Do you NaNoWriMo?

......or to give it its full name National Novel Writing Month. It is an annual event taking place every November to encourage those writers who always procrastinate; those who maybe start but never get around to finishing a whole novel.... which describes me quite well.

The idea is to write a whole novel in a month, just hammer it out without worry about editing or tweaking as you go. Just get the story down; beginning, middle and end (editing can come in December) 50,000 words is the target. The theory is that with thousands of people joining in and doing the same this will spur you on. There are online communities and even organised writing meetings in local coffee shops throughout the month to encourage you.

I’ve known about this event for the last few years but have always wimped out of giving it a try. “You don’t have the time” I told myself “With your full time Job, acting hobby and actually spending time with your fiancée you’ll be lucky to get 5,000 words down in a month, let alone 50,000”.

It was a poor excuse really. People who get novels published are people who find the time to write no matter how busy they are. Even if it’s just that half an hour a day before bed, or the 10 minutes between breakfast and leaving for work.

As I’ve previously stated on here I promised myself that 2012 would be the year I would try to achieve my creative aims, A career in the media is the main thrust of that but my passion for writing is also a part of it. It’s why I started this blog.

So I’m giving NaNoWriMo a go. I’m a day behind already as I didn’t really get inspired to take part this year until I saw others I knew on twitter mention it, but I’ve already got my first 1000 words down.

It would be great to make it to the 50,000 word mark. Great to finish my first novel in the space of one month, but even if I don’t, even if I only make it to 20,000 words by the 30^th November I’ll still be a lot further along in a novel than I ever have before and that in itself has to be worth taking part for.

Plus given the choice between this or a certain other November event, one that requires the growing of above the top lip facial hair, I know which I’d prefer.