I absolutely love the energy of NaNoWriMo. I think it helps many people out there make their dreams reality by providing an extra push of motivation.
This will be my third Nano year; my first was in 2009. It is the kind of challenge you can push yourself to overcome year after year. And each year you learn new things along the way, develop new stories haunting your brain, and make new friends.
My best advice besides doing some plotting (see my post, I make it fun), is:
1. Look at your schedule and figure out what days you can write. Identify what time of day you need to get your butt in the chair and make it an appointment with yourself.
Do the math and set your goal for each session.
Make a spreadsheet to enter your daily wordcount. ——link to 7 ways to write everyday
OR Mark the goal on your calendar and give yourself a sticker every day you complete the goal 🙂
2. Aim to write more than necessary in the beginning of the month to give yourself a buffer.
Don’t sacrifice your health or sanity to finish NaNo. There will be days you just can’t make the goal.
Use the excitement of the first week to propel you forward. This will give you some wiggle room.
But don’t get cocky! Stepping away from your novel for a few days may mess up your long term productivity.
3. Use social media like twitter or facebook to make friends. See who is talking about and who likes NaNoWriMo and message people who look interesting.
Having other people Nano alongside you is what makes this month so special. You aren’t alone in your journey–others will inspire you, question you, and motivate you to reach the finish line.
So don’t be afraid to reach out. Ask about another’s novel—we all have at least 50,000 words to say about it!
4. Remember planning is an ongoing process.
If you haven’t had a chance to plot your novel (link), you may find yourself battling between several idas as you write. Characters come in and out, settings are all over the world, what was the point of the story again?
Don’t be too hard on yourself. Messy drafts are part of the NaNo experience. Just keep seeking the good stuff: the drama and the conflict. Less philosophizing inside the characters head.
It is never too late to do a bit of plotting. I recommend using the last days before NaNoWriMo in doing just that, and also to take a moment several times throughout the month to figure out where you are going with your novel.
5. Focus on your Sentence.
Think about your novel page on NaNoWriMo— it allows you a whole area to tell people the summary of your novel. Make the best blurb possible and it will guide you through the whole month and beyond in revision.
Remember you need a protagonist, antagonist, conflict, setting, and the best books have a twist. Through the month, carve the sentence down to as few words with the most meaning.
(Holly Lisle post?)
Have so much fun this November! x Wren
