Last year I wrote a humorous blog post on the ten reasons I would not be doing NaNoWriMo. For those that don’t know, NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month. And I am fully ready for November to start so that I can begin, and finish a novel in one month. So I thought that I would do a 180 on last year’s post and tell you the reasons why I chose this year to start.
1. You can only say NaNoWriMo so many times.
It is a lot of fun to say. And you can only say it so many times before you wonder why you aren’t doing it. I’ve been saying NaNoWriMo for about three years now, and I’ve yet to do it. So the way I see it, I’ve used up my free chances to say it, and now I either have to participate or stop saying it. I’d rather participate.
2. This is the year I am accomplishing writing goals I put off.
For two years I kept stalling on going to a WorldCon. I missed Reno, I missed Chicago, and I almost passed on San Antonio. But, something made me say I needed to do it this year, and I finally attended my first WorldCon. I had such a blast that I can’t wait to get to more conventions. It really kick started my writing in a way I had never imagined.
So, if I had such a blast with that. Why not keep up the good work? I’ve been putting off NaNoWriMo with so many excuses, and well this is the year. So I am going to try it. And I may very well like it. And it is just the kick in the pants I need to work on some other projects.
3. The timing is right this year.
I just finished the second draft on Broken Trust and it is off to Beta Readers. That means I currently have no writing projects that are going on for the month of November. So it is the perfect time for me to start a new project and work on something fun.
4. Dissolution of Peace needs the sequel.
Reader feedback tells me that if I don’t get a sequel to Dissolution of Peace out soon, I’ll be strung up by my toes. So the sequel in my NaNoWriMo project, and that could mean an early 2014 release. Maybe…
5. I have too much stress going on right now.
On the face value, that may seem like a reason not to participate. But, for me writing started as a stress reliever. That was how the original manuscript for Dissolution of Peace was written. So taking a break from some of the stress factors in my life may be exactly what I need to relax for the holiday season.
6. I have to justify the purchase of my Tablet.
I recently purchased the Samsung Galaxy Tab 3. I got it for a variety of reasons, the main being use for the business and my writing. Right now I write in my office, which eliminates a lot of writing time. Now that I can write virtually anywhere, I can finally accomplish a lot of writing. So I am excited about using it. Plus, I have to justify the expense to my wife.
7. I have more staff to help me with Plasma Frequency.
November is still a production month. Issue 9 will be released on December 5th. But I know have much large staff to assist me, and I am recruiting more staff members. So that means that I can better divide my attention between my writing and my magazine.
8. It is time I connect with more Writers
I need to connect with more writers, I enjoy their company and I really want to connect with more. I missed out on a lot of chances to network when I was in San Antonio. But, NaNoWriMo is a chance to network with all kinds of writers from all different genres and locations. They even have regional connections so I can find a few writers in my area. You can find my profile too and I can connect with you.
9. I plan to be a writer by career.
In order to make money as a fiction writer, you have to publish fiction. I write novels now, though I may tackle a few shorts later, so that means writing novels. If I can tackle a novel in one month, like I plan to do with NaNoWriMo, than maybe I can do it again in say February. And maybe again in May, July, September, and then I am back at NaNoWriMo again. That may seem a bit ambitious. But if I write the first draft in one month, I figure that once editing and beta reading is done, I can publish three novels a year. And if I can do that, then I hope that someday I can get enough books out there to be recognized. And with that comes a little bit of money. And who knows in five more years, I can just focus on being what I always wanted to be… a writer!
10. I have the perfect outfit.
Last year I just simply could not figure out what I would wear to NaNoWriMo. I didn’t know the dress code. But this year I learned that I can come dressed whatever way I want. They even have a store if I want to wear NaNoWriMo gear. I’ve also lost a few pounds so maybe it won’t be so bad if I attended naked… on second thought I’ll bring pants.