Why You Need to Make Time for National Novel Writing Month if You Are A Writer
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You Haven't Signed Up Yet???
What Is NaNoWriMo?
A six-year winner's perspective
National Novel Writing Month is a contest where you're working against yourself and your life to write a novel in one measly little month. 30 days, 50,000 words. It doesn't have to be good, but it does have to be finished before midnight on November 30th.You can share excerpts from your novel, join in on the message boards, get particular details for your novel from other members on said message board (incredibly helpful, I can attest to that), keep track of how you and your friends are doing, and perhaps the best of all, meet up with other people in your area who are also enjoying the insanity of NaNoWriMo and getting support!
Oh yes - and it's an excuse to drink lots of coffee.
There are late nights. Favorite television shows must be missed, or DVR'd to watch in December. Your family must support you, for you will excuse yourself from Thanksgiving dinner and go to your laptop instead of on the group walk to work off your tryptophan.
And after all the hard work, letting the flying monkeys validate your novel and seeing that purple winner's bar above your name is the best feeling in the world!
Why You Need NaNoWriMo
Reasons why NaNoWriMo is a good idea - no matter what!
- Finishing is a huge ego boost
- If you've never written a novel before but always wanted to, this is the best place to start
- There are so many people around who don't know you who are willing to support you
- You can finish your novel in two hours per night if you are a fast typist
- It only takes 1667 words per day to complete
- That is three pages of single spaced, 12 point Times New Roman text with 1" margins
- Or 8 pages of double spaced, 12 point Courier New text with 1" margins
- There is NO FEE to participate - the money you planned to set aside to pay for the entrance fee for this contest can be used for caffeine
- You don't have to let anyone read it when you're finished - many people scramble a copy of their novel before submitting it to the Count Validator
- 15,333 people won last year, and if you aren't signed up yet, you weren't one of them
- Anyone can participate - there's even a Young Writers Program
- NaNoWriMo offers tips on what to do after you've won
- You could be sitting on the idea for the Next Great Novel
- Sleep withdrawal adds a unique perspective to your writing
- If you don't know anyone who will badger you to finish, there are plenty of people on the forums who will undertake the task - you only need to ask
(National Novel Writing Month BEGINS! is November 1, 2009)
Official NaNoWriMo Books
Chris Baty's original assistants to National Novel Writing Month
No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/11/2009) 
The No Plot? No Problem! Novel-Writing Kit
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/11/2009)
Writing Gear on CafePress
For when the Official NaNoWriMo merchandise isn't enough
Visual NaNoWriMo
subway writing
urbana writing sessi...
u of t writing sessi...
357: And... go!
NaDruBloMo
My Bible for Novembe...
NaNoCafe at the NaNo...
Library Square Blend...
NaNoWriMo banner
NaNoWriMo Hoodies Ar...
NaNoWriMo Converts
Those who will joine me in November!
I'd love to see you in November! If you'll be signing up for NaNoWriMo, drop a line and I'll look you up in October, when sign-ups open again. If you're already signed up, I'd love to know your user name!
LindaJM wrote...
I love your lens. I love NaNoWriMo! I'm featuring this on one of my NaNoWriMo lenses. 5* and an Angel Blessing!
Posted October 30, 2009
smellshorsey wrote
in reply to EelKat
Nice squidoo! Thanks for the info.
Very impressed with your word count. This is my first year. I'm smellshorsey. Look me up and we can be buds.
Posted October 31, 2008
EelKat wrote...
This year will be my 4th year. I have 32 Squidoo lenses devoted to helping NaNoWriters. That was my original reason for joining Squidoo.
I'm going for 100k this year. I made 75k last year and 183k the year before. Like every other year I'm all over the forums. I had the highest post count of the forum members in both 06 and 07, and with the start I've got already I'll probably do that again this year too. I'm EelKat over there, just like here. Feel free to add me to your buddy list.
Posted September 30, 2008
qlcoach wrote...
So my user name is qlcoach. I signed up for the Nanowrimo. I am thinking I would like to use this resource to get out samples of my book that is being published by Sterlinghouse. How does that sound to you? Gary Eby, author and therapist.
Posted August 15, 2008
by niicki
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