How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month? (More NaNoWriMo Chronicles): Write that novel.

These are all dilemmas and questions at the same time:

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and have a life?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and work?

~ How can anyone write 50,000 words in a month--and raise children, and fulfill all of their other life responsibilities?

~ Is it even possible?

Is this something you struggle with as a writer? 

I think that all of these questions stem from one real question. The other questions are subsets of that real overlying question.

The real question, please personalize it, is: 

Can I write a novel? 

That is the most important question at all. 

Can you (I) really write that novel you've always dreamed of--whether consciously or subconsciously (and even sometimes unconsciously)? 

No. You can't. I know this for a fact. I have no doubt about my answer to you and I am not being sarcastic. You will NEVER write that novel. 

Never.

Ahh. You are thinking there is a catch.

There is no catch. 

You will NEVER write that novel because of you. You have already set yourself up to fail. Just asking the question already means you have failed. You've set yourself up to fail.

Tell yourself you WILL write that novel and NOTHING and NO ONE will stop you. That includes you.

Be determined. Quit being a statistic. Quit quitting. Quit telling yourself you can't. 

Let me tell you a little secret about the word 'can't'. Can't implies can. It implies you are actively, intentionally choosing not to do something. In this case, it would be writing the novel you've always dreamed of (even if you just got that dream yesterday). 

CHOOSE to write that novel from cover to cover. Be purposeful. Be intentional. Act on it. Quit paying mere lip-service to it and--do it.

It really is that simple.

If you choose to make writing a novel of 50,000 words in 30 days your priority, it will become one. 

How? Simple. 

What do you do with all of the REAL priorities in your life? Well, for starters, you don't let anything stop you from doing it. Nothing. No one. You have made it your priority and nothing gets in the way. You put it on your schedule and everyone in your life know it's there and knows not to get in the way of your priority. (Hint: I just told you how to do it. Read between the lines and apply to your life and your novel writing.) 

How will you write a novel in a month?

You will make it happen through intentionality. It will be your priority.

Now, I know that you as you write, you won't like what you write. You may even end up hating your main character (which means, in turn, you hate the entire book). You may want to throw the whole thing away. It's trash. No one would want to read it. It doesn't even make sense. It's not something that will sell. It's... Fill in the blank.

Stop. You control your thoughts. They do not control you. Change the internal voice recorder to: "There is a reason why this is called a rough draft. It's... You've guessed it. Rough. This is not the final draft. I will edit it to be the next best literary great. That's what sets all other novels apart. The editing. I will edit it so that I like.... Fill in the blank. But, I will write this novel. I will finish this novel." 

So, now, it's your turn.

Repeat after me:

"I, put your name here, WILL write my novel of 50,000 words and finish all 50,000 words by 30 November 2011."

And...

"I will write my rough draft version of my novel now and will worry about the editing to perfection later." 

Now, go and do it.

Quit allowing anything, everything, and everyone stop you. Write that novel! 

You can.

You will CHOOSE to do so.

You will figure out a way to eliminate, crawl-over, crawl-around, or crawl-under any and all obstacles and will write your novel. Period. End of story.

Tada! You have a written novel.

--

~ Stacy Duplease

Author of Historical Fiction (of Virginia and the U.S.) & Journalkeeper 

Latest Book: "Yorktown's Dawning" (Book 1 of 7)

Latest Historical Fiction Series: "The Chronicles of the Siege of Yorktown"

Next Book Planned: Jamestowne (Book 1 of 3) (NaNoWriMo Book 2011)

Participating in NaNoWriMo 2011 (NaNoWriMo).