Event Review
"Most Amount of People Leaving After Two Days"
Location: Your computer
Rating: 
This
event was great!! I would do it again exactly the same!
What is the purpose or reason for the event?
A bunch of friends were open to crazy ideas in 1999, and they set out to write a novel in a month. Some succeeded, others didn't, and those that did made it an international phenomenon of 30 days of literary abandonment!
Describe the event.
NaNoWriMo (NAtional NOvel WRIting MOnth) takes place every November, and the purpose is to write a 50,000 word novel before the clock strikes 12:00.00 on December 1. To partake in it, one creates an account on the offical website (www.nanowrimo.org), prepares a rough outline of the story (if so desired), and once midnight strikes on November 1st, said participant start the crazy endeavor of writing a novel in 30 days.
Which 3 features, good or bad, stand out about the event?
1. The community. NaNoWriMo has a strong, supportive community of fellow writers online (there are forums on the website to discuss how the month is going). Online, you get to chat with friends and fellow writers, get to meet them at local write-ins set up by MLs, and encourage other participants to keep writing no matter how behind the word count one may be.
2. Your novel. If you so choose to embark on this crazy journey, you come to know, create, love, and hate the product that is shaping to be your novel (though hopefully love is the dominant emotion). For a month, you get to shirk all worldly responsibilities (to an extent) and dive into your imagination. The longer you write, the more you become involved in your story arc. Writing my book was one of the most fun, freeing, and wonderfully daunting tasks I've ever done, and I can't wait to do it again next year (or in April for Script Frenzy!)!
3. "WINNING." You don't get a medal, you don't get a trophy, nor do you receive official recognition for completing your novel, but winning NaNoWriMo this year was one of the most exhilarating moments I've ever experienced. How many of you have ever said you've wanted to write a novel when you get the chance? Well, the chance has come. You're always going to be busy, except now you have a deadline for your book, and dog gone it, you can do it. Thousands have won over the last eleven years, and it is very satisfying to be able to call yourself a novelist when you surpass the 50K word count and tie all loose ends of your book as you write those final words of your story.
What is your favorite memory/story from the event?
Winning! I was on a Literary Cloud 9 when I saw my word count surpass 50,000, and I was even more happy when I realized that I actually had a pretty decent rough draft!
What advice would you give someone who wanted to go an event like this?
1. Don't give up if you start! 50,000 words may seem daunting, but trust me, if you meet your daily word count (1667 a day), the task of writing the first draft of your novel is very do-able. It only takes an hour a day : )
2. Ignore your Inner Editor! Lock it up and throw away the key (for the month of November, at least). The point of NaNoWriMo is not to write the Great American Novel; it is to write a decent first draft of the book you've been longing to write, so go ahead and be willing to get messy.
3. Read the pep talks. Many times this month my brain was fried from writing, and sometimes I really wanted to quit, but those pep talks (one came from Lemony Snickett) are a great motivation.
4. Get a copy of Chris Baty's (the founder of NaNoWriMo) book "No Plot? No Problem!" It is a great beginner's or veteran's guide to this month of madness and literary abandonment, and if you feel like you're stuck, it's a great help.
5. Create an outline of your story. You don't have to, but Week 2 is rough (reality sinks back in) and having a good idea of where you want your story to go is a great help to any writer.
If you could do this event again, what would you change?
I would actually meet my word count every day ^_^"
Is this event appropriate for people under 13 years old?
Yes
Is there anything else you wanted to say about this event?
Fun Fact: A 50,000 word novel is about 175 pages. Other novels around this length include, but are not limited to, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger.
About the Reviewer
What was your reason for attending this event?
Because I've always wanted to write a novel, and this was a good kick in the pants to make that dream reality!
If you could go to any event in the world, where would it be?
Christmas at the Vatican
Thank you for reading this review! What did you think? Did the author convince you to read the book or not? Do you agree or disagree with this review? Why? Please be respectful in your response!
