What NaNoWriMo can teach you as a Writer
This week on the blog, I thought I’d talk about finding out about yourself as a writer. Particularly, how NaNoWriMo an teach you about your individual writing style.
I recently decided to take the plunge and commit to doing July Camp NaNoWriMo. One of the reasons I love doing Nano is because it allows me to branch out ad try something new. Especially since a lot of this year so I’ve been in editing/revision mode.
A distinctive voice as a writer
We all have unique voices as writers – as unique as the stories we tell. Several times during nano I’ve tried different genres. For my first NaNoWriMo in November 2018, I wrote my fantasy mystery novel, Lottie’s Locket. Over the years I’ve also tried paranormal, YA romance, historical mystery and historical fantasy. Some of these ideas worked – and some of them didn’t!
That’s okay, because maybe it’s unlikely for a writer to suit every single writing style. One thing I’ve learnt about myself is I don’t really do light/sweet fiction. I also don’t really do romance without something else going on. Take my latest Camp NaNo project – originally I thought about doing a light and fun romance, maybe even a romantic comedy. However, after plotting, I’m not sure that’s really me, because suddenly I’ve got my main character having amnesia and nightmares. Her main love interest might be someone she’s not sure at at all she can trust.
As my writer friend said to me the other day, ‘good look with your light and fluffy dark thriller?’
So, when I start July Camp NaNo in a couple of days, my story might not be in the style I originally thought. I’m not sure if anyone else will read this or if it will just be for me – but I guess if it helps me learn more about myself and my writing style, that’s a good thing!
I’ll check back in with you soon about how July Camp Nano went!
How about you?
How about you? If you’re a writer, do you like to branch out into different styles? Do you know which styles suit you and which genres/styles you might struggle with more?
Or if you’re a reader, do you stick to the same kind of books? Is there a style that wouldn’t really grab you? Why not leave a comment below to let me know?
Thanks so much for reading
Thanks so much for reading! While you’re here you can check out my other blog posts, or head to my published books. You can also find out more about me as an author.
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Till next time,
Maria.