Have you ever heard of NaNoWriMo? November is National Novel Writing Month. When one participates in NaNoWriMo, the goal is this: “On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30”.
The goal is not necessarily to complete a polished masterpiece in 30 days, but to serve as a launching point and to give you a public goal of getting your first draft, or at least the first 50k words of one, down on paper. Seem a little too daunting?
Maybe you feel more comfortable tackling one of the dozens of “write a novel in 90 days” programs? Many of these challenges get your idea all the way from brain to market in just three short months. Does this time frame still seem a little too rushed for you?
There are authors out there who can crank out a novel every six months or so. So if you can’t even get one measly novel written over the course of a full year, what good are you as a writer?
PLENTY.
Your worth as a writer and value as an author are NOT determined by how quickly you can crap out a book. There is no defined timeline you are required to follow in order to qualify as an author, no matter what anyone says.
If these fast-track programs work for you, that’s fantastic! Or maybe it works for one of your novels, but not the next. I’m not knocking these challenges in the least. But they won’t work for EVERYONE and they won’t necessarily work ALL OF THE TIME. The issue arises when writers, especially first-time novelists, feel they have to finish their book within a specific time frame. If they don’t, they often become discouraged. Has that ever happened to you?
Guess what? I have a life outside of my writing. I’ll give you a moment to compose yourselves after the shock……
I’m sorry for putting you through that emotional distress. Unless, of course, you have a life too. Writing is my passion and I do it as often as I can. But I also have a day-job. And a child. And, dare I say it, other interests!
I have a few novel ideas (get it? NOVEL cuz they are good ideas, but cuz they are also concepts for NOVELS! I’ll stop now. Please forgive me.), but there is one that I have been focusing on first. I also have other writing-related projects I’m working on, along with other interests that I work into my days as time permits.
For a long time I would guilt myself for working on anything but my novel. And you may have realized already that guilt is not the best motivator. It often turns into a vicious cycle where you feel guilty for not producing, but then can’t produce because you are depressed from the guilt trip you are subjecting yourself to.
Personally, I prefer to have multiple writing projects going simultaneously. If I hit a snag on one piece, I can switch to another. I like to write in various styles as well – short stories, flash fiction, poems (not nearly as often), etc. I also enjoy entering contests, responding to Twitter prompts, and working on my blog and author platform across social media.
I recently started Alpha and Beta reading for others and discovered a true passion for it. I intend on offering these services soon to a broader audience, so stay tuned!
In addition to simply enjoying various styles and genres, I’ve found that shorter pieces of writing keep me motivated while working on my long-term novel goals. Not only are contests and shorter stories excellent practice, but I get quick gratification. The consistent sense of accomplishment goes a long way in pushing me ever forward.
Aside from reading and writing, I like to play games. Video games, apps on my phone, board games and so on. I like all things artsy, so do many crafting and design projects. Most of these take a backseat to my writing as it is my favorite thing to do, but it’s not the ONLY thing I like to do.
I know that all of these other projects are slowing down my novel’s progress, but THAT IS OK! I was pushing myself to finish the book quickly, not only for myself, but because I felt pressured by the internet to do so. I would find myself wondering things like, “What will people say two years from now if I STILL haven’t finished that novel I keep talking about?”
It took a lot of self-reflection before I finally came to the conclusion that I don’t care anymore. It’s MY book and I can finish it whenever I see fit and it’s no one else’s business how long it takes. I’ll never turn down reminders and encouragement from friends and family, but to let myself be pressured by invisible internet entities is just stupid.
Again, I know the fast-track programs have good intentions and that they work for a lot of people. But I have a lot going on personally and professionally right now, so to push myself too hard will do nothing to ease my stress. Life happens and you gotta go with the flow.
It’s ok to go at your own pace. I am no less dedicated and no less of a writer because my novel is not always my number one priority. I’m just as serious about my writing as others – my perseverance is simply spread over many works.
“Life is a journey, not a destination.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson
Now don’t go running back to your friends or family or other supporters and say, “Diana said I don’t have to work hard on my novel, so quit pushing me.” You need to spend time thinking about WHY your progress is slow.
Life shouldn’t be an excuse to not write if writing is your passion. You still need to make time and you still need to actually write, even when you don’t feel like it. If you are procrastinating, you need to find out why (check out my article, “Top 5 Fears of Writers and How to Vanquish Them”) so that you can do something about it.
Once I gave myself permission to be ok with taking longer to finish my novel than what others may feel is an appropriate length of time, I felt a huge weight lifted. Working on what I want, when I want, has been so liberating!
I still have deadlines, whether self-imposed or not. And I do my best to get as much writing time in that I can. But if I miss a day, or if it takes years to finish my novel, I refuse to beat myself up about it.
Writing any poem, story, novel or anything else is only a race if you make it one. You are the Main Character in your own writing adventure. Make the most of it!
Most people have dreams – that’s plural. I’m not chasing after just one target. Setting multiple goals is both healthy and rewarding.
I have grown so much over my writing journey thus far and my goals have expanded throughout the process. I’ve discovered more interests and have met some amazing people. I’d rather have a lot of smaller victories over time to keep me going along the slower more scenic route to each goal. If I exhaust myself by racing to the finish line, the accomplishment may be less satisfying and I’d risk missing all the joys and opportunities along the way.
I’m in it for the long haul. If you are too, I encourage you to enjoy the ride, no matter which road it takes you down.