Greetings, brave writers! With one week left until the start
of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo),
now seems like a perfect time to go over some last-minute tips. Whether it's
your first or tenth time participating in NaNo, it never hurts to be prepared.
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| Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month |
That takes off some pressure, but writing 50,000 words in
the span of 30 days can still be daunting. If you're in the US and celebrate
Thanksgiving during November, that can make it seem even more unlikely that
you'll have the time to knock out so many words.
But it can be
done, and it can be a really positive, fulfilling experience if you keep a few
things in mind.
Break it down
Sitting down and thinking I have to write 50,000 words might overwhelm you. Instead, think of
it this way: you only need to write 1,667 words each day to meet that 50,000-word
quota. That's really not so bad! NaNo offers some widgets to help with keeping
track of your word count so you don't need to waste valuable writing time
on that, and they also hold daily "competitions," if that's a good
motivator for you.
Go easy on yourself
It's okay if you don't hit 50,000 words on November 30th.
Really. Plenty of people continue on into December, and no matter how many (or
how few) words you write, it's better than zero.
Don't fret writer's
block
If you're feeling stuck on a scene, don't panic. Remember
that you can always skip that scene and come back to it later. If you're set on
writing it, try looking around for inspiration: take a walk, talk to a friend,
or use a writing prompt generator.
And when in doubt, check out the NaNo forums. You'll find nothing but
encouragement and sympathy there, plus plenty of ideas to get your creative
energy flowing!
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| Image courtesy of National Novel Writing Month |
No, really. Make sure you're well rested (or at least try to
be). Go out with your friends, watch a movie, read a book. If you let NaNo
consume you for the entire month, you'll feel miserable and will dread sitting
down to write every day. Balance is important; set aside time to write, but don't
neglect yourself to do so.
Socialize
I already mentioned the NaNo
forums, but if that's not your thing, give Twitter a try. Some of the most
popular hashtags to check out are #nanowrimo, #nanowrimo2016, #amwriting, and #writing. For advice and
encouragement, follow the #nanocoach
hashtag. In October, #nanoprep
is a big one, and in December and January, #amediting skyrockets.
There are also local write-ins you can join, if you're
craving some in-person interaction. You can find likeminded writers in the NaNo Regions Directory, or you can
utilize meetup.com and find local writers
groups in your area—I can pretty much guarantee that they'll be having some
NaNo-related meetups. Some people spend the entire time writing during these
events, and others value them for the chance to socialize; it's a great way to
make new friends! Remember, there are no bad experiences. There are good
experiences and then there are experiences that make good writing fodder. ;)
However you cope with the challenge of writing 50,000 words in a month, we're rooting for you! At the end of the month you'll have the start to a shiny new novel down on paper—or maybe even most of it!—and when you're ready to take it beyond the roughness of a first draft, we'll be here to help.
However you cope with the challenge of writing 50,000 words in a month, we're rooting for you! At the end of the month you'll have the start to a shiny new novel down on paper—or maybe even most of it!—and when you're ready to take it beyond the roughness of a first draft, we'll be here to help.
