Lisa Cai is from Toronto, Canada. She graduated from Western University with a Master of Library and Information Science and works in IT. She has been published in The Dark, Polar Borealis, The Future Fire, and elsewhere. She volunteers for NaNoWriMo and is a submissions editor for Speculative North Magazine.
My NaNoWriMo — Attempting to Write 50,000 Words
What is NaNoWriMo?
NaNoWriMo, an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month, is a challenge to write at least 50,000 words in November. Participants usually pick a novel length project to work on, but others will choose nonfiction, short story collections, continue an ongoing project, etc. The intention is to get participants writing.
Participants must write at least an average of 1,667 words every day to reach 50,000 words. While this challenge appears daunting, it is achievable. How can this be done?
The Community
You do not have to write in isolation. One of the most important resources as a writer is to surround yourself with other creative people. In November, the official NaNoWriMo headquarters hosts many virtual write-ins. Attendees from all over the world are welcome to join.
Locally, a volunteer team comprised of moderators and municipal liaison(s) will host social and writing events with fellow participants. These meetups are a mix of virtual and in-person get-togethers where you can connect with others and write together.
The Toronto region is one of the largest, with annually over a thousand participants. Our write-ins are hosted on the subway, in cafés, libraries, and bookstores, to name a few. Other meetups, such as our cemetery walks and museum tours, are intended to inspire attendees. Hearing keyboards clacking, and seeing people scribbling, leaning towards their notebooks, and writing in unison encourages participants to write faster and complete projects. After NaNoWriMo, many continue with their stories and participate in write-ins hosted by the local volunteer team or form their own.
Although the goal is to reach 50,000 words, it isn’t a failure if your word count is low. Many don’t ‘win.’ It may take years to get there, but NaNoWriMo is a challenge meant to encourage you to get into the habit of writing. Writing one word in November means you’ve added one more word to your manuscript that you didn’t have before.
How can you participate?
To officially mark yourself as a participant, you can register on this site. After selecting a region, you can locate their page where there is further information about the volunteer team and receive communications about upcoming events and information. Active regions, such as Toronto, have a full calendar of events that happen in November and throughout the year. I look forward to writing with you on this journey.
Brockton Writers Series 