I do so enjoy NaNo.

If by chance you do not know of NaNo, it is the National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. NaNo for short.

The month of November spent writing a 50,000 word novel. There is also Camp NaNoWriMo, during April and July, where the goal is more adjustable.

You lock up your Inner Editor and just write. Then you go back and do the real work. There is a large worldwide community, often local meet ups, and it is just all kinds of fun.

Without NaNo, I would not have any original material to speak of. It has shown me I have some measure of discipline (fleeting though that is once it is over). And it has given me confidence in my writing.

It has shown me I am not alone in my craziness about being a writer. There are many others similarly afflicted and we quite enjoy it. Not to mention the resources and help.

I wish I had started earlier, but I am glad I did. My first NaNo, I signed up late on October 31st with no idea what I was going to write. Needless to say, I did not win. But the bug bit and I have been doing it ever since.

It has loosened me up to just write and have fun with it. To explore genres I might not have and to find my tribe.