A writer’s audience is his reader…

With NaNoWriMo inching ever closer I’ve mentioned to a few friends that

I’m going to participate this year.

“NaNo-what?”

is the common response.

I remember I felt that way too when I first learned of the event.

If the average person is unfamiliar with the idea of

NaNoWriMo

(National Novel Writing Month)

and the average person just happens to be our reading audience

and their only perception of such a feat is confusion or

mild curiosity at best

then who is the real audience for NaNoWriMo?

I’d say fellow writers.

The more I learn about what I’m going to participate in

and the less the general public actually knows about it

I realize that my perception of this

event

was initially wrong.

It’s not about prestige, telling the world you ‘won’ or adding another writing credential to your list…

It’s about personal goals

and

community.

My perceived audience has gone from my general readership

to my fellow writers

for it is really only someone who has been through the trenches

of writing a manuscript of any significant length

who can truly understand why I

(and hundreds of thousands of other writers world wide)

are participating in this

event.

~

What is your perception of NaNoWriMo?

Categories: Notables

Tags: audience, changing perception, community, goals, M.J. Moores, NaNoWriMo, perception, readers, writers, writing