NaNoWriMo

I recently saw a news headline stating that the creativity of Americans may be diminishing (probably due to too much television). This prompted me to help spread the word about NaNoWriMo (visit the website at http://www.nanowrimo.org/).

I came across NaNoWriMo almost a year ago, via an internet article. Although I should’ve written about NaNoWriMo at an earlier point, it’s never too late to spread the word about it. NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, and November is the designated month. The purpose of NaNoWriMo is to have participants (there’s no official membership process, although one could sign up to be part of a collective) to begin writing November 1, with the goal of writing a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Regardless of these very flexible guidelines, NaNoWriMo is intended for all participants to write, emphasizing quantity and not quality. The ultimate goal is for participants to just write (and I think, to be creative).

Last year, when I participated, I came up with a lot of ideas and I actually wrote several pages. Not surprising, I turned my “novel” into a “play,” which I have not yet finished. However, going through the process (i.e. taking time out of each day to concentrate and write my “novel”) has taught me that the writing process is hard, and I have also gained a lot of insight about myself and my writing style. Anyhow, I will participate in NaNoWriMo this year, even if it’s already November 8. I already know that I may not write a 175-page novel, but I’m willing to try my best, and to stretch my creativity limbs. The worst thing I can get out of this experience, again, is that I learn more about myself.