Thursday, November 3, 2011

Making NaNoWriMo out to be a (non) Giga Deal

Perhaps it should be stated that NaNoWriMo is a giga deal.

It isn't so much that the act of writing itself is important, but the persistence in doing so.

That is the "magic" of NaNoWriMo.

And, at least in my case, once I've waved the NaNo stick, suddenly the event itself seems to disappear.

Until over half of my writer friends are doing it.



I certainly am not jealous. I mean, I did it last year and succeeded. And I got the darn thing published. But, it does, I think, beg some consideration into why I'm not participating once again.

I have proven that I can be a full-time writer. I churned out a second draft within six months of finishing the first. That's not to say it was pure-gold, but there is definitely some lovely expensive silver shining along. Enough to catch your eye and let you enjoy it. Or, perhaps I'm putting words into my readers. And, I do have readers (*gets all giddy*).

So, if I've proven (who cared in the first place?) that I can do it, why would I want to put my hands into carpel-tunnel mode once more? It seems foolish, no?

Well, the news is that it's kind of fun. It is. You're pushing against the logic of story-telling. We love breaking rules. Even if there weren't any with which to begin. (Yeah...I totally kept the preposition law, and made the sentence awkward.)

Bending/Breaking rules is something humans love, even if subconsciously.

Here are a number of reasons why I am not participating this year:
  • I am about to graduate
  • I no longer need a NaNo battle scar
  • I'd rather not consider my first draft a zero-draft.
  • There is a flaw in NaNo (so MANY words in so LITTLE time!)
  • I like making lists
These reasons in a logical-concatenation give me enough of a basis not to do it again. And, I probably never will. It is certainly an interesting and inspiring event, but it's not something I can continue to do.

All that being said, I would suggest anyone who has an inkling to be a writer (or is a writer) do it at least once. It is worth it that much to try, even if you don't succeed. The realization you can get from the attempt is worth a lot more than spending the normal amount of time writing a novel.

JK

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