My NaNoWriMo Experience

In November, I participated in an event called NaNoWriMo. That's an abbreviation for National Novel Writing Month. During the course of the month, you try to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. The aim is to get people writing and creating. Anyone who reached 50,000 words is considered a winner.
I found it really fun. It took a lot of time, several hours a day, and a lot of focus. And when you have a hard time concentrating, that can be hard. But I made it through and won with a draft of 50,283 words. My whole family was very supportive of my endeavor.
Today I'd like to share with you my thoughts about NaNoWriMo's pros and cons, and what things I'd like to do differently.

Pros and Cons

Pros-
1:It helps you make something and gives you a good feeling. No matter whether you win or not, you still managed to accomplish something.
2: There are fun badges to win. They give them to you for various accomplishments like reaching 10,000 words or filling out your profile.
3: There's a great forum that can answer any question you have. And most of the people are nice.
4: They send you encouraging emails all month. It helps you keep going. They also have authors write pep talks throughout the month.
5: The site is easy to navigate. You can sign up for an account, completely for free. (NaNoWriMo is a non-profit organization. They live off donations and sponsors.)
6: If you win, you get great offers from people who sponsored NaNoWriMo.

Cons-
1: It takes time and commitment. The slower you write, the more time it takes.
2: It can be hard to sit down every day. But that's why they send you emails.
3: If you write by hand, like I do, you have to type it all into the computer before the end of the month, which can be hard to accomplish if you fall behind.
4: You can get discouraged by people who write 10,000 words a day and finish in a week. Ignore those people. Work at your own pace.

What I'd Like to Do Next Time
Although I liked what I did last time, there are some changes I'd like to make this year, and yes, I do want to do it again this year. First, I need to start writing earlier. I waited until later and the day and often had a hard time getting done. Second, I need to be more consistent in typing it up. Last time I got behind on typing and that's what took me so long to finish. I had written it all by two days before the deadline, but I had to finish typing it in before I could win. Ideally, I want to type each day's writing in on that day. Third, I need someone to write with. Writing is a lonely process and a buddy would have been great. I plan on convincing a friend or relation to join me in my endeavor this time. Hopefully my sister, but if not her, then someone else.

If you're thinking about trying NaNoWriMo, I say go for it. Even if you don't win, you have the fun of writing something and trying. I think positive thinking is key in winning. The whole month I told myself, "You will win." I never let doubt get the slightest hold even on my worst days. I enjoyed it a lot and it gave me a great feeling to know I could do it.