November is just around the corner, and we writers know what that means. Yes, the all-important Nov. 3rd (please vote!!), but also that exhilarating, frustrating, triumphant, despairing roller coaster of National Novel Writing Month, a/k/a NaNoWriMo. It’s a crazy 30 days, and we’re buckled in and ready–but are some of us clinging a little too tightly to the safety bar?
No, NaNoWriMo isn’t scary—for most of us, anyway. It’s all about letting go—and allowing 50,000 words to not-so-magically appear in your new novel in 30 long or short days, depending on how you look at things. Writers input their daily word count into a built-in calculator, and presto! Instant recognition of your progress on a handy-dandy progress chart. With a suggested goal of 50,000 words, that’s a mere 1666.66667 words per day. Yay! (Or…ouch.) Plus, you can earn badges along the way, just like Girl Scouts. Here’s the one you get when you sign up:
The word count is cumulative, so you can write however many words your little heart desires each day, even zero (not recommended, trust me on that). But by the time November 30th lurches around, the election should be over and you will have 50,000 words completed on a spanking new manuscript. That’s a pretty decent chunk, right? And if you need encouragement or want to discuss your progress or lack thereof with other writers, there are virtual forums right on the site to share cheers and group sprints and write-ins.
NaNoWriMo, an international nonprofit, used to sponsor a live event called The Night of Writing Dangerously, which was celebrated first in San Francisco and then in far-flung locales around the world. Writers showed up in person with their laptops and notepads, and NaNo provided the food/snacks, prizes, and silent community. This year things will be a little different, of course, but hey, you can make every night dangerous in the literary sense. In your jammies.
NaNo isn’t supposed to be stressful, of course. It’s fun as well as productive. Writers can choose their own word count goals and set their own writing schedules. They can write at the crack of dawn (noooo, thank you) or anytime until the stroke of midnight (hey, keep going!). But the point is: DON’T EVER GIVE UP!!!!!
By the time you’ve typed The End, you can collapse and take the rest of the year off. Just kidding: You can’t, because by then you’ll be on to revising and editing. But it is 2020, after all, so maybe you’ve already earned a teensy break.
Speaking of this annus horribilis, the NaNo poster for this banner year is for sale online, and it’s really quite lovely. But to avoid pushing my luck on the risk thing, I am sticking with the one for 2019, which is framed in my office. Here they are, for comparison. 2020 looks harder, lol:
Prepping for NaNo is a lot like getting ready for prom. Sometimes it’s the best part. There are plenty of resources on the NaNoWriMo site to help you get started on your opus. So far, I’ve prepped by bringing out a few of my regular comfort items, and added a few new ones, like a folding laptop stand (which tends to collapse just as I’m typing something particularly brilliant) and huge, red Harry Caray glasses that are supposed to block out evil blue light rays but just make my hubby snicker. And yes, I was taking a quick YouTube break here:
And, of course, here are my trusty implement holder–the unfortunate Dead Fred–and an assortment of helpful pencils gifted by my kids last Christmas (note that I have pre-selected “Try vodka.”) The Chicks coaster/inspiration piece was a present from our CBFF Hestia Athena.
I am also trying hard to enthuse my lucky muse Lucy. So far, so snooze.
But who knows, NaNo 2020 may be just the year for us more cautious writers to come out of our comfort zones and take a few (non-health-related) risks. Start that novel, try a new genre, query your ms. or take the plunge and go indie.
Because sometimes you just gotta say what the (heck). Time of your life, huh, kid?
Writers and readers, start your keyboard: Who’s in for NaNo this year–and who’s riding 2020 out with a ms.-in-progress or a good book?
Chicks on the Case 
I haven’t done NaNo in a number of years. But ROOT OF ALL EVIL started as a NaNo project.
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The Ladies Smythe & Westin series started as a NaNo project, too, Liz!
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My plan a couple months ago was to do NaNo this year, but I’m still working on the book I was supposed to have finished by now. With any luck I will be editing come November 1 instead of writing new words. I wish everyone participating good luck!
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Thanks Marla—editing counts, too. A lot, lol. I am finishing one project and hopefully starting another.
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So I’ve got two candidates for NaNoWriMo- the next Natalie McMasters Mystery, Killer! or an H.P. Lovecraft pastiche, Pickman’s Destiny. I have tentative plot skeletons for both. I’m still deciding which one to try. And I’m going to shoot for 70K words-that’s only 2,333.333… wpd. I’ve also got a book launch on Nov 16. Am I crazy?
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Yes, you sre, Tom! (Just kidding. All of us writers are.) I say, go for both!
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What a great explanation of NaNoWrMo, Lisa. I’ve never done it but I love seeing the results from people who do. Good luck! And I like last year’s poster way better than this year’s, which has an eerily prescient 2020 is gonna be very stressful vibe.
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Thanks, El, you are our poster Chick for daily word count!
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For sure!
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I’m not a NaNo person. I write too slowly. So, I want to send all participants positive vibes and best wishes. Good luck and have fun, y’all!
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Slow and steady wins the race, J.C!
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Having just completed my new Hawai’i mystery m.s., I’m going to be spending November doing the edits my agent sends me, but I wish all you NaNoWriMo-ers out there the best of luck! Here’s to a November with many new beginnings!
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Thanks, Leslie—the new year kicks off this November!
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Yes!!
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Best of luck to you. My goal is to read 50K words in November. Okay, okay, so that isn’t a challenge for me. 🙂
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Ha, Mark! Did you say, read 50 books?
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I wish. Unfortunately, work is going to be crazy in November, so that won’t be happening.
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I’ve never done NaNoWriMo. I’m always intimidated that it lands right around the holidays, but I am so in awe of people who do it. Warm writing vibes to all!
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Jen, as I recall, Chris Baty and his friends started it because they were college kids, or maybe young adults, and November was the quietest time for them! ha!
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After months of saying I’m not doing it, I am now looking forward to NaNoWriMo – I’ve been deep into revising my first manuscript and am feeling the need to take a break from it. I’m going to jump into my 2nd manuscript during NaNoWriMo and see how it goes. I may be a little crazy, but am going to try to have fun with it.
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Awesome, Karen! Go for it—we’ll see ya at the finish line. Everyone’s a winner!
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Go NaNo’ers! My Fair Latte started as a NaNo project. I’m not officially doing NaNo this year, but I plan to do some push writing on my WIP — and will def be up for some sprints!
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Already added you to the sprint list, Vickie! Heh-heh.
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Girl, you know I’m doing Nanowrimo. I’ve done it since like 2006?
Definitely love the poster from last year. Need to get mine framed.
Gonna miss the virtual write-ins. That was always a big help, hanging at Panera on Friday nights with fellow writers, eating and typing. that is where I learned what a slut Nathan was!
Some years I hit the finish line, some I don’t. It’s usually some big family drama that keeps me from finishing. I didn’t finish last year cause of dear old dad. I am praying nothing goes wrong this year.
New story idea, new setting, new cast of characters. I am keeping my diner menu on my desk to remind me what I need to have in there. I am almost done with the Gerry-rigged outline. Just a few more scene fleshing outs, and the list of clues/red herrings to go. I will post it on Facebook as soon as it’s done. It has to be done by Friday night, so I can rest Saturday before we start at 1201AM!
I will be with you all, in spirit, writing away at night after I get off work. At least I don’t have to deal with the commute this year!
I am so excited! Good luck to those doing it! We got this!
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Woohoo, Hestia! Sounds like you have a PLAN! Let’s do this!
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I am so tempted to do NaNoWriMo! I participated in the summertime (July?) session and although I felt short of my goal, enjoyed the terror/exhilaration/camaraderie of the experience.
I’m not participating in November, but I’m not-not participating. Think of me standing by the ride deciding if I want to hop on.
Sending writing vibes to all who participate!
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Come hang out with us, Kathy, whenever you want to hop on. The ride stops often, because some of us are easily nauseated.
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HOP ON PLEASE 🐰
But no stress allowed. Just camaraderie and exhilaration!
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I haven’t done NaNoWriMo in a long time, but when I did, I learned some things and, of course, blogged about it.
https://beckyclarkbooks.com/2019/10/30/what-i-learned-from-nanowrimo/
Erin Morgenstern’s THE NIGHT CIRCUS—one of my very favorite books—was a NaNo book.
Good luck to you this year, Lisa, and all the other NaNo-ers out there! You can do it!
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Oh, hooray for this post–thank you, Lisa! And yes. This is my fifth time, and it’s thrilling that Sisters in Crime is a sponsor this year. Their NaNo Facebook group (open to all, come join) is already full of energy and community. Think it’s going to be even more exciting this time around. Good luck, everyone!
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I just joined, Cynthia! Wish I’d added a mention of Sisters in Crime into the post—thank you for helping to spread the word!
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YAY! 😘
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I won in 23 days in 2014 and still the book is not polished to completion. I am a pantser and even though I have no plot or outline or characters for my new adventure (I haven’t even signed up yet) I plan on plopping down and starting in
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Awesome, Jane! And 23 days, wow. Be sure to tell us how it wenr this year.
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