30 Reasons for 30 Days

Yep, it's that time of year again. Signups and the forums are now reopened for the insanity that is National Novel Writing Month, more affectionately known as Nanowrimo. You too can sign up to write 50,000 words in one month; that's only 1,667 words a day. It's not too difficult. The key is to JUST DO IT! :)

(Reposted from 10/08/04; original taken from the Nanowrimo Forums)

Thirty Reasons for Thirty Days

Why you [yes, you!] should participate in National Novel Writing Month!

1. Completing a novel (or for some, even starting a novel) is one more thing to cross off the life goals list.
2. Camaraderie with people are suffering the same pains at the same time as you are is so wonderful.
3. Nanowrimo forums! Links to really awesome website, games, etc.
4. It's another excuse to sit in front of the computer (or notebook) and gulp mass quantities of caffeine.
5. The realization that, contrary to popular belief, you are not the busiest person in the world, even with Nanowrimo.
6. If you've never written a paper in one night (or two, or three) before, you eventually will. Nanowrimo is good practice.
7. If you're still in school, you can procrastinate writing by doing homework. The opposite procrastination technique works equally well. If you're not in school, you can procrastinate in this way by doing something that you should actually be doing, such as laundry or taking out the trash.
8. Nanowrimo t-shirts to buy so you can declare your insanity to the world.
9. If you break 50,000 words before 30 November and get it verified, you get a super-cool certificate and winner's icon.
10. Even if you don't finish, you can still brag by saying, "I'm writing a novel this month. What are you doing?"
11. Haven't you ever wanted to answer "How are you?" with a number?
12. Most people [cough...teachers] say, "Write about this topic." With Nanowrimo, any imaginable topic can be your novel, even butt-kicking pirates from Jupiter. [Hey, there's an idea...]
13. It's a chance to let your inner critic loose for thirty days. Let a typo become a part of your novel. Invent swear words for your characters to use. Watch what comes out when you don't have an inner critic to stop you.
14. It only truly costs time, sanity, and social life.
15. How long it takes for cyanide to kill someone? What kind of knives did the Greeks use? Get the answers from fellow Wrimos.
16. The number one reason that people don't pass 50,000 words is because [surprise!] they don't begin. If you write just one measly word, you're ahead of more than half the Wrimos who signed up in 2003.
17. Thousands of people around the world--different everything--participate. They share a love of writing...and their ideas with you.
18. Just because your character is stuck doesn't mean that you have to be. Use a deus ex machina or a snide reference to whatever you want. Kill your main character if you want to. Just get your novel out of that block!
19. Your participation will mock those authors who take a lot more time writing novels. Those novels are typically much better novels, but it really is possible to write a draft in a month.
20. Allow others around you to question your sanity [assuming they don't already question it, that is.]
21. You can become a hermit for thirty days...or at least while you're writing. This excuse will only work for a month at a time, though.
22. You can threaten someone with, "If you don't [annoying action], I'll write you into my novel and kill you there!"
23. It helps you to realize the value of sleep.
24. Writing a novel is an excuse not to go out with friends or to that annoying event that you just can't stand going to.
25. The adrenaline rush that comes along when you've just written 1500 words in an hour is wonderful. Nanowrimo should be a drug.
26. Nanowrimo gives you an opportunity to improve your typing or scribbling skills without those boring lessons.
27. Even though you're procrastinating on something, you're also learning the art of time management.
28. There's a story in your head that must come to life. If it doesn't, those characters will hate you forever.
29. It's fun!
30. It really is possible.Are you convinced yet? Good. Go to http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and sign up today. Actual novel-writing begins 1 November 2006, local time. Good luck!

Ah, yes. Feel free to pass this list around. Just pass around the material in its entirety. And when you do sign up, do let me know so we can cheer each other on and bug each other about word count!