And thus, we’ve arrived at the other end of the tunnel! The month of November is over, and so too has the NaNoWriMo challenge come to an end. The month sure did blaze by quickly (at least in my opinion), and it is kind of crazy to think that the experience is actually already over.
To cut to the chase…I did successfully complete the challenge. I wrote over 50,000 words in the month of November, starting from the 1st and finishing on the 25th. With everything said and done, my completed novel ended up at roughly 55,000 words.
From the very moment that the challenge began, I knew that I was capable of completing the assignment. I’ve always worked best with deadlines to keep me focused and on pace. It also helped that I constructed a thorough chapter-by-chapter outline before the month began, and that my story idea was one that I was very excited and passionate about. I even created pictures of the characters to help with visualization and inspiration.
Still, it sort of amazed me how easy it was to stick to a routine and complete this challenge. I know that writing comes easier to some people than others, but it really goes to show how effective NaNoWriMo is at helping people embrace their inner writer. All it takes is 1,667 words per day to finish the challenge by the 30th, and if you’re bit by the writing bug and ride a wave of inspiration, you can easily double that amount on a given day. The challenge completes itself in no time.
It’s helpful that editing and errors are not a part of the NaNoWriMo spirit. The entire point of the challenge is to write 50,000 words. They don’t have to be the next greatest novel…in fact, you don’t even need to have a finished project by the time the curtain closes. The simple act of writing is what the focus is all about. NaNoWriMo is trying to help aspiring writers recognize their strengths and skills, and then grow from there.
It’s amazing how much more inspired and confident you can feel knowing that you’ve just written 50,000 words in a month or less.
As for my own experience, I couldn’t really say that I ran into any hiccups or difficulties. My motivation held strong throughout the challenge, maintained by the support of family and friends, and the knowledge that I had a built-in audience to show my completed project to. I always feel more invigorated to write when I know someone is eager to read it. So, even though this was my first NaNoWriMo, I completed the challenge fairly effortlessly.
I cannot stress enough how awesome this entire challenge is, and how much I recommend you try it out next year. If you have ever once felt the urge to write in your life, you owe it to yourself to find a strong writing support group and dive into this challenge next year. You’re never too old, too young, too early, or too late to start writing. Trust me, someone out there is eager to read your unwritten story.
Also, as promised, here is the link to my finished novel: FOREST OF LOSS. If you are so inclined, you can give it a read. I split it up into several parts to enhance the readability.
Next week, prepare to enter into the Arcane…
The Contrarian Corner 