So both NaNoWriMo and GloManWriMo start today!
Start your engines, writers!
Like I mentioned last week, Global Manifesto Writing Month (GloManWriMo) is an non-fiction alternative to National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo).
Some of us prefer writing non-fiction instead of fiction. GloManWriMo was conceived to provide non-fiction writers a long form writing project to work on. I liked the idea of a manifesto (or a long essay, for that matter) so that’s what I came up with.
Manifestos.net defines a manifesto in the following way:
A manifesto is a public declaration of the purpose, principles, or plan of action of a group or individual.
A few examples of manifestos:
A Brief Guide To World Domination
The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America
And so on.
So here are the rules that I’m setting for myself:
1. Write at least 333 words per day. I was going to go with 1,000 words a day, but that’s a 30,000 word manifesto. Anyone who can write a 30,000 word manifesto is… probably not safe to be around. Just shy of 10,000 words is good enough, I think.
2. The only exception to 1 is if I come up with a cool chart or infographic or some kind of related image. In that case, a picture is worth 1,000 words (literally!)
3. I have to publish a copy of my manifesto on the Web by January 1, 2011. It probably won’t be the original because I’ll want to take some of the crazy out of it… I mean tidy it up a bit…
4. You don’t have to be perfect (at all) on the first try! The goal here is to have a document (good or bad) at the end of November, just like the way that NaNoWriMo works. Once you finish the first draft you sit back, read it and revise it until you feel ready to share it with the world. Over 80% of your first draft could be absolute crap. And that’s perfectly fine!!!!!!! The goal is to get your ideas out of your head, not to create something beautiful and perfect on the first try.
I reserve the right to revise these rules as needed – this is something new for me and it’s hard to say how it will go.
We’ll link out to every GloManWriMo manifesto that’s published in the new year and you can provide the descriptive text for it.
If you’re taking part in GloManWriMo, please leave a comment below! And good luck!
P.S. There WILL be badges for the inaugural participants of GloManWriMo!
No related posts.
I am out of the gate. My first entry is: What are stories?
http://writelife.net/2010/11/01/what-are-stories/
Is there a Twitter hashtag we may want to use for these? Seems it would be a good idea.
Bill Wren recently posted..What are stories
Hey Bill. #glomanwrimo would be a great hashtag. Note: you don’t have to publish daily – I’m not planning on publishing until Jan. 1, 2011.
Good to know. I may/may not do it daily. If I do, it may force me to get it done. I’m still debating that one.
Bill Wren recently posted..What are stories
You should still write every day; you don’t need to publish every day, that’s my only point.
I’ll be writing but not publishing, well, not the manifesto pieces anyway. The first day was easy. I’ve had it in my head for awhile. It’s getting more into the details that will be more work.
Beth Robinson recently posted..A Note on Visual Explanations
Just finished my Day One. It certainly helps to have a concept in mind before starting, doesn’t it?
Hey, Mark!
Don’t forget to count me in! I’ve got an idea of what I’m doing, but not what to call it yet.
Annie
Great Annie! Welcome on board!
Great idea. Just to support my Nanowrimo friends last year, I worked on one of my non-fiction e-books and just put in an hour a day. 21 hours later, I was completely done, which shocked me. You definitely don’t have to be a novelist to benefit from putting in the time every day and focusing.
Dr. Pete recently posted..Dealing With Setbacks
Oh, I like this much better. I’ve never been much of a fiction person. But boy I can whip up public declarations of purpose, principles, or plans of action like there’s no tomorrow.
Hey Dr. Pete and Vin: sounds good! Hope you’re able to join us!
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Glad to know about that Global Manifesto writing month, I probably get interested to it. Love the idea of writing non-fiction rather than fiction.
Alec Blakemore recently posted..Pet Food Brands