ENC professor Marianna Krejci-Papa decided to go to the opening day of the National Novel Writing Month competition at the Boston Public Library just a few weeks ago, to embark on the process of writing a new novel.
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is an event that asks people of all ages and walks of life to participate in the art of writing. Since 1999, every Nov. 1, writers from all over the world begin writing different novels, all with the goal of reaching 50,000 words by the end of the month of November.
The state of Massachusetts has thirteen districts participating in the NaNoWriMo project. In the Boston district there are 11,944 members.
The event which Krejci-Papa attended was held in a private room containing many tables and a whiteboard. Everyone participating had a word-count goal, and when they finished they would write their total word count on the board. The idea is that during the month everyone else would celebrate their fellow writers’ accomplishments, as well as everyone’s end-goal.
Krejci-Papa began the experience without even being sure of what she was going to write. Nevertheless, once she arrived at the event in the Boston Public Library, she decided to utilize an old idea for a novel that she had come up with years prior. By the end of the event she had written 842 words.
The professor said that she knows she “won’t get to 50,000 words by the end of November.” However, she was certainly happy to experience the event and enjoyed the camaraderie and support that other writers brought to the meeting. She said the event was “like a race and I found it to be very fun.”
Due to this experience, Krejci-Papa would like to start something related to National Novel Writing Month at ENC that brings a competitive element into the community of writers on campus. Krejci-Papa wants to bring NaNoWriMo to ENC, although she realizes how difficult the word count might be for college students. Regardless, combining writing with competition and support, the sort of blend that takes place during National Novel Writing Month, is a definite passion for Krejci-Papa.