1 month in the year, 30 days of imagination gone wild and a 50,000 words peak to climb. It’s November again. National Novel Writing Month is here – NaNoWriMo for us, avid writers dedicated to the annual quest. Time to sharpen my pen, clear my mind, brew tons of tea and wait for my witching – ahem, writing hour. While I write throughout the year, November is special, because I put writing front and centre. For the 30 days of NaNoWriMo my writing journey and the path my characters lead me down comes first – at least most days when my day job plays ball. I can’t wait to see where I will be led this year and who I will meet on the way.
I first discovered NaNoWriMo in 2011 when I was trying to make progress with my first book, Celtic Forest. With my own insecurities causing me to doubt my writing every step of the way, I knew I had to try something new.
Halloween at that point still hadn’t really caught on in Vienna, but the idea of a midnight write-in on October 31st seemed like a fun adventure. So I showed up in front of a closed, old bookstore in the historic city centre, not really sure how to get inside. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one. Three other young writers were nervously loitering outside.
“Did the description say something about a doorbell to ring?”
“Was there a number we should call?”
We were all equally mystified. And apparently equally unprepared. Beyond the stacks of cloth-bound books in the store window, we only saw the dark backs of rows of shelves. Not a soul stirred in the shadows. Wringing our freezing hands, we stood in a deserted alley, the cobblestones under our feet dusted in snow and our breaths painting silver clouds into the air lit by the stark light from the streetlamps.
A faint light flickered in the darkness.
A witch with a pointed hat and black cloak slipped through rows of books to appear in the store window. She smiled at us with dark eye shadow, slitted eyes and green lips. “Here for the write-in?” she asked with a grin, opened the door and led our trio up the backstairs to a reading room. The small space was dark, and crammed with old wooden bookshelves. A table with piled high with candy – brain fuel for the witching hour.
Vampires, ghosts, cats and more witches – some with very eccentric fashion choices – huddled around five reading desks. More wide-eyed writers sprawled on chairs or pillows lit by either their computer screens or the warm glow of lanterns flickering throughout the room. We were welcomed into the fold with shy smiles and curious stares accompanied by the furious clacking of fingers on keyboards. We had arrived in the middle of a wild 10 minute word sprint.
And just like that, I had found my tribe. Souls of all colours who wrote stories as vibrant and different as our personalities. And when they got stuck, they didn’t freeze or run circles in their mind. Instead, they called vampire rabbits and zombie pirates into battle to smash through the block. I loved their fierceness, heart and irreverence to having to get anything right when it comes to writing. Because during NaNoWriMo, the goal is simply to write – no judgement on the amount of substance included. After all, the best stories start as random plot bunnies hopping into your life when you least expect it.
Since that first write-in, I’ve lived in several different countries, finished my studies, started a career and written two books. Yet every year NaNoWriMo remains a constant companion. An old friend which reveals new facets each year. Each November I attempt to hit 50,000 words – and sometimes I even manage to. But beyond that, I cherish the people I have met through NaNoWriMo, the stories they have told me and the adventures I’ve experienced with them. I can’t wait to get to know the Seattle community of writers which comes together each year to lose themselves in their own words. I’m also curious to see what my characters and story have in store for me this time around. While I’m writing this year, I also want to record some of the great moments I’ve experienced with NaNoWriMo so far. Who knows, maybe one of you might find the magic of it intriguing enough to try it yourselves this year. It’s never to late – after all it’s all about getting pen to paper, for however many words you can manage. Above all else, it should be fun to write 😊
Photo credit: Ylanite Koppens
Vivette Hauser 