NaNo 2020: What is Nano?

I know we're starting a little early but I want all those new writers to learn about NaNo.

NaNoWriMo: The Contest

Coming this November will be one of the most exciting contests I've ever entered. I'll be fighting against someone that's hard-headed and hard to please. A person that thanks God for the opportunity to write. A person that loves to write, and a person that I know will fight to win when Nano pushes her to new heights and new way's of thinking. I'll be competing with this person every minute and that person is ME.

What is NaNo?

It's a contest where you try to write 50 thousand words in a month.  Yes you heard me right.  It can be done, thousands of people do it every year.  True, every word of it might not be worth keeping, but it teaches you to get out on that limb and write.  Never heard of Nano go here.




Win Prizes and Pride through NaNoWriMo

I've entered and won this contest in November many times. Each time in November, I have won a prize. This year some of the prizes are some great discounts on some great products.  You can check them out here.

Now, of course, there is no way for the good NaNoWriMo folks to know if you are cheating, but they hope you won't.  You can sign up here and get a free account. Click here.




Words, Words, Words
It's not easy to write 50,000 words in a month, but it can be done. For me it comes down to a contest against my last year's record. I try to get in one really good day with about 11,000 words, so if I have a bad day, I don't get  behind. Last year I hit 11 and change in a 24 hour period. I was stoked.

I don't think I had ever written that many words in one day. I also don't know if I will ever beat that record or not, but you can bet that I will do my best when November comes around.

Outline?
For those of you that have participated you know that the only thing your supposed to do towards getting ready for the contest is to work on an outline.  You can plan and think and outline, but you can not write one word not even that first line to this great new novel until midnight of November the first. I don't have my outline started .  You can also be a rebel and work on another project if you like and still participate. But many years I have started with a blank sheet and only a few ideas and hit 50k each and every time. This year I'll be a Rebel because I have way too many stories going to start yet another! 

Really? 50,000 Words in a Month?

Writing 50,000 words in a months opened my mind to a new way of writing. It helped me learn to focus on the creation of the story, and to put editing to the back burner. It helped me to see  I can write under pressure. It taught me some of my best work comes when I'm working and writing under a timeline. When I won and finished over 50,000 words in less than 30 days it gave me a boost, and give me a great feeling of accomplishment.

Please don't let the idea of failing stop you from trying to win. Don't keep yourself from the lessons that are waiting there to be learned. It's fun, it's exciting, and at times it can be frustrating. I can't stress enough what a learning experience this is, so come on join in on the fun, and see if you can write 50k or more in a month.

Winning! 
Winning is fun that is for sure, but even if you don't win, you can learn so much from being in this contest.  You can meet great people, learn you can write a lot of words in one month, but most of all you learn to write write write.

I learned I can write above and beyond an outline. Sometimes if put myself out on that writing limb that the story line created and the Good Lord and my Muse always helps me off that limb.  I suggest every writer tries Nano at least once.

Still looking for more to read on Nano check my older nano post from previous years, some of the information will be repetitive some not.

Nano Nano

50,000 words in a month?

Gearing up for Nano

Nano 2009

Dave King's Blog on Nano

Images thanks to 

Annette Shaff 

Javier Brosch

Edward Fielding

Ramona D'Viola

T.A. Byrne
Samantha Fury Images