By Jennifer Blanchard
Five days until the start of NaNoWriMo. It’s getting close, writers! Are you ready?
Regardless of how prepared you are, there’s still one very important thing you need to do: REGISTER.
You may not realize it, but in order for your 50,000 words to count (publicly), you need to sign up for a (free) account on the NaNoWriMo Web site.
Why Register?
Because registering allows you to have access to the entire NaNoWriMo site, which includes:
- Updating your daily word count–Obviously this is extremely important. If you don’t register, you won’t be able to submit your 50,000 words into the word counter (don’t worry, it deletes your words after it counts them). If you’re going to spend 30 days writing a novel, you might as well brag about it.
- Using the forums–Registering gives you access to the NaNoWriMo forums, where you can post messages and have discussions with other NaNo-ers. Also, when you post something in the forum, it includes your word count for everyone to see.
- Filling out your bio page–On this page you can include information about yourself, as well as information about the book you’re attempting to write.
- Getting access to the free stuff–The great team at NaNoWriMo offers registered users access to all kinds of awesome stuff, such as NaNoWriMo Web badges (see my sidebar for an example), customized word-count posting widgets and pep talks.
Best of all, when you register, you’ll receive motivational e-mails from Chris Baty (the creator of NaNoWriMo) throughout the month of November.
If you’re participating in NaNoWriMo this year and would like help staying motivated throughout the entire challenge, be sure to sign up for my 30 Days of NaNoWriMo Tips for Procrastinating Writers e-mail newsletter.
About the Author: Jennifer Blanchard is founder of Procrastinating Writers. Be sure to follow her on Twitter.
