NaNoWriMo is when a bunch of writers get together on the internet and in real life (sometimes) to write 50k (or more) during the month of November.  That’s the official paraphrased definition of NaNoWriMo.

The first question I always get asked is, why? Followed by, are you crazy?

No – well, maybe.

NaNoWriMo is about connecting with other writers and pushing ourselves to new heights  we didn’t know we could reach. It’s about having fun harmless competitions over word count and how crappy our writing was that day. It’s about writing complete BS, and complaining about it with a smile on your face, because you freaking put words on paper.  Most importantly I think it’s about taking back our creativity, in the face of the lives that we have to live, and running off writer’s block with pitchforks and torches.

Most of us come out of Novemeber with first drafts that are complete garbage, it’s OK.  We got the story out, no matter how difficult and tiresome, and now we can actually do things with it.  You can edit and rewrite a manuscript, but you can’t do such with a blank page.

NaNoWriMo is about embracing your creativity, with all its imperfections.

It’s about connecting with supportive and completely relatable community of fellow writers.

It’s about finally finishing a story.

Ultimately, NaNoWriMo is about changing that ‘aspiring writer’ in your bio to ‘writer’.

You wrote something, you are a writer.

Congrats.