NaNoWriMo 2015
5:13:00 PMSo.
November went by pretty fast, huh?
First of all, I did not finish my NaNoWriMo novel. I stopped just shy of the 20,000 word mark and got a little distracted by another book I'm writing. However, I'm okay with that. I'm okay with it because NaNo got me excited about writing again. It reminded me why it is such an enormous part of my life and why it's so important to write and keep writing.
Even though I won't have a completed novel on December first, that doesn't mean NaNo wasn't an invaluable experience. I have gathered all final thoughts and observations, and its time to share what I have learned by taking part in National Novel Writing Month.
Lesson Number One:
The writing community is awesome.
Okay, so I already knew this. Let's be real. It's no secret.
But it's so cool to scroll through my Twitter feed and see endless updates and support revolving around so many writers who are setting out to achieve a 50,000 word goal. There's always advice, pep talks, word sprints, and so many other ways to connect with people. My favorite thing about the writing community is the bond that automatically forms between writers. It doesn't matter how old you are or how much experience you have or what you love to write about. There's an understanding as we can all relate to sleepless nights, restless minds, and an endless passion for the art of words. Writers can live pretty lonely lives, as we are stuck in our heads so much of the time. It's nice to be able to create these friendships and learn about the habits, struggles, and triumphs of other writers.
Lesson Number Two:
NaNo is a great way to explore your own writing style
I've spent a lot of time writing about morbid topics in which many people die and someone is always crying. I'm used to science fiction, with elaborate world building and high stakes that involve all of mankind.
My novel for NaNo was wildly different from what I'm used to. It's a young adult contemporary about broken friendships and toxic loves. It's quirky, filled with fish tales, high school parties, and witty dialogue. It was a really interesting change for me, and I think it was important to see how I handled writing about every day life and shying away from my usual dramatic style.
Surprisingly, the words came to me pretty easily. I had to capture the voice of my narrator, a girl stuck in a destructive relationship that she has to defend throughout the novel. I had to decide whether or not she was going to be reliable as the one telling the story, and then I had to work out her attitude towards her own decisions and the decisions of those around her. It was a constant battle between her denial and her blunt honesty. It was a challenge, and that's how you improve as a writer, right?
Number Three:
It's okay to just write.
I have a novel that I have been working on for the last four years, and I've rewritten and revised that thing so many times. So. Many. Times. I wanted every sentence to be perfect, stressing over comma placement and vocabulary until I could barely stand to look at the words anymore. I suppose that's what you do when you want to make something into the best version it can possibly be. That's why editing exists.
But now, all I needed to do was write. NaNoWriMo is not a place for polishing or perfecting. It's a place for getting the words out of your head.
That was awesome.
I loved just being able to tell the story, knowing there would be plenty of time later to fix what needed fixing. I didn't dwell on paragraphs or get stuck on fine details. That opened up so much time and energy for ideas and surprises.
Number Four:
Pantsing and Planning can be best friends
I had a general outline for this novel, but I think it's safe to say I ended up pantsing it. Characters made decisions I never saw coming, and their growth came from places I didn't even know existed originally. So much changed from the story I put together in my head, and it was absolutely for the better. Having spent such little time with these characters, it was fascinating to see where they ended up at 20,000 words. I couldn't have predicted it, and that is where writing meets magic. That is where writers become vessels for something bigger than ourselves.
Number Five:
It's possible
Writing a whole novel in one month is a crazy feat, but people all over the world are doing it right now. It's a gutsy thing to go through the stress and planning and general madness of it any time of the year.
And yet, here we are.
So, no matter what my word count is in the end, I am happy with what I accomplished and excited about what is to come. I know that writing is always going to be a necessary part of who I am, and I now know where to find countless others who feel the same way. You learn so much about the craft and about yourself when you take this odd journey as a writer. At the end of NaNoWriMo, we will all keep moving forward, writing, revising, pulling our hair out and giving our gifts of stories to the world.
So, own your word count. Tell your story. Keep taking risks and write on.
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