Write Nonfiction in November

Today is October 31^st, but I’m not writing this post to wish you a Happy Halloween. I’m writing it to remind you that it’s almost time…to for the beginning of the third annual Write Nonfiction in November (WNFiN) challenge! If putting on a costume and eating candy helps you write, so be it. If hoarding your candy from tonight’s trick or treating escapades allows you to tempt yourself with rewards for an hour or two of writing each day for the next month, go on out fill that pillow case or bag to the brim with goodies! No matter what your technique to get your self to write each day, just be ready to start tomorrow morning bright and early—and to keep going all month long.

Most people realize that November ushers in the end of Daylight Savings Time, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, but it also welcomes in WNFIN, a unique writing challenge. Unlike its counterpart, National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), which also takes place in November and requires fiction writers to complete 50,000 words in 30 days to “win,” WNFiN involves no contest. None of the writers are required to submit their work for a word count. Indeed, WNFiN simply poses a personal challenge to every nonfiction writer: start and finish a work of non-fiction over the course of 30 days. You can write an article, a booklet, a newsletter, an e-book, a book proposal, a query letter, or a book.

And while you write, you learn. The largest part of the WNFiN experience involves a 30-day blog hosted by none other than…well…me (Nina Amir), the founder of the challenge. While I wrote every post the first year, last year I invited guest bloggers to join me. This year, I will again be joined by expert guest bloggers – 28 of them! So, you will learn about editing, writing, forms of nonfiction writing, the business of nonfiction writing, publishing, and much, much more. Plus, this year not only can post your comments about the blogs, you also can participate in a writers’ forum available via the blog website itself (look in links).

If you’re wondering why I started this challenge, I’ll reiterate what I said last year. Two years ago I entered NaNoWriMo and “won.” (That novel remains unpublished, although I won the San Francisco pitch contest in 2008 using a pitch for it…) I realized that, while I enjoy fiction writing, I am a nonfiction writer by training and profession. Thus, I wanted a nonfiction challenge to keep me busy in November while the fiction writers were “doing their thing.” For that reason, I started WNFiN. And here we are three years later. Last year, I also placed my posts in my blog at RedRoom.com, and the blog was featured in RedRoom.com’s “Best Blog” series for 12 days! NaNoWriMo has some “rebels” who write nonfiction and have their words counted; they easily can join the WNFiN challenge instead and be with others “of their kind” if they so choose. We aren’t rebels. We are just doing “our thing.”

If you want to know who I am, you can check out the “About Nina Amir” page. Basically, I’m a journalist, writing coach, freelance non-fiction editor, and author has written several booklets, hundreds of articles and six anthology essays. I’m currently working on several books while promoting them and myself via my writing, blogging, websites, and podcasts. You can learn more about me by visiting either of my websites: www.copywrightcommunications.com or www.purespiritcreations.com.

With all that said, my main point remains: The challenge begins tomorrow. Are you ready? If so, great! If not, it’s time to think about what you want to write about, what project you want to start and complete, what time of the day you’ll set aside for the WNFiN challenge each day, and how you’ll organize your project or what tools or research you need to complete it. Then, get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow, we begin.

If you wondering why you should bother taking the challenge, here’s my answer to your query: WNFiN provides a chance to accomplish one of your personal writing goals. Every writer has personal writing goals they’d like to meet but don’t. Every writer has a project they want to begin but haven’t—or have begun but not finished. Every writer benefits from a deadline. WNFiN offers nonfiction writers an opportunity to start and finish (or simply finish) a project with the pressure of a deadline. It’s a chance to say, “This time, I really will do it.” That’s how I finished that novel during NaNoWriMo. I figured out how many words I had to write each day, and I met my deadline each day. By the end of the month, I’d completed 50,000 words. WNFiN is no different really. Just break your project down into 30 day pieces and knock them out. By the time 30 days has passed, you’ll have finished your project. You’ll have accomplished a personal writing goal.

I’ll say it again…Take the challenge! Tomorrow begin that nonfiction writing project you’ve being dreaming of starting—and finish it in 30 days. Join me during Write Nonfiction in November.

November revolves around writing, and, like the Thanksgiving holiday celebrated during this month, that’s something for which to be grateful.

First, it was named National Novel Writing Month by Chris Baty, who began in 1999 with 21 San Francisco Bay Area friends writing a novel in 30 days. Of the 21, six of them succeeded that month in completing a novel, which they defined as 50,000 words—the length of The Great Gatsby. The following year, 140 people participated, and it’s grown exponentially each year since. Today, over 100,000 people take up Baty’s vision each year in November.

Then came PicoWriMo. Its origins are sketchy, seeming to come from a random post in a blog calling for a less ambitious undertaking for writers. Its rules entail writing a minimum of one word every day for a month. By the end of 30 days, the writer has a free-verse poem or a very short story.

Then, in 2007, I began Write Nonfiction in November, a challenge to all those not wanting to write fiction at all to start and complete a nonfiction project in 30 days. I required no exact word count, just a completed project of some sort – an article, a book, an ebook, a book proposal, a query letter, an essay, etc. Unlike National Novel Writing Month, Write Nonfiction in November revolves around a daily blog written by myself and guest bloggers. The first year, I offered a “brain dump” of much of what I knew about nonfiction writing, editing and publishing. Last year, I asked guest bloggers to add their expertise to the 30-day-long blog; this year the blog again will be written almost primarily by expert guest bloggers. Up until now Write Nonfiction in November offered no forum for participants, but this year one has been added. So, participants can not only comment on blog posts but also chat with each other. However, there remains no counter to check how many words participants are writing – nor will there ever be one. This remains a personal challenge simply to start and finish a work of nonfiction.

With so much writing going on in November, I feel the time has come for someone to declare November “National Writing Month” So, I’m doing just that. It doesn’t matter what we are writing – fiction or nonfiction. It just matters that so many writers are all writing during a focused period of time, and someone should honor that fact. November should be ‘National Writing Month. So, I declare it as such.

How many writers write nonfiction during November each year is anyone’s guess. NaNoWriMo has a forums section that has a NaNo Rebel area including a nonfiction contingent that writes nonfiction. People read the Write Nonfiction in November blog both at its www.writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com location and on www.RedRoom.com, but I don’t ask anyone to log in or sign up. Some writers involved in PicoWrimo, a challenge that takes place on www.livejournal.com, also write nonfiction.

What I do know is that November gets writers writing. That’s the point. Initially, NaNoWriMo got fiction writers writing. I wanted to get nonfiction writers writing as well. Now that National Novel Writing Month, PicoWriMo and Write Nonfiction in November have been established, it just seems to make sense that we should declare November National Writing Month and let the writing go on officially.

By the way, other writing related events—both official and unofficial—that I’ve found include:

• National Card and Letter Writing Month (April and May)

• National Sketch Writing Month (September)

• National Travel Writer’s Month (August)

• National Poetry Month – NaPoWriMo (April)

Don’t forget to check back in on November 1st for the beginning of the Write Nonfiction in November challenge!

Yesterday someone asked me if they could post a blog about what they plan to write about this year during Write Nonfiction in November. I said, “Sure!” Let’s build some excitement and get people thinking about their ideas. I sent her off to compose her blog.  I want to extend the invitation to other readers out there eagerly waiting to get started with Write Nonfiction in November. If you can send me a short blog post on why you want to do Write Nonfiction in November and what you plan to write about before November 1 (which means in the next 30 hours or so if you are on PST), I’ll post it here tomorrow (Friday, October 31).

I have to confess, I’m not sure what I’m writing this year. Last year my goals was to write my booklet, The Priestess Practice, and that’s what I did. I was going to write another booklet this year – one I’ve been meaning to write for about 4 years now – that seems timely about how to move through fear. I know I could finish that in 30 days. However, then I thought maybe I should work on the full length version of my booklet The Kabbalah of Conscious Creation, which I’m trying to sell. (I have a new agent who has just agreed to read the proposal; I have decided not to use my old agent for this project.) I’m afraid I won’t be able to finish that project if I take it on, though. And then I’ll fail my own challenge. So, I’m still deciding.

By the way, I discovered today that NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) has some rebels! (I had to get a new password – forgot mine – and sign in to check it out for myself.) Yes, NaNo Rebels, and they are writing nonfiction. I’ve let them know about what we are doing here, and I hope they join us. Another group calls themselves NaNo Nonfiction. I’ve let them know a nonfiction challenge exists as well. If they want to write 50,000 words and let the NaNoWriMo counter count it for them, more power to them.

Now that I’m logged in there, who know, I might use the counter, too, just for kicks. And I’ll surely post something in the forums again to send some people this way. I might even hold a write-in or two. So, if you are in the Bay Area (Northern CA), keep your eyes peeled for notifications. And, if any of you Nano Rebels or Nano Nonfiction people are reading this, “Welcome! Glad to have you aboard!

My email box has been filling up with notices about the annual start of National Novel Writing Month (www.nanowrimo.org).  However, in general, I write nonfiction. If you, like me, consider yourself a nonfiction writer, don’t sit around for the next 30 days twiddling your thumbs and wishing you had a cool contest to enter this month. Instead, join me in starting and finishing a work of nonfiction during November. That’s right, take part in the Write Nonfiction in November (www.writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com/) challenge. It happens right here in less than a week.

So, in just about six days, instead of writing 50,000 words of fiction in 30 days, commit to writing an article, a booklet, a newsletter, or a book in the same amount of time. Whatever non-fiction writing project you’ve been putting off, get started now. You can even start a blog and blog for 30 days. It doesn’t matter what you write. Just start and finish a nonfiction project of your choice.

No one will be looking over your shoulder. Write Nonfiction in November does not constitute a contest, and I won’t be handing out a prize at the end of the month. Your award comes in the form of the great feeling you will get from knowing you completed your “assignment.” No one will be counting your words, nor does anyone care how many words you write (not even me). You simply are challenged to write — and to not write alone. I’ll be writing every day, too, and hopefully some other people will be writing as well.

Write Nonfiction in November also constitutes a blog. I invite everyone who is writing non-fiction during November and wants to share their experience to go to www.writenonfictioninnovember.wordpress.com/ and post comments. (You can also access it from my web site at www.copywrightcommunications.com.) I’ll be posting blogs every few days about nonfiction writing in general – why I enjoy it, tips on getting published, how my writing is going, etc.

While last year I blogged alone, this year my Write Nonfiction in November blog will offer readers and writers something new and exciting: guest blogs from experts from many areas of writing and publishing. So far the following experts will be blogging with me: 

·         agent and consultant Philippa Burgess of Creative Convergence

·         Mitch Davis (Yearbook of Experts/www.expertclick.com)

·         author Ron Arons (The Jews of Sing Sing)

·         agent and author Mike Larsen (How to Write a Book Proposal and How to Get a Literary Agent),

·         agent and author Katharine Sands (Making the Perfect Pitch)

·         Internet and website guru Linda Lee (Smart Women, Stupid Computers)

·         Randy Peyser (Author One Stop)

·         Annie Jennings (Annie Jennings PR)

·         executive magazine editor and publisher Seth Mendelson (McFadden Publications)

I’m still working on getting a few more people to agree to post a blog.  I’d like to have at least 15 out of the 30 blogs written by someone other than me this year, so readers can benefit from someone else’s experience and expertise other than mine. Hopefully, that will make Write Nonfiction in November a resource for nonfiction writers not only in November but all year long.

Nonfiction writing offers many benefits and challenges. I love nonfiction writing, because it allows me to explore subjects that are interesting to me and to then share them with others. As a magazine journalist and book author who likes to wrestle with issues in my life or subjects that excite me, I get to spend my days researching those very same issues and subjects, speaking to experts about them, finding answers and solutions to them, and coming up with ideas and theories related to them. Then, I get to craft what I’ve learned into a story – an article, essay or book – that offers what I’ve learned and discovered – and possibly even put to use successfully in my life – into a form that others can read. This then hopefully helps or excites them.

However, the world of nonfiction publishing has changed dramatically over the last few years. It’s getting harder and harder to get a nonfiction book published if you don’t have what they call a “platform.” Magazines and newspapers are discontinuing publication left and right. Self-publishing choices are becoming slimmer rather than broader. Book promotion and sales has become the job of the author not the publisher. For all these reasons, nonfiction writers need to stay educated about the new tools of their trade, such as the Internet and all it has to offer. The nonfiction writer has to wear many hats and has to wear them well to become successful.

Yesterday was the first day of November, and if you’re a writer — especially if you are a fiction writer — you should know what that means. It means it was time to start writing your novel!

November marks the annual start of National Novel Writing Month, affectionately called NANOWRIMO (www.nanowrimo.org). I am proud to say that in 2005 I was one of many winners of this 30-day contest. Winning simply requires that you turn in (and have counted) a 50,000-word (175-page) novel by midnight on November 30. The novel doesn’t have to be any good. In fact, the contest is all about quantity not quality, the idea being that you should shut your inner critic away in a closet in your mind for 30 days and simply write something — anything. The goal is to start and to finish a novel — or at least to get started.

I bet you are wondering what happened to that novel of mine, right? Well, I pitched it to several agents at the San Francisco Writers Conference in 2005 and had them all interested, but they all turned it down. I even won the fiction pitch contest with my 25-word description of the book! However, I was told by the agent who would later take me on as a client, Elizabeth Pomada, to leave my fiction writing behind and focus on what I do best — nonfiction. (I took her advice.) She didn’t say that I should have focused more on quality and less on quantity (although she did say the novel was too long — by the time I’d edited and revised it was closer to 65,000 words), but she said it needed editorial help. In other words, the plot was fine, but I needed a good fiction editor. I happen to be a good nonfiction editor, but that wasn’t helping me in the fiction department.

Which brings me to the point of blog. For those of us who don’t write fiction (ever, often or anymore…), what are we supposed to do during the month of November? Well, I say, “WE WRITE NONFICTION!”

I challenge you to join me in starting and finishing (if possible) a work of nonfiction during the next 30 days. You can write an article, a booklet, a newsletter, or a book. Just write something. Whatever nonfiction writing project you’ve been putting off, get started now — today — November 2nd. (Sorry for the short notice; I only just thought of the idea!)

No one will be looking over your shoulder. This is not a contest, and there’s no prize at the end other than the great feeling you will get from knowing you wrote every day and completed your “assignment.” No on is counting your words, nor does anyone care how many words you write (not even me). This is not a contest. It’s simply a challenge to write — and to not write alone. I’ll be writing every day, too, and hopefully some other people will be writing as well.

Plus, this blog will give you a forum to comment and to share your experiences. I’ll try to check the comments every day or two – when I’m not too busy writing – and to moderate a bit. I’ll run the blog for a month and see what happens.

So, without further ado, I’m off to write, and I hope you are, too. (This isn’t a poetry challenge is it?)

Happy writing!

Nina

P.S. If you want to find out more about me as a writer and editor, you can visit my web site (http://www.purespiritcreations.com/) and then click on the link that says “CopyWright services.” It will take you to my company, CopyWright Communications. (You can also get there by going to http://www.copywrightcommunications.com/.) There you will find my published booklets, article samples, newsreleases, services, and much more. Have fun exploring!