A lot can happen in a month. November seems to be the month for preparing for Christmas, getting together all your decorations and begin planning your parties. But for the creatives amongst us, it is also the month for writing and expanding your artistic ability. National Novel Writing Month, which happens annually on the month of November, is a great way for budding (or even professional writers) to meet like-minded people and start a new writing project or even finish an old one. However, even writers can lose inspiration, especially when it involves a long commitment of a month. So, here are 5 reasons why sticking with your NaNoWriMo project is a good idea.
5. Writing is good for your health and wellbeing
Committing to a whole month of writing and finding inspiration, creating characters and backgrounds, can seem daunting to any new writers, and even professional published authors find they can’t write for such a time. However, writing a bit every day – even if it’s just an outline of your next chapter – has been proven to help your general health and state of mind. So completing your set word count for the day can have a positive impact as well!
4. Great for a self-esteem boost
Telling people you’re committed to writing for a whole month, whether it’s a novel, a play, or nonfiction, will receive you a lot of praise. But it’s also good to remind yourself of it: your determination to finish on the 30th of the month, the widening of your creative abilities, and the knowledge that at the end you’ll have a real work as evidence of this commitment will prove a wonderful thing for your self-confidence. Hopefully it will also encourage you to keep writing.
3. The numerous rewards
All NaNoWriMo “winners”, that is those who complete their novel and reach their set word count, receive a number of great rewards from all sorts of important artistic and writing organizations. In knowing that there is the possibility for your novel to be looked over by a professional author or to have it send to a publishing house for review, you will be greatly more motivated to finish your work and meet the deadline.
2. Getting to know other people
National Novel Writing Month has a worldwide reach, so there are loads of like-minded budding writers to meet when you participate in this writing challenge. They all have their own unique views on writing, and can even help motivate you and inspire you if you suddenly find yourself fresh out of ideas and unable to continue writing. Getting to know them is also great for getting your work looked at by a fresh pair of eyes, and having someone to celebrate with when you finally finish.
1. Becoming an actual writer
The best reason to stick with your NaNoWriMo project is the fact that, at the end of November, you will find yourself with a wholly personal, well planned out piece of writing that should be celebrated. You have now become a writer in your own right, and have proven that you can stick with an idea despite a time limit and the trials of busy day-to-day life. If you’re feeling particularly brave and proud of your accomplishment, you can even try sending it to a few publishers.