NaNo--the Good, the Bad & the Possible

Hi Everyone!

Ha. I bet you thought I was going to say UGLY up there in the title. Gotta switch it up once in a while!

I know it's been like a century since I've blogged here. Did you miss me?

I didn't think so. LOL

So. Since NaNo is now officially concluded I thought I would share my thoughts. I didn't finish. I know. I've finished the last two years, but I got a little sidetracked this year. It happens.

But... there are a lot of great things I've learned about NaNo in the past three years of participating.

The Good

NaNo is a deadline that thousands and thousands of people are trying to make. What more motivation do you need? Normally the deadlines you're given or the ones you give yourself, you are making them on your own. Solidarity Sistas and Brothas. *fistbump*

You don't have time to analyze your crap-writing. You just have to keep sludging (not a word, I know, but it fit...) through.

I like obsessing over my word count on the NaNoWriMo website. A little friendly competition never hurt anyone.


The Bad

Most of the time you have a seriously crappy draft when you're done. Which means a seriously LONG amount of revising.

When you give up, those thousands and thousands of people writing with you, know it.

You worry you won't go back to the draft. No? Just me?

Sometimes writing fast like that isn't the right way for someone and they find that out. That's okay, at least you know, right?


The Possible

You finish. YAY!

You revise the novel for *cough* 11 months then you are finally ready to query.

The same book you wrote in 22 days gets an agent (I'm not speaking about myself anymore if you can't tell *wink*)

It goes on to sell and make the NYT Bestsellers list. (Dream big, people)


Have a great weekend!!!

erica m. chapman is a YA writer by night, workin' for the cause by day. Fan of football, especially Lions and Michigan. She loves alternative music, Foo Fighters, animals, reading, golf and playing her guitar. She resides in Michigan where she sits quietly typing her next story on her macbook in her Detroit Lions Snuggie. You can also find her at ericachapman.com.





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