Catherine Dilts
  • About Catherine
  • Catherine Dilts - Blog
  • Rose Creek
  • Short Stories
  • Annie's Fiction
  • Survive Or Die
  • Rock Shop Mystery Series
  • About Catherine
  • Catherine Dilts - Blog
  • Rose Creek
  • Short Stories
  • Annie's Fiction
  • Survive Or Die
  • Rock Shop Mystery Series
Search by typing & pressing enter

YOUR CART

News 

12/1/2015 0 Comments

NaNoWriMo - Winner, or Cheater???

Picture
I won. I hit the NaNoWriMo goal of writing 50,000 words during the month of November. I should be reveling in victory, but guilt nags like a pesky Chihuahua gnawing on my ankle.

You see, I began NaNo-ing with a completed novel.

Before you send the villagers with pitchforks, tar, and feathers, let me say something in my defense. I am not the only author who uses NaNoWriMo in ways it may not have been intended.

The original purpose of the month long writing marathon was to encourage writers to complete a novel. In that sense, this time around was a fail for me. My November goal was to complete a major rewrite of a novel. I made it more than half way through, but no where near the end.

Why did I use NaNoWriMo? Why not just decide I was going to use November to do a rewrite? For the same reasons that I have participated in NaNoWriMo for the past several years.

1) Friends and family are trained. When they want my attention during November, they pause, and mutter "Oh wait. You're doing that novel thingy." People respect my writing time during NaNoWriMo. Perhaps being part of a global happening makes it more acceptable to non-writers when we closet ourselves away for marathon writing sessions.

2) Focusing on a goal for a month is manageable and concrete. Many beginning writers have a vague goal of writing a novel "some day." Without a starting point and a finish line, that "some day" often becomes never. NaNoWriMo offers the framework of specific time and word count goals.

3) Competition is human nature. Believing you are working toward a reward, even if it is just the winner's badge to display on your social media sites, may push you to write just a few minutes longer.

In years past, I have won, and I have lost. This year, I considered deliberately withholding on my word count so I would not win. Then I considered the hours and sweat that went into the rewrite. I did not meet my personal goal. I have had to push that to the end of December. I'll make it, though. Participating in NaNoWriMo has made me a writing warrior.    

You don't have to wait eleven months to jump into NaNoWriMo. Many other writing events and prompts are available at: http://nanowrimo.org/

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to this blog:

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly