A shorter than usual blog from me I’m afraid and a question for you all at the end.
For anyone who isn’t aware, November for several years now - since 1999 to be precise - has been National Novel Writing Month - NaNoWritMo for short. The aim during this month is to write fifty thousand words which works out at needing to write under seventeen hundred a day. Not too many then. Not necessarily publishable words either - the editing etc comes later.
Now, I don’t know about my fellow NPOV bloggers but personally I’ve never joined in with this event. It is incredibly popular and I’m sure people do find all the camaraderie that goes with signing up for it amazingly helpful but I’ve learnt over the years, that, for me, events like this don’t work. I was the same at a couple of writing workshops I attended back in the day, asked to write on spec for five minutes I just got brain freeze.
I can happily work to an editor’s deadline or even a self-imposed one. I can write two thousand words a day - more when I need to, but put me in with a group all trying to reach the same target and I just go off the whole idea and can’t do it! I’m still trying to work out why and I’m coming to the conclusion that it’s maybe linked to my aversion to team sports!
So, do you sign up for events like NaNoWriMo and find them inspirational and good fun? Or, are you like me and run a mile from any internet organised involvement for your writing?
P.S. Good luck if you are attempting NaNoWriMo this month.
I've never felt the pull to do it either. I know why as well ... I am just not competitive in any way. I'm also like you in that I hate team sports. I used to love tennis, squash, and badminton but that was always one to one and I didn't give a fig whether or not I won .... just enjoyed the exercise. I can still write 2000 words a day but my days of tennis, squash and badminton are but memories!
ReplyDeleteThat's it exactly Linda, the competitiveness that seems to emerge with these things.
DeleteTo my shame, I didn't know about it was all about until this year. Maybe I had subconsciously placed my head in the sand in the past because, like you Jennie, I am not keen on the idea. I don't think I would produce my best work and would probably go into panic mode ... however maybe doing it in secret and unofficially might work. ;)
ReplyDeleteNothing to be ashamed about Victoria, there is so much for writers these days on the internet. Everybody has their own way of writing and something that helps one won't necessarily help another.
DeleteI've signed up for NaNoWriMo, Jennie, but am redrafting a novel rather than creating a first draft, so I'm not focusing quite so much on the daily word count - rather it encourages me to keep my butt firmly glued to my writing chair! Last year I wrote around two thirds of a first draft, Nanowrimo forcing me to finish it before starting to edit. Just for the purposes of research, I far preferred team sports at school, enjoying hockey and basketball, dreading athletics and cross country. : )
ReplyDeleteWell done on making it work for you Rae good luck with the re-drafting. You're definitely a team player.
DeleteI've done NaNoWriMo once, Jennie, and although it was useful to get me writing (a lot) at a difficult time (my dad was ill) I don't think I would do it again. It suited the specific circumstances I was facing at the time, but even then I didn't involve myself much in the social side. I was too busy! However, I definitely think it has a role to play and may well be the perfect framework for some people.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found it useful at a difficult time Gill. And I do agree with you that for some people it may well be perfect - we all have different ways of getting those words down on paper.
DeleteOh, and for the purposes of your research, I was quite a team player at school!
ReplyDelete