can to make the minimum words, 1,667, for each day. Falling behind makes this task seem so much more daunting when you realize you're 5,000 words behind.
3. Don't try to force your imagination to bend (completely) to your will. Sometimes your story will go off in a completely different direction; don't worry about it. The entire thing will come together in the end.
4. Don't edit.
5. If you're halfway through and realize you just killed your main character don't panic. Pick minor character that you've grown attached to and run with them.
6. Don't edit.
7. Even if you decide to start over don't delete the words you already have. Add a few enter spaces and just keep going.
8. There is no such thing as the perfect novel and it definitely won't be what you wrote in 30 days. It's called a 'rough draft' for a reason. Just remember you can't edit the draft that doesn't exist.
9. Don't edit.
10. Seriously, don't edit.

I've just gotten off a long edit of my most recent manuscript, and so it has been a little difficult to not go back through and edit what I just wrote. I know the whole goal of writing that many words a day will mean alot of those words are just ready to be cut and are really embarrassing showing that I don't have any writing skills at all. But that is what a rough draft is for.

Once you get the story out onto the screen you can go back and fix it all later.
So here is to a fun and enjoyable month of writing, (or as my husband might say... "here's to a month where nothing else gets done")

But I sure am having fun already. I've only been at it for one day and I already have 3,724 words. With many more to come.

Hope you all have a great month, and if you are nano-ing, let me know how you like it.

Laura