Last week, we discussed five reasons why you might want to do NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, 2018.
Here’s the quick rundown:
1. It’s motivation to actually start the story that’s been burning a hole into your brain.
2. It’s motivation to keep working on that story that’s been burning a hole into your brain.
3. It’s motivation to finish working on that story that’s been burning a hole into your brain.
4. It’s an opportunity to get together with fellow writers for further encouragement.
5. General insanity.
Yet while I was thinking about that list a few days later, I realized that there was one very important reason I didn’t list:
6. It’s motivation to keep writing instead of stopping to edit.
I suppose that could technically be Reason #1.5. Or #2.5. Or #3.5. But it does take a different tack than those original rationales, which is why I feel pretty comfortable giving it its own spot.
The original Reasons #1-3 are about making yourself actually sit down and write. Whereas question #6 concerns those people who do take the time to work on their stories yet feel compelled to make already written sections perfect before they move on.
Best-case scenario, this slows them down in finishing their first draft. Worst-case scenario, this keeps them from ever reaching that writing mile marker.
Now, NaNoWriMo doesn’t completely eliminate that problem. After November is over, participants are more than free to go back and edit their 50,000 words instead of continuing on with their remaining 20,000, 30,000 or 60,000.
But when you’re on that much of a roll already? Naturally, there’s a much better chance of maintaining that momentum.
So think about it. If you’re the type of person who fixates on your first chapter, constantly trying to rework it instead of turning to Chapter 2… NaNoWriMo might be your saving grace.
Better decide quickly though one way or the other, because November is right around the corner.
And then the madness begins.