My Attempt at NaNoWriMo

November 30, 2020/emilyrae

I took on the mother of all writing sprints: National Novel Writing Month. A.K.A. NaNoWriMo. It’s the event where you attempt to write 50k words throughout the month of November. It can be a challenge, full of distractions and writers block, but it’s also a great way to develop the habit of writing. I recorded my journey highlighting my ups and downs throughout the process.

It’s hard to write 50,000 words. Why? Because as writers, we love to EDIT! I do too. Throughout the video I have little tips on what I did to prevent myself from going back and changing a scene, because there is a significant chance that I will end up completely changing, or even deleting, a scene once I finish the first draft. I might as well wait until I get the the end and have a better grasp on what my earlier scenes need to convey.

I love putting the whole novel down on paper, then smoothing out the details in editing. Which is why NaNoWriMo works so well for me (but that’s my process, everyone is different!).

My biggest challenge was finding a strong external plot (I know, that should be the easy part, right?). I didn’t realize HOW badly I needed one until I got to writing the story. I thought what I had in my outline was enough, but… it wasn’t.

But writing the first half of my novel helped me determine what’s important for my MC and what external conflict can help her achieve her goal and solve her own internal problems.

Everyone has a different method for writing. NaNoWriMo isn’t for everyone, but hopefully my journey through the month of November is inciteful!

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emilyrae

Emily Rae spends most of her day fighting with characters in her head. She controls their bickering by attending writing critiques and write-ins at her local bookstore. Luckily, she’s surrounded by a tight-knit group of writers who are just as crazy as she is. She has attended multiple university-level courses exploring various aspects of creative fiction writing. While she writes all year round, she has participated in National Novel Writing month eight years in a row, and nothing will stop her winning streak. She has also worked as a journalist and wrote several published news articles. Emily currently owns a marketing firm, which entails producing websites, videos, and brand strategies.