For many first-time novelists, and maybe for you, that day has come. November is National Novel Writing Month. If you haven’t participated or heard of it before, this is the annual NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) challenge: get started actualizing that thought by writing a 50,000+ word rough draft during the month of November.
This annual ritual, now run by the Office of Letters and Light, a non-profit organization that "organizes events where children and adults find the inspiration, encouragement, and structure they need to achieve their creative potential," began with just 21 participants in 1999 and now claims over 250,000 participants.
If you’re up for the challenge, register here and you'll get access to a whole network of support from forums, write-in events and other resources. As I write, there are 128 members in the Pomona Valley region (including me, of course) and 1500 members in the North Orange County region.
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Not sure if you could do it? Don’t worry, as there are no judges and no one might even ever read what you submit. By the end of month, even the most modest of writers could be vying for publication and will have opened up a world of opportunities by taking on the challenge.
So, if “write a book” is one the things on your To Do list, this might be just the push you need to get started. I’d say it’s definitely one of those things you have to at least try once, and it's not too late to join. Everyone who meets the 50,000 word challenge is declared a winner. There are no prizes, but the rewards can be plenty… and other sayings like that! Now go get started on that book.