National Author Day and NaNoWriMo

November 1st is National Author Day. I’m not sure Hallmark makes a card for this one, but if you have an author you love, take time to tell them today. If a story they’ve written has impacted you, to grow, challenge, or encourage you, today is the perfect day to share that with them.

I’m not sure if you know this, but writing is hard work. Writing well is even harder. And writing in ways that reach out, invite the reader in, and leave them changed is the hardest writing of all. When you add the marketing aspect to the author’s life, things can get exponentially more difficult. Simply hearing from one of our readers can make the day go from good to great!

November 1st is also the beginning of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). It’s a time of challenge for authors and aspiring authors to set a lofty goal and dedicate the time and energy to achieve it. What’s the goal? Fifty thousand words by the end of day November 30th. When you consider a lot of these authors have day jobs, families, and other time takers, this goal becomes a journey up a mountain.

The path up the mountain may be beautiful, but the trip is still difficult and time consuming. There are many areas where those on the journey may get discouraged and wonder if it’s worth the trouble. For those who stick it out to the end, the view from the top is amazing. They leave the month of November with a nearly completed manuscript. If they’re writing a novella, it may be completely done. It’s a wonderful feeling climbing to the top of that mountain, and it should be celebrated.

If you know an author working toward NaNoWriMo goals this month, cheer them on. If you are one, find a group to encourage and support you in your journey. They can’t write the words for you, but they can give you the boost you need to keep going.

Just one more thing. If you are an aspiring Christian/clean reads author, my publisher has two contests running through the end of November. You can find more about them here. https://scriveningspress.com/get-pubbed/ and https://scriveningspress.com/novel-starts/

Are you joining NaNoWriMo this month?

Who are the authors that have spoken to you through their stories?