Happy November!
I love November for so many reasons. I love the colorful leaves, the greater focus on thankfulness, sweater weather, pumpkin deserts, preparation for the Christmas season, and basically everything about autumn is my favorite. As the weather gets chillier I find myself wanting to snuggle in with a blanket and a cozy book, or a pen and notepad. One of my favorite things to do lately in the morning is get up really early while it’s still dark and turn the fairy lights on in my room. Then I snuggle up with a writing project or a book.
If you’re a writer, you might know that November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). I took the NaNoWriMo challenge to heart last year and completed the goal of writing 50,000 words in one month. All throughout the last year I have been working on rewriting that project and editing until I’ve made myself crazy at times. With any luck, maybe one day that project will be published. I’m really glad that I stretched myself last November and completed the challenge, even though it was extremely difficult, because I proved to myself that I could do it. And from those 50,000 messy words I’ve been able to sort out a fun story. It is very likely that without the NaNoWriMo challenge I wouldn’t have finished the first draft of that story, but I did because I had to keep writing, and now I have something I’m proud of to show for my hard work.
I have an advantage this year because I know it is possible to write a truckload of words in one month, so I’m at it again and trying to write another messy first draft that will hopefully become something wonderful in the future. (Personally, I already think it’s wonderful — but wonderful like a messy drawer full of silly odds and ends.)
Whenever I’m writing, November or otherwise, I am always boosted by inspiration and encouragement from writers I admire.
Below is a quote by Shannon Hale (who wrote Princess Academy and many others) that has become one of my go-to reminders when I’m struggling with a first draft.
It is so important to remember that the artistic works we are surrounded by are final products. Try to not compare your first messy attempt to someone else’s perfected masterpiece. Yours can get there someday, but right now focus on your first draft. And let it be messy. You will be much happier, and your writing will be more enjoyable, if you don’t require perfectionism on the first try.
If you too are ambitious enough to try out NaNoWriMo, let me know in the comments below! Tell me how it’s going, what your project is, and share any words of writing wisdom that you live by!
Also, one last thing. If 50,000 words sounds too terrifying for you, set your own challenging writing goal. Aim high and you’ll probably surprise yourself by what you can do. But don’t feel discouraged if you don’t make it all the way to 50,000. 100 words is 100 times better than none at all.
Happy Writing!
