NaNoWriMo

I've just finished NaNoWriMo and I'm a winner!

NaNoWriMo stands for National (though it's now International) Novel Writing Month. All around the world, hundreds of thousands of writers sit down on the first day of November and try to write 50 000 words of a novel before the end of the last day of the month. It's a crazy adventure, but you get to connect with others on the forums and there's a great sense of collective support. As long as you finish, you're a winner. (Now that's my kind of competition!)

What you wind up with is not really a novel, of course, but the first draft (or word-dump) of the first 50k words of one. Then you have to finish the first draft and then the real work - editing and rewriting (and rewriting some more) begins. Still, it's a big chunk of words down on the screen and really motivates you to get finished.

It was fascinating to sit back and watch my hands feverishly banging out on the keyboard, and reflect on the process from time to time. Here's what I noticed and learned:

1. It is possible to write, even when you're "blocked" or unmotivated or uninspired. (Who knew?)

2. This is not reallly how I like to write - I like blocks of time for thinking, dreaming, being inspired.

3. I write much faster if I've drafted the chapter ahead in detail.

4. If I'm on a deadline, approach with caution - I might bite!

5. Writers are the most fantastic, generous and supportive community. (I knew this already, but it was great to confirm it.)

6. A pile of sunflower seeds for nibbling saves my fingernails. Sort of.

7. Coffee. (Enough said.)

8. You can write more, and faster, than you ever suspected.

9. Husbands, children, dogs, lightning strikes, workmen and, oh heck - the rest of the world, are not respecters of the creative process.

10. I love writing. Because, stories!

Right, now I'm off to finish this thing I started :)