When it comes to what and how much you have
to write, the Nanowrimo rules are explicitly clear:
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Do I have to start my novel
from scratch on November 1?
Yes.
This sounds like a dumb, arbitrary rule, we know.
But bringing a half-finished manuscript into NaNoWriMo
all but guarantees a miserable month. You'll simply
care about the characters and story too much to
write with the gleeful, anything-goes approach
that makes NaNoWriMo such a creative rush. Give
yourself the gift of a clean slate, and you'll
tap into realms of imagination and intuition that
are out-of-reach when working on pre-existing
manuscripts. |
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The very point of NaNoWriMo is to prove to yourself
that you actually can write 50,000 words in a month, and for
that, this rule is essential. However, there is a very good
reason that this rule sounds dumb and arbitary: it
is. Every NaNoWriMo veteran remembers the feeling
of passing that 50,000 mark for the first time, but they also
remember how hard it was to reach 51,000.
How many unfinished novels has NaNoWriMo produced?
For me, it's three. If you are a winner, it is almost certain
there is at least one unfinished novel hidden in your files.
The last thing you need to prove is that you can write the
start to yet another one. What you really want to know is
not that you can start another novel, but that you can actually
finish one. This is why we present to you The Zokutou
Clause:
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The Zokutou Clause
You have to start your novel from scratch, unless
you are a previous NaNoWriMo winner. If you
have already attained the status of Winner, you
do not need to start a new novel, as your main
aim is now to finish one. You can now consider
yourself a winner if, by midnight on the 30th
of November, you have either:
- Written 50,000 words on one or more previous
works.
- Completed your novel's first draft.
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We've now updated the Zokutou
wordmeter with an advanced version, so that you can include
previous totals in your scores.
You can save these buttons to use
on your website:
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