“Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic, and fear which is inherent in a human situation.” – Graham Greene
This month is ‘NaNoWriMo,’ or National Novel Writing Month. Writing a novel (or writing anything) can be difficult, but (as the Graham Greene quote expresses) it’s a cathartic process. It can help you to work through issues, discover your own creativity, and create something truly unique.
There are so many examples of people who have faced difficult things in their lives with creativity. Many people who participate in NaNoWriMo do so to work through some difficult things, and create a beautiful project. So how can you incorporate writing in your life?
Write what you know: That doesn’t mean you have to directly experience with whatever your subject matter might be, but there should at least be an emotional connection that allows you to create a unique story.
Don’t get hung up on word counts: The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write 50K words in a month. It’s a truly astounding goal, so if that’s not for you just try writing a few hundred words each day. To be a writer, you simply have to write consistently.
Face your fears: Overcoming fear is hard, but when you’re writing it’s a simple as putting pen to paper. When you write you can be anything you want, and that is the beauty of writing. Whether fiction or nonfiction, you can face your fears with the written words today.
Participate in a writing community: The beauty of NaNoWriMo is that there is a great community of writers who participate in it, throughout the year. You can track your progress through their website, participate in forums, follow fellow writers on Twitter, and become a part of a community that celebrates artistic growth and development.
Writing can be a great way to explore who you are as a person, to face your fears, and to develop goals. This month try writing, or some other creative project to allow yourself to develop and grow as you should!