NaNoWriMo began exactly one week ago…
I was SUPER excited about NaNoWriMo this year because I was determined to actually do it and finish a 50,000 word novel in a month. Everything was pretty much set in place for me:
Interest in writing a novel? Check.
A few ideas? Check.
A reading/writing blog with tons of others who want to do the same thing? Check.
Actually telling people about my goal to write a book? Check.
With everything in place, I’m having a lot of trouble writing.
I don’t really have the time to commit to
Second, I’m having trouble with the whole deadline of a month thing. I know writing (and PR too!) is a very deadline-intensive field, but 30 days to write a 50,000 word novel is a bit absurd to me. I want to write (and I don’t even care if I write crap the first time around) but forcing myself to sit down and write for 30 days straight even when I’m internally freaking out just isn’t working for me.
Also, someone on my
I know that writing a novel is hard. If it was easy, everyone would do
I know I have a story inside me. I know with the right amount of practice I can do it. I’m trying not to beat myself up about struggling with NaNo, but inside I really am mad at myself even though I told myself from the get-go that I probably wouldn’t make it through.
I’m going to write a novel. Even if I can’t do it in 30 days or in 50,000 words…I’m going to make a smaller goal for myself. Maybe to write a little bit everyday? Maybe a weekly word count. I’m not sure yet, but I’m going to do this in my own time.
I still think NaNo is a wonderful idea and I’ll probably try it out again next year when I’m not in school.
How are you all doing with NaNoWriMo?
Hey, NaNo is really supposed to be more about having fun than finishing the novel. Take it easy on yourself! There is no real prize, unless you consider patting yourself on the back at the end of 30 days because you wrote 50K a prize. It sounds like you have plenty of other things to be patting yourself on the back about.
I'm in EXACTLY the same position as you. And I was tearing out my hair about it before I read your post and realised I wasn't the only one!
I started NaNo with such determination. I got to 6k and…I'm still at 6k. Basically I have a full-time job, a second job as a web editor, and I'm a part-time uni student, for which I just had to complete a difficult assignment that saw me working on it for hours after I'd got home from work at 8pm. Not good. I've also just finished my FIRST novel which I need to work on getting out to agents.
I felt like a failure. And you're right about the competition aspect – some people are quite competitive about it, and see it as some kind of race, which annoys me.
Like you, I'm trying not to feel mad. I mean, I have 6k, and I drafted a plot, so hey – it wasnt for nothing! I might keep at it, maybe just in work, but I know the chance of me hitting 50k is about the same as the existence of a Jordan-free tabloid. Not likely.
Carry on with it at your own pace – its the best thing to do really 🙂