Right, So What's Up with the Name?
Tuesday, October 28. 2008
NaNoWriMo does not, in general, produce good literature.
How could it? It asks over 100,000 people (in 2007), the vast majority of whom are not published authors, to engage in a frenzy of typing (not necessarily writing) at a level well beyond anything many of them have experienced before. These people haven't trained for the event; in fact, they're mildly encouraged not to prepare.
It's akin to asking a multitude of couch potatoes to suddenly and collectively get to their feet and complete a marathon. Not necessarily all in one go, mind you, but to complete it, even if it takes days or weeks, because then one can say one has accomplished something.
This is not, by any means, a bad thing.
NaNoWriMo gets people, bad writers and good, started. It starts creative juices flowing. It helps people determine whether or not they like to write. It creates art (which isn't always pretty, in any medium). It provides an achievable goal, and a sense of accomplishment. It's fun.
And believe it or not, sometimes it does produce good literature.
Not in a 50,000-word month, certainly. But some authors have used their NaNoWriMo output as the basis for published novels. Others have used NaNoWriMo to practice and hone their writing skills, and have gone on to produce wonderful and completely unrelated prose.
I run. Once a year I do a marathon or half-marathon (depending how crazy I feel that particular year). It motivates me, and it keeps me focused and healthy. I view NaNoWriMo in the same way. I might produce a Frozen Puke Fountain during those thirty frantic days, but it's within my power to thaw it, clean it up, and make it something special.
I believe those people who dismiss NaNoWriMo miss the point. It's not the output on paper (or bits on a hard drive) that's important. It's the process, and how it changes each participant. It's not always pretty, but it is always effective.
Oh, and we have synaesthetichaze to thank for the vivid mental image that is this blog's title.
NaNoWriMo does not, in general, produce good literature.
How could it? It asks over 100,000 people (in 2007), the vast majority of whom are not published authors, to engage in a frenzy of typing (not necessarily writing) at a level well beyond anything many of them have experienced before. These people haven't trained for the event; in fact, they're mildly encouraged not to prepare.
It's akin to asking a multitude of couch potatoes to suddenly and collectively get to their feet and complete a marathon. Not necessarily all in one go, mind you, but to complete it, even if it takes days or weeks, because then one can say one has accomplished something.
This is not, by any means, a bad thing.
NaNoWriMo gets people, bad writers and good, started. It starts creative juices flowing. It helps people determine whether or not they like to write. It creates art (which isn't always pretty, in any medium). It provides an achievable goal, and a sense of accomplishment. It's fun.
And believe it or not, sometimes it does produce good literature.
Not in a 50,000-word month, certainly. But some authors have used their NaNoWriMo output as the basis for published novels. Others have used NaNoWriMo to practice and hone their writing skills, and have gone on to produce wonderful and completely unrelated prose.
I run. Once a year I do a marathon or half-marathon (depending how crazy I feel that particular year). It motivates me, and it keeps me focused and healthy. I view NaNoWriMo in the same way. I might produce a Frozen Puke Fountain during those thirty frantic days, but it's within my power to thaw it, clean it up, and make it something special.
I believe those people who dismiss NaNoWriMo miss the point. It's not the output on paper (or bits on a hard drive) that's important. It's the process, and how it changes each participant. It's not always pretty, but it is always effective.
Oh, and we have synaesthetichaze to thank for the vivid mental image that is this blog's title.
How could it? It asks over 100,000 people (in 2007), the vast majority of whom are not published authors, to engage in a frenzy of typing (not necessarily writing) at a level well beyond anything many of them have experienced before. These people haven't trained for the event; in fact, they're mildly encouraged not to prepare.
It's akin to asking a multitude of couch potatoes to suddenly and collectively get to their feet and complete a marathon. Not necessarily all in one go, mind you, but to complete it, even if it takes days or weeks, because then one can say one has accomplished something.
This is not, by any means, a bad thing.
NaNoWriMo gets people, bad writers and good, started. It starts creative juices flowing. It helps people determine whether or not they like to write. It creates art (which isn't always pretty, in any medium). It provides an achievable goal, and a sense of accomplishment. It's fun.
And believe it or not, sometimes it does produce good literature.
Not in a 50,000-word month, certainly. But some authors have used their NaNoWriMo output as the basis for published novels. Others have used NaNoWriMo to practice and hone their writing skills, and have gone on to produce wonderful and completely unrelated prose.
I run. Once a year I do a marathon or half-marathon (depending how crazy I feel that particular year). It motivates me, and it keeps me focused and healthy. I view NaNoWriMo in the same way. I might produce a Frozen Puke Fountain during those thirty frantic days, but it's within my power to thaw it, clean it up, and make it something special.
I believe those people who dismiss NaNoWriMo miss the point. It's not the output on paper (or bits on a hard drive) that's important. It's the process, and how it changes each participant. It's not always pretty, but it is always effective.
Oh, and we have synaesthetichaze to thank for the vivid mental image that is this blog's title.
Mom on :
Brent on :
I guess another goal is to expand friends and family's vocabulary.
Mom on :
Sad...sad...LOL.
Brent on :