For the uninitiated, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month.(Pronounced "Naa-No-Rye-Moe.")
It's basically Creative Writing on Steroids. The challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in one month. And so, both amateur and professional writers take to their keyboards and write.
My people have been using the book, No Plot? No Problem by Chris Baty as their guide.
The goal is to just write. Every day. For 30 days. No editing. Get-the-story-out-of-your-brain-no-matter-what writing.
Because we have homeschooled for so many years, this isn't our first spin around the NaNoWriMo block. Lucy already has two manuscripts that she has produced during other 30 day writing frenzies (she has them hidden in a dark vault somewhere, unseen by human eyes, but that's not important right now).
This is the first year that Jonathan is enthused about the project.
They write together. Well, not together together. They usually both sit in the same room, tapping away at their computer keyboards with their ear buds firmly in place. They stop occasionally to inquire about a plot twist or the validity of a character's action. But they keep writing.
Their friends come over for hours of uninterrupted NaNoWriMo-ing. (<–I wonder if that's already been added to the popular lexicon?) It's the best kind of peer pressure I can think of.
Will their novels make the New York Times Bestseller List? Not likely (at least, not without a lot of editing and revision). {Fun Fact: The novel and eventual movie, Water for Elephants began as a NaNoWriMo project.} And, while getting published is maybe their long-term dream, the magic comes in the doing of the thing.
They are writing. At least 1500 to 1600 words a day. They are crafting new worlds. And creating. And honing their storytelling skills. And they are making the time in a culture where a teen's attention is in constant demand.
The creative energy in our home is palpable. This is the part that makes me the happiest.
Of course, if the whole novel writing thing doesn't work out, they could always just start a blog.
This is so exciting! I can’t wait to read more updates on their writing 😀
Great kids! Arrows in your quiver. love youxoxox alysa
The creative energy in our home is palpable. This is the part that makes me the happiest.And this is why your house is always “the coolest”.
BB2U
I first became aware of National Novel Writing Month when a friend introduced me to it. I didn’t participate that year because I didn’t have the time. The same is the case this year. However, being reminded of it encourages me to get some work done when I can.As you have pointed out, it is a good kind of peer pressure. Whether your writing partners are in the same room with you or miles away, the fact that you know everyone else is writing keeps you encouraged to keep pushing towards your goal.