NaNoWriMo – Final Thoughts

NaNoWriMo Objective:  Write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November

My Final Word Count:  56,647

As I mentioned before NaNoWriMo started, I knew nothing about it other than the acronym was a bit underwhelming and my son had done it.  So, to correct the latter discrepancy, now I have as well.

As it ended, I thought about whether I’d do it again, and I think…probably not.  Not because I didn’t like it, or anything like that.  I enjoyed it a lot.  But it’s really geared for writers who are looking for their voice.  I tend to have the opposite problem.  I tend to become so lost in a story during the first draft that I can’t get away from the keyboard. So, all the motivational emails, word wars, and write-ins were lost on me.  I needed NaNoWriMo to send me an email saying, ‘take a break.’

There’s also the month they selected – November.  It tends to be some of the best weather in St. Louis, surpassed only by the spring.  So even with my writing fixation, it was hard watching the leaves falling on rural trails and not be out there.  I’ll probably go back to drafting novels in January and February, when the only alternative is watching basketball on TV while trying to stay warm.  I’ve even been toying with the idea of shelving both novels I have in first-draft form to work on a third in January.  It’s such a great month for writing in the Midwest.  We’ll see.

And last of all, I didn’t know this, but NaNoWriMo is a charitable organization, helping people get a taste of writing.  So, next year, I’m expecting an audit from the IRS, saying my contribution to NaNoWriMo has to be bogus, because I’ve never given to any organization that’s not health, outdoor exercise, or science/engineering related.  Well IRS, now I have.  And it felt like a worthy cause.

Happy writing,
BmP