30 Days, 50,000 words… How, and Why?
by David Niall Wilson
This isn’t going to be a really lengthy entry. Since my fellow Storytellers graciously granted me the 31st of October for my short story, I feel kind of odd following up with another piece of my own. Still, November looms, and with November comes a phenomenon known throughout the writing kingdom as “Nanowrimo,” or, more formally, “National Novel Writing Month.” As a regular participant in this event, I wanted to mention it at least once here at Storytellers, and to lend it my own perspective, for what that’s worth.
The concept is simple. You go to the website – www.nanowrimo.org – and you sign up. The event takes place between midnight on Halloween and midnight on the 30th of November. The idea is to commit to writing at least 50,000 words of fiction during that period. Thirty days. 1,667 words a day for a month, without fail.
Depending on how you describe it, this can seem intimidating, impossible, or not too big a deal. For those of us who blog regularly, for instance, as I do over at deep-bluze.livejournal.com – 1,667 words a day isn’t all that intimidating. If I cut back the journal a little and use the time before work and on my lunchtime, I can produce that many words easily. The more important question is – then – why would anyone do it?
Here is where that perspective comes in.
For me, Nanowrimo has become an annual jump start. In 2004 I was leaving an author / agent relationship that had irritated me beyond measure. I had a ton of half-finished projects, a lot of frustration, and I needed ‘something’ to get me motivated. Someone suggested I try Nanowrimo. I thought about it for a while, and then I took the plunge.
For me it isn’t enough just to do it. I set up a Yahoo e-mail group so people could read along with what I was doing and give me feedback. I chose a novel that my daughter (14 at the time) could read along. I outlined the book chapter by chapter so I knew what I was going to write and when. All of these things were positive motivators for me, and they paid off. In the month of November, 2004, I wrote “The Mote in Andrea’s Eye,’ now a hardcover from Thompson / Gale and about to be re-released in Large Print. The book was turned in in December of 2004 and sold in February of 2005.
At about the same time I completed the book, I signed with my current (and as far as I’m concerned permanent) agent, Mr. Robert L. Fleck of Professional Media Services (and don’t think I didn’t have doubts about an agency named PMS!). Over the next few months, I used the discipline I built up during Nanowrimo to finish three more of my incomplete novels and to rewrite two others. It was a revitalizing experience, in other words, and it helped me to re-examine some of my writing habits. It didn’t hurt my opinion of the process when I sold the novel.
Last year, then, November rolled around, and I decided I wanted to do it again. In September I started working on outlines, piecing one together, and then another. Eventually I decided I’d combine two things I wanted to do, and I wrote the outline for a novel titled “Vintage Soul.” There were a couple of reasons for this.
When I wrote novels in the shared “World of Darkness” for White Wolf Publishing there were rules. Vampires did certain things, werewolves did certain things, you were expected to flesh out the world of the game with real characters, but I always wanted more freedom. Don’t get me wrong, I have fond memories of the vampire Montrovant, and of Kli-Kodesh (Holy Vessel in Hebrew – garnered from a consultation with a Rabbi) and even of butting heads with some editors (like our own Rich Dansky) over bits and pieces I’d created. With “Vintage Soul,” though, I planned a novel that was in the “vein” of what I’d done at White Wolf, but at the same time was all me. I created a possible series character, Donovan DeChance, and again I had a Yahoo group for people to read along as I wrote the book. That novel isn’t sold – yet – but I think it’s some of my best work, and, again I wrote it in 30 days.
This year I’ve not written as much as planned. Life happened. A lot of things have gotten in the way. That said, I intend to use the month of November to help fix that. I’m going to write a novel titled “Gideon’s Curse,” one that is tentatively sold – but that I think is one I have to write now that the outline exists whether it’s sold, sells down the road, or sits in the filing cabinet. It’s a story of North Carolina, the swamps, prejudice and heroism – and walking dead. It’s a good Halloween follow-up novel, and I intend to start writing it – well – today, this being the 1st.
Before people jump in with their standard sound clips about Nanowrimo, writing too fast, word counts don’t matter, etc…I’m not here looking for approval. I’m not here suggesting this is something all writers should do, or even suggesting it’s the best writing exercise since sliced bread. In fact it can be discouraging, daunting, cause you to write more quickly than you probably should – there are up and down sides to anything like this, but it’s something I do every year, and I wanted to mention it…and to put out a general thanks for the support readers have given me in the past.
If you are intrigued and want to follow along, just send an e-mail to:
Gideons_Curse-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
See you all in December, and maybe I’ll be able to report on the process in my next installment here.
ONWARD!
DNW
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Comments
In 15 minutes I get to start my first Nanowrimo. I want to do it because I have all the time anyone could want to devote to writing but I piss it away web-surfing and generally making poor use of my time. I want to try and build the habit of ‘constructive’ writing in to my days. I want to explore my ability to tell a story and figure out what works for me. I have no outline or chapter break-down; only a vague sense of who and what my story is about. I have a clear idea of setting though thanks to the internet; a little digging and and I have street names and cultural history, notable names resorts and motels and business names, current weather infomation and even a link to the local newspaper for that community…. stuff I could have spent ours trying to create had I chosen a not real place for my tale.
The most discouraging thing I did during October to ‘prepare’ for Nano was try to do a character outline. The exercise felt totally artifical and forced and I wanted nothing to do with the character when I was done. I didn’t open my NaNo document again until tonight whe I decided to settle on a couple of names at least.
This for me is NOT about the destination but the journey. I wish you luck, David.
Sully, you KNOW that isn’t true. We “Are” the world, W “ARE” the children…and we love you man.
Good luck Teresa. In years past I had all the time in the world…this year I have none of it, but I’m plowing ahead anyway.
Dave
Hope you’ll come up with something staggering, Dave. Lord knows it’s about time you wrote -something-.
And Sully — WE love you.
–M
Lol…EXACTLY. I have written very little this summer…time to “get on the stick” as my grandmother would have said, though I still have no idea where that saying comes from.
D
Just hearing about other people attempting to write a novel in a month lights a fire under my own horror-literaryish behind! (I have a novel due at the end of December.)
I’ll enjoy picturing all of you frantically pounding away at the keys as I do the same. 
Beth
Given even a modicum of time, I don’t have to pound that hard at the keys to write 1,667 words a day. Most pro writers I know say they write about 2k a day…then when confronted with Nano they say - TOO MUCH - TOO FAST — and I say, but….?
D
This will be my first NaNoWriMo. After graduating from college and moving into the “real world” I’ve discovered that if I don’t have some sort of deadline/assignment hanging over my head, I’ll sit on the couch and watch TV or surf online pointlessly. I’m hoping NaNoWriMo will help me start a good habit, of at least TRYING to write every day. Right now I’m not looking for quality product, I’m looking to get into a routine that will get my butt off the couch. I just fear that come December, I’ll stop and go back to the couch.
Good luck, everyone. As for you, Sully, phttt. Consider that a raspbery. You know full well how much you’re loved.
(Truth: I’ve been thinking too much about the same thing
of late.) XO Janet
Aw, c’mon, amigos, you’re ruining my act. You guys are so warm & fuzzy I’m not even gonna punch a nun today. Thanks. Now, to get to the day’s work. 7 words or bust before midnight. Rough draft, of course. Hopefully it will be a complete sentence.
– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)
The Compleate Sentence - a new work of microprose by the indomitable Thomas “Sully” Sullivan. Available in three seperate downloadable fragments.
D
Hey, Sully, I love you, man. In a straight guy as you can get sort of way, of course. And I bet those 7 words kick major creative butt.
A good piece, Davy. As you say, it ain’t for everybody, and it also depends on the time and whether too much life has happened to you lately. Basically the principle is sound: write a certain minimum every day and almost before you know it, you’ll have a complete book.
This’ll be quick, ’cause I’m hopping a plane to jump time zones so I can get an extra hour and come up with that 7th word before midnight. First six words were easy: “All rights reserved” and “Table of Contents.” But ol’ nummer 7, that’s a bear. How ’bout “Once…”? Once is good, ya think?
Microprose. Hysterical.
And, hey, John, you really put the pressure on. “Major creative butt.” Damn. Reminds me of a little filly I once — “once” again. I’ve got writer’s block. But that filly. Aha. Got the story now. Is it too late to enter that Numbchuckhocuspocusnomino thing?
– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)
Hi Sully, you can enter at any time! One guy from my area who’s been similarly vacillating just got off to a flying start. I’m hobbling behind
But NaNoWriMo kicks butt, without it, I’d definitely be a ‘one day’ novelist (i.e. ‘one day I write a novel’, quote from one of the founders).
Good luck, everyone.
This is one of the most interesting pieces I have read here. We all know this, of course: but it’s wonderful to be reminded of it.
–George Guthridge
Hey, Denni. Thank you. I consider a personal invitation special, and though, as Dave indicates, I won’t be writing any more DIAPASON-speed novels any time soon, I am upping my daily output to 8 words/day because you have inspired me!
– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)
The first novel I sold, DIAPASON, was written in 23 days, on account of I was pissed off at the world for not loving me. Nothing changed. Now I write slow on account of the world doesn’t love me. Thinking of not writing at all so that the world can go on not loving me. I mean, hell, there’s a real danger here…
Write on, Davey. I do admire other people working.
– Sully (Thomas Sullivan)