7 Years of NaNoWriMo

A little while ago, I mentioned that I wanted to start another post series in regards to self-publishing, both to show the process that I go through to write/self-publishing/market my books, but also to hopefully help other self-publishing authors along the way. Last week I gave a glimpse at my love for Julia Cameron's, The Right to Write.

This week, I want to bring attention to a great writing challenge that has really helped me bust out some projects over the years. National Novel Writing Month – or NaNoWriMo for short – takes place each November, and during that month, contestants have to write a 50,000 word manuscript. The prize? Well, you’ll have a nice heavy draft in your hands from which to build a great novel upon. You also get to download and print a nifty certificate, and you’ll be titled as a winner in NaNoWriMo history, which will follow you all your years of NaNoWriMo writing.

I have completed NaNoWriMo the last seven years, and from it have come every novel in my Black Earth series, some side projects I have yet to reveal, and drafts for some novels in my young adult series – Expired Reality. It’s an exhilarating feeling blowing through 50,000 words in 30 days (although I’ve been known to finish in as little as 9 days) without any regard for editing. What comes out of the experience is a raw manuscript which acts as a superb groundwork to craft a well-polished novel off of.

For those interested in National Novel Writing Month, head over to their official website for all the details. On the website, you’ll find groups that meet locally in your area during the challenge and host write-ins, competitions, and other fun events. I will be participating again this year, although I’m not sure what my project will be yet.