The Catholic Writers Guild

It is hard to believe but National Novel Writing Month starts in just one month! For those of you who haven’t heard of it, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place every November when tons of aspiring and experienced writers set out to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. Why would you want to do this? It’s crazy! It’s insane! But totally worth it! This is the chance to write that novel you have always dreamed of writing, but keep putting off.

The whole point of NaNoWriMo is to write, write and write some more. Shut off your inner critic. This is not the time to stress about every word or to attempt to write a masterpiece. This is the time to get out a quick and dirty first draft – just let the words flow – brain to computer keys (with little filtering in between). You’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish in such a short period of time. Even if you don’t hit 50,000 words (truthfully I never have – it always takes me a couple months) – you will be a heck of a lot closer to finishing that first draft than you were when you started. Write whenever you can – as much as you can!

What can you do now to start getting ready?

1)Start thinking about what you need to do to carve out the time to do this. 50,000 words in a month means 1667 words a day. Realistically, this will take at least 2 hours per day. You may need to use your time very creatively. I generally keep scrap paper with me at all times – every sentence counts and you never know when you might have a few moments to spare. Will you give up internet or television time? Give up reading? Going out with friends? If you have children, you will need to be even more creative. Can you get up before the kids do to write or go to bed later? (Remember – it is only one month.) Let your friends and family members know what you are trying to do so that they understand if you seem unusually attached to your laptop for the month.

2) Decide what you are going to write about. Many people start NaNoWriMo with only the vaguest idea of what they want to write about. Maybe you’ve always had an idea for a novel but just haven’t written it. Now is your opportunity! You can spend this month fleshing out your idea and perhaps creating an outline.

Maybe you have just always wanted to write a novel, but don’t have any concrete ideas. Pray to the Holy Spirit for inspiration and then start paying attention to the world around you. Chance conversations overheard – items in the news – something you see on TV – any of these can be the starting point for a story. You need a character who has a problem. Once you start writing, the story will develop as you go along (and will no doubt go places you never expected!)

3) Visit the NaNoWriMo website to learn more!

You can do this! Start looking forward to November 1st!

AnneFaye

Anne Faye writes from Western Massachusetts and is the author of The Rose Ring and Through the Open Window, and blogs at http://www.annefaye.blogspot.com/. You can follow her on Twitter at @AnneMFaye