A NaNo pump up!

So who's been doing NaNo this year? And who has stopped writing because they know they can't make the 50,000 and therefore can't win?

Here's my words to you - don't give up.

NaNo is a great learning experience, and it could well be that you've just learnt that you're not the type of writer who can pound out 50,000 words in a month. There's lots of them out there - writers that can take a year, maybe more because each word is a carefully placed moment; every sentence is considered and reconsidered.

Perhaps you've been caught up in the myth that you have to write every day. You had a few days off and now you feel a failure and can't go on. Yes, I said myth. Because sometimes, life gets in the way. A child gets sick. A family member dies. Or you just had a totally awful day at work and you just need to veg in front of the telly and forget the world for a while.

It's true, writing needs to be a priority. If you're serious about it, you'll be putting every moment you have spare into it, and even rearranging things to make more time. But sometimes, life gets in the way and when you're dealing with your other commitments, the last thing you need is to feel guilty that you're not writing.

So the first moment you have to do so - get writing again. Throw away the thought that because you stopped - for whatever reason - you've failed. You haven't. But if you don't start writing again - then you will have something to regret.

Have a look at the coming weekend. You can find an hour, right? Maybe an hour each day. Sit yourself at your computer or pick up your pen and get to it. Don't worry about how many words you've written. Don't worry about NaNo. Just write.

Then make more time next week - and keep writing. Next weekend, find even more time. Then when December comes, do the same.

Writing's a marathon - not a sprint. Take your time, keep plugging away and you'll get there.

Good luck!

Nicole is the author of the Dream of Asarlia trilogy. Her website is here: http://nicolermurphy.com