“I’ve found that the process of writing a book changes people. It awakens our imaginations, but it also opens our eyes to abilities we didn’t realize we possessed, and makes us hungry for adventures we hadn’t previously thought possible.” — Chris Baty
November is National Novel Writing Month, and the Liv Northgate Apartments Blog is featuring several different tips for those ambitious writers attempting to tackle the National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) challenge this month. Each year, writers all around the world attempt to write a 50,000 word novel before November is through. This averages into about 1,667 words per day. These writers attempt to write like the wind in an attempt to tick “writing a novel” off of their bucket list. If you’ve ever wanted to write a novel, or if you’re a writer looking for your next project, then participate in NaNoWriMo this month!
Our first piece of advice is to use the resources NaNoWriMo provides. Sign up on the official NaNoWriMo website to gain access to a word tracking tool, the support of other aspiring novelists, pep talks from famous authors, and information on NaNoWriMo events. The NaNoWriMo website is a great resource for those who need a little bit of extra encouragement to get through the month. The pep talks from famous authors are a particularly useful resource for those days when you struggle to get the words on the page. One of our favorite pieces of advice comes from a pep talk by Deb Olin Unferth:
“Keep in mind the initial image that you had of your book. Writers often say that they were struck with an early image or tiny scene that filled them inexplicably with emotion and inspired them to create a story around it: the image of a woman leaving with a suitcase, the image of a car fallen into the ocean, or a mattress salesman staring across an expanse of beds. For the book I’m working on now, I have the image of thousands of flightless birds running across a field. What’s yours? Return to your image when you get stuck, recover its emotional power.”
Finding local writers in the Gilbert, AZ area is another great way to meet new people and to find other writers to encourage your work. You can find more information about local events by visiting the event page on the NaNoWriMo website. There are hundreds of writers in Arizona, and specifically in the Phoenix area. Take advantage of their advice, support, and help.
The most important advice we could give you is, of course, to keep writing. Keep writing even when it gets tough. NaNoWriMo is in many ways a writing marathon. You’ll no doubt get tired while writing this month, but “winning” NaNoWriMo depends on how many words you can get on the page. So keep going even when the going gets tough.
If writing isn’t for you, celebrate National Novel Writing Month by celebrating local novelists and writers by reading! Visit your local library and ask for books written by local authors.
Thanks for reading our post! Are you planning on participating in NaNoWriMo? Let us know in the comments.
