NANOWRIMO Founder Brings Magic To SSF Writers

South San Francisco, CA   November 8, 2015     Submitted by Elizabeth Nisperos

Chris Baty, the founder of Nanowrimo, presents at the SSF Orange Ave Library
Photo: Elizabeth Nisperos

If you haven’t heard of Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) , you probably are not a writer. Millions around the world participate in Nanowrimo in several languages during November, where writers torture themselves to write 50,000 words to create a novel  in 30 days.

Chris Baty is the accidental founder of Nanowrimo, the author of No Plot No Problem! and  co-author  of Ready, Set, NOVEL,  was the guest speaker at the South San Francisco Public Library,West Orange Branch on November 7 at 11:00 am.  The first SSF Nanowrimo write-in began after his presentation.

I asked if I could take his picture, he curtsied  and smiled, “Me? Of course!” he said with a resounding yes.

In person, Chris is charming, friendly, warm, and  engaging .

Why is it difficult to finish a novel? Not having enough time, having kids, writer’s block, perfectionism? Participating in Nanowrimo lowers  your expectation by  giving yourself permission to write imperfectly. If  the dialogue is bad, let it  be bad.

He discovered his voice after his 11th  attempt. As you write all the crappy sentences, you uncover  ‘magic’, in your voice and  the adventure takes you to places you’d  never imagined.

His mission is to help folks become high velocity momentum powerhouse writers  following Newton’s laws of motion, to keep writers in motion– transforming participants  soaring with magical outputs.

Some tips:

*Don’t edit, keep writing.

*Write quantity, revise for quality

*Buy goodies for soul food ahead

*Partner with another writer who is participating in the event.

I’ve not signed up  as a Nanowrimo writer, but I told him I’m sketching  50  scenes. A picture is worth 1000 words, and I hand calligraphed a word slowly each day which is worth 5,000 words. Then turn that picture into words.

Places around the world  would love Chris Baty to be their guest.  Writers at SSF are lucky that Chris chose to be in our city this November. He signed my flier, “Keep making art. You’re an inspiration.”

To sign  up CLICK HERE