My 2009 Nano Novel Sgraffito - Wordle

This time last year I was well into the swing of preparing for Nanowrimo. I had the index cards, the coloured pens, the story board and a half written outline. I’d studied the Snowflake method (although I didn’t use it). I’d downloaded YWriter (which incidentally is a very fine piece of freeware for those of us still chained to PCs and without benefit of Scrivener). I’d got the coffee , cheese and chocolate supplies. I’d laid down the house rules to family and friends and I’d organised my writing space. In short I was PREPARED. I was also a tiny (as in big TINY) but nervous that I wouldn’t make it to the finish line. As it turned out I did but that’s another story.

This year I will be a pantster as well as a Nano-Rebel which means although I’ll be aiming for the overall target, I won’t necessarily be writing a novel this year. I have absolutely nothing prepared and only the vaguest notion of what I’m going to do and I have absolutely no time available to do anything about it. So why bother? Why put myself through the nightmare of trying to churn out 50,000 words or in my case 60,000 ? (see A Personal Challenge Goes Public). If I knew the fully formed answer to that I’d be happy to share it.

The fact is I rather enjoy it. I enjoy the coming together of this massive community of writers from the four corners of the globe. I love the support, I love the sense of community, I love the quirky ideas and tools that appear at the Procrastination Station such as the fiendish WriteorDie and I love the antics some writers get up during the month of madness. I would dearly love to be back in the States attending the Night of Writing Dangerously in San Francisco but alas this year other commitments mean that is impossible.

Anyway, in the spirit of all things Nano and with a view to encouraging anyone thinking of dipping their toe in the water to actually take the plunge, I have a little something to give away.

No Plot, No Problem Novel Writing Kit by Chris Baty, Founder of National Novel Writing Month.

The kit contains all sorts of goodies to help kick your motivation into overdrive from motivational material to activities and pep-talks.

To win this handsome branch new little kit, simply leave a “pick me” or similar comment below . The winner will be drawn at random on 15 October and the kit will be mailed without delay. Open to non-UK residents.

Hope to see you at Nanowrimo 2010.