Blogger: Rachel Kent
Can you believe it is almost November?! This year has gone by so quickly.
Are you planning to participate in NaNoWriMo this year? I can usually find a count of how many have signed up, but I don’t see that on the website this year.
It’s important to keep in mind that a NaNoWriMo novel is only 50,000 words long. If this is the goal you set for the month your novel will be a shorter length than most publishing houses accept. 55,000 words is usually the shortest accepted length for a novel–and that is for a house like Harlequin where they publish short romances. If you write a 50,000 word novel in November for NaNoWriMo, you can revise and expand it in December, but during your plotting you might want to plan an extra plot thread that can be expanded during revisions.
If you would like to write a novel that is a length that many traditional houses will consider, do a little research about word count for your genre, but you should be working toward approximately 90,000 words. If this is what you are planning, make sure your plot is detailed enough and plan to write half of a novel during NaNoWriMo. 50,000 words in a month is incredible and if you continue at the same pace for another month you can have a full-length novel by the end of two months.
Be sure to plan some time for revisions and to have your critique partners review your novel before submitting it to agents or editors. I’ve seen NaNoWriMo submissions that have interesting plots, but I can tell the authors got swept away in the excitement of finishing a book and sent the projects too soon.
Enjoy the experience! NaNoWriMo is fun because of the sense of community. Join up and keep in touch with other writers for encouragement.
Have you ever participated in NaNoWriMo before? What advice do you have for others who are trying NaNoWriMo for the first time?
If you are participating this year, what is your personalized goal for the month?
I have never done it before because the timing has never worked out. Once I wrote 50,000 of a preteen devo book because that’s what I was working on at the time. I didn’t think it would work this year time wise because my YA novel (a kidnapping gone wrong in Haiti) should be done, but I’m only 20,000 words into it, so I might go for it. Problem is, I keep going back and revising instead of going forward. I’m also rewriting part of my novel “Freerunner” at the suggestion of three different people. So I think I’ll sign up for the first time ever.
I should say, I’ll sign up to write 50,000 new words of the novel during November and work on revising Freerunner between now and then.
NaNo sounds like the perfect time to finish a first draft. The internal editor has a way of hushing itself when you know you have to write x amount of words everyday. Good luck!
Thanks!
No, I haven’t participated. And I won’t be able to this year. But it does sound like fun. Just having the encouragement of others. Maybe when my girls are grown I’ll give it a try. I’m editing right now. I’m on the lookout for my next idea. 🙂
I’d participate if I could, but keeping up my blogs is taking all the creative and physical energy I have.
–This will be my first year, as it has never been the right timing before. I’ve never placed any deadlines on myself before, so this should be interesting.
–I’m working on the outline now, because writing that many words leaves little time to dream up the plot as I go.
I have wanted to participate in NaNoWriMo from the very first one (1999, I think it was?), but to date I never have. I kick myself sometimes for not taking advantage of the “slower” years when I only had a part-time job and college to worry about. I should’ve done NaNoWriMo then!
This year I’m following along with friends who are participating, and maybe next year I can join the ranks.
Rachel, I’m thinking of doing it again this year. I participated and completed it the previous two years. I haven’t finished editing and revising my two NaNoWriMo manuscripts since my muse has been busy with memoir writing; however, I have a partial manuscript that could use another 50,000 words. 🙂 My advice for NaNoWriMo is to have some major plot points figured out ahead of time (and your main character’s personal history and secrets partially figured out) and then fill in the blanks to join everything together. Remember that first drafts are not anywhere near ready for anyone to see. If you let the wrong people read them, your spirit and enthusiasm may get suffocated. Wait until you’ve let the MS rest and have gone over it a few times before inviting critique. Critiques by good-willed people will sharpen your writing and help you understand what’s working and what’s not working. Do not hang out with a critique partner that never has anything good to point out. Just don’t. 🙂 You need both ends of the spectrum of comments. So turn off the inner editor and have a blast. Even if your 50,000 words never sees publication, you’ve still practiced your craft.
Blessings ~ Wendy Mac
That’s a great idea to use the opportunity to finish a MS. I’ll probably start another one in December … but boy, I’ve got a lot of brainstorming to do before then. Plotting. That is the greatest challenge for me, always … settling on an idea that I love, one that I want to pour hours into. You know? 🙂 And I love your advice on crit partners. Definitely need balance.
I’m catching up on old B&S posts, so I know this is a little old, but this is great advice, Rachel.
I am participating in NaNoWriMo again this year. I’ve done it twice and “failed” both times–at least failed by NaNoWriMo standards. But I don’t do it to produce something complete at the end. I like it because it helps me focus my energy on writing a little every day. This year is a little different because I’m actually plotting and writing with a publisher in mind. We’re four days in, and I’m already behind on word count, but I’m meeting my goal of writing a little every day. 🙂