Week 3, Day 17

Is writing becoming a chore?  Are you wishing you never said "Yes!  I'll join NaNoWriMo".  I'll bet there are thousands of well-intentioned writers around the world right now who are feeling like failures.

I disagree.

First of all, writing 50,000 in one month is a daunting task.  Heck, writing 5,000 words in one month can be daunting.  But something compelled you to join this contest.  Was it the prize of a book at the end of the rainbow?  Or was it because you wanted to be a part of this worldwide creative venture?

For me, the incentive was to write.  To have a purpose to write.  Ideas for stories are always bubbling on the cusp of my mind.  Whether I'm waiting in line at the bank or pulling a package from the mailbox, I'm always thinking about how a story can be born from that slice of life.  I can't help it.  I'm obsessed.  I was bit by the insatiable need to write when I was a little girl and it's only satiated when I'm in a creative mode.  

When I discovered NaNoWriMo, I was thrilled to learn there were other people just as nutty as me.  So I signed up.  I was hooked.  With writer's hunger pains gnawing at my creative gut, I look forward to writing every day.  I have to write and write and write until I'm satiated.  For that moment.  Then, the next day, I'm hungry again.

The idea of printing my book at the end sweetened the deal.  I think CreateSpace is really cool for providing a printed book to every NaNoWriMo winner.  It's a high to see your words in print.  And I'm sure they are hoping we'll buy more copies.  After all, they're in business to make money.  No fault there.  But most importantly, I think they recognize the need for writers to see their thoughts in printed form.  It validates their efforts.

So, back to why you are participating in this contest.  Here's what I think.  If you wrote even just one word, it's more than what you wrote BEFORE the contest.  And now you've been bit with the NaNoWriMo bug.  Finish your book - whether or not it's complete by November 30th.  There's always another NaNoWriMo next year.

For my students, I've decided to sponsor a novel writing club next year to prepare our outlines and writing strategies for NaNoWriMo 2010.  We'll begin meeting in August.

So, for those of you still in the race, keep writing.  I intend to finish by November 30th, unless I'm comatose in the ICU at the hospital.  And even then, I'll find some way to write.

Let's do this thing...