For y’all doing NaNoWriMo: May the writing gods have mercy on your soul.
Written November 1, 2020
For the plebs who are sitting unaware of what NaNoWriMo is, NaNoWriMo stands for “National Novel Writing Month”, and you’d never guess what it’s all about.
I myself won’t be participating because I don’t wish to put that kind of pressure on my being, and I don’t have a novel prepped for it. I also value myself so… (I say in jest. I obviously don’t. I’m a teenager in the 21st century, self value is for those who have dignity).
Having never participated in– do I have to write it again? The Thing. I have never done The Thing, thus I cannot speak for how effective it is or how much it leads to burnout. For some it’s extremely beneficial, for others it’s a hassle, and some fear it. Knocking out 50k words in a month is commendable, something to be celebrated and respected, but when it comes to the overall creative process, how efficient is crunching word counts?
When is crunching word counts beneficial?
It’s primarily useful for professionals; for those who have a strict deadline looming over their heads like an anvil. These people don’t have a choice, so, I hope that they do get used to it (otherwise, yikes). They’re still human and not immune to burnout.
I’m separating “burnout” from “writer’s block” in the sense that burnout directly relates to over-working yourself.
Getting a hefty amount of work done in a small amount of time is obviously productive, and here in the US, where our worth is measured by our output, this is a decidedly good thing. You get the damn draft over with. One could be an over-planner, or they detest drafting, or they have been putting off writing the book of their heart for far too long and this is the kick in the ass they need.
When is crunching word counts harmful?
Burnout. It’s easy to neglect yourself when you’re so hyper focused on getting something done. When one should be relaxing with easy entertainment of choice, they’re by the computer slamming in that last couple hundred words. Do this often enough, with enough distaste for doing it, and you have yourself a toxic cocktail of “I really don’t wanna fuckin’ write.”
One doesn’t necessarily lead to the other, but it’s something to be weary of.
So?
Make sure to treat yourself to as much sunshine as you can get. Take the time to enjoy the simple things in life. Watch that show. Respect your boundaries.
Remember, you have time. If you’re writing a novel for yourself, and only yourself, take the time to enjoy it. It doesn’t have to be a businesses yet, so don’t treat it like one. Do as much as you can do then go from there; it’ll help you far more in the long run to be economical now and have a person left to finish the project.
Keep on truckin’ at the pace you wish, always taking stops and enjoying the scenery.
I know this means so much coming from a not-a-one such as myself, but sometimes it just takes some words on a magic screen (I don’t know, man. I like to think it’s magic. Let me have this.) to tell you something you already know for it to stick. Until next time, don’t die.
~ Jay
J. V. Montague 