November is National Novel Writing Month and I’m getting psyched up for it.
The idea is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month.
50,000 words is really more of a novella (a basic novel is usually in the 70-100K word range) – but since so far I’ve been drawn to writing YA, it’s a workable length, especially since I tend to add on when I edit anyway. For some reason, I have very little description in my first drafts. Probably because I skim over big paragraphs of description when I read to get to the meat of the story.
NaNoWriMo teaches you to stop worrying about how it’s going to come out, that if you sit down and just write, you’ll get there. It may be a lousy story – most first drafts are – but that’s what revisions and editing are for later.
It teaches you to shut up your inner critic, and gives you a deadline and support so you can actually get it done. Probably similar to the Bird a Week or Painting a Day challenges I’ve seen.
This will be my 4th year doing it. I made it the last 3 years, barely in one case, and I plan to do it this time too.
Anyone joining me? 
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