It’s October 2 and the NaNoWriMo website has been rebooted for this year’s festivities. If you had a halo from 2012’s event, it’s gone — though I’m sure we’ll see them popping up around the site on a regular basis.

I adore NaNo. This is Year 12 for me and while there have been one or two years when I’ve hesitated about signing up, I’ve never regretted it. And I know it’s crazy to commit to writing 50,000 words during November when you’re just coming off Halloween and there’s Thanksgiving and Christmas prep to begin and everyone needs your attention for something, but that’s the thrill for me. It’s a chance to make certain you do something for yourself, taking that time when it’s all about you.

Besides, the excuse “Haven’t finished today’s words” has allowed us to skip out early from family celebrations that were dragging on way too long more than once over the years. So, bonus there.

There have been years when I wasn’t writing for publication, when I wasn’t writing at all. NaNo has at times proved to be my lifeline to sanity because here’s the thing about people who discover they’re writers: they feel compelled to write. Just because I was on a detour on my writing journey didn’t mean the desire and need wasn’t there. In fact, for all that my husband jokes about girding his loins for the insanity of November, he’s always encouraged me to sign up and dive in whole-heartedly. “You’re happier when you’re writing,” he says.

So if you’re thinking about signing up for this year, wander over to the site. If you’re not but know someone who might enjoy 30 days of literary abandon, point them toward the website. And please consider donating, even if you can only throw $5 or $10 in the kitty. In addition to keeping the website forums going, there’s also the Young Writers Program which provides free material to teachers to encourage students to give writing a try.

Are you NaNoing this year? If you aren’t, what are you going to take time to do for yourself during the insanity of the holidays?