Book In A Month? Book In A Week?

This month is a time that many writers observe as NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). During the month of November, participants dedicate themselves to the rather huge task of knocking out a novel in a month's time-- with a goal of 50,000 words. The truth is, the average novel is much longer than 50,000 words-- at least 80,000 and more like 100 to 120,000. But 50K makes a big dent and gets you into the story enough that you will know by month's end whether you want to continue. If you want to join in the fun, it's not too late to go for it!

What if you don't have a whole month to dedicate to writing a book? Do you have a week? This alternative might be more your speed. The concept here is to carve out one week a month to write-- clear all your other commitments and spend every available moment that week frantically typing. This is another interesting concept of a group of people who are not finding the time to write but making the time.

Either way, I love that these support systems are out there for those of us who make excuses, procrastinate and hide behind that little word with big implications: someday. If you want to write, why not get started? Devote a month or a week or a day to writing. Little by little, you will see the word count build and your dream become a reality.