As I proudly display my Nanowrimo 2022 winner’s badge, I do so with the support of my fellow wrimos in the Adelaide region.
A little about Nanowrimo
National November Writing Month is an international event where aspiring/ seasoned writers come together to smash out words. The minimum target to “win” Nanowrimo is 50,000 words, but people can easily go beyond if the story warrants it. Throughout the year, there are other events like Camp Nano, but November is the main event!
What can you write about?
Anything really, you can be a rebel and write many short stories, or plan a great novel that rivals Charles Dickens. Your aim in the month is to write 1,333 words a day to reach the target. I participated in the event for a few years now, trying to form a daily habit. At the moment, it looks like a yearly habit instead. I also join my local Adelaide area’s forum and Discord. Before Covid, I also showed up in some in-person sessions. But as an introvert, I’m comfortable in the digital world, but hopefully next year there are some that I can join.
How did I manage?
Just aim for the minimum, more is a bonus. For me, I think I am a planster: part planner, part pantser. Parts of my story I plan for, while my characters run amok and totally defy my plans to write them into submission. If you are a beginner, Nanowrimo is the place to be, because there are guides to get you started. The habit of writing is important for people wanting to be writers: it is commitment to perfecting a craft to tell your story.
So my story is not perfect, and I won’t be planning to publish it anytime soon.
Am I wasting my time?
No, because writing is a habit and if I don’t practice, I’ll never get better. I should have been more diligent in my habit forming. This year, I hope to continue the 1500 words a day habit.
If you are interested in joining next year, you can head on to Nanowrimo.org . Sign up is free, plus you get discounts on writing aids and courses. The people in the groups are really friendly and diverse, so I am sure you will find somewhere that you feel you can be a part of.
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