Right around this time every year excitement surges among writers. NaNoWriMo is a mere few days away and thousands of writers are getting ready to jump into the insanity of writing a 50,000 word novel in just one month. I have to admit it’s hard not to get caught up in the electric energy responsible for motivating so many people to write like lunatics for 30 days. I love absolutely everything about it!
That being said, I’ve never actually participated in NaNoWriMo. I’ve watched from the sidelines and cheered people on, but for various reasons I never got around to signing up for this crazy adventure. For as long as I’ve known about it, I’ve always had a novel or a project in the works, so it didn’t make sense to take on another. I find myself in the same position this year with my second novel occupying all of my attention. I’m in the middle of revisions and I don’t want to drop it in order to start something else. Essentially, I am stuck between wanting to participate in NaNoWriMo and wanting to finish the revisions on Novel #2 (I swear I’m going to come up with a title soon!).
Anyone who has read my blog for any length of time knows that I thrive on goals, so I think I’ve come up with a solution that will solve my little conundrum. I’m going to participate in the idea of NaNoWriMo on my own terms and with my own benchmarks. One of my favorite bloggers, Wings of Wonder, is doing something similar and she has inspired me to give a try.
Instead of writing an entirely new novel, I’m going to continue revising Novel #2. I will subscribe to a similar schedule of defined daily word count goals and an overall monthly goal. Seeing as revision is a different beast than creating a first draft, I won’t be going as nuts as official NaNoWriMo participants, but I will be pushing myself to a new level.
I pledge to revise 500 words a day in order to reach a grand total of 15,000 words by the end of November. Furthermore, I will hold myself accountable with weekly blog posts documenting my progress and daily updates via Facebook and Twitter.
As a result of setting these goals, my blogging schedule may be a little more erratic than usual. However, I will try to keep up with it as much as possible. After all, my Scribble Diary and the Photography Challenge are huge sources of inspiration for my muse!
Wish me luck!
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What about you? Are you taking on the challenge of NaNoWriMo or something similar?
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c.b.w. 2012
C.B. Wentworth 
Well, I’m doing NaNoWriMo, since I’m a municipal liaison for it, but I’m giving myself an extra goal in November of also continuing to work on another one of my WIPs. I’m only requiring 200/words a day on that one, though. 😀
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You’re going to be very busy next month! Good luck! 🙂
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I wish October would hurry up and finish so I can get writing! I have my idea now, so all I need is to wait for another two days and I can get going. It’s perfectly timed this year as well, as my other big fiction project has just been finished, so I’m left without anything creative to write (I do have some scripts to finish up, but they’re scripts, so it’s not the same as writing a novel). If things stay the way they are, I think I’ll have plenty of time to hit the 50K target, and at least if I fail, it’ll be because I’ve picked up loads of freelance work and had to spend all my time focussing on that, which is in no way a bad thing.
Good luck with your own challenge.
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It’s always a good idea to go in with a plan! Good luck on completing the challenge! 🙂
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Great NaNoTude! You might not be participating in the official NaNo, but you can still take on the NaNoTude to accomplish your goals. I wrote about the very thing today on my blog. I’m participating as I’m about two days from completing my WIP and will need a break from it. And I’m so excited for my new project. Good luck on your revisions! 🙂
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What a perfect way to let you WIP breathe for a bit! Good luck as you head into NaNo – I hope its full of inspiration! 🙂
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I really want to do this! BUT… I am worried that I’ll flake out from the intensity of it all 😦
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It never hurts to try. Sometimes a challenge like this gets us to explore just how far our boundaries can go. 🙂
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Good luck to you. I haven’t decided if I will do NaNo or not. I’m signed up. I did it last year and didn’t achieve my goal, but it was fun. I, too, am in the middle of a rewrite/edit, but the idea of getting a draft of another novel completed really excites me. I guess I’ll know whether I do it or not come Nov. 1.
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Maybe you can draft a sequel to your WIP. I considered doing that for Novel #2 instead of just doing revisions. But, once again, my muse overruled an idea beyond revisions!
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Nope…not this year. I as well, have never done it…and this year have 5 extra family members moving in as of tomorrow…I was hoping, but it will be too much. But yay for all those determined and able. Hope your revisions go well.
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Oh my – you’re going to be busy. Keep writing those beautiful poems every day and that can be your way of participating in NaNoWriMo! It’s all about writing every day, no matter what! 🙂
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good luck being a NaNo rebel! 🙂 Beth
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LOL! I’m looking forward to all the (abbreviated) fun. 🙂
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Haha, me too! 🙂
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I’m participating this year
My first time, and I’m more than a little nervous about it :p
Good luck with your revisions 😀
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The key thing about NaNo is jumping in and writing. Write, write, and write some more. You can do it! 🙂
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Good luck with your goal. I believe the motivation and sheer lunacy is what is so thrilling about NaNoWriMo. I’m in on that one so we’ll see if the ideas will make it to the page.
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I’ve decided NaNo is a lot like WIG, but instead of 15 minute free writes, it’s a month long free write. You’ve got this! 🙂
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It crossed my mind. I don’t doubt that I could write a novel in a month, especially since I have so few clients at this time. I toyed with writing a series of novellas in November, using some of the prompts from WIG. However, like you, I’m in rewrite mode, beginning with novel #1 as I prepare them all for ebook conversions. I’m hoping that all this practice will make the major rewrites of manuscript #6 (which took me about 2 years to write) a piece of cake. Then it is on to the third story in the trilogy. Like you, I think it is easier to keep going with a project rather than dropping things midstream and picking up something else. It could be that the “new” WIP wouldn’t be very good because of the dropped motivation for the current project. My cheers go out to all who will undertake this endeavor!
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Why not do NaNoWriMo in rewrite mode? It could be fun to do together – we can cheer each other on at WIG! 🙂
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My clients are unable to keep to a schedule. Luckily, my new-found freedom allows me to be more flexible than usual. I’m ok not sticking to a schedule that when a bell rings I get to go to the bathroom. If something fun comes up, I can leave the editing for another time. However, (and I’m stating this publicly to you!) I would like the goal to be to finish any/all edits on ALL novels currently in print by 11/30 AND have them uploaded to the conversion company. Also, have book covers done for #5 and #6 by 12/15, when #5 will be available for purchase. Whew!! HUGE amounts of work here!! Let the cheering begin . . .
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Hi C.B. I was so surprised to see your post on NaNoWriMo as I posted on the same topic only Yesterday :). I am participating this year & can’t wait to start writing. Good luck with you novel & daily goal of revising 500 words.
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It’s a popular topic this close to November 1st! Good luck in the challenge! 🙂
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The people who do this are amazing to me!! Such a huge amount of writing in such a short time. I’m giving myself the next two months to write the remaining 50,000 words of my manuscript… hoping to have it finished by Christmas break. I suppose I should stop reading blog posts and get to it if I’m going to succeed…. 😉
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I don’t know that I could do 50,000 words, either! Although, I may give it a try one of these years.
Good luck on your revisions! I hope you reach your goal. 🙂
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Good luck! 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂
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When you say you will revise 500 words, what does that involve ? Do you take a block/page of 500 pre written words and re read it for quality, or is it replacing/ adding 500 words?
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When I edit, I open up the original draft in one window and the new draft in another. I basically work my way through the text in Draft 1 by reading and catching things I want to change one sentence at a time. Then I retype everything in Draft 2 with the changes in place. I’m shooting for 500 words of revised text a day.
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Best of luck with your self-imposed challenge. Your drive is an inspiration to those, like me, who have trouble achieving their goals. 🙂
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That motivates me even more to reach that 15,000 word goal! 🙂
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Good for you CB! 🙂
I met Chris Baty a few months ago when he came to the UK and we quizzed him, as you do when you have Chris Baty standing next to you in a pub! Lol
He said “there are no rules” and that you should use Nano in whatever way you see fit to benefit YOU 🙂 At the end of the day it’s to get you writing…..whether that be fiction, non fiction, a re-write blah blah blah 🙂
Good luck honey…..I may be doing the same myself 😉
Xx
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Oh, how cool! 🙂 I’m already feeling the energy of NaNoWriMo and I can’t wait to jump in and start!
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I have a couple of challenges on the go, CB … chapbook of poetry, participating in The Sketchbook Project 2013, building a log home in near northern Ontario AND the sock loom is out of the box and waving at me from the other side of the room. I do have a novel in the works temporarily taking the back seat and have not participated in NanNoWriMo but admire those who do. I just don’t have that kind of discipline (yet).
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Wow – You’ve got a lot of projects! I’m the same way in that I always like to have a lot of ways to fill my day. We’re never bored, right? 😉
I’m working on a chapbook of poetry, too. The challenge of creating a series of poetry is an interesting one! 🙂
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This sounds like a great plan.
I am doing NaNo this year. I have tried to twice before and failed, but I think this year I am going to finish it. This year has been a good year for finishing things.
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Third time is a charm! I wish you much luck on reaching your goal. 🙂
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Remember that once something you love to do becomes a job it’s no fun anymore! Take your time and enjoy the adventure.
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I think I’ve set a reasonable enough goal so that it stays fun. If it gets to be too much I can make adjustments. 🙂
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Good luck and have fun! Sounds like you have a busy month ahead of you!
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Thanks! It’ll definitely be busy, but also really fun. 🙂
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Yeah, very glad to hear I inspired you!!!!!!!!!! For me, the 850 words count range was perfect as a starter. Good luck with your challenge!! I think the re-write challenge is brilliant!
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I’ve enjoyed following your progress on your NaNaWriMo project! I’m so happy that you reached your goal! Yay!!!!
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