Write a novel in a month?

You may already be aware of the phenomenon that is NaNoWriMo, a challenge for writers everywhere to write 50,000 words during the month of November.

As the organisers admit, a lot of what gets written is more about quantity than quality - but the purpose is to break that fear of not writing well, and just get on with writing.

In this interesting article In Just 30 Days, You Too Can Write a Masterpiece from the Independent, they have looked at famous writers who wrote their masterpieces fast, and for whom speed did not mean a fall off in quality.  On the Road by Jack Kerouac was one of them, but as is mentioned, he'd been thinking about what he wrote for seven years.

Graham Greene was compelled to write something commercial for financial reasons, and was writing - more slowly - The Power and The Glory in the afternoons.

Do you have a novel bubbling away in you? Would NaNoWriMo help you? Why not give it a go!

What do you think writing to a timetable will do to your writing style?

Best of luck!

Cressida
(editorial consultant)

1. 

   Mavis Smyth on November 3, 2010

   On Nano ... Harlequin have it up on their website every year and I joined some of my writing pals last year - sadly I crashed and burned!
   
   Back in this year with a teeny head start so to speak - the first Chapter from Mills & Boons recent New Voices Compeition. I haven't added the total for the first chapter because I thought that would be unfair - but I'm just over 6K words in on 3 further chapters. Just waiting for the brain to start slowing any time now!
   
   I'm worried if I don't pace myself that I'll end up writing a load of rubbish just for the sake of the word count - and in the end - is there any point?

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2. 

   Cressida Downing on November 8, 2010

   Hi Mavis - best of luck with your Nano journey this year. Yes, it is about quality as well as quantity - but I think the idea is stop that crippling sense of your words not being 'good enough'. After all, you can always make December Editing Month!
   
   Good luck,
   
   Cressida

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3. 

   Elizabeth on November 10, 2010

   I'd never heard of this but what a great idea! In fact if someone could just take away all my work and household responsibilities I'd do it! Which of course is precisely the sort of cop out that this initiative is trying to dispel isn't it?! :-) Thanks for flagging it up Cressida!

4. 

   Xean . on November 12, 2010

   Cressida,
   I could do it probably. I say probably, because I’ve so far shunned such restrictive concepts; believing writing for quality accomplishment outweighs any reason for time constraint. For what its worth, I would be willing to try.
   
   This is what I propose. I will come up with a new idea and do my best to complete a book about it by December 15 (I’ll try for Nov. 30, but considering days lost, I wouldn’t want to fail for a few days after reaching that far). I will then send you a free copy of the manuscript and if it meets your expectations, you will provide it your editorial abilities at no charge, work with me to perfect it for publication, plus provide a gratis endorsement to be printed on the book when it is published.
   
   Do you accept? Time is of the essence and I need to know as soon as possible.
   
   Xean
   11/12/2010

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5. 

   Cressida Downing on November 12, 2010

   Elizabeth - I know what you mean! Good luck if you decide to give it a go.
   
   Xean - thank you for your kind offer, but I won't be able to accept I'm afraid! There is going to be a small competition coming up though - so keep an eye out for that.
   
   Best regards,
   
   Cressida

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