It’s a more than halfway through the month of November, and the NaNoWriMo weak have fallen by the wayside. If you are one of the dedicated few who have stuck it out this far, I salute you.
I don’t think I could or ever will write a NaNoWriMo novel. I’m more of what Vonnegut called a basher. NaNoWriMo is more for swoopers, at least in my opinion. I usually write from beginning to end, making edits as I go. While that doesn’t produce astounding daily word counts, it does make editing a whole lot easier when you’ve already ironed out all the nastier plot holes. This contest is more about quantity than quality, (no offense meant) and I am lazy, so there’s that working against me.
I think every one should write a novel at least once. It gives you an understanding for the craft, and garners respect for the authors who do it really well (and don’t use unnecessary adverbs like I do). Likewise you should write and perform a song, paint a picture, and write and direct a short film. An understanding of the process is the first stepping stone to a greater appreciation of creative works, and that would probably do more to curb piracy than any encryption scheme ever would.
While few if any of this months novels will be published, let alone read by another human being, it is still a valuable exercise in self-esteem and discipline. Writing a novel is the intellectual equivalent of running a marathon. Like a long-distance run you have make a commitment and prepare, by understanding literary forms and structures and cramming your head full of knowledge. Those can only be a good things.
Also, why are you reading my blog? You should be writing right now.
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Crazed recluse and sociophobe who has taken up writing after failing at everything else. Send pizza.
Verbatim Gibberish 
Essentially yes, I’ve given up. I’m still writing daily, but I have no hope of achieving the 1,667 per day word count. Too many other things on my plate right now. And yes, I shouldn’t be reading your blog, I should be writing! Thanks for the reminder.
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They should have a National Novel Writing Year for people who have lives. I think I could do 137 words a day.
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Weak? You talking to me? You wanna step outside and try that to my face? No? I didn’t think so. Just be careful who you’re calling weak next time. You young no-it-alls give me a cramp! That photo of you with a hand gun doesn’t scare me, either. It’s not even pointed at me!
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I’ve got a thesaurus and I’m not afraid to use it. Bring it on!
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Not gonna lie, I didn’t first hear about NaNoWriMo until the first day of November. I was highly confused as to what all the hullabaloo is all about! I’m highly intrigued and would love to participate next year…I would just need to clear my schedule of my life to do it 😛
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1600+ words a day is quite a commitment. I don’t have a life and that still feels like a lot.
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It is but I always feel like I tend to write on the heavier side so I guess I’m not as threatened. I think what puts me off the most is the consistency of it. It’s that huge commitment. Consistent commitment scares me. Not in relationships and stuff like that but in situations where my life can be consumed by a hobby or a passion. Let me tell you it’s not the first time, hence my caution.
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NaNoWriMo does have the advantage of having a built-in time limit and you will eventually finish the novel. So at least you’ll have something to show for your time, even if it something you wouldn’t show to anyone.There are far worse things to lose yourself in than writing.
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That’s very true. I am intrigued to try it next year and hopefully I’ll have something super awesome to be able to show with the world.
My obsession with food causes me to check myself every now and then though.
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I am up to 30.000 words and counting. It is a mess inside but this is how I write in general. I first pour my soul out then I make it look pretty. I envy organized writers like you, that edit while they write. 🙂
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I kind of envy the ones who can get thousands of words done in a day. I guess you always want what you haven’t got.
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Yes, human nature is complicated. We are specially designed to always want something else than what we already have. The bad part is that this feature keeps us restless while the good part is that this is the way to self improvement.
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I should be but since I have over 20k to make up a few hours chill before my hand screams out in pain is pure luxury lol
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