National Novel Writing Month

Collective word count for November 2008:
1,643,343,993

WOW! That's a lot of words.

Sadly, I have to report that I did not contribute much to that amount, but my consolation is that maybe I inspired a few fellow squids and all our words together did help a bit.

Writing a book or a novel is something I always wanted to do. It has always been in the back of my mind like a silent voice that sometimes I can hear, specially when I'm at Barnes & Nobles and it gets louder when I walk into the children's section.

I usually dismiss this voice, I really never thought I could do it, or felt that maybe I would have nothing to say or that people would never want to read what I write.

Then, a while back I found this website about writing a novel. I registered only to be disappointed because it was for last year's writing month.

But a few days ago, I opened my email and found the following email...

We got this email today from your imagination. It was misaddressed to us, so we're sending it along to you. We hope it finds you well.

-----Original Message-----

Hello!

This is your imagination. I know work, school, and general craziness have been keeping us apart lately. But there's something we need to do together this November.

It's called National Novel Writing Month. For it, we'll bash out a 50,000-word novel, from scratch, in 30 days. You and me. Writing a book. Together.

I need you to sign us up. Because I don't have any arms.

http://www.NaNoWriMo.org

Love,

Your imagination

This email is being sent to you because you or someone who loves you put your email address in the "NaNoRemindMe" box of NaNoWriMo.org. This is the only email you will receive from us. Unless, of course, you sign up for National Novel Writing Month. Then you'll get dozens of great emails, including pep talks from Neil Gaiman, Julianna Baggott, Sue Grafton, Naomi Novik, Garth Nix, Deanna Raybourn, Tom Robbins, and Sara Gruen. All for free. We're a creative writing nonprofit. And we want you to write that book.

After I got that email I was sooo excited I decided to do a lens about it and spread the word.

So if writing a novel is something you would like to try, why don't you join me? go ahead and sign up. It is free, and who knows if at the end of November you are officially recognized as a novelist?

Read on to find more information about it.

National Novel Writing Month is a fun approach to novel writing.

If you want to participate, you need to register at their website and begin writing November 1.

The goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by midnight, November 30.

The goal is quantity over quality, and practicing g perseverance and enthusiasm over craft.

NaNoWriMo is a novel-writing program for everyone who has always wanted to write a novel but has been scared away by the time and effort involved.

Because of limited writing time, the only thing that matters is output, this approach helps you to lower your expectations and take risks.

Make no mistake: Your writing won't always be good. And that's a good thing. You are giving yourself permission to make mistakes. To build without tearing down.

In 2006, there were over 79,000 participants.
Almost 13,000 of them crossed the 50k finish line by the midnight deadline.
So... What are you waiting for? go to their website, register and start writing.