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Let me just start by saying that Twitter is awesome. What does this have to do with NaNoWriMo? (Or what is NaNoWriMo?) Don't worry, I'm working my way there. Stay with me here.
Okay, so Twitter has become an amazing resource for me as a writer. It has all these really cool writers that tweet all the time and most (if not all) have been or are in the same boat as me, an aspiring writer - or rather an aspiring published writer - trying to carve a small space in the world of authors and poets alike.
In short, these tweeps get me. Or at least they get me enough on a basic writer level... yeah, let's go with that.
It was on said site, that I first heard the rumblings of NaNoWriMo. Of course I had absolutely no clue what it stood for, though I figured it:
a) Stood for something
b) Was related to writing in some shape or form
c) If it was writing related, I wanted in!
Being the keener I am, I headed to Google - another valuable tool that I swear I can't live without. Not really sure how I did in the past.
Anyhow, I Googled it (Who else loves that Google is now a verb?) and discovered that NaNoWriMo was actually this really cool writing event taking place in November and that it stood for
(Ha! I knew it stood for something) National Novel Writing Month. How clever!
Strutting like a proud peacock, I returned to Twitter to see what the down-low was.
(Did I really just say down-low? Wow, that was bad.)
It appeared that many of the people I was following/following me had participated in the past and a few even encouraged me to join.
Throwing caution to the wind, I quickly returned to the NaNoWriMo website and joined.
But not before I read the FAQs.
Quick Facts:
1) Takes place in November
Okay no problem there. It's pretty cold here in Canada by then so what else am I going to do? Am I right? You Canadians know what I'm talking about.
2) No entry fee to join
Sweet!
3) Write 50,000 words in order to complete the challenge and "win"
Uhhh, 50,000 words? In a month? Huh, that's a lot...but yeah sure....why not.
*makes lopsided nervous face* kinda like this -----> :-/
4) Finish and have the bragging rights that you wrote a novel in a month.
(Or something else less jerky.)
Yeah, that's pretty sweet.
It wasn't until the next day at work when I was boasting my newest writing adventure, that a clever co-worker happened to point out that I'd have to write 1,667 words per day. The figure is, of course, rounded up because...well...I'm not great in math but I'm pretty sure it's impossible to write 1,666.66667 words per day.
Okay...so that's like writing a short story every day for 1 month. I can do this right? Right? Hello? Someone back me up here!
Anyway this post is getting lengthy so I'll cut to the chase. I signed up. I have a little under a month to prepare and most likely I'll be spending a lot less time on Twitter.
For more info on NaNoWriMo follow the links I've cleverly put in this post. Also check out an awesome site created by Lyn Midnight called WriMosFTW! for anyone attempting NaNoWriMo 2011. (A big thanks to @LynMidnight for all the encouragement as well!)
I'm excited and nervous and really hoping I haven't just jumped in a canoe without a paddle.
(Huh...canoe...how stereotypically Canadian of me.)
I guess we'll see.
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8 comments:
Lol, you made me snort... a lot, which is what I do when I find someone ridiculously entertaining. :P
You did the right choice! I mean, at first NaNo can be very intimidating. To be honest, I didn't make it the first time I tried.. but then I didn't have so many friends who are both writers and nano enthusiasts.
So the trick is to just write. Some days it will be, well, crappy. VERY crappy. But you keep moving those fingers, even if it hurts you.
Which reminds me, some people get finger cramps toward the end. I wonder if that girl will do 999,999 words again this year. Hmm.
Anyway, I totally appreciate that you include me and my brand new site. Also, I feel the same way about twitter. I didn't even know what it was for at first, or what kind of friends I wanted (writers, duh), but then it all fell into place.
*sigh* Thanks for this lovely post!
Thanks for your lovely comment! I'm glad I could give you a chuckle :P
I'll see you there at NaNo! It will be my first year too, so cross your fingers for me, 'kay? and I'll do the same for you.
I'm so glad you mentioned Lyn's wonderful NaNo site. She is such a sweetie!
PS - saw this post on Twitter. So, see - it works!
Nanowrimo can be really intimidating, but there's nothing like that rush when inspiration hits and your word count takes a big jump, or when you bust through a troublesome plot hurdle, or when you get the mythical purple bar that Wrimos covet. And you'll probably find out that you're capable of more than you thought. Good luck!
Thanks for the encouragement Daniel!
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you Alison! And my toes for us both :)
We're in the same boat (or canoe... *cough*), as this is my first NaNo too! I'm sure there will be plenty of help from the twitter folk who've done it before. I signed up to twitter on 22nd September and I can't stay away from it now!
Good Luck :D
Welcome to the insanity! I"m "bej" on the forums and it is totally doable - minus some sleepness nights and caffeine-addled frustration. It can really convince you NOT to hem & haw about editing; you don't have time to get a better word/sentence choice. JUST WRITE!
I need those pushes because I do so love to hem & haw... ;)
Catherine - I am extremely addicted to Twitter as well! Glad to hear we're in the same canoe ;)
CE Schwilk - I'm ALWAYS trying to edit my work while I'm right in the midst of it. This will definitely be a great challenge for me.
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