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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/31041
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Generally, I understand [NaNoWriMo](https://nanowrimo.org/) to have the goal of writing a complete novel (at least a first draft) during the month of November. To reach "novel" word count, this requires writing approximately 2000 words per day, on average, for the entire thirty days.

What I don't understand is why, if someone can write 2000 words a day, seven days a week, they need NaNoWriMo? I could do this, if I didn't have to work for a living -- but with eight hours of work and nearly two hours of commute time on weekdays, it's all I can do to get breakfast and dinner and eight hours of sleep most nights, and shorting myself on sleep (by an hour or more, at least) in order to write two thousand words is a _bad idea_ if I have to drive almost an hour to get home.

I've heard the argument for decades about having more free time than I realize, choosing what I do with my time, etc. Yes, work plus commute plus sleep adds up to a good bit less than 24 hours -- but the unaccounted hours already go to something, much of which amounts to "upkeep". I need time after waking up to be fed, and functional enough to drive safely for an hour. I need time after work to wind down enough to fall asleep promptly (instead of losing sleep time that I _need_ because my mind isn't ready to sleep when I hit the bed). Sure, call it "excuses" -- that's a "your fault" way to describe why things are the way they are.

I live on the schedule I do for good reasons, and it's not subject to change for anything that doesn't pay bills right now (and even then, it would require considerable thought and planning to change).

Thus, I really don't understand the point -- if I could do this, I'd be doing it already, and if I can't, I'd be better off participating in No-Shave November (I've already got a long beard, so I have a huge head start).

Original score: 13