NaNoWriMo Revisited

I still have not missed a National Novel Writing Month since the year I discovered it (late) in November of 2005. I threatened to miss two of them. Just couldn't do it.

In 2007, I said I might be too busy to participate and win. The two writers I was blessed with as part of a little writing group were forging ahead. I had to join them. I made the requisite mad dash at the end to become a NaNoWriMo winner.

In 2009, with a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old, I said No Way. Then I jumped in and did my own version where my goal was to write 15 minutes each day. And I did. I reached that goal and made a silly, appreciated little story about his toy knights for my older son. I was not an official NaNoWriMo winner. That was hard for me.

I've NaNoWriMoed through two pregnancies; in four different cities in two different states; with two different writing groups and twice on my own; with a toddler and with a baby and preschooler; with the intention of winning, with the intention of "cheating" (using extremely long names for each of my characters, extremely long inserted poems, and the like), and with the intention of not finishing.

I love me some NaNoWriMo.