… or in other words, No More National November Writing Month. I did NOT win NaNoWriMo.

Just so you’re aware, “winning” means writing 50,000 words during the month of November, not necessarily competing with anyone else. No, what a NaNoWriMo participant competes with is time, sanity, writer’s block, 9-5 day job, holidays, dear loving family members and deer collisions that total one’s car.

I did give NaNoWriMo a chance. One good week, anyway. But then I wrote myself into a corner (my outline wasn’t cemented like it should have been) and didn’t know how to get out without scrapping the almost 10,000 words over which I’d slaved.

I decided instead to think on what I’d learned and then move forward from there.

So, what writerly wisdom did I gain from my short time in NaNoWriMo? A few things:

1. I don’t have a muse. There is no future where I’ll write effortlessly, inspired by some unknown gifted force. My story will only materialize if I intentionally put my butt in chair, fingers on keyboard, and make it happen.
2. I can write well, even when I don’t feel like it. Even if I’m tired, uninspired and floundering my way through a scene, I can still make it work. Sometimes it’s even good – really good. Who knew?
3. If a scene isn’t good, it can be fixed. If it can’t be fixed, it can be scrapped.
4. There’s no such thing as perfect writing.
5. A detailed plot outline is everything. Seriously. There’s nothing worse than getting to the end of a scene and being clueless over what happens next. Ever hear of something called writer’s block? Bingo.
6. Fear blocks creativity. Forget what people think and write the truth. Sometimes the truth is uncomfortable. Write it anyway.
7. Respect the craft. Lots of people can write well. Lots of people are good storytellers. Being a good novelist combines the two and is very special.
8. Writing is a gift I give myself. It’s actually a lot like exercise; something difficult while doing, but exhilarating and rewarding when I’m done.