Do I Do NaNoWriMo This Year? – The Climb #601

Thursday 15^th October 2020

I’m debating doing NaNoWriMo this year.

My original plan was to do a rewrite of a novel. That was for a future soft external deadline… a way to get ahead of myself. However, that deadline seems to have been pushed out, and as a result I’m wondering if I should do something else instead.

One thing is for sure, I want to gear up my writing in the coming week. I’d like to make a BIG push on it into the last part of the year, whether that be a rewrite of something I’ve already written or working on something new from scratch.

As this week has proved, plans do seem to change, and this year has been non-stop change for my writing – to the point whether I’m amazed I’ve got any work done at all. But that said, I’d like to have a plan for the rest of this year. I’d like to get away from expectations of agents, editors and everyone and write something that no-one wants.

But I’d also like to get ahead of myself. Secret projects are fine, but is that time better used working on things that someone might want? It’s something I’m trying to weigh up. I want a bank of completed projects if only for my own benefit. Everything feels like it is going too slow this year, and in a year where so much is beyond our control, perhaps the only control I have is a project where I’m the only person wanting on it.

Which is why NaNoWriMo seems like a perfect idea this year. I could write something new for me. I could try a new world, try new techniques, and be free from anyone’s expectation on quality or date.

I’m still undecided though. I have a few weeks to decide.