November is fast approaching, and with it brings a big challenge. November is National Novel Writing Month, shortened to NaNoWriMo.
But what is this big challenge I speak of? It is to write a novel. And not just any novel, but a novel that is 50,000 words long. That’s right- 30 days, 50,000 words. Think you’re up for it? Then read on.
There is no prize for best story, just that immense feeling of pride when you type out that final word. You are competing against time and yourself, breaking your own limits and forcing your creativity to explode all over your page. It’s a tough challenge, but it’s worth it.
I started NaNoWriMo for the first time last year, and I loved it. It was hard, and I became slightly antisocial for a month, but I did it. I finished at approx. 70,000 words. It was well worth the effort, and to celebrate I bought myself one of their neat Winner! t-shirts:
All you have to do is write a novel. You can begin writing from the 1st November and must finish by midnight on the 30th. Type up your work and put it into the word counter, and NaNoWriMo will keep tabs on how many words you’ve typed. They will give you a progress bar to show how you’re doing, and I found this really helped me throughout the month.
Although it’s nearly a month away, I would start planning now. You need to think of characters, plot and setting. Have fun with it, make it your own. And if you don’t get to it, at least you tried. And if you do get it, then well done you!
This is a great and fun challenge and I’d recommend everyone who likes to write to give it a go. You can check out the Official NaNoWriMo website here and find out more about the challenge.
Have fun, and happy writing!
