Three Canadian NaNoWriMo participants detail their experiences with the annual writing event and if they were able to write their 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days
By, Devon Harvey
National Novel Writing Month, NaNoWriMo for short, is an annual event where writers from around the world, both fledgling and veteran, take on the challenge of writing a 50,000-word manuscript in 30 days.
That is the equivalent of 1,667 words per day, 69 words per hour, or 1.2 words per minute.
Here are three writers that took on the NaNoWriMo challenge in the hopes of closing out November with a new manuscript:
Author J.M Frey (Courtesy of Ryan Fisher from jmfrey.net).
J.M. Frey has taken on the NaNoWriMo challenge every November for the past 18 years. She is a Canadian science fiction and fantasy writer who has published 10 novels, all of them NaNoWriMo projects.
This year, Frey is working on, “A magic realism romance about a gay dragon working to dismantle settler culture in a post-colonialist Canada while also struggling with his instincts to hoard. Thus, effectively enslave his meet-cute barista love interest.”
As a longtime NaNoWriMo participant, Frey strongly believes that the event is nothing but a benefit for writers to participate in. For her, it is the sense of social accountability and mutual suffering, “Writing is solitary, it’s lonely, and it’s frustrating, and you hate that you can’t get what’s in your head to show up on the page,” she said.
“The point of NaNo is to shut off that hate and to build yourself a bubble to protect yourself from … all of the things that keep people from just putting the damn story on the page,” said Frey.
Frey believes more than anything that she would not be the writer that she is today without NaNoWriMo, “I believe in [NaNoWriMo] and I believe in the power of storytelling so strongly that NaNo is a part of who I am, not just how I write.”
Frey’s advice was for NaNoWriMo writers’ to first figure out where, when and how they write their best. She also advised relying on NaNoWriMo community members as soundboards for ideas, voices of reason and encouragement, or to help reignite your passion for writing.
“NaNo is something I do every year and something I look forward to every year. Even if I fail, I enjoy failing immensely,”
While Frey is a seasoned NaNoWriMo participant, Daniel Perry is a first-time competitor.
Writer Daniel Perry (Courtesy of Daniel Perry).
While a published author, Perry’s journey with NaNoWriMo began on Oct. 30 when his sister mentioned that she planned to take on the challenge.
Perry’s NaNoWriMo project was inspired by the story behind the historical fiction novel Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler and Pereira Maintains, a fiction novel by Antonio Tabucchi — but with a Canadian twist.
Perry shared a similar perspective to Frey on the NaNoWriMo community, adding, “When you’re working on a novel, you’re kind of alone in the wilderness for most of it,” he said. To Perry, this was a challenge to reintroduce himself to social media and use his platforms to keep followers up to date on his progress.
Perry said his experience with NaNoWriMo was positive and something that he “really enjoyed,” as it has inspired him to continue to take on the challenge throughout the year.
Perry’s advice to all NaNoWriMo participants is not to stress the word count or the deadline and go not stop writing on Dec. 1, “I think the real point [of NaNoWriMo] is to make yourself start, to make yourself immerse and invest, and with that, you can carry forward from there,” he said.
During NaNoWriMo, writers, new and seasoned, have the opportunity to take part in events meant to encourage and help them along the way. Lisa Cai hosts some of these events for the Toronto NaNoWriMo community.
Writer Lisa Cai (Courtesy of Lisa Cai).
Cai is a published author, an active NaNoWriMo participant, and a moderator for virtual Toronto NaNoWriMo events.
Unlike most participants, Cai wrote a collection of short stories for the challenge. Rooted in science fiction and fantasy, her stories explore a world where paranormal occurrences are a part of everyday life.
Cai has been an event moderator for NaNoWriMo since 2019 and before that, she ran a weekly structured write-in. Writers would join, write, socialize, and keep the community of NaNoWriMo alive all year round.
Despite the sudden shift of NaNoWriMo to the virtual world, Cai doesn’t find the social aspect lacking, “There’s still the spirit and the community there. We talk to each other online, we talk about our progress,” she said.
Through her experiences as a NaNoWriMo participant and event moderator, Cai believes that the most crucial part of the challenge is becoming a part of the community.
“I find that the more you immerse yourself with other writers the more motivated you are, the more inspired you feel to keep writing and doing things,” she said. “Find your community, see what events they have up and you’ll be surprised at how welcoming and encouraging everyone can be.”
Cai hopes that NaNoWriMo participants remember that all that matters is that you have written the words – the editing comes in December.
“You can do it,” she says. “Lots of coffee. Lots of tears. But you can do it.”
How did these writers do?
Within this vast community of writers, you will find a collective sense of passion, frustration, perseverance, and, on Dec. 1, relief. For these three writers, NaNoWriMo came to a close in different ways.
Frey completed her 50,000 words on Nov. 26 – this is two-thirds of the way through her novel. Now, she aims to write 2,000 words a day and hopes to finish writing by the end of 2020.
On Nov. 22, Perry successfully finished his goal for the month by logging a total of 19,825 words. He admits that there are parts that he would like to change but is looking forward to beginning revisions in 2021 with fresh eyes.
Cai also finished the NaNoWriMo challenge, logging a total of 52,124 words and 21 short stories. She plans to continue writing, editing, and eventually submitting her short stories to magazines for publication.
For these three writers and the entire NaNoWriMo community, NaNoWriMo continues to inspire, challenge, and create a community where writers can share ideas, seek out support, and celebrate their successes.