National Novel Writing Month prompts Savannah writer to try her hand
November 18th, 2009
Can I write a novel in one month? This is what I’m attempting by registering on NaNoWriMo, the acronym for National Novel Writing Month. I heard about the program from a friend and checked out the Web site.
The rules are simple. I only have to write 1,667 words every day during the month of November. By midnight, Nov. 30, I should have 50,000 words. It has to be original work; no previously written work can be included.
NaNoWriMo was started as a fun project in 1999 by Chris Baty, together with group of 20 other writers in the San Francisco Bay area. In the second year when a Web site was built, 140 people participated. It has continued to grow each year. Last year 120,000 people registered. Out of that number, 20,000 writers finished with 50,000 words.
This is a by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach to writing. Quantity, not quality, is what matters. No, it won’t be good, but it will be a rough draft of a novel. Rewriting, refining and correcting can come later.
Motivational messages are sent by e-mail three times a week from staff or published authors. I haven’t had time to read those. Participants can contact others in the program to see how they are coming along or for support. I haven’t had time to do that, either. But I do sign into the program each evening to put in my total word count in a little box next to my user name.
The first day of November fell on a Sunday. Since I didn’t have any plans for the afternoon and evening, I wrote 3,129 words on that day. I haven’t been able to duplicate this number on another single day, because the first two weeks of November were very busy for me. I had already contracted with Live Oak Public Library to visit six schools to publicize their Children’s Book Festival held on Nov. 14. I had two previously scheduled doctor appointments, and my column for Coastal Senior was due.
To confirm Murphy’s Law, which says if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong, my desktop computer crashed and I have had to use a laptop, which I dislike. The keyboard is different and the prompts are all in the wrong place. It really slows me down.
Then, the sunroof on my car got stuck in the open position, and I had to take precious writing time to have it repaired. Of course, the everyday chores – like going to the market, washing clothes, paying bills and cleaning house – had to be done.
But I don’t recommend a white glove test on my furniture right now.
It’s now Nov. 10, and I am one-third into the program. I have written on my novel every day except the first Thursday of the month. That was the day my computer fizzled, and I had two school visitations. I should have 16,666 words; however, I am 542 words short. I believe that I can catch up because the rest of the month will not be as busy.
Even if I don’t, what do I have to lose? If I have only 25,000 words toward my novel at the end of November, it will be 25,000 more than I had before I started.
After Nov. 20, I will report on my progress during the second third of the NaNoWriMo Program. Wish me luck.
