WEYBURN - Can you write a novel in 30 days? November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), a time when writers focus on the ‘stories that matters… let’s start writing yours’.
NaNoWriMo is a fun way to inspire a love of writing. The annual online contest helps writers to track their progress, set milestones, connect with other writers in a vast community, and participate in events that are designed to help them finish their goals.
There are no prizes to be won during NaNoWriMo, as anyone who reaches the 50,000-word mark during the timeline is declared a winner. Organizers of the event say that the aim is to get people to start writing, using the deadline as an incentive to get the story going and to put words to paper. Every step along the path towards a NaNoWriMo goal matters, as the free online contest helps writers find their voices, achieve creative goals, and build new worlds.
It brings creative-minded people together, who enjoy sharing their world building, character designs, and make valuable contacts in the writing world. It is amazing to think that since 2006, nearly 400 NaNoWriMo novels have been published through traditional publishing houses and over 200 novels have been published by smaller presses or self-published.
These are many great ways posted that encourage writers. Maybe I should take some of the inspiration on NaNoWriMo to write my columns every week?
Creative writing is an art. The more you write, the more you learn to imagine, visualize, or simply create something tangible.
For those who are not sure they should be writing a novel, how about just writing your thoughts down on paper, journal keeping is one of the best exercises to do to help clear your mind and relieve some mental stress. It can also help to visualize some goals.
According to a recent study, people who take out time once a week to write down the good things in their lives are more optimistic and excited about their present circumstance and future.
If you really want to focus your goals, use pen and paper to write your journal, instead of relying on technology. Writing by hand is relatively slower, which enables the mind to think critically about what you’re writing. It aids in the expansion of your thinking and the formation of links between ideas.
I have been known to keep a pad of paper and a pen right by my bedside, so that I can write down those stray thoughts and ideas that pop into my head at night. It helps me to switch my mind from active mode, and return to a more restful state for sleep.
It is also very encouraging to have a supportive reader base. I get that feeling of satisfaction every time someone tells me that they look forward to my columns. Thank you, faithful readers, for your support!
