I did and won NaNoWriMo three years in a row, and I can’t say enough about it and the people who organize it every year! It is the biggest thing that has helped me in my own writing. Being forced to sit down and write so much in just one month, getting and reading all the pep talks, and interacting with other people in the forums has grown me each year and I can see that I’ve grown through it! I thought this year that I’d sit this one out, though, considering the size of my workload and the fact that writing hasn’t been on my to-do list this year. But then October came around and I got that urge to write that I seem to get every fall…and when the NaNoWriMo site sent me an email saying “Your novel wants you to write it,” I was like, well, I guess I have to do it now. ;) So I’m going to be writing next month, and I’ll be taking Fridays off so I can hopefully get enough writing done to win.
My book is one that I started two years ago – it’s an allegory of Israel, during the time of the prophet Jeremiah, put into a somewhat middle-ages kind of world. I wanted to write it because it’s easy compared to my historical fiction novel about the Civil War – because hey, you don’t have to do any research to write an allegorical fantasy! And let me tell you, research took up 70% of my time with my other book. I wanted to take a break from all of that. So I’ll be working on it again this year – this time writing a prequel that will end up being the first half of the final book. It’s been fun because I can let my imagination run – I’m not tied down by very much! I’ve been able to use the general story of Israel’s falling away from the Lord and their eventual restoration as a basic outline, and I’ve based one of my main characters on Jeremiah.
I feel like posting this is a little random, considering that writing is almost never the forefront of any of my blog posts. But I wanted to share a little bit as my November will be filled with all of this!
Are you a writer? Are you doing NaNoWriMo?
so exciting! ;) i’m doing it for the first time this year, and i’m nervous, excited, and pretty much terrified. i’ve never been good at writing long stories; i’m more of the short story/poem writer, but it will be good to expand. :) good luck, girl! maybe i’ll add you as a writing buddy. ;)
xx.
That’s awesome, Mikailah! You’ll love it. It always gets hard during the second week, but if you make it through that you’ll sail through the rest. yeah, feel free to add me! =) My username is hannahrosephotography.
I’ve been wanting to do NaNoWriMo for a long time, but something is always going on when November comes around. I did camp this year, but I would like to do November NaNo. But I’m so busy, I keep going back and forth. :/
I hope you have fun :)
Yeah, I know it can be hard to fit everything in! That’s great that you were able to do camp, though. =) I tried doing it once but it was the same thing for me – I just got too busy to finish.
Thank you! =)
I’m doing NaNo this year too! I’m going to be writing about two ladies who are professional “speed-daters!”
What a fun premise for a novel, Brett! I’d love to hear more about it &/or read it when it’s thru!
Awesome, Brett! That sounds pretty interesting. =)
Just came across your blog and i was literally jumping when i saw this post, cause, honestly, i love to find people who are on the bandwagon of NaNo. This will be my 5th year ^^
haha I’m exactly the same way! I love finding fellow NaNo-ers. ;) Five years – that’s great! Good luck this year!
I bet we are quite a few but still,it’s like finding..i don’t even know what!!! Thank you, you too! Keep as posted!
I’m so excited you’re doing NaNoWriMo! =D Please keep us{me!} posted as to your progress with it–it’s a blast! Although I have to admit I am thoroughly intrigued about your Civil War historical novel–you have my email if you need a very willing reader for that & your NaNo novel!
I will! =) I’d love for you to read it and hear what you think! (and I would also love to read your book if you need a reader. ;) )