Nanowrimo

So I'm debating whether I'm going to do Nanowrimo this year.

For those who don't know Nanowrimo is an internet challenge where, for the entire month of November, you attempt to write a 50,000 word novel. This means you need to write about 1600 words per day if you want to complete the challenge.

It is both immensely frustrating and awesome. I have done it three times so far. My first attempt was garbage, but the next one was usable, and the last one I'm currently editing (and editing and re-editing) and may actually be publishable material. Here's hoping.

The debate I am having with myself is whether I should be working on editing the one I have done previously, or to have a go at writing a new story. Usually I don't bother with Nanowrimo if I don't have any ideas for what I want to write. The problem is that this year a new idea has snuck up on me, as the horrid little things have a tendency to do.

What I have learned from previous attempts is that though its quite doable to write out 50,000 words without much of a prepared plot (and it is immensely fun to do, because even you as the writer have no idea what's going to happen until you write it) not plotting seems to make it that much harder to edit. There's heaps of things you need or want to change or that you can simply write better. So I have it in my head that should I choose to do it again this year I would make sure I have at least some sort of plot worked out. How long does it take me to plot out a full novel? Honestly, I'm not sure as I haven't really done this yet! November is two and a half months away so I suppose I'd better figure it out.

However, if anyone is thinking of doing Nanowrimo, let me know. I would love to see what other people are doing. And of course having someone doing the same thing as you seriously helps with motivation!