NaNoWriMo: Why I’m Participating in 2020

NaNoWriMo is every aspiring author’s favorite time of year. Myself? I’ve always thought about participating, but have never pulled the trigger. Between work and life, the wall of 1667 words per day always felt impassable.

This is the year!

What’s so special about 2020? Let’s face it:  NOTHING! I don’t have less work. My life is no less busy. But, this is the year I’ve decided to pursue writing as a full-time career. I’m not quite close yet–I can’t just up and quit a stable full-time job, leaving my family on a single income. That would be irresponsible (and stressful).

What I can do is get the ball rolling.

My entire life, becoming a writer has been a dream. And only that. A far off dream, as unlikely as it is exciting–like becoming an astronaut or a super-star athlete. This year, the inescapable 2020, is the first time that I’ve actually committed to pursuing a career in writing. I created an author’s website, I started a novel, I submitted my first story for publication ever, I participated in two writing contests, I’ve listened to 10 seasons of Writing Excuses during my daily commute.

Thanks to years of NYC Midnight Writing Contests and lots of reading, I know I’m already a fairly decent writer–just check out my short stories and see for yourself! However, like most of you writers out there, I have plenty of room to improve and tend to get in my own way between work, life, and that ever-present inner critic/imposter syndrome.

Which brings me to NaNoWriMo…

It isn’t just a fun quest to 50k words. It’s a habit-builder! It teaches you to write every day, whether you’re in the mood or not, to turn-off your internal editor and let the words pour off your fingers, to set and accomplish writing goals.

These may not seem like much, but in an era with so many feasible routes to publication (traditional, self-publishing, blogs, the entire internet), one of the biggest obstacles preventing writers from becoming authors is actually doing the writing. Developing these skills into habits is a massive leap in the right direction.

On top of that, it’s 2020… with the added stress and anxiety from a global pandemic, racial injustice, a contentious election. I don’t know about you, but I need an escape. What better place to go than my own invented story? Where I can block out the noise, explore my feelings with the status of the world, and simply have some good old lighthearted fun.

So, if you’re a writer aspiring to become an author like me, do yourself a favor… Sign up for NaNoWriMo 2020. Add me as a buddy if you want. Let’s take that leap together. See you on the other side of 50k.

-K2