Wednesday 31 October 2012

Why I'll not be writing a NaNoWriMo

For my travelling visitors, this is the invitation to write a 50,000 word novel in the month of November. If you are suddenly inspired at the thought of this, you can find the details here.

Surely, those travelling people might say, it can't be that hard. Say you have a twenty-hour flight, surely you could scribble several thousand of those in one go? All those hours waiting in bus stations. Would that it were that easy.

Writers, of course, come in all shapes and sizes, and there are those who rise to the challenge of writing 1500-2000 words (useful words, so probably at least three times that many deleted) every day for a month. Which involves clearing workspace, social space and headspace for a whole month (plus the time to go on the relevant website and 'chat' to everyone else going through the whole process with you). When I'm away from home my head is full of travelling - far too involving to free up space for writing.

I am in awe of everyone who does it. That level of self-discipline is astonishing. And I'm sure that many - even if their novels ends up in the 'could do better' file - are better writers for it. All that practice must keep the internal dictionary working, and the imagination firing on all cylinders.

What possible excuse can I have for not doing it? I live alone, so don't have to work round children (who are, in the UK, at home over half term - how can you write with children tugging at your sleeve wanting you to paint/play football/take them to the park?). I've retired, so don't have half my head (or more) filled with Child Protection challenges. I'm not on another trip for another month, so don't have to bury myself in the Lonely Planets quite yet.

I don't do it - because I don't want to put that pressure on myself. Sometimes I write 1500-2000 words in a day (sometimes even more) and sometimes I don't. If the words flow I can sit at the computer till my fingers freeze. On other days it's like pulling teeth and I'm better off going out for coffee. Writing is not work for me. I knew pressure at work - and it was right that I did. We made huge decisions about children's lives, decisions that should never be made without serious soul-searching. I don't need to do that any more.

But I shall cheer those brave writers on from the sidelines. I shall think of you as I drink tea in bed in the morning, and as I raise a glass of wine when the sun goes down (well, a bit later than that - the sun does down around 5ish now). I hope each of you writes the best book you have ever written, and wake up on 1st December feeling knackered but rightly smug.

And that, I'm afraid, is the best I can do. (If anyone who is actually writing NaNoWriMo has time to read this blog, do tell us why you are doing it!)

14 comments:

  1. Hi Jo. Thanks. Happy travelling. I'm posting my personal NaNo story next week. I started it for the fifth year in a row today. I love the challenge and am a great believer in getting all those bad words out of me, (Ray Bradbury) lol!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am writing because I was diagnosed with a mental illness two weeks ago and need the structure. For me, the goal is not 50,000 words but to sit down and write every day. Hopefully, it will be at the same time and for the same amount of time each day by the end of November.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so sorry to hear that you are ill - this must be a frightening time (though maybe having a diagnosis will help, as it will put symptoms together in a box you can understand?)

      The very best of luck with NaNo - I hope you have all the support you need, and that all the effort you must put into the writing brings you the stability you are looking for. And please drop by here, and let us know how you are getting on.

      Delete
  3. I'm doing it because I've never done it before and I'm trying to create some writing continuity in my life.I tend to lack motivation so hope this helps...I'll let you know if I become a sleep deprived wreck by the end! And I've got this book inside me shouting at me to write it, so I'd better get to it! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I, like you, have the time to devote to NaNo but am shying away from the stress. I too once had a stressful job, teaching, head of department, and all that goes with it. I try to avoid stress where I can but I really admire those who have launched themselves into this year's challenge and I wish them all the best.

    Maybe we should do our very own mini-challenge. Let me think... ermmm... like making sure we chat on Twitter for at least a few hours a day... oh! We already do that! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Denise, Lisa - do come back to tell us how you are getting on. Ros and I will be cheering you on, raising a glass of ... tea, probably ... we wish you well.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm not doing it this year but like every other November when I don't participate I wish I were!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I would love to do it, but as it's taken me more than a year to write sixty thousand words of my current work in progress, I know for sure I will not make it in a month. I have a full time job that also means lots of work at home too marking and preparing, so there is no way I could find the space and time to do this. I'd LOVE to, though, so am envious of those who have the time, although my sympathies are with your reader who is doing it for health reasons. Good luck to all of you and the best of success!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I've attempted it for the last three years and finished the last two. This year I'm going back to the perfectly workable WIP that I abandoned to make way for last year because Nano rules say it has to be a new work (not something you already have in the pipeline)

    I agree. 1786 (or however many) words a day is a treadmill. I just didn't want to do it.

    PS I'm here because Rosalind Adam passed on the Addictive Blog award to me and I'm working backwards through the route it took to her. Hello!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Welcome, Morning AJ - hope you enjoy the randomness of my blog!

      Delete
  9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete