Hey everyone! November National is Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). If you’ve never heard of it, it’s when writers all over the world try to write a novel in just 30 days. NaNoWriMo is how I got into writing novels in the first place, and I’m here to tell you why you should give it a try!
It all started when my mom gathered my sister and a bunch of her friends to teach them how to outline a novel for NaNoWriMo. I decided to join in, and my story idea was based on this funny little character from my math book, Math Expressions: a puzzled penguin who always messed things up. I thought, “Why not make him the star of his own story?”
Now, I really wanted to learn to play violin at the time, and my mom told me, “Finish your novel, and you can start violin lessons.” So, I sat down and wrote a little bit each week, one paragraph at a time. By the time I was done, I had written an entire novel (and was able to start my violin lessons)! That’s when I realized writing a novel wasn’t as hard as I thought, and I wanted to do it again.
Here are some tips for writers of all ages:
Keep Writing, Even After November: NaNoWriMo is the kickoff, but it’s okay if you don’t finish by the end of the month. Just keep going, one day at a time.
Write One Paragraph a Day: This was a game-changer for me. Writing just one paragraph a day helps you stay in the story and keeps it fresh in your mind. Most days you end up writing a lot more than a paragraph, but having a low goal is easy to achieve, and some days I'd only write one paragraph.
Start with an Outline: Outlines make everything easier. I had an adult look through mine to make sure there weren’t any big plot holes. I planned out what my character wanted in each chapter and what obstacles they’d face.
Don’t Worry About Perfection: Think of a novel as a bunch of short stories all about the same thing. You can fix stuff later. The important part is to keep writing and have fun with it.
Here’s the thing: writing isn’t just about the story you end up with. It’s about proving to yourself that you can do it. Knowing that you can tackle hard things like writing a novel, opens your mind to what else you’re capable of.
Ready to jump in? Check out the NaNoWriMo Young Writers Program for kids and the main NaNoWriMo site for parents and adult writers. They have fantastic tools to get you started and keep you motivated.
So, what story ideas do you have? Who’s your main character, and what do they want? Let me know if you’re curious about writing or want me to share more tips. I’d love to help you keep writing. As always, keep on shivering!
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