NaNoWriMo and Books & Family Sunday
November is one of those amazingly busy months. First, there’s
NaNoWriMo. If you aren’t familiar with the term, here’s a quick overview:
NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month and it involves a personal
challenge to complete 50,000 words toward a novel of your choice within thirty
days. To some, that may sound daunting; to others, a challenge worth taking!
For years, I’ll admit, I was part of that first camp. Back then, I only wrote shorter
pieces, and then, only when I was inspired by something. Now, I’ve graduated to
novel-length works and this year I decided to embark on my first NaNoWriMo
adventure!
I must say that it hasn’t been easy! Coming to your computer
each day and writing something—anything, just for the sake of increasing your
word count is harder than I thought it would be, but it’s worth it! I’ve always
been a firm believer in accountability, which is why I always encourage writers
to have a writing partner or to participate in a writers’ group. In the month
of November, NaNoWriMo provides a safe space for both of these things to
happen! There aren’t only opportunities to find like-minded authors, but there
are regional and local events abound to meet other NaNo participates. I highly
recommend checking it out! You can find all of the information you’ll need and
much more at the NaNoWriMo website.
Of course, while you’re still in the fray of your NaNoWriMo
challenge, Thanksgiving will sneak right up on you! Personally, I find this to
be the best time of year to take a few moments to reflect on everything you’ve
accomplished and all of the things you’d like to work on in the future. It’s a
day for acknowledging all that you’re grateful for, and if you’re so inclined,
for feasting and eating excessive amounts of pumpkin pie (which is an
all-year-round struggle for me!).
Black Friday, of course, is next on the
chopping block, followed by Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday. It can
become a whirlwind of shopping and stressful moments, which is why I think Alan
Bourgeois, The founder of Texas Association of Authors and Indie Beacon, is
encouraging people to take back the Sunday after Thanksgiving from the
marketing and retail outlets and make it a day for family and friends to gather
together, relax, and enjoy one or more great books. I think this is an amazing
idea, and if we, as a culture, embrace Books
& Family Sunday, we’ll be in great company, as this has been a
beautiful Icelandic
tradition for years!
So I say, be grateful, eat up, do tons of shopping, and then
be sure to grab a great read for yourself and your family and friends, and then
curl up on Sunday to read, reflect, and prepare for the upcoming Christmas
Season!
Cheers!
Winter
