Inklings & Musings

Thoughts on Winning NaNoWriMo

In no particular order:

1. Writing 50,000 words isn't the problem.  Being coherent and telling something that resembles a story without lots and lots of padding when writing robotic-like for speed is.  I am convinced that this contest is for folks who just want to be able to say once in their lives that they wrote a novel.  Since I already have written four (now in various states of revision), there just isn't that novelty.  I'm more driven to write well.  Since I couldn't really write well going that fast, I'll will likely not participate again.

2. It felt good to do it just this once.  If I never do it again, at least I can say that I did it once.  50k in one month.  Whoo Hoo!

3.  Backup your work. 'nuf said.

4.  I spent almost the whole month dreaming of the novel that I wanted to write but didn't want to mess up by writing it in a marathon-like sprint.  I also tossed around plot details for two other novels.  This may account for at least some of my bad attitude.

5.  I am not sure how to describe the experience.  At first, I thought it was a sprint.  Then, I decided that it was a marathon.  Now, I think it was a marathon at a sprint-like pace--like those folks that actually win the big marathons by running 26+ miles at a 4 minute mile pace.  Good grief.  I think piddling around for a couple of years on a manuscript is just far too indulgent after you've written a novel for the first time, but one month is far too rushed.  Look, you will always have to revise later, but wouldn't it be better to be more thoughtful in your composition the first time out and save yourself the trouble of having to throw out nearly a month's worth of work?  I'd rather do a slower and better first draft and revise less than rush through the first draft and throw out everything but the title.  Just sayin'.

6.  Special thanks should go to the awesome support team:  fellow NaNos, good friends and family, and particularly the sweetheart & kids who put up with me always going off to hide in my room.  I couldn't have done it without their support.