Why You Should Write a Book in June
This month for the A to Z challenge, I’m highlighting twenty-six reasons (alphabetically, of course) why you should write a book in June.
JuNoWriMo is our spin off of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) that takes place in June, challenging you to write 50,000 words in thirty days. In the past two years, JuNoWriMo has inspired hundreds of writers to get their books written, and I’ve asked a few of them to share their personal stories. Today Skye Callahan sums up her experience in one word: Inspiring.
Why should you write a book in June? THIS is why.
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I is for Inspiring by Skye Callahan
JuNoWriMo was an inspiring experience because it gave me the opportunity to network with other authors who pushed me to work harder and made every evening of sitting down to write fun.
I think writers all hear at some point that writing is a solo endeavor, and in some ways it is, but there’s no reason it always has to be. When I signed up for JuNoWriMo in 2012, I had been writing for years, but I had never shared my work nor had I participated in a writing month or word sprint to share the writing experience with others.
I signed up because I work best under pressure, and since I don’t do great at holding myself to my own deadlines, I thought that the event would help me stay focused. But I got so much more out of the experience than I ever imagined. It not only inspired me to keep writing, but also to be an active member of the writing community and to get involved in word sprints, try new things, and open up as a writer.
There’s nothing like a friendly competition to get the top word count of the day to convince me to sit down at my computer and shut out the rest of the world for a few hours a day. Every June I look forward to the group of writers who inspire me to sit down and get the words on paper every day, because I know they’re all at their desks pushing themselves to do the same thing. We all have responsibilities outside of writing, but when I can sit down after work and join in on a writing sprint with a dozen other authors, it turns into something I never want to miss, even if I’m having a bad day and my characters are refusing to talk to me. I know as soon as I log on and join in, I’m going to have a fun night with a few laughs and probably some new ideas and a couple new scenes for my novel.
The thing that will always keep me coming back to JuNoWriMo is the level of camaraderie and support. I don’t think other writing events can even hold a candle to the close-knit community that comes together for JuNoWriMo each year. I met lots of great authors during the last two years of participating and many of them continue to inspire me. We all have similar goals as authors, and it’s an amazing experience to see the writing community come together. Even when June is over, seeing the other authors succeed keeps us all inspired to continue for years to come.
Events like JuNoWriMo give authors the opportunity to connect and inspire each other to power through a month of writing. It’s something every author should experience, and I’m grateful to Becca and Anna for putting it together and giving me the opportunity to be involved each year.
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It’s Your Turn
JuNoWriMo 2014 is going to be bigger and better than ever, so don’t miss this opportunity to write that book. I dare you to write 50,000 words in June. If you accept my challenge, know that you won’t be in it alone. You’ll be writing alongside hundreds of other authors who are going for the exact same thing, and that’s the best way to write. It’s gonna be stinkin’ awesome.
Oh, and one more thing. JuNoWriMo is having a giveaway right now: sign up and you just might win a prize!
So, are you in?
Sign up for JuNoWriMo now!
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