For those not in the know NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month and it started today November 1. It runs through the 30th and the people participating are attempting to write 50,000 during those 30 days.

Now that sounds like a lot and it is, but it is a doable goal with dedication and the willingness to chain your inner editor in the basement and let the words flow unimpeded. I have a number of writing friends taking part and I hope each and every one of them wins, hitting and exceeding their goal.

I am not taking part. I tried it once several years ago and it did not agree with my style of writing. That’s not to say it is bad, anything that gets the words on paper is generally a good thing. For me it really comes down to two things.

1) I have already gotten my self-discipline down where I can produce as needed. I have just finished my 8th novel and frankly it wasn’t hard. It has been more than 10 years since I started a novel without completing it. (That doesn’t mean the novels written in those ten years were all good. They weren’t, but they were all finished.)

2) My day-job hits it insane busy period right now. Luckily it is not retail sales who are also starting to see more and more work. (Hopefully) This is when the most applications come to my company and for me that means 10 hours a day 4 or 5 days a week and often half days on Saturday.

No tears. I get paid well and I am very happy doing it. But I am also happy that I finished my latest novel a few weeks ago and I have no writing pressure on me.

So good luck to those flying at the keyboards, I salute you.