So my post is a few days late this month because I semi-spontaneously took part in NaNoWriMo this year. As per the requirements of this writing task (which is to write 50,000 words during the course of November for those of you who might be unaware of what it is), I dedicated every spare moment to writing, which meant working on this post took a small backseat.
Initially, I did have plans to work on NaNoWriMo this year and so I had been working on the various projects I have, seeing which I could commit to, and I’d been doing this for about half a year. I went back and forth a lot, trying to decide which project was in the right stage for a possible 50,000 words. For months, I was contemplating the stories I had in the runup to November to see which was calling me the most. As I wasn’t able to join last year because it simply didn’t make sense, I was very keen to take part it in this year and so was very dedicated to finding the right project of mine for this task.
My plans, however, changed, and close to November too. Things have come up in the background that required my attention, and so I had to tell myself that NaNoWriMo would have to wait once again. And that was absolutely fine! When you’re a writer, not every plan you make comes to fruition the way you envision, and the things I would be working on in its stead were really exciting, so it certainly wasn’t something I was devastated about.
But then, as November approached, I realised that whilst I wouldn’t have the entire month to dedicate to one particular project, I would have some time. I would still have other priorities that I would absolutely commit to, but there would be time to work on something. And I told myself that I would allow myself to do that. I knew I might not make it to 50,000 words (though, incredibly, I did!), but that I could still commit to this goal and do the best that I could.
The concept of NaNoWriMo is incredible because it is such an invigorating writing task that allows you to get so much of a manuscript done. It’s so freeing to let yourself write away, to let your first draft be messy but workable, and to know that you can edit it at the end of the month once you’ve put all that work in. For writers who have that problem of editing as they go, this is the perfect opportunity to forget about that editing mindset and to just write, to not worry about how it reads or how strong it is, to just get 50,000 words (or as close to that goal as you’re able to meet) written and to think about refining later. It’s great training as well for you to be able to do that with other manuscripts too, because first drafts are just first drafts, they’re allowed to be messy and incoherent and far from strong, because that strength comes in the edit. If you fear how terrible a first draft can be, NaNoWriMo is this amazing opportunity to show you that first drafts are all about getting the story onto a page, and that making it better comes later.
This year, I managed to reach 54,588 words. If you look at my page, you can see that there were some days that I was beneath the target. In previous years, I would have let that daunt me. I would have stressed and panicked, wondering how it would feel if I failed. But not only have I grown as a writer since my last NaNoWriMo, I’ve also grown as a person. If you can change your viewpoint from seeing the idea of not meeting the 50,000 words as a failure, but instead concentrate on the success of whatever word count you did reach, that’s going to help you further your writing in a lot of ways. I’ve allowed myself, instead of focusing on what I haven’t reached, to focus on all that I have, and that’s one of the reasons NaNo is such a great project to take part in, even if you don’t meet the goal.
This year, not only has this project shown me that I have grown as a writer because of the way I view goals, but it’s also reminded me of my capabilities as a writer too. Because, for a while, my writing took a backseat as other parts of my life took priority, I had begun to become concerned that my ability to write had diminished and that I would, once again, have to put in the years of dedication to get myself back to where I was, to this place where I could just write all day and not be stumped by scenes or plot that I didn’t have a grasp on. It’s a fear I think many writers grapple with, this idea that what we’ve worked on can slip away so easily if we don’t give it our full attention. And whilst I was content to acknowledge that writing is a skill that needs dedication and isn’t something you can just put down and pick up again months later, I was also worried that all that work I had done had abandoned me in some way.
With NaNo, I was able to see that I can still just write. It allowed me to realise that my focus for a while now has been editing and that’s why I haven’t been able to just sit down and write. I simply haven’t had that much opportunity to pour my focus into a brand new idea. And it’s also taught me that inspiration is a massive part of that freedom in writing. If I’m writing something that I like, sure, I can get it done, but if I’m writing something I love, something I want to explore and something that is pulling me in the direction of furthering a story, then writing it feels so much easier. So not only has this NaNo allowed me to get another manuscript well on its way to a completed first draft, it’s also informed me more of who I am as a writer and reminded me of what I am capable of as well. And that’s why NaNo is so great, it’s not just about getting the bulk of a manuscript out, it’s about showing you your capabilities, and that is something a writer can never take for granted.
This means, for me, I’ve got yet another project on the go. But what is writing if not being swamped by a hundred projects in various stages of completion? Where it fits in the grand scheme of everything I’ve got going on, I actually can’t say for sure, but to have another project with over 50,000 words in its first draft is a very wonderful thing indeed. I’ll keep working on it, alongside everything else that I’m working on, and we’ll figure out the rest when we get there!
If you took part this year, I hope your NaNoWriMo was successful. If it wasn’t, you have to know that that’s okay; whether you got 50 words, 5,000 words, or 50,000 words, you made a commitment and you did what you could. Whatever word count you managed to achieve, I hope it was able to teach you something about yourself as a writer, because knowing who you are, how you write, and what you’re capable of is sometimes just as important as those 50,000 words you may or may not have written; we need to know who we are as writers to write well.
Robyn x
R. A. Howard 