Dear Writer,
In 2010, I first learned about National Novel Writing Month. I started on November 18th and I didn’t complete 50k by the 30th, but I did go on to finish before December 18th. Every year since then I’ve risen to the challenge.
Did I always have an airtight idea? No. Definitely not.
Was it easy? Never. It’s never easy, no matter how many times you do it.
Since then, I’ve learned a lot. What the challenge means to me. What it means to other people. How strong a community of writers can be. What truly wonderful and supportive friends they can be. In a world that is constantly changing, one thing remains constant: the real reward to this challenge is the friends you make along the way.
It sounds so cliche, but it’s true. Nothing could have prepared that 31-year-old neurodivergent rookie for what awaited him over the next sixteen years. Now I’m 47, have multiple published novels that have sold thousands of copies worldwide, and I still don’t feel qualified to write this post. When Chris approached me, it took me several weeks just to work past the imposter syndrome.
But here’s the thing: On November 1, we will all begin a journey together. You, and I, and thousands of other writers all over the world. The goal? For many of us, it will be that age-old 50k words in 30 days. For others it will be more. For some, less. Whatever your goal is, I have three words for you…
You’ve got this.
By the time you read this, the event will have begun, and many of us will be running on pure adrenaline as we dive into our ideas. Some of us on pure caffeine. Some on grit and determination that “this will be my year!”
I believe in you, just as I believed in myself all those years ago. Writing a story isn’t just about putting words on paper. It’s about expressing yourself. It’s about bringing comfort to yourself or somebody else. It’s about opening up your soul, and leaving a piece of yourself on paper that will survive long after you’re gone from this world.
Because everybody has a story inside of them. I truly believe those words. Only you have the power to make that story real in the minds of anyone who reads it.
Remember that as this month progresses. As we move into week 2, and week 3. As it gets harder and harder to pull the words from your head and get them down onto paper.
Find people to write with. Join community events. Join online communities. Make friends along the way. Because NaNoWriMo isn’t just about writing, though that’s the main goal. It’s about bringing people together to share ideas. To share our lives, and pieces of ourselves.
When you find it hard to carry on, just remember: nothing worth doing is ever easy. You might need to bleed for this. But surround yourself with people who will lift you up, and you’ll make it. That’s the legacy of NaNoWriMo. Not the words, though that’s the primary goal. It’s the people we meet, and the relationships we forge. That’s what will get you though to the finish line.
You’ve got this.
–Thomas
Thomas A. Knight is a fantasy author and senior platform architect from southwestern Ontario, Canada. His novels chronicle the trials and tribulations of characters living on the alternate world of Galadir, a place with as much mystery as it has magic. When he’s not writing or working, he spends time with his family, and enjoys role-playing and collectible card games.