While I do have absolutely serious problems with what came to light with the people running NaNoWriMo this year, that is not what this post is about.
I've never participated in the annual competition, mainly for two reasons. There's no reason to do it, and it lends itself to terrible writing.
Trying to write a set number of words in a month is problematic. With a goal of 50,000 words in a 30 day month, writers must write an average of 1,600 to 2,000 words per day. If a person is not able to write every day, they will find themselves with a bulky task on the days they are able to find the time to take the time to write.
I have written a 3,000 word short story in a single day before, and I assure you, it was not written well. Even though I thought I had it done and ready to submit, when I looked it again after a few days (a simmer is best after a writing session), it was not ready for anything but solid editing.
When I wrote my first fiction novel, I had so much fun, I wrote the first draft in three months. This followed two nonfiction history books that each took a full year due to the amount of research I had to do.
That first draft I wrote over the course of one summer was, I thought, a great story and well-written. Then I let it simmer. Rereading it, I realized that although the story was good, the draft of the book itself was not.
And that was over the course of three months. I wrote every afternoon and took weekends off. I have since rewritten that first draft eight times and now it has been in the hands of an editor over the course of the last year.
Attempting to write as many words as possible in thirty days is ridiculous. In the rush to complete such a task, the writing itself will suffer. The old saying "quality over quantity " is incredibly true when it comes to writing. I know of several well-known authors who have discussed this topic. Most of them say they write 2-6 pages per day and then walk away from the computer. (These days, anyway)
Peter Straub, author of Shadowland and Floating Dragon, as well as co-writing The Talisman and Black House with Stephen King, wrote his early books longhand, in notebooks. When he had gone through and edited them several times, he typed them out.
We don't often appreciate where our art came from, and how our revered authors accomplished what they did. I doubt Melville set a goal of 5,000 words per day when writing Moby Dick.
Writing is an art form. A painting isn't completed in a single day, and neither is a book. When you begin a novel, or short story, or poem, understand you are taking on a project that will take a long time to complete. From first keystroke to last day of editing, there will be frustration, anger, doubt. But there will be joy, wonder, excitement as well. Art is an act of love, and if you don't love writing, it's not for you.
Forcing yourself to write as many words as possible is the best way to forget your passion for storytelling of which I can think.
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