Why I Said No to NaNoWriMo
November is coming. For a world full of writers out there, that’s big news, because it means it’s almost the beginning of NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. This challenging and rather wild event is something that attracts writers from all walks of life. Writers pledge to write an entire 50,000 word novel in thirty days. And while everyone gets wildly excited for it, I don’t. In honor of a new novel-writing season, I’m re-posting my article on Why I Said No to NaNoWriMo. Agree or disagree; explain in the comments. I welcome all opinions on the subject, and I respect the effort that a lot of writers are going to. Ultimately, though, I just think it’s a waste of time.
It Saps Creativity.
The sheer effort of frantically pounding out 50,000 words in thirty days, contrary to popular opinion, doesn’t actually help your creativity. I see people doing the math on twitter: 1,600 words a day, so if I write an extra thousand of uninspired rambling today, then I won’t have to write as much tomorrow. Frankly, that sort of thinking doesn’t seem creative to me. Instead, it’s encouraging the pouring out of structureless, un-special words. If the ideas aren’t coming in as strictly regimented a way the words have to (and they almost never will), then it’s not a big victory to write 50,000 words of nothing.
Quantity isn’t Quality.
People have already started mentioning this one already, but I do think it’s important. When you’re bombing through that many words in that short a time, your writing is bound to not be at its best. And on top of that, the mentality required to get through it is not focussed enough on quality. So you’re going to have to overcome two very big obstacles to good writing if you embark on the challenge.
It Won’t Help You Improve
And I would say that’s the big reason why I’m saying no to NaNo these days: I see no reason why this exercise actually leads to better writing. It can certainly be a fun project, and a good one to try, especially if you’re just starting out at writing. But when I see people doing the project year after year, and yet not writing at all during the rest of the year, I wonder if they see their writing improving from year to year. From what I’ve seen of my own and other’s efforts, the temptation is just to rehash cliches in order to get across that finish line.
So all up, I’m not condemning NaNoWriMo outright. But if you enter it hoping to really step up your writing game and reach the next level of professionalism and skill, I think you’ll be disappointed. I suggest setting a more helpful goal for yourself, such as writing a really killer short story and editing it to perfection. That way you’ll end up with work you’ll be proud of at the end of the month, instead of just more work to shove to the back of a drawer.
Well, you gave me a reason to post something on my blog:
Why I said “yes” to Nanowrimo:
http://eporter70.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/why-i-said-yes-to-nanowrimo/
I doubt anyone expects to improve with Nanowrimo. Most of the people I talk to are already decent writers, but they tend to devote little to no time to their writing. This gives all a reason to excuse ourselves from our families and friends for 30 days, mostly guilt free.
It might even make writing habit-forming.
Greetings, Blair: Is there such a person as one who can write short stories and has a facility with eye-popping prose, but is unable to write a novel or book — even about a subject that one has lived, like a stroke? If there is such a person, I’m he.
I hit a wall, I run out of steam, I cul-de-sac when I reach a few hundred words — that’s why I’m limited to writing short stories, a medium I love, however, and for which, I’ve been told by many (including college professors), I have a talent.
I know discipline (which I severely lack) is one of the requirements, so NaNoWriMo may be for me. But I’m stumped there, too. I start out enthusiastically, but then after a few pages and a few hundred words, I blank out and lose interest. HELP!!!
Incidentally, I’ve read your blog daily since I serendipitously discovered it in March, 2009, sometimes two or three times a day, and I was disappointed when there were no posts for a particular day..
Mauricio (Queens, NY — Monday, 10/25/10 — 10:08 a.m.)
Thanks, Blair!
Mauricio (Queens, NY — Monday, 10/25/10 — 11:12 a.m.)
How to use NaNoWriMo to improve your writing:
http://wp.me/pVH8s-nK
Those who think about NaNo in a mathematical nature and do what they can to avoid writing probably aren’t going to be authors anytime soon. No fault of NaNoWriMo. It’s about how one views the challenge and writing in general.
In regards to quality versus quantity, focusing on quality on a first draft is a sure-fire way to incite screaming self-doubt. Pondering the best way to structure a single sentence for half an hour will get you nowhere. NaNoWriMo alleviates quality-induced writer’s block by forcing you to keep writing no matter how poorly-structured that sentence was. The first draft can later be trimmed, pruned, and chopped to higher standards of quality, but you need to write it first.
The only way to improve your writing ability at all is to write. NaNoWriMo encourages writing an absurd amount in a short period of time. It’s up to the individual to continue writing beyond NaNoWriMo. If someone writes only in November, then they clearly do not wish to improve as a writer.
As Eva said, I do not expect to improve during NaNoWriMo. I expect to write the first draft of a novel, of which I can later assess the strengths and weaknesses. NaNoWriMo will give me something to improve off of, but I can only improve if I continue writing throughout the year.
The end result of NaNoWriMo will vary per person. For some, that result isn’t worth the work it takes to complete the challenge. For others, the resulting draft, experiences, friendships, and ambition are far worth the struggle.
I said “yes” to NaNoWriMo.
I have never, to this point, participated in Nano, but I might try it this year. That said, I won’t be aiming for 50,000 words. If I do participate, what I intend to aim for is as much of a first draft of a novel as I get through in a month. This seems like a reasonable goal for me.
The last time someone challenged me to something of the sort, I wrote a first draft (very, very rough) of 15,000 words in three weeks. I spent the past year rewriting what is now a 40,000 MG novel.
If I try Nano this year, I hope that I write more than 15,000 words, and that the resulting draft is in better shape than the one I produced last September. But who knows — as far as I’m concerned, making the effort is what it will be all about for me.
I completely agree with you. Trying to cram a process that can take up to a year or longer in 30 days, is ill-advised. I think it’s great to give yourself deadlines (like ‘I’m going to write 2 chapters this week and edit them in 5 days.’), but a month is barely enough time for me to get out 6 chapters. I know if I tried to write whole novel in 30 days it would incoherrent, unoriginal, and generally sloppy. I think writing a novel is something that needs to be done at the writer’s own pace so it becomes the best possible work it can be.
I wouldn’t think of criticizing you for your decision, or arguing about it, but I would like to point out that what you’re talking about is your own experience, and it isn’t applicable to everyone else.
“It saps creativity.” For me, and many others, it inspires creativity.
“Quantity isn’t quality.” Of course not. But there’s nothing in that statement that says they can’t exist together. For a newcomer to writing, the outcome is likely to be good for nothing but the waste basket. For an experienced writer, it’s a chance to focus on producting a worthwhile first draft.
“It Won’t Help You Improve.” I agree that if it’s the only time you write, it will do nothing to improve your skills. But assuming that it’s a once a year project for everyone is completely unwarranted.
NaNo isn’t right for everyone, but it’s not helpful to newcomers to judge it solely by your own experience.
Hey now…
Nanowrimo isn’t about professionalism and structure; it’s about fun. It’s the fun of writing and a challenge to get down as much as you possibly can in a month. Most people need a good swift kick in the butt to get them behind the keys and Nano is that kick. As a general rule, I write 2000 words a day all year-not just in November and I certainly don’t consider my work to be “unstructured”. Is this really considered “pounding” work out or do I just have a real love for the work? Just because I can produce the quantity doesn’t mean it isn’t quality. Who says that someone that took two years to write a book is a better writer than someone that can do the same in a season? Stephen King writes 2000 words a day and finishes a first draft in a few months. Everything that man puts down is quality. Sorry if this comes out sounding defensive-it isn’t meant to-but I think I’d experience a little backlash if I blogged about how slower writers don’t put out quality work. Besides, it’s just FUN. Anything that encourages people to write is a good thing. That’s all it’s for.
These are all good reasons to leave NaNo behind. If you’re not getting any benefits from it, definitely don’t waste your time. I agree that NaNo brings out a segment of people (not everyone in NaNo, of course) who believe they can write a book just because they successfully put the subject in front of the verb. There is a lot more to writing than what NaNo focuses on. And how many of those participants actually enter the editing challenge after November?
The fun of NaNo is the community it brings together. Writing nearly 2,000 words a day isn’t fun or productive (IMO). But sharing in the challenge is worth giving it a shot.
More thoughts at: http://wingedstables.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/the-nanowrimo-crasher/
I should clarify that writing 2,000 words a day for the sake of writing 2,000 isn’t fun. It can be terribly rewarding when it just happens, but I’m someone who loves the art of revision, myself.
It’s like anything. Take a rock, which is a weapon, a item worthy of graduate level study, or something for a child to throw into a lake, causing ripples for poets to hack on about. It’s all that, and nothing.
All you covered is true and, of course, totally wrong at the same time. It takes roughly 10,000 hrs of deliberate practice to excel (really excel) in anything, writing included. This is one way to get those hours, provided they are truly deliberate.
This will also help with over-clocking, a very real and effective improvement strategy in various disciplines, physical and mental.
Remember the vast majority of the participants aren’t polished writers. Their biggest weakness, on average, is that they cannot finish a novel. Get that out of the way first. After all: How long did it take to write Dr J and Mr H?
I’ve been meaning to respond to this on my own blog all week and I finally did! http://irissel.blogspot.com/2010/10/why-i-said-yes-to-nanowrimo.html