“There are three rules for writing a novel.  Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.“
–W. Somerset Maugham

Last month 311,575 writers took the pledge to write a 50,000 word novel.  A daunting challenge for sure.  If you’re still skeptical that a novel can be written in a month’s time, consider the following from NaNoWriMo: Classic Novels Written in a Month:

1. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote A Study in Scarlet, the first Sherlock Holmes novel, in just three weeks when he wasn’t working in his medical surgery.
2. Jack Kerouac cranked out On the Road in three weeks.
3. The Gambler took Fyodor Dostoevsky only 26 days to write.
4. In less than a month Muriel Spark composed The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
5. Though he mapped it out in two months, John Boyne wrote The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas in a mere 2 1/2 days.
6. Amazingly Robert Louis Stevenson penned the first draft of Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 3 days.  Unfortunately, his wife hated it, so he tossed the draft and started over from scratch.

For perspectives on last month’s NaNoWriMo click on one of the following links:
50,000 Words Later:  Farewell, NaNoWriMo 2013
Reflections on Winning
If You Aim at Nothing
Four Things I Learned from NaNoWriMo 2013

We’d love to hear about your experience.  Leave us a comment if you managed to get your novel drafted in 30 days.

Judith Barker and Bonnie James