NaNoWriMo, The Challenge to Write a Book in a Month

NaNoWriMo is a challenge to write a novel in the month of November (adults have to write 50,000 words, but kids can choose how many words they want to write). It may sound impossible. How can it be possible to write a book in a month? It can take professional authors years to do it, and they devote almost all of their time to writing and developing their story. The answer relies on the way you write.

How Do You Write a Novel in a Month?

Often, when you write, you have an “inner editor” inside you, critiquing everything you write. This can affect everything from the way you phrase a sentence to the entire plot of your book. If you get too critical of yourself while writing NaNoWriMo, you can even decide that it’s impossible and that you have to give up. To finish NaNoWriMo, you must silence that editor and decide to press on. The true secret behind it is that the novel you’re writing is in truth only a first draft – you’re not trying to write a publishable work, but develop your ideas and spin a world of your imagination into creation through your words. Also, despite the initial challenge it seems to be, in truth it is attainable if you only dedicate less than an hour of time each day.

Why Would You Write a Novel in a Month?

Of course, an equally good question is why you would do it. Why dedicate all this time to writing a book in a month. Aren’t there better things you can do? What do you get out of it? First off, it can give you more confidence – if you know what you can do and where your limits are, you might not get as worried about things that you now know are within your capabilities. The knowledge that you can write an entire story in a month can make you so much more confident in your ability, and it can also just be somewhat fun. While NaNoWriMo isn’t for everyone, it is something you might consider looking in to. Check out their program for young writers at ywp.nanowrimo.org, or the main site at nanowrimo.org.

Sources:

Gripp, Katharine. “25 Benefits of Writing a Novel in a Month.” Writer’s Digest,
Arena Group, 27 Oct. 2023, www.writersdigest.com/be-inspired/
25-benefits-of-writing-a-novel-in-a-month. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.

“National Novel Writing Month.” NaNoWriMo, nanowrimo.org/
national-novel-writing-month. Accessed 15 Nov. 2023.