Sunday, November 7, 2010

Nanoreflections: The power of Nanowrimo

There is great benefit in Nanowrimo. Its charm (or curse) is that it forces you to do all the right things that help you become a better writer. In case you're feeling like quitting already, let's review.

1. Nanowrimo forces you to keep going rather than to give in to writer's block.

Writers love to throw their hands up and proclaim they're stuck by writer's block. It's a great reason not to write for awhile. The only bad thing is, it's a bunch of baloney. You rarely see accountants who say, "Honey, I just can't go to work today because I have accountant's block." Here's another one. "I couldn't hammer a nail if I tried today; I have carpenter's block." No, let's face it. If you're stuck, write something until you aren't. Get over it. Professional writers don't give in. Nanowrimo won't let you, either.

2. Nanowrimo causes you to continually produce.

Like it or not, tomorrow will dawn bright and early, with a new word quota to be filled. You have to do it or fulfill one of the unpleasant bets you made with your neighbor or spouse in order to keep you motivated this month. It's not going to go away. You just have to keep on doing it.

3. Nanowrimo causes you to write intensely

This is a good one. Intense writing is where the fire is. You can tone it back later, but now is the time to duct tape your inner editor's mouth shut and type your heart out. Since you're driven to get your word quota out, it's necessary to plunge ahead rather than wonder if you should have used word choice A or word choice B.

So I hope you're enjoying Nanowrimo. If you don't like what you've written, you're in good company. It's happening to virtually every writer who is with you this month. Just understand that it's a common symptom of writing and keep on.

See you next week.

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