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This post was written for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our encouragement or insecurities on the first Wednesday of the month, to join the group or find out more click here.
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CO-HOSTS
PJ Colando | Jean Davis | Lisa Buie Collard | Diedre Knight
OPTIONAL IWSG DAY QUESTION
November is National Novel Writing Month. Have you ever participated? If not, why not?
What is it?
It is NaNoWriMo. A time when all writers come together and write 50k in 30
days. It begins on November 1st and ends on November 30th.
I have I done it?
I have. Many times and I learned so much about myself and the methods of writing that work for me.
Many reasons to do NaNoWriMo:
The community, prizes, and the education.
The NaNoWriMo community spans the world. It feels powerful to belong to something that big. Moreso, it’s wild chatting through messages boards with people from everywhere. Our primary concerns: how to meet the daily word count.
1666 words per day (which is the word count I decided on) seems pretty small in the beginning. But like all marathons, it can be a struggle at the end to show up and do it.
My discoveries
- To stay focused by keeping a notepad by my keyboard. I could let go of what might stop me by writing it down to consider once I was done.
- Sitting for a while in front of my computer waiting for the words to come worked more often than not.
- Stopping in mid-sentence. When I came back. Surprise! I was writing like I’d never left.
- Some people used music the same way.
- I learned my best writing time was first thing in the morning and discovered that wasn’t how was for everyone.
A writing marathon is a journey of self-discovery. A way to find the methods that work best for you. Pantser—plotter—is only the tip of the iceberg. Doing this at least once is a lesson in itself.
After you sign up, and before you begin, there are prizes.
As participants, you can save some money. Here they offer all kinds of discounts.
The same goes for the winners. A page opens at the end of the month when you’ve hit 50k. That’s how I bought Scrivener and Scrapple at half price. But there are more prizes every year.
Finally, winning is a thrill. Nothing sweeter than success.
NOW YOUR QUESTION
Do you reward yourself with something specific when you to meet your word count or deadline on a project?
elements of emaginette 
Glad you’ve learned a lot from doing NaNo. I don’t have the time or write fast enough to participate.
I hear that. I stopped because it would cause burnout. A consequence that killed my writing joy–if you know what I mean. hehehe
This is what happens to me. I can do the 50K words but then I’m so burned out I hardly write in December. I’ll probably do it again the next time I have a new project, but this year I’m just going to plug away on revising my existing manuscript.
I think you live in the best of both worlds and deserve a present. hehehe
I’m doing my own version of NaNo this month, and I thought briefly about giving myself a few prizes along the way. Hmmm, might have to pin that down…. 🙂
Definitely do that. I have my eye on a fountain pen, a pen holder that looks like a typewriter, and… Oh, it never ends with me. hehehe
And it has nothing to do with NaNo. ;-P
Looking up 19th and early 20th C writers, I found one who claimed 7,000 words a day. G K Chesterton,
and said they were good words.
I don’t write fast enough, dlete, constantly, and wonder, often, if I should have accepted an expert’s advice – that I’m not a writer – This was a relative, I’d shown them a completed book. .
I think that shows a lifetime of experience where the story is firmly in their minds and they are just transcribing it.
I can do that with shorts, but I don’t have the memory to do the same with a novel.
For the record you’re a writer. A completed book is something not everyone can do. Be proud of yourself. 🙂
I’ve never had the opportunity to participate. But just sitting in front of the computer helps. Hard to do it elsewhere!
Oh, there are these things called notebooks, steno pads, pens and pencils. I’ve used them a long, long time ago when dirt was young as so was I. hehehe
Seriously, staring at the screen can seem scarey but if I wait long enough something happens and the words come. 🙂
I got Scrivener from my winner goodies the first year I participated. That program changed everything for me and made me so much more productive! I actually never think of rewards, the reward is the story itself I guess???? Although there are leftover Halloween chocolates calling my name…
Buy yourself something nice when you cross the finish line. 🙂
I’ve been doing NaNo since 2013, minus one year. But after at first trying to strive for the 50k word count challenge I learned that I just can’t do it. Although it let me finally get the story inside my head onto the page. And knowing I’m accountable because of my writing buddies. I’ve learned that I’m a slow writer. I’m not a prolific writer like so many of the participants who easily made their word count goal, sometimes before November 30th. So I set my own manageable word count goal for every NaNo. I also learned that I’m at my writing best while listening to music. In the end, I might not always win NaNo, but the end results of getting the story on page makes it worthwhile. And feels like winning.
Sounds like you learned a lot about how you write and use that to your advantage. Personally, I think that is being a winner. 🙂
It is great that you found a technique that works for you. NaNo wouldn’t work for me: I’m not a marathon person. I’m slow, in writing and in life. I guess I need the slow pace, otherwise I get nervous and fumble (more than usual).
Knowing how you write and what works is more important than meeting a word count. There is joy in creating and getting the words down. 🙂
I wrote a post where I play poker with the ghosts of Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Twain, and Roger Zelazny (my writing teacher) where Twain deals off the bottom of the deck and the ghosts share their thoughts on NaNoWriMo!
https://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2017/11/iwsg-postwhat-do-dead-think-of-nanowrimo.html
What a great focus on the process–learning how you write best–instead of the outcome (winning). 😀
Thanks. It’s in the journey. 🙂
I like your idea of viewing a writing marathon as a journey of self discovery. Well put, Anne!
Thanks. 🙂
I like NaNo, and I’m usually pretty consistent at winning, but it doesn’t align with my goals right now. I definitely don’t want to add 50K to the book I’m working on, and I really want to finish this book this year. So I said no. Maybe next year, if I make a plan and don’t end up with a bunch of mess like I have in past years.
I heard that having a plan and doing research in advance can help. So does a writing prompt for each day you plan to write. But that’s for next year. 🙂
You’ve come so far in your series, why slow yourself down now. 🙂
Sounds like you’ve had much success doing NaNo. That’s super!
I found it worth doing. That’s true. 🙂
I tried Nano once and my brain doesn’t work that way.
It’s not for everyone and that’s a fact. 🙂
Never thought of stopping mid-sentence. That’s an interesting technique. I could see that working.
As for your question, I do have a rewards system for word counts, deadlines, and other things. It’s a complicated points-based system. Kind of hard to explain, but if I earn enough points, I let myself splurge on my various hobbies and other fun things.
Best way to celebrate. 🙂
Small rewards work for me, too–a tasty treat, some TV time, etc.
Yeah, I’m thinking that is the way to go. 🙂
Bigger things put too much pressure on me. 😉