November features several special observances about writing.
I Love to Write Day
Today, November 15 is I Love to Write Day. If you like to write, take some time to write something today. You don’t need to be a professional writer to enjoy writing. You can write something you want others to read or something you want just for yourself.
Family Stories Month
November is Family Stories Month. Every family has interesting stories of quirky ancestors, humorous events, exciting adventures, heartwarming occurrences. A good way to observe Family Stories Month is to share these stories around the dinner table on Thanksgiving. Older generations may be surprised at how much younger family members enjoy their parents’ and grandparents’ memories. Children will be fascinated to learn that everyone didn’t always carry around a cellphone and that the Thanksgiving turkey didn’t always come frozen from the grocery store. Family stories are wonderful not only to share the legacy of family history but also to pass on important values and beliefs.
NaNiWriMo
Many writers get a jumpstart on their novels by participating in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The goal is to draft an entire novel during the month. If you aspire to be a novelist, this is a great way to make progress. Even if you don’t finish the novel in November, you can develop a discipline of writing regularly that will enable you to complete the book. I think discipline in following a writing routine is critical for a writer. Without the discipline of writing a chapter a week for a critique group, I might never have been published, never even finished a book to publish.
National Lifewriting Month
November is also National Lifewriting Month. Rather than a novel (fiction), lifewriting involves writing memoir or family history (nonfiction). I believe everyone has a story worth telling. Your lifewriting may not be of great interest to other people, but it will probably be of great interest to family and friends. Lifewriting could be putting into written form the family stories shared around the Thanksgiving table or a personal story of your own life, what you want your children and grandchildren to know about you. You can learn more in my six-part blog series on Memoirs and Family History or my free ebook, Preserving Memories: How to Write a Family History.
Writing Anytime
Remember, you can enjoy a love of writing without becoming a professional writer. You can honor your family history and pass on your most important lessons and values. November is a month encouraging writing, but you can do it anytime!