For those of you who aren't in the know, NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is one of the single best ways to jump start the writing process. Why? Because for the 30 days of November, your job is to write crap, plain and simple. There's no time to go back and fret over that sentence you couldn't craft just right, no opportunity to redraft an earlier scene that doesn't make sense when your story took another direction. It's just pure, innocent storytelling at its best.
When I first tried NaNoWriMo in 2007, I failed miserably. I couldn't turn off my inner editor. I kept retooling things in my story that ultimately had to be changed again later. I was so obsessed with writing the perfect first draft that I barely wrote 10,000 words. The worst part? Those 10,000 words were stilted and had no life. I was so determined to be in control that I forgot to listen to my broccoli and wouldn't allow my characters to tell me their story. It an epic failure and a huge learning experience.
In 2008, I was determined to just tell a detective story. I didn't know much about my character or the story, but I played with it and eventually squeaked out 50,000 words and won! (Winning NaNo for you non-WriMos is finishing 50,000 words before midnight on the 30th.) The plot isn't great, but the characters are life-like and full of vigor. Plus I found out all kinds of quirky folks live in the worlds I create if I just let them thrive.
This year, though, was a totally different series of events. I had been offered a JVII basketball coaching position and was actually torn back in August about accepting it. Since basketball starts in November and practices are six days a week, I figured that would totally shatter my dreams of repeating NaNo success. But I accepted the job because I miss hoops so much and figured if I was meant to be a writer, I'd find a way. In reality, I assumed that my coaching life would kill my writing life.
It turns out that wasn't the case at all. Though I often fell behind, I didn't get discouraged and I ended up completing my NaNoWriMo story two days early! I learned this time around that I can write all day long and really enjoy immersing myself in a fictional world. I learned that when I give my characters freedom to do what they want to do, they surprise me with plot points I never knew were there. Most importantly, I learned that I can write despite my crazy schedule...and sometimes I write because of it.
I finish NaNoWriMo with a sense of renewal. It's funny how stressing myself out over writing actually creates a desire to do more of it, but that's where I'm at. I don't plan to write another 50,000 words in December, but I do plan to write about 1,000 words a day until I'm finished with the draft of the novel I really want to write.
So bring it on, December. I will write!
