When we move from writing a draft to the various stages of polishing it and getting it ready for publication, we also move from isolation to interaction. Without the immediate contrast between those two states of writerly being, I don’t think I would realize how isolating the early stages of writing a novel actually are.
Part of the appeal of NaNoWriMo is the group experience, including some public suffering if you’re into that sort of thing. You can attend write-ins, join sprints (where you write as fast as you can for a few minutes, take a break and then sprint again). Going through the process of writing a first draft novel with millions of people worldwide, and potentially thousands of people in your metropolitan area can give you a sense of companionship even if you never reach out and take advantage of it.
Continue reading “The Writer’s Bubble”
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