HIT PLAY OR READ THE POST BELOW:

If you're on the fence about participating in National Novel Writing Month — also known as NaNoWriMo — this year, this post is for you. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is an annual challenge for authors to complete a 50,000-word manuscript during the month of November. In the weeks leading up to November, you'll likely see a lot of authors talk about their participation and prep.

While it's a really exciting time to be a writer and something that can be really invigorating to participate in, ultimately this type of challenge is not necessarily for everyone. So, today, I want to talk about some ways to figure out if you should participate and the pros and cons of doing so. I'm going to share five specific factors to keep in mind as you're wondering, “Should I do NaNoWriMo this year?”

1. Your Writing Goals

If you've been sitting on a novel idea for seemingly forever and you've just never found the time to actually put pen to paper and get the manuscript written, then perhaps the NaNoWriMo challenge could be a good reason for you to do so. It provides the framework for authors to be very disciplined and finish a draft all within a single month, so by the end of it, you can feel accomplished that you have finally completed that book you have been thinking about for however long.

That said, if you are already knee-deep in in drafting a current work in progress, or perhaps you have a finished draft and you're now in the revising stage, then NaNoWriMo might not be the perfect fit for you. That's because this challenge focuses on writing an entire manuscript from scratch rather than finishing something that is already in the works.

That said, many authors enjoy having multiple works in progress going on at the same time, so consider if sitting down and completing an entire new draft is something that would be beneficial for you and your writing priorities right now. For example, if you do have a current work in progress that you've been really stuck on, maybe it could be a good idea to get your head an entirely new project, especially if you already have an idea for the next book you want to write. Sometimes working on something else for a month or even more can then revitalize your creative energy to return to that other work in progress with a fresh perspective.

But, if you're dedicated to seeing your current project all the way through right now, then I would say sit NaNoWriMo out this year. To some degree, you want to avoid chasing the shiny new story idea because it is ultimately delaying your progress on this other work in progress that you have on deck right now.

Make sure you're being thoughtful about how you want to spend your writing time in November and where you want to direct your creative energy based on what projects you have in the works right now.

2. Your Discipline

The next factor to consider when you're asking yourself, “Should I do NaNoWriMo?” is your discipline. If you're the type of person that always meets your deadlines and you operate well under pressure, then this type of high-intensity environment could work well for you.

Ultimately, you are going to have to retain a lot of self-discipline to complete an entire manuscript draft in the month of November. This is a highly structured and time-bound challenge, so if you thrive under these intense and focused deadline-oriented settings, then it could be really productive.

The beauty of NaNoWriMo is that it puts an external pressure on you to finish a draft in a given timeframe. We know that you can write a draft of a novel at any time, but doing so within this framework gives you that accountability. You're given a deadline that you have to stick to if you want to complete the challenge.

That said, if you personally find deadlines really stressful and you burn out very quickly under a pressurized environment like this, then NaNoWriMo might not be a good fit for you. In fact, it could even end up being counterproductive and stressful, which is the last thing you want your writing practice to feel like.

3. Your Other Commitments

The next factor to consider when you're thinking about whether you should do NaNoWriMo is your other time commitments over the period of November. If you've determined that it might be something you want to participate in, take a look at your calendar and see what other things you have going on, both professional and personal, during the month of November. You want to make sure you're actually going to have enough time to complete the manuscript draft in this month — otherwise, it's likely not worth all of this effort to go into it to begin with. You might just end up feeling disappointed if you commit to the challenge and then realize halfway through that you really did not have time for this.

Are you going to take a week-long vacation in November or do you have extensive Thanksgiving holiday plans? This could impact your ability to participate in the challenge. So, note any obstacles that you see with your calendar in November, and then if you do have some things you need to work around, map out for yourself if you can still complete the challenge while taking into consideration these other obligations. For example, will you be able to dedicate an hour or two to writing every single day in November, or are you going to set aside large chunks of time over the weekends?

It can be really helpful for you to understand approximately how many words you can write in a given writing session as you're mapping out how you're going to complete 50,000 words over 30 days. This equates to around 1,667 words per day, though of course you could double up and write more on one day and not on another day — you want to allow yourself the flexibility and wiggle room in case something comes up and you don't end up getting to write on certain days. Mapping out how many words you need to write during your dedicated writing sessions can be a really helpful way for you to stick to the challenge and complete it.

4. Your Writing Style

The next consideration to keep in mind if you are on the fence about whether you should do NaNoWriMo is your personal writing style. Because of the really intense setting in which you're writing the novel, NaNoWriMo traditionally has lent itself more toward “pantsers,” which are writers who write their novels in a more freeform manner rather than planning out every single plot point in detail.

That said, plotters should not totally write NaNoWriMo off; it still could work well for you, particularly if you are able to complete your outline before the month of November begins. Actually, in the official rules of NaNoWriMo, you can have any prep material you want completed prior to November 1. The rule is just that any words that are in the manuscript itself must be written in the month of November.

So, you can go ahead and create a detailed outline in October if you have the ability and time to do so. Then, in the month of November, all you really have to do is put pen to paper.

But beyond the conversation of pantsers versus plotters, also think about if you personally are able to maintain a steady writing practice consistently over the course of a month. Are you the type of writer who sits down at least one time a week or multiple times a week for writing sessions? Or are your writing sessions a bit more sporadic, and maybe you go a couple of weeks in between without writing anything at all? Both methods are completely valid. However, if you are a bit more sporadic with your writing practice, then NaNoWriMo might be a challenge because again, you really do have to stick to a pretty strict schedule.

5. Your Desire for Community

There is a very large social aspect to participating in NaNoWriMo; once you sign up on the official website, you will have access to a vast array of forums where you can interact with other participants. There are online events and even local in-person meetings. There are social events as well as write-ins, where you are all sitting down together to write over the same period of time.

If you really value and want to build your own writing network, NaNoWriMo could be a great way to do so — not only to make friends online but also potentially in your local community. What better way to bond with fellow writers than to go through this intense experience together and commiserate over it?

You'll also likely see a lot of authors posting on social media about their progress throughout the month with NaNoWriMo. They'll share how far they've made it in their current draft and encourage you to do the same. So, if you want to embark on this type of journey with the support of a huge network of authors across the country and world, then it really is a great opportunity. In fact, last year more than 400,000 authors participated globally in NaNoWriMo, so if you are planning to participate, you’re in great company.

I hope this helped you answer the question, “Should I do NaNoWriMo?” based on your current writing practice and goals. Thanks so much for reading and happy writing!