If you are one of many writers who have signed on to do this year’s NaNoWriMo, you are in luck. Here are my top tips for doing it right:
Don’t Think, Do
Maybe you haven’t signed up yet, but are thinking about it. Or you did sign up and are second-guessing yourself. Will you have time? Can you do it? Stop. Don’t overthink it. Just do it. It doesn’t even matter if you don’t get started on November 1st. You can catch up. But before you do that, read last week’s blog on reasons why you should do NaNoWriMo. Then head over to the NaNoWriMo site and join. You will be glad you did. If you have signed up, use these last couple of days to prepare. You can do this.
Break the Rules/Customize Your Goal
Maybe you aren’t sure you can do the full 50k words. That’s okay. Don’t get intimidated or hemmed in by the challenge. You are in control. The goal for NaNoWriMo may be to write 50k words on your book, but that doesn’t mean you can’t customize it to fit your particular writing situation. Maybe you are in the middle of a book and need motivation to get you to the end. Maybe you need to edit a novel instead. Or maybe you want to write a screenplay and don’t want to wait until Script Frenzy. Use NaNo to motivate your work. It’s okay. You might not technically “win” NaNoWriMo, but you can tap into the best bits of the process by joining and supporting a robust writing community. The whole point behind NaNoWriMo is to encourage writing. As long as that is what you are doing, it’s okay to take part in your own way. Maybe you would like to use NaNoWriMo to commit to:
* Writing every day
* Finishing 4/10/20/30 short stories (you set the number)
* Writing 30 poems
* Writing a screenplay
* Editing a manuscript
* Or by choosing a smaller goal of 25k words or even 17,500 on your novel
Only you know what is reasonable for you. The bigger point is to apply the spirit of NaNoWriMo to your writing as it exists. Not being up for writing a new novel doesn’t mean you have to miss out.
Write Productively
There are two goals in NaNoWriMo. The first goal is to learn how to write freely without your inner editor and critic inhibiting your ability to put words on the page. This goal is about developing a healthy writing habit. The second goal is to make progress on your novel. This means the words you pile up in your quest to reach 50K words need to be real. You can’t type nonsense and expect to win the challenge. You need to end up with usable words, not just to have filled pages. But you can’t let that expectation of usable words trigger your inner editor. No one is saying the words have to be good. They just have to be present. The real writing will happen during editing.
Don’t Give Up
Maybe you missed a day or are behind in your word count. That’s okay. Don’t give up. Get right back in there and keep writing. It’s like falling off a diet. The fall is accidental. Not getting back on track is a choice. But when you do get back to it, don’t stress about catching up. Instead focus on putting words on the page. Focus on the story and characters. The point is to keep going. It’s easy to give up, but don’t give into that temptation.
Revise Your Goal
If you fall far behind and there is no way to “win” NaNoWriMo, set a new goal. Can’t make it to 50k, then go for 40 or 30. You will still “win” if you keep writing and don’t give up. It’s okay to modify your experience. There is no shame in it. But there is regret in giving up. Do your best, even if it falls short of your initial goal. Whatever you achieve is still progress.
Minimize the Obstacles to Writing
Set up a place to write. Get your area clean and ready to go. Have your notebooks, pens, research, laptop, desktop, iPad or whatever else you need to succeed at the ready. My must-have, beyond my laptop and desktop, is my pair of noise-reducing headphones to block out even the loudest leaf blowers known to man. Find what you need to succeed and have it prepped and ready to go. You don’t want to get off track because you can’t find a pen or a private spot to write.
Join a Forum or Group
Writing is a solitary event, but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone. Join a NaNoWriMo Forum or a regional group. Find local writers who have an online presence or are meeting in person (which is highly unlikely this year). It is amazing how much help it is to be around others (even virtually) trying to hit those word counts. Look for options around you or stop by NaNoWriMo and check out the Forums and Events pages.
Look to NaNoWriMo
The NaNoWriMo website and their YouTube channel have tons of great articles, videos and resources for writers of all levels and type. If you are struggling, visit and I guarantee you will find inspiration. Again, you are not alone in this. Even though there is a pandemic, don’t cut yourself off. Join the others who are struggling with the challenge or flailing on the page. Misery loves company. Joy revels in it.
Fully Commit to NaNoWriMo
Don’t sign up and think, “I’ll do my best.” Really commit to it. Don’t allow excuses or approach it half-heartedly with one foot in and one exploring exit strategies. Go all in. Tell people you are doing it so they will help hold you accountable. Sign up for a habit tracker app and build in consequences. Bet someone you will finish. Do whatever it takes to take this seriously and try your best. It’s okay if you don’t “win” as long as you give it your best shot.
Find Time
You have time to write. It’s there in the early morning or late evening. It’s that time you use to scroll through social media or binge shows on Netflix. Heck, this year, you even have time normally spend commuting to your job. The first big tip is to find as much time as you can to devote to writing. It’s one month. You can do this.
Make a Plan
Plan out some strategies for making your word count, which will be the topic of next week’s blog. In the meantime, come up with ways to break up the work and set hourly/daily/weekly goals. Figure out how you are going to track your progress. Consider adding a reward system or a punishment one if that is more your style. A sound plan will help you succeed.
Have a BackUp Plan
Life gets in the way. Have contingency plans if you miss your writing goals for a day/days/week. When can you block time to catch up? What could you give up to add time to your schedule? Where can you steal more time for writing?
Know Your Story
Now, I know this is a controversial tip for those of you who write as you go, but hear me out. I am not saying you have to have a complete plot and subplot with scene beats (though you certainly could) to succeed, but it does help if you have a destination in mind. Having a through line to guide you will help you avoid writing yourself into dead ends or taking your character down the wrong path. Know the basic idea of your story and the major character arcs. Knowing these basics will help keep you on the right path and moving forward, especially if you hit a rough patch in your writing. It doesn’t have to lock you into one path though. You can use your idea of the story as a guide and still be surprised along the way. For example, say your protagonist starts out lonely and depressed but you want him to find happiness in the end. Use that desire to guide your plot. It leaves you open to any number of stories, but does give you a touchstone to use when choosing what comes next. What will get him one step closer to happiness? What does he have to learn/feel?
Have a System
Like having a plan above, knowing how you are going to organize your writing helps too. I always write long-form projects in Scrivener. The built-in structure helps me keep track of where I am in the story and where I need to go. Plus I can see the scene beats and move them around if needed. And I can attach my research to the same binder so I never have to go searching for it while I am writing. Whatever system you are using — Scrivener, Word, Notebook — get it ready before NaNoWriMo begins. Set up your novel files. Get your research in order. Have your notes at hand. Know where everything is that you will need to write.
Write Every Day
The whole point is to develop a new writing habit, and the best way to do that is to commit to writing every day. Now I’m not saying you have to hit a specific word count every day (although you can). Maybe you’re someone who does better with a weekly count. But I do recommend writing for at least fifteen minutes every day during the month of November. Even a tiny writing session will help your craft, style, productivity and speed. Think of this entire challenge as writing practice. You are developing your writing skills by flexing them daily.
Accept It Will Be a Challenge
Writing 50k words is not easy. It should be challenging. Writing always is. But it should be fun too. This is an elaborate challenge to nudge you toward your goals of being a writer (which can only happen if you are write), establishing a new habit (of writing every day) and telling your characters’ stories. This is a writing exercise on steroids. It is meant to push you, prod you, challenge you. That’s okay. Accept it. Then relax and have fun. Enjoy the good days. Vent during the bad ones. Holler when you need encouragement and boost others when they need it. You need to get into the right head space to finish this challenge. Fifty thousand words is not easy, but definitely doable. Thousands of people do it every November, not to mention the crush of published authors who write far longer books. This is meant to be a step toward a life spent writing. The worst thing you could do is to view it as a burden or chore. It will only make it harder to achieve.
In the next blog, we’ll look at tips to use during NaNoWriMo to get more words on the page no matter what is happening in your life or head. I also encourage you to read my other blogs on NaNoWriMo.