Are you participating in NaNoWriMo 2014?

NaNoWriMoIt’s that time of year again.

Writers around the world are gearing up for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and taking on the challenge to write 50,000-word the manuscript during the month of November.

Sounds daunting, doesn’t it?

But if you break it down over the 30 days, it actually means committing yourself to writing under 1700 words a day.

And those are unedited words. One of the central tenets of NaNoWriMo is to squash out your inner editor. Editing will come later. The NaNo challenge is all about creativity and a burst of sustained writing.

As often as I sing the praises of NaNoWriMo, I’m always cheering on participants from the sidelines, never taking part myself. And so it will be again this year.

For those of you participating in the challenge this year (and those of you simply interested in the challenge as I am), be sure to take a look at an interview I did in the past with author Grace Tierney – a multi-year participant in NaNo, and a regional organizer for Ireland. Grace offers plenty of advice and inspiration for those of you gearing up for November madness.

Writers, will you be participating in this year’s competition? Have you taken part in the past?

I am certain I join many authors cheering all you participants on from the sideline. Best of luck in NaNoWriMo 2014!

8 Comments

  1. Catherine on October 31, 2014 at 1:12 pm

    I will be joining you on the sidelines too! Not sure this even translates to short story writing.. Plus it would be way too hard to squash my inner editor!!

    • kimberlysullivan on October 31, 2014 at 6:42 pm

      Well, Catherine. Someone has to stay cheering on the sidelines when the soldiers march by. : ) I’m very happy to cheer on all the crazy NaNo writers. I’m so impressed by them. I’m just not sure I want to join them… but I will up my word counts in solidarity.

  2. Nicola Layouni on November 2, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    For the first time ever, I’m doing Nano. 🙂 Since I released book two, I’ve spent way too long procrastin… I mean, researching so I’m way behind my self-imposed schedule. This might be just the push I need to get me back on track.

    The kids are still on their school holiday, so I’m off to a shaky start, but I’ll catch up.

    🙂

    • kimberlysullivan on November 3, 2014 at 10:54 pm

      Brava, Nicola! I look forward to hearing how this experiment works…. Book 3 as the result of NaNo. Why not? Best of luck! Will look forwrd to reading the result. : )

  3. wordfoolery on November 3, 2014 at 3:48 pm

    This will be my 8th nano (yes it’s addictive). The rules changed a tiny bit this year – allowing you to work on an already started novel – so it might suit you better now Kimberly?

    • kimberlysullivan on November 3, 2014 at 10:58 pm

      Wow – 8th NaNo. Impressive, Grace! Readers- read Grace’s interview on NaNo (link above) – the benefit of year of first-hand experience. Something to keep in mind for next year about a push for an already initiated novel. Best of luck in NaNo 2014!

  4. evelyneholingue on November 6, 2014 at 5:39 am

    I’ve done it three times and my last novel is the product of NaNoWriMo. After revisions of course. I never wanted to do it again but was tempted this year. So I jumped in! I won’t have 50 000 words by the end of the month but I needed to start something totally new, so here I am, writing another Middle Grade novel. Just not telling everyone. Good luck to the few writers above who are also crazy enough to do that. Thank you, Kimberly, for the post.

    • kimberlysullivan on November 7, 2014 at 4:05 pm

      Ah, so you’ve been a NaNoer, too, Evelyne. Good for you! Even if we’re not ‘truly’ participating this year, writerly solidarity that gets us to also boost our word count is a positive thing. Best of luck on your new MG project. Wow, when you said this would be a productive writing year for you, you weren’t kidding! Bravissima.

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