Today is November first and the beginning of Nanowrimo –when writers worldwide try to pen a 50,000 novel before the end of the month.
I’m not participating in Nanowrimo this year. The novel I’m working on is fermenting in a box. Instead, I’m working on a book of non-fiction about learning to hunt, and this is the month when I take my newly minted hunting license into the woods. Nevertheless, I applaud everyone who signs up, sits down and writes.
Edit that: I applaud everyone who sits down and writes. Regardless of whether or not you sign up for Nanowrimo, here’s encouragement from famous authors for writers of all genres, embarked in projects of all kinds, wherever you are.
Somerset Maugham famously said, There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
I would go further and say this is true for any book. Writing is an act of discovery, and each story has its own interior logic that dictates how it’s best told. A writer pays attention to what the story needs and makes up the rules as she writes.
That said, there are some rules for writing that apply whatever you write:
According to Dorothy Parker, Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat. November’s as good a time to do this as any. A cushion is nice, but not necessary, especially if you’re using a stand-up desk.
Writing is easy: just open a vein and bleed, is most often attributed to sportswriter Red Smith. Remember: it’s a metaphor. It’s also true.
And perhaps the best advice for those of you embarking on NaNoWriMo today comes from Anne Lamott. Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere.
Good words to you – and good luck.
Deborah Lee Luskin blogs every Wednesday at www.deborahleeluskin.com. Currently, she’s posting Lessons from the Long Trail, a 275-mile hike along the spine of the Green Mountains from Massachusetts to Canada. After that, writing seems restful.
Kim Knight_Author says
Reblogged this on KimKnight_Author and commented:
I’ve never heard of this, have you writers out there heard of this? I’m participating in secret- I think I can do about 25,000 words but I’ll aim for 50,000 as best I can time allowing
Deborah Lee Luskin says
Nanowrimos started in 1999. According to their website, 431,626 people worldwide signed up last year. You might want to check it out: http://nanowrimo.org/
Thanks for the reblog!
impossiblebebong says
I will be participating in NaNo privately 😀 I will try my best to keep up. But not today. Today is holiday and there are some things that must come first like visiting family graves and the unavoidable get together afterwards. I’ll start tomorrow.
Deborah Lee Luskin says
Good luck with “the unavoidable get together.” Maybe you could reward yourself with fifteen minutes of writing after that? Good luck!
Bea dM says
Hadn’t heard about it, but anyway for me 50000 this month sounds way beyond feasible considering the demands of real life. But I just might be motivated (in private) to see how much I could really produce under pressure. The 3 rules you’ve shared with us do show the way ahead 🙂
Deborah Lee Luskin says
Good luck. Which rule do you like best: Sitting down? bleeding ink? or writing a crappy first draft?
Best wishes, DLL
Bea dM says
They’re all inspiring 🙂