My NaNoWriMo Story So Far

Back in late October 2007 I found myself entering a crowded room in a pub. I asked the first person I saw, ‘Are you part of NaNoWriMo?’ She responded by saying practically the whole room was.

I had heard about NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month to give it its full title, back in 2006, but it took me a year before I felt ready to take up the challenge. Trying to write 50,000 words in just 30 days felt like a daunting prospect. But, in 2007, I decided to go for it. And, if I was going to go for it, I felt that I should go and meet others who were also doing the same.

The people in that room in October 2007 were a varied bunch. Some had done Nano before, and some were already veterans. But they were all friendly and welcoming. I was part of a group, all facing up to the same challenge.

During November 2007 we would talk to each other online, giving each other encouragement. Through the NaNoWriMo website we could see each other’s progress, as we slowly inched closer to the finish line.

That year I passed the finish line with a day to spare. I was tired, and had found it tough going at times, but I had made it. I would definitely be back for more.

But I wanted to push myself further. 50,000 words in 30 days was a lot, but I felt I could do more. In 2008 I aimed for 125k words, but ‘only’ made it to 80k words. But a pattern started to be set.

In 2009 I wrote 101k words.

In 2010 I wrote 111.5k words.

In 2011 I wrote 160k words.

In 2012 I was challenged to write 200k, and, me being the fool that I am, agreed to take up that challenge. I also had a friend who also decided to go for 200k.

That year, she got to 50k before me, but then she slowed down. I was the first to reach the 100k milestone, and then the 150k milestone. She then started to speed up, determined to beat me. And, with just a few days to go, she reached 200k. Spurred on by this, I pushed on, and, with about an hour to spare, I made it to 200k.

I started to slow down after that, and wrote ‘just’ 150k in both 2013 and 2014. After 8 years of doing NaNoWriMo my cumulative word count has now reached 1,004,449.

Part of the ethos of NaNoWriMo is ‘quantity over quality’. During the month you’re supposed to switch off your inner editor, and not focus on how good your writing is. You’re just supposed to get the words on the page. You worry about editing after November.

But Nano has always been about more than just big wordcounts to me. Each year I write a brand new novel, with new characters. I don’t plan my novels in advance. I usually have a vague idea as to what the ending will be, but, other than that, I’m making up the plot as I go along. And the plots will often go in various directions. I’ve had background characters, literally added to the novel to make up the numbers, end up as being the main characters. And I often (but not always) write fantasy novels, and will find myself visiting a wide variety of different worlds – from a society living underground on a dessert world, to a world with a modern technologically advanced society gripped in a power struggle between three superpowers. And, every time, by 30th November, I’ve experienced a whole new story, one I wouldn’t have experienced had it not been for Nano.

None of my novels are yet in a publishable state. Whilst I would like to get published one day, and I feel I learn more about the writing process each year, if I don’t ever end up being published, I’ve still gained a lot out of NaNoWriMo. As well as experiencing a new story each year, and meeting new characters in my novels, I’ve also made a lot of friends.

I am still in regular contact with some of those people I met in that room back in 2007. And each year I get to meet new people, and make new friends. NaNoWriMo in London continues to grow each year, and there are always people joining each November, to take up the 50k challenge.

Part of what we do each year is hold write-ins, where many of us get together, normally in a coffee shop, and do a series of writing sprints together. I always get a lot written in these sprints, and I know of some people who swear by them, and wouldn’t be able to complete the challenge without them.

Everyone is encouraging at write-ins. Whilst there can sometimes be a competitive aspect, we’re all helping each other to reach our writing goals. And if someone reaches 50k words during a write-in, we always give them a round of applause (much to the confusion of everyone else in the coffee shop).

Over the years I’ve made a great many friends through NaNoWriMo. It is a warm, welcoming environment. I would never have written all the words that I have written if it weren’t for the encouragement of everyone else in Nano London. They are, without doubt, a big part of what makes NaNoWriMo fun.

This year will be my ninth NaNoWriMo. I’m not going for a big target this year, aiming for just ‘at least 50k’. But the big difference for me this year is that I will be helping to run NaNoWriMo in London. We’ll be having our kick-off party on 31st October. And they’ll be new people there, taking on the NaNoWriMo challenge for the first time.

And I’ll be there to meet them, and, alongside my fellow Municipal Liaisons, and the rest of Nano London, we’ll make sure that NaNoWriMo is a fun experience for all.

Sophie Green is an 8 times NaNoWriMo winner. By day she is a civil servant. By night she likes to read, write, watch TV, and play video games. She watched all of Doctor Who in its 50th anniversary year in 2013, and is currently watching all of Star Trek ahead of its 50th anniversary next year. She used to be known as Karl S. Green, but, in December, she regenerated and became Sophie, and feels much happier for it. You can follow Sophie’s exploits on Twitter at @SophieKGreen, and you can keep up with news from NanoLondon on Twitter at @LondonNano. Find out all the details about NaNoWriMo at www.nanowrimo.org