If you haven’t heard of NaNoWriMo, the acronym may sound like a complicated science project involving gene mapping and that pesky periodic table (and for some right brainers such as myself, that’s one scary thought). But that quirky acronym translates to National Novel Writing Month, which in turn translates to this: If you’ve been putting off your latest novel, want to write your first novel, or just feeling like challenging your writing muscle through some endurance training, now is the time to do it.
Here’s how NaNoWriMo works: It starts today. You pledge to write 50,000 words during the month of November, tracking your progress on the NaNoWriMo website and connecting online with other NaNoWriters for inspiration and pep talks. The beauty of the idea is that you can write at your own pace about whatever you want. There are no rules except to write. And write. And write. And quiet your inner editor. You can be a hermit writing in your bedroom for an entire month, or morph into a social butterfly, attending a plethora of write-ins happening in a region near you. Just so long as you write, you’re on the right track.
But here’s a word of advice from Write In Color: Don’t be the hermit. Find a network of fellow writers who will motivate, encourage and support you so that you don’t bail ship halfway to 50,000 words. Go to a NaNoWriMo write-in each week. Tell your friends and family about the massive goal you’ve undertaken so that they hold you accountable. In short, create a writer’s network that will put some wind in your sail.
If you’re hesitant to tackle NaNoWriMo, have no fear: Write In Color is here to help. Melody is a NaNoWriMo alumna (find her NaNo novel, The Agency
