Why NaNoWriMo isn't going well this year for anyone



If NaNoWriMo isn't going well for you this year, then I'm here to tell you that you're not alone.

I've heard a lot of people say this year that NaNoWriMo isn't going as well or feeling as good as it has in previous years. And I've been feeling the same way. Personally, I just thought that my hardcore, crazy, 14-day writing prep sesh in October had burnt me out a little bit. I thought I was just tired. And maybe that's still the case. (Isn't going to stop me from finishing, though!!)

But having heard so many people say that they felt the same feeling as I did, I'm now realizing that it may be due to just the way the rest of this year has gone.

Basically, all our brains are burnt out.

Let's face it, we've all gone through a lot this year. I don't even need to begin the list. Everyone else is already done that. But the plain and simple truth is that all this stress and worry and anxiety and turmoil may be putting a huge strain on our minds and our spirits, and that might mean that our creative wells are running a little on the dry and discouraged side.

And that's okay. Because if you think back on any other year where you face big problems, you probably weren't doing so well creatively then either. Your brain was probably busy working on survival. And it's doing the same now.

But the good news is this(and I've been thinking about this a lot lately): one good thing that's come out of this year is that we are all struggling through the same thing together. We're all staring at the same thing on the news, we're all anxious about similar things, we're all facing the same controversy and we're all more than a little drained because of it.

And to be honest, I've found it really refreshing in a way. We can all relate to one another's problems in one way or another. We can talk about the same things (sometimes too much. The covid talk can be a little much at times.) But it's good to know I'm not alone.

And if you're struggling with NaNoWriMo on top of life and just the way the world is currently, I get it. I'm going through the same thing. So if you need someone to talk to, here I am.

It sucks. I know. But it's going to get better.

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