NaNoWriMo - The Journey

Okay so I'm looking forward to writing a feature length movie script during Script Frenzy (http://www.scriptfrenzy.org/) in April this year. I've started planning for this already as I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November 2009 and learnt a few lessons about planning, from my lack of it.

Here is a re-post of my NaNoWriMo experience...

Getting involved with NaNoWriMo, started off on 27 October, with a guy who works at my company mentioning NaNoWriMo briefly. I had a look at their website and was hooked and determined to have a go. The idea is that you sign up to participate in a global network of people who will all attempt to write a 50,000 word / 175 page novel during the 30 days of November.

On Friday 30 October I went to an event called Worship Central at ALC (Abundant Life Church) where Tim Hughes and Al Gordon led worship, taught on Godly creativity, then more worship and prayer. I felt so inspired to create something amazing and really sought God to help me just flow with literary creativity. I was fired up, ready to go and couldn't wait to start; so much so that I started to write at midnight on Sunday 1st November. It only took one hour to write the first 1666 words.

But...had I kept to that and written 1666 words every day I would have made the target of writing a 50,000 word novel in the 30 days of November. Unfortunately, by the end of November my word count was an abysmally low 14,966 so I had to accept that I failed in reaching the target.

But...I achieved something amazing. During November, I had my ups and downs, days of writing loads and flowing in the story and days of writing nothing. I have come up with a story about some characters that really interest, inspire and surprise me. I have started a novel that I know I will complete and I have enjoyed writing again immensely; so much so that I think it will be hard to stop.

I am already planning to participate again next year but I will plan out my writing schedule, story and characters in advance. Having said that, I think there is definitely something to be said for the 'flying by the seat of your spontaneous pants' method of writing, as there is just such a beautiful flow.