Have You Ever Wanted to Write a Novel? Here’s Your Chance

I believe everyone has at least one great story to tell, whether it be fiction or non-fiction, but a majority of us never get that chance. Well, opportunity is knocking. November is National Novel Writing Month, and your chance to write the novel you've been dreaming about.

The object of National Novel Writing Month is to commit to, and complete, a 50,000 word novel in just 30 days. The prospect can sound daunting, but it is achievable. I've managed the feat twice.

Here's why National Novel Writing Month ("NaNoWriMo" for short) works: it's a seat of your pants approach to creative writing with built-in deadlines. On November 1st just start writing. If you have an idea of what you're writing about that's great! If not, just write anyway and see where it goes. NaNoWriMo isn't about editing. It's just about the raw act of creation.

The built-in deadlines keep you going. You know you have to keep writing every day or you'll fall behind. If you don't hit 50,000 words by November 30th at midnight, you don't win. There is no prize, and this isn't a competition. You're only competing against yourself to see if you can complete your novel. The book you write may never be published, or it could be the next best-seller. You never know until you try.

NaNoWriMo's website features pep talks, how-to's, freebies, and forums filled with hundreds of thousands of other participants trying their hand at writing a novel for the first time, or the tenth. There you can ask for help, brainstorm for inspiration, or just chat with other writers in our area. It's a great resource.

So why not give it a shot? This November write your novel during National Novel Writing Month.