WriMo: Help or Hindrance?

Now that I’m in the process of editing Ready or Not I’m getting a chance to really reflect on the benefits, or even if there are any, to participating in NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo.

For me at least, not such a wonderful thing. The motivation it provided, the impetus to get words on paper was nothing that a little determination on my own part couldn’t have achieved and the effort — even not taking it seriously and not caring if I made word count goal or not — to make the word count goal led to what I now see, as I delve into editing the results, substandard writing.

I won’t say that the project itself is a bad thing. I really think there are potential authors out there, ones with talent and good stories to tell, who lack … a certain something, perhaps self confidence, to even try to get their novel rolling. For them, it’s definitely great. For those who want a vacation from their usual writing load to just churn out any ol’ nonsense as fast as they can, it’s good. For anyone who needs that external push, or possibly just some little bar graphs showing their progress, it’s good.

For me? I’ll pass from now on. If I get another nasty bout of writer’s block I’ll simply go to the park and stare at a lake for a few hours in the sunshine. Seems to be more productive.

For those looking forward to the series, no worries, I’m fortunate enough that what I wrote is quite salvageable; I’ve no need, yet, to do any massive rewrites — just far heavier editing and more drastic rewriting of some paragraphs and pages than I did with the previous book.

Wish me luck.

And for those inclined to keep giving WriMo your time and attention, good luck yourselves and have fun. I must say, the forums were an interesting and fun distraction now and then.