Hands up if writing has ever made you feel lonely. I may not be able to see you but I sure can feel that hand raise. You are not alone. As awesome and freeing as writing can be, it is also a solitary task.
Even if you have loved ones who patiently let you talk through your big new idea and nod sympathetically as you bemoan the gaping plot hole that has opened up in your story, at the end of the day it is just you and your laptop, typewriter or notepad and that can get lonely.
Which is why NaNoWriMo can be such a life saver. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, click here to see my previous blog about NaNoWriMo.
How Is NaNoWriMo Different in 2020?
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that the world turned on its head this year. Fortunately most of NaNoWriMo happens online, which means you can still take part fully.
In the past you have been able to log on to the website and find meet ups in your area, where you could go to your local coffee shop and hang out with your fellow writers.
However, the guys over at NaNoWriMo headquarters have decided that they will not be holding physical meetups. This will be disappointing to a lot of people but it’s not the end of the world. We still have Zoom right?
And I think we should just be happy that we still get to take part in NaNoWriMo. After the year we’ve all had, the fact that the writing community is once again coming together, is something to celebrate.
How To Get Involved
First of all you’re going to want to make your way over to NaNoWriMo. This is the official nanowrimo website. Take a look around, they fill you in on what the challenge is all about and how you can get involved. They also have some pretty good looking merchandise. And we all know writers can’t resist a good mug.
After you’ve had a good snoop, you’re going to want to make yourself an account. You’ll then have your own little space on the website. It’s here that you can announce your new project, find writing buddies and start winning writing badges.
The website also has a forum where you can meet other writers, ask for advice, answer other people’s questions and get involved.
One of the great things about NaNoWriMo is that they have different regions, so you can find people close to you who are taking part. Sure, you can’t meet up with them this year but who knows, maybe you’ll find a writing partner for the future.
People are already over there making friends, finding writing buddies and asking for help.
So what are you waiting for? Go find your people.
While You’re Here
In case you’re looking for something to read and love yourself a short story about the crazy goings-on at a wedding, then check out the first two parts of The Wedding Party series, The Maid of Honour and The Mother of the Groom, available on Amazon and Kindle now.
Also, give me a follow on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and see how I get on with NaNoWriMo.