Revising NaNoWriMo

November is #NaNoWriMo - National Novel Writing Month. You take 30 days and write 1,667 words a day to complete a rough draft novel of 50,000. I usually do it every year.

This year, I'm revising NaNoWriMo and here's why. On Saturday I attended the Albany Book Festival at SUNY Albany. Chatting with my tablemate, Johanna Spero (*waves) I found out there is an underground movement in NaNoWriMo: doing it in January.

Seriously, whoever conceived of doing 1,667 words a day in NOVEMBER, when we have the prep of Thanksgiving and teachers' conferences, and the prep for Christmas, obviously wasn't a person with schoolkids, or families who descend on them for an all-out holiday meal. It's just too insane. When Johanna told me about a renegade group who does NaNoWriMo is JANUARY, I was like, wait, what? AFTER the holiday rush? During the crappy winter when all you want to do is stay inside? When there are no holidays? When the college kids have returned to school and soccer/football is over? It's freaking GENIUS. I salute these brilliant people and am joining your ranks. Every year I burn the all-night oil to get at least several days ahead because who can write on Thanksgiving Day when you're cooking, and stuffed, and visiting? The day before- it's all prep. The day after, it's cleanup. Then starts the Christmas madness. It was insane, draining, and I came to dread trying to catch up before the 30th deadline. So many people gave up because they felt like failures. It was a Herculean task, at best.

Photo courtesy of Energepic, Pexels. 

No more! I am free! January is perfect. And while we're here, let's talk about #NaNoRevMo, or National Novel Revision Month. Again, who is this crazy person that thought revising your rough draft in JUNE was a great idea?? Oh, sure, the kids aren't in school, they are HOME, or you have to take them to camps. There are weddings, graduations, First Communions, etc. If you write your novel in January, the best time to revise it would be September. Kids are back in school, and yes, you have the sports to deal with, but it's easier to revise a few pages sitting in the car while the kids practice than it is to write.

So RISE UP! Revolt against the oppression of trying to write a novel in November! Free yourself! No disrespect to those who do it in November, I did it for a number of years, but this year, I take control of my own NaNoWriMo.

Join the Rebellion! 

Photo courtesy Pixabay, Pexels.

As long as you keep writing-

Char