NaNoWriMo's Resources for Fiction Writers
Forums Provide A Wealth of Writing Advice for Novelists
Sep 5, 2008
National Novel Writing Month
NaNoWriMo started in 1999, the brainchild of San Francisco writer Chris Baty. Together with 21 of his friends, he set out to write a novel in a month: 50,000 words in 30 days. The focus was on quantity, not quality. The goal was to silence the inner critic and just get words down on the page.
Since then, NaNoWriMo has grown to an international writing event. In 2007 there were over 100,000 participants. There is no entry fee, no prize, and no judge. You simply register on the NaNoWriMo website, and enter your word count as you go. The prize is the novel manuscript you'll hold in your hands at the end.
NaNoWriMo has created a fantastic community of writers. And anyone can connect with these writers on the Writer's Forums.
Writers' forums
Forums, also known as message boards, are easy to use. If you're new to social networking online, it might take you a little while to figure out how to navigate. The NaNoWriMo website has a great summary of forum etiquette to get you started.
You don't need to be registered with NaNoWriMo to browse the forums, but you must register if you want to post.
Character and Plot Q&A Forum
Say you're writing a story about a teenage girl, but you realise don't know anything about teenage girls. The character and plot forum might be a good place to look for details. You can post questions, like “What kind of music would a 13-year-old girl listen to?” Or you can browse through the list of postings, hoping to find something relevant.
Or what if you want to have a character experience something you've never done, like rock climbing, deep sea diving, or crossing Mongolia by train? Chances are someone on the forums has tried this and can help you out.
Advice ranges from the technical (ie how exactly does 3rd person omniscient narrator work?) to the practical (ie how long would it take to drive from downtown Vancouver to Burnaby in rush hour traffic?).
Many writing genres
Whatever fiction genre you write in, you'll find something useful in the Genre Forums. The genres represented include Mystery, Historical Fiction, Chick Lit, Literary Fiction and Religious, Spiritual and New Age Fiction. Plot and character tips specific to each genre can be found here.
An impressive list of experts
With so many writers from different backgrounds and parts of the world, the NaNoWriMo community boasts a wealth of experts in a wide array of subjects. In the expert forum, you'll find a list of expert categories and the person to contact. If you have a question on Ancient Egypt, Dentistry, Guinea Pigs, or Mormonism, this is the place to look.
Reaching the goal
In the 'Reaching the 50,000 Mark' forum, writers offer tips and tricks for completing the task. Advice includes how to avoid distractions, how to eat while writing, how to pace yourself, and when to call for help.
This forum is a great place to turn for a little morale boost when your motivation for writing slows down.
And so much more
There are also forums on excellent procrastination methods, critiques and novel swaps, role playing and general discussions of the writing life. There are Regional Forums where you can connect with writers in your geographical area.
With so much on offer, it's worth signing up for NaNoWriMo. Even if you don't complete a novel, there's lots to be gained from joining this inspiring writers' community.
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