I won NaNoWriMo 2017!

So, it happened! After a month of terror, I won NaNoWriMo 2017 two days in advance. Working and having a tight schedule, and writing the draft of a fantasy novel in just a month is madness. Coffee helped me to keep awake during the night, and during my sprints in coffee shops during the weekends. Other Wrimos in Brighton were also very supportive.

What I get from this experience is that you can make it even if you have loads of work. You’ll be sleeping some hours less, but if inspiration is with you, you can write a draft. So, what’s all this hype about taking part in NaNoWriMo? For starters, you’re on the path of a glorious purpose.

Setting a goal to write a story that’s been looming into your mind for years is an excellent way to start. Or, if you just want to write fan fiction only for the sake of it, that’s also a good start. What the challenge does is making you have writing habits. Writing a little bit every day during a month is a way to realize that you can too write a book.

But now what? Yup, I wrote a draft, but what do I do with it now? Many people don’t want to stare at their Frankensteins ever again. However, I plan to work on it further. So, for me, this is the beginning of a great project. I’ll take my sweet time to work on it, so no, I won’t be challenging myself in editing the whole thing in just another month.

Wait, I know what you’re thinking. “You only say all these things because you won.” You don’t need to win to realize that you can create sweet writing habits. Because that’s what’s about: to understand that you can write a bit every day. You can find your soft spot and write an average of words a day that fits you. And, after maybe three months, you can have a thrilling draft to work with in front of you.

So, do I recommend jumping on this madness? Hell, yeah! You’ll sweat, swear, drink far too much coffee (if there’s even such a thing), and end up dreaming about your characters slapping on your face telling you to keep writing all about them. I won’t lie to you: it’s tough. But, it’s also a sweet ride.

Note: and yes, Drax’s gif describes my writing process during NaNoWriMo pretty well.